Corbin Burnes will be on the same mound tonight as when he started the All-Star Game a few days ago.
Happy Friday, Camden Chatters! Welcome to the second half of the 2024 baseball season. The Orioles will be in Texas tonight facing the Rangers with plenty of questions to be answered. The pitching staff has questions and needs at least one addition.
The offense ended the first half on a down note and we have to wait and see if they can return to their powerhouse ways of the early season. I am optimistic about that. It’s a very solid group of players who unfortunately all seemed to struggle at the same time as the first half of the season ended. I hope a reset over the break is what they need to get back on track.
Team ace Corbin Burnes is scheduled to start tonight, fresh off his start in the All-Star Game. I like that he is starting the first game of the second half, and not just because he’s one of the few sure things in the rotation right now. He started the first game of the first half and that went very well as the Orioles got off to a fast start to the season.
If you spend time on social media, the fan-generated trade proposals for Tarik Skubal are out of control. Skubal is probably the best starting pitcher in the American League so far this year and he won’t be a free agent until after the 2026 season. People are speculating trade packages that include some combination of Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo, and every other prospect you can think of.
It sounds wild to Orioles fans to trade away a player (or players) like Holliday or Mayo. That includes me. But from Detroit’s perspective, why would they trade a player like Skubal for anything less? I guess it’s fun to imagine, though.
The next few weeks are going to rife with speculation about not only Skubal but any pitcher fans and pundits think can help the team. None of us knows how it will shake out but I look forward to being stressed out over it until something happens.
Links
Orioles roundtable: We break down what to expect in the 2nd half – The Baltimore Banner
Andy Kostka, Danielle Allentuck, and Paul Mancano give their thoughts on the state of the Orioles as we kick off the second half of the season.
Orioles need offense to open up coming out of break – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko states the obvious.
Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum turns 50, focuses on future – Baltimore Sun
The Babe Ruth Museum is 50 years old! If you haven’t checked it out, take the time before your next O’s game. It’s a cool little place.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. David Segui turns 58 years old today. Segui bookended his career with two stints with the Orioles from 1990-93 and 2001-04. In between he spent time with six other teams.
Dan Graham and Billy Gardner were also born on this day in history. Graham (70) played for the Orioles from 1980-81. And Billy Gardner was an infielder with the Orioles from 1956-59. He passed away in January of this year at the age of 96.
On this day in 1991, Cal Ripken hit his 20th home run of the season and became just the eighth player to reach 20 home runs in each of his first 10 seasons in the majors.
In 1994, the Orioles were scheduled to play the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome. Two hours before the first pitch, four tiles fell from the ceiling of the dome, and the game was postponed. The Mariners did not play another game in Seattle that season. (It was a strike-shortened year.)
One year ago today, the Orioles defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-5, to pull into a tie for first place with the Tampa Bay Rays. They did not leave first for the rest of the season. The offense got to Julio Urías for eight runs in five innings behind Gunnar Henderson’s 15th home run of the season and three RBI by Ramón Urías.
Also on this day last year, the Orioles traded for relief pitcher Shintaro Fujinami. Fuji had an intriguing arm but ultimately was too wild to be a difference-maker.