After Friday night, it looked like the Orioles were really going to make last week a complete mirror image of the 2014 postseason – instead of sweeping Detroit in three then getting swept in four by Kansas City, they were going to sweep KC for three, then get swept by the Tigers over four straight. Fortunately, they righted the ship and managed a split with Detroit to put the finishing touches on a very nice 5-2 homestand.
Now comes the dreaded West Coast trip. Get the coffeemakers ready, Birdland. We’ve got a whole lotta late nights coming up.
Outside of Machado, O’s Have Another Looming Free Agency Issue
Manny isn’t the only important Oriole whose contract is up after next season. Our own Andrew Stetka, writing in his weekly MASN guest column brings up another guy who the O’s should be approaching about signing a new deal sooner rather than later.
Zach looks to be back, or at least more “back” than he was fresh off the DL. Joe Wantz of Camden Depot tries to peer into the future to try to figure out what the Birds’ options are for number 53.
Chris Tillman Vows to use Time in ‘Pen to “Get Better”
Well, he certainly can’t get worse, amirite? Seriously though, would you feel comfortable seeing Tilly come in for anything other than mop-up duty? It’s a sad state of affairs in Tillmanville, for sure.
Struggling Veterans Present O’s with Tough Choices
Speaking of Tilly, he is one of two very high-profile expensive veterans who are struggling and/or hurt, which will lead to some tough decisions here very soon. What will the future hold for Tillman and J.J. Hardy? Camden Chat’s Mark Brown lays it out.
Caleb Joseph’s Bounce-back Year Looks More Like a Breakout Year
This story is a couple weeks old, but I missed it when it was first posted by Jacob Meyer over on BSL, so you’ll have to forgive me. Caleb has just kept on hittin’ in the meantime, so everything Jacob wrote still holds up. Not just hitting, of course – stealing strikes, of which Orioles pitchers could always use more.
