With the 2019 season wrapping up, the Orioles are in a battle for the #1 overall pick, something I wrote about (along with many other O’s fans) this past week. At this point, it’s really a matter of Baltimore and Detroit being in a two-horse race. However, unlike last season, I don’t think it’s all that important for Mike Elias to snag the top selection. Adley Rutschman was one of the best prospects in recent memory; this year’s class doesn’t seem to have the same disparity in talent at the […]

In this week’s installment of Hot Take Tuesday, I’m going to have to go back on something I wrote a while back, something I really would rather not do. Normally, when you make a fiery take you stick by it, so please don’t question my credibility – I love the game of the hot take and fully respect it. At the same time, I think this take is just as hot as my prior one was, and with that one being so far out of question at this point, I […]

Griesser’s Suggested Change of the Week With so many players having been called up for September roster expansion and the upcoming end of all minor league play, there’s going to be far fewer moves to be made for the remainder of the year. As a result, this will be the last regular installment of the Suggested Change of the Week, at least until the offseason. Still, I do think there’s one managerial change for the Orioles to make, and that revolves around making a consistent dedication to youth. This year, […]

Ryan Mountcastle certainly turned heads this year in his debut at AAA. At only age 22, Mountcastle led the International League in hits and total bases, but no other major offensive categories. However, he may have been the most consistent hitter in the league, thus earning him 2019 International League Most Valuable Player honors. Mountcastle is the first Norfolk Tide to win the award since 1997. Many consider this to be a major step forward for the former 1st Rounder, but looking deeper into the numbers, this may not be […]

(Ed note: An earlier version of this post attributed it to Derek Arnold. Aidan Griesser is the correct author. We apologize for the error.) Sitting at 45-92 late on Monday night, there’s no question that the Orioles…well, suck. They’re not easy to watch at all, and quite frankly, I’m about ready for the season to end. It’s only natural that all of our minds are solely focused on the Baltimore Ravens at this point. However, perhaps because of how awful the summer has been, what’s been going through my mind […]

Tonight, your Baltimore Orioles will begin a three-game set in Kansas City. On a grand scale, it may be the most important series the Orioles have left this season. In full-on rebuild mode, the 2019 Orioles are rubbing some fans the wrong way with their play of late. Ironically, it’s been a little too good. Despite Wednesday’s demolition at the hands of Max Scherzer and the Nationals, the O’s have won five of eight, including a recent three-game win streak against playoff-caliber teams Washington and Tampa Bay. They also took […]

Griesser’s Suggested Change of the Week Given the focus on developing youth this season, this week’s Suggested Change is one of my favorites. It’s finally time for September Call-Ups. The 2019 season has been a tough one to watch and I’m sure even tougher to play through as a member of the team. But, finally, reinforcements are coming. On September 1, the Orioles will be able to expand their roster from 25 to 40 players, giving GM Mike Elias the opportunity to bring up anyone who can contribute and provide […]

In a season in which the Orioles have mightily struggled, I’ve reasonably found it difficult to pick out bright spots to write about, whether in a Hot Take Tuesday or a Suggested Change of the Week. At the same time, one of the brightest spots that I repeatedly missed has become abundantly clear to me – it just took a milestone for me to realize it. This weekend, Jonathan Villar became the first Oriole since Manny Machado in 2015 to join the 20/20 club, and all of a sudden it […]

Griesser’s Suggested Change of the Week With September call ups on the horizon, it’s safe to say the extra brutal dog days of the baseball season for a rebuilding team may be coming to an end. That’s not to say the last bit of the season won’t be painful – because it will – but to point out that watching younger players get a crack in the majors will become more and more possible moving forward. Still, we’re not quite there yet. Thus, this week’s suggested change is still rather […]

Griesser’s Suggested Change of the Week The trend over the last few installments of this column has been opportunity. I’m sure this will come as little surprise, but this week will be no different. For the Orioles, giving unproven players the chance to step up at the MLB level is something worth doing, especially at this time of the year. The team is firmly in the cellar, scrapping to get through the season, and focusing organizationally on rebuilding a farm system that has been dry for the better part of […]