About Ryan Blake

Ryan joined the Eutaw Street Report crew for the site's launch in 2013 having spent the 2012 season as a member of the Orioles' tarp crew. Before then, he had never really considered writing, but has grown to enjoy sharing his opinions and is now ESR's "Hot Take" artist. In addition to his Orioles commentary for ESR, he contributes to baseballfam.com. He is also the man behind the @OriolesFanProbz account on Twitter, where he provides both insight and jokes while interacting with fans. Ryan started working in 2016 as a bat boy with the Bowie Baysox. You can follow his personal twitter: @ryguyblake

Hot Take Tuesday: Adam Jones isn’t a Good Center Fielder Anymore

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Adam Jones makes a catch in spring training

Adam Jones has, for almost nine full seasons, been the Orioles’ everyday center fielder when healthy. He has four Gold Glove awards to his name, three of which came in succession from 2012-2014. His propensity to blow bubbles as he chases fly balls drives some O’s fans up a wall, even those with Adam Jones bubble-blowing bobbleheads perched atop their dressers. Say that five times fast. In 2013, Rawlings began an effort to make the Gold Glove Award more accountable for truly determining the best fielders in the game by […]

Hot Take Tuesday: The 2015 O’s Should Have Sold at the Deadline

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Ryan Blake

head shots of dan duquette with orioles manager

This isn’t your typical “hindsight is 20/20” cliché. I actually wrote an article last June in which I said the Orioles would be better off selling at the deadline. After reading that article again 14 months later, a few things made me laugh and a few made me shake my head. The team ended up finishing with an even .500 record at 81-81, trailing the division champion Toronto Blue Jays by 12 games and missing out on a Wild Card spot by five. At that point, going into an offseason […]

Word on the Street: If Kim Goes to DL, Reimold/Rickard Platoon in Order

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Ryan Blake

orioles baseball player waiting at home plate to hit baseball

Hyun Soo Kim tore it up for the O’s in the first half, but aggravated his hamstring last week. If he goes on the DL – he’ll test the hammy on Sunday – a Joey Rickard/Nolan Reimold platoon could bridge the gap. Read below or press play for more. Hyun Soo Kim was booed on Opening Day at Camden Yards by many fans who thought he was selfish to refuse a minor league assignment after a poor Spring Training. The outfielder hit just .178 in the spring and did not […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Despite Pitching Woes, O’s Are Legitimate Contenders

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Ryan Blake

The All-Star break is upon us and, if you ask just about any of your fellow Orioles fans, they will tell you that the starting pitching situation in Baltimore is scary. No, not Cleveland Indians or Washington Nationals or Arrieta-led Chicago Cubs “scary.” When I say our starting pitching situation is scary, I mean it generally makes me want to curl up in a ball, lay on the floor, and cry until Mark Trumbo saves the day with a Trumbomb. “Chris Tillman and pray for rain” has become a commonly […]

Hot Take Tuesday: O’s Should Consider a Bud Norris Reunion

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Ryan Blake

orioles pitcher bud norris about to throw pitch

Last week, I took a break from writing my weekly hot take article due to the fact that my fingertips were still recovering from typing that scorching column in which I suggested the Orioles trade Mark Trumbo, which, by the way, went over very well if you ignore all the comments including the words “stupid” or “idiot.” One person even suggested that I, the author, get traded for starting pitching. In theory, that’s not a bad idea, though I don’t think I have much value in this trade market, unfortunately. […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Orioles Should Trade Mark Trumbo in July

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Mark Trumbo swings in a spring training game.

A few weeks ago, I prefaced my hot take article by saying that I had considered writing about how Ubaldo Jimenez should stay in the rotation despite his struggles, based purely on the fact that our offense is good enough to bail him out most of the time. Since then, Jimenez has allowed 17 runs (14 earned) in just 12 innings over a span of four starts, two of which lasted under two innings. That’s bad no matter what metrics, advanced or not, you take into account. With Tuesday’s recall […]

Word on the Street: Flaherty Proving his Value at Third Base

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Ryan Blake

I’m sure some of you have seen some of my posts for the new “Hot Take Tuesday” series here at Eutaw Street Report. My mission is to come up with an unpopular opinion and back it up with facts and statistics. I’ve swung and missed a few times, have been called an idiot on several occasions, and have been forced to eat my words when my opinion backfires. This week, I’m bringing my hot take to Word on the Street, and it’s one that opposes a past article I wrote. […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Manny Machado Should Be the O’s Leadoff Hitter

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Buck Showalter seems to have finally diverted from his infatuation with putting Joey Rickard and his just-barely-above-.300 on base percentage at the top of the Orioles lineup. Rickard, who started off the season playing very well but has since regressed to the mean, has hit leadoff just once in the past week. Instead, Buck has decided to give Adam Jones a shot in the leadoff role, where he had started just 21 games in his 11-year career prior to last week. Jones, whose .287 OBP is the worst among the […]

Hot Take: Brach & Givens are O’s Most Valuable Bullpen Pieces

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Brad Brach looks in for a sign from the catcher.

Part of being an opinionated sports blogger is the occasional realization that sometimes, something you wrote is completely wrong and deserves a trip to the virtual recycle bin. The issue could be irrelevancy or it could be timing. Last night, for me, it was the latter. After a long day at work and the ultimate decision that Hot Take Tuesday would be pushed back to Wednesday this week, I sat down with a Natty Boh and watched the Orioles offense strike out 19 times and leave 11 men on base […]

Word on the Street: Machado Impresses Anywhere on the Diamond

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Manny Machado prepares to throw the runner out.

