Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! I hope you enjoyed the off day. It would have been nicer if the Orioles hadn’t blown their series with the Athletics, but that’s life with the 2025 Orioles.
Even with the series loss in Sacramento, the Orioles are on a good swing. Going back to the nightcap of their doubleheader with the Red Sox on May 24th, the Orioles are 10-4. One more win against the A’s would make things look a lot better, but even so. If they can keep things going strong on the homestand, they could continue their rise back into respectability.
There is talk about if the Orioles can climb back into contention this year and possibly grab a wild card spot. For my part, I do not think that’s going to happen. There is a lot of season left, but they are just so far behind. But just because they are not going to make the postseason, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter if they play well from here on out. There is a lot of talent on the team and I think joy to be had in watching them.
Of course, I say that with the Detroit Tigers on deck, currently with the best record in baseball. We may be in for a tough few days in watching our favorite team, and not just because on Thursday they are facing the toughest lefty in the business in Tarik Skubal.
But what if this lineup is coming around? I hesitate to talk about Adley Rutschman’s resurgence because what if I scare it away? But he had an incredible run on the West Coast, going 10-for-24 with two home runs and a double. He had hits in five out of six games, with multiple hits in three. It’s only six games, I know, but if he’s going to get back to form it has to start sometime. Why not now?
Jordan Westburg could return as soon as tonight, and I sure hope that he does. He’s played in eight rehab games with the Tides and is pummeling the ball. He’s 11-for-28 with four doubles and two home runs. We need to get him back with his bestie, Colton Cowser, who has an OPS of .937 since returning from the IL.
Two Sundays ago, I was watching the Orioles play the White Sox at Camden Yards. They won that game, but the bottom half of the lineup was Coby Mayo, Dylan Carlson, Jorge Mateo, Heston Kjerstad, and Maverick Handley. It was bleak. But if you can replace three of those batters with a good Adley, Westburg, and Cowser? Suddenly things look a lot less bleak. Not, “print the playoff tickets” hopeful, but maybe “no need to tear it all down” territory. I’ll take that.
Links
Looking back at a disappointing finish to the West Coast trip – MASN Sports
If you want to look back, I guess. Roch has some good things in here as well as the bad.
Ryan O’Hearn worried his career might be ending when he joined the Orioles. It has taken flight ever since. – The Baltimore Banner
A good story about the great story that is Ryan O’Hearn’s career turnaround.
It’s time to revisit the Orioles’ offseason, and defend it — to a point – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Steve Cockey’s argument for the Elias method is “they always get injured anyway.”
After ‘soul-searching,’ Orioles’ Coby Mayo ready for his best opportunity yet – Baltimore Sun
I am also ready for him to take advantage of his best opportunity yet.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five birthday buddies, including longtime Oriole Ken Singleton (78). Singleton was traded to the Orioles by Montreal ahead of the 1975 season and spent a decade with the Orioles. During that time, he hit 182 home runs, including four years with at least 24. His best year offensively was 1979, when he 35 home runs, had an OPS+ of 155, and led the league in intentional walks. He was the runner-up MVP behind his former teammate, Don Baylor.
Also born on this day are former Orioles Jay Flaa (33), Julio Mañón (52), Hank Foiles (b. 1929, d. 2024), and Ken Lehman (b. 1928, d. 2010).
On this day in 1978, the Orioles defeated the A’s, 1-0, with Jim Palmer on the mound. It was the third time in 18 days that Palmer beat a team by a score of 1-0. The other two games were on May 24th and June 1st. Palmer actually pitched five games in that span, allowing just one earned run in 43 innings pitched. He was pretty good.
In 1995, Jeff Manto homered in his fourth consecutive at-bat in a win over the Angels. The streak spanned three games. He homered in his final two at-bats on June 8th, hit two more on June 9th with three walks mixed in, and started the game on June 10th his his fourth dinger. Manto had a nine-year major league career and outside of 1995, when he hit 17 home runs, he never topped three.
In 2005, three 500-home run players appeared in a game together for the first time in baseball history. Ken Griffey, Jr., Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro all played in the Orioles-Reds game that day.
In 2013, the Orioles drafted Cedric Mullins in the 13th round of the amateur draft. Mullins has been incredibly successful for his draft position.
In 2020, the Orioles drafted Heston Kjerstad and Jordan Westburg in the first round of the amateur draft. One of those has worked out better than the others so far, but I am holding onto hope for Kjerstad. The most valuable pick in that first round to date is Garrett Crochet, who was drafted nine picks after Kjerstad.
And one year ago today, the Orioles defeated the Rays, 5-2. Corbin Burnes pitched seven two-run innings, followed by a scoreless inning each by Yennier Cano and Craig Kimbrel. Gunnar Henderson had three hits, including his 21st home run.