Manny Machado has continued his superb play since moving to shortstop with J.J. Hardy on the DL. Wherever Buck puts him, the young phenom impresses. Press play or read the transcript below for more. Manny Machado has entered the “best player in baseball” conversation with his strong start to the 2016 campaign. After becoming just the seventh player in Orioles franchise history to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season last year, Machado has picked up right where he left off and appears to be the […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Gausman and Bundy Remain a Future 1-2 Punch

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy stand side by side with their caps off and held to their chests.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports wrote an article last month about the Orioles’ history of poor coaching when it came to the development of young pitchers. It was an interesting read, not because of the focus on former O’s prospect Jake Arrieta‘s current dominance with the Chicago Cubs, but because it relates to three current O’s hurlers. Arrieta, Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, and Chris Tillman were all expected to be the future of the starting rotation in Baltimore. Tillman has been the O’s biggest success of the four, and, while […]

Hot Take Tuesday: A Healthy Nolan Reimold Needs More Playing Time

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Ryan Blake

baltimore orioles reimold waiting for pitch

As a member of the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in 2014, outfielder Nolan Reimold took a trip to the disabled list for what seemed like the millionth time in his six-year MLB career. This time, the issue was a strained calf. He was activated on July 27, 2014, and has been healthy ever since. Reimold, who has missed time in the past with an Achilles injury and a herniated disc in his neck, among a flurry of other ailments, has a reputation in Baltimore as being highly injury-prone. While […]

Word on the Street: Deep Outfield is a Welcome Change for O’s

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Despite losing the final two games of their four-game set against the Chicago White Sox, there are plenty of good signs in Birdland. Their improved outfield depth is one of those signs. Press play or read below for more. The Orioles dropped their final two games against the Chicago White Sox, splitting a four game series that featured a lot of offense on both sides. The Orioles now hold a 14-10 record, tied with the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East. The series against Chicago […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Jones Hitting the DL Would Help Short & Long Term

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Adam Jones was acquired in a February 2008 trade with the Seattle Mariners that brought Chris Tillman, George Sherrill, Kam Mickolio, and Tony Butler to Baltimore with Jones and sent LHP Erik Bedard to Seattle, where he was supposed to be the ace of a staff that featured 21-year-old Felix Hernandez. Jones became a star almost immediately, earning his first of five All Star bids and winning his first of four Gold Glove awards in 2009. He quickly earned a reputation as the face of the Orioles franchise, helping convert […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Ryan Flaherty Has Little Value to the Orioles

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Ryan Blake

For quite some time, I have tried without success to understand the love affair many Orioles fans seem to have with the man they call Flash. Ryan Flaherty was a Rule 5 selection prior to the 2012 season and has spent the majority of the last four seasons on the Orioles’ 25-man roster. Despite never posting a batting average above .224 or getting on base at a rate higher than 29.3% in a single season, Flaherty has stuck around due to his defensive versatility and ability to play multiple positions. […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Starting Pitching Has Not Exceeded Expectations

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Last week, the first article in our new “Hot Take Tuesday” series was posted. I argued that Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard is not the next big thing. He had a good spring and notched a couple hits on Opening Day but I was not ready to crown him an everyday player. It looks like, unlike Joey, I swung and missed. Rickard has played very well in his time thus far, notching at least one base hit in all six games and earning his way into the leadoff role. Fans […]

Hot Take Tuesday: Joey Rickard Is Not Our Savior

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Last week, Derek, our Senior Editor, asked me to take on the responsibility of being ESR’s “hot take” artist. I love hot takes almost as much as I love hotcakes, so I was quick to say yes. We agreed to turn it into a series called “Hot Take Tuesday” in order to keep a bit of consistency. There are 26 Tuesdays during the regular season which means I need to come up with 26 not-so-popular views to discuss in order to ruffle some feathers. I’m up for the challenge. So, […]

Baltimore Bracketology: Greatest Games, 33rd Street Region

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Cal Ripken Jr. posing by dugout during his 2131st consecutive game.

Click here for an introduction to this series and to vote in the Wild Bill Hagy Region. 33rd Street Region #16 Lowenstein Plays Possum vs #1 Cal Ripken Immortalized (#16) June 19, 1980 – This is another one that almost certainly is not one of the greatest games in Orioles history but I find this story hilarious, so deal with it. The O’s trailed the A’s 3-2 in the seventh inning. John Lowenstein, who was battling a sore Achilles, came to the plate with runners on first and second […]

Baltimore Bracketology: Vote on the Greatest Games in Orioles History

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Last year, “Baltimore Bracketology” was a huge success. We totaled over 13,000 votes in our March Madness-style tournament of our favorite Orioles players from the drought years of 1998-2011. Brian Roberts came out on top, defeating Melvin Mora in the championship. This year, we’re bringing it back for its second year. This time, however, we’re inviting readers to vote for something a little different. We’ve compiled a list of, in our opinion, the greatest 64 games in the history of the Baltimore Orioles. I want to preface this by saying […]

Machado Gnome, ’66 Replica Jersey Highlight ’16 Promotions

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Ryan Blake

Spring Training is just a week away and a couple question marks remain in terms of the on-field product we will see at Oriole Park this year. Names like Yovani Gallardo and Dexter Fowler have been thrown around in discussions as GM Dan Duquette looks to fill out the roster. Despite a 20% increase in ticket prices this year (thanks, Crush…), fans have been opening their wallets to renew season plan memberships. Though single game tickets are not yet on sale, Orioles faithful will be marking their calendars for some […]

[adrotate block="7"]

[adrotate block="8"]