Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.
Question: Is it time to call up Coby Mayo? What more does he need to prove? From: Randy Rohrbaugh
Answer: Randy, I don’t think he has anything to prove at Norfolk, but I don’t see an obvious place to play Mayo. He’s primarily a third baseman and can also play first base, but the Orioles have two skilled hitting first basemen, Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn.
If the Orioles are going to play him often at third base, that means Jordan Westburg becomes primarily a second baseman, and either Jorge Mateo or Ramón Urías is expendable
Mateo has great speed and plays well at second base and can back up at shortstop and in center field. Urías offers excellent defense at third and can play each of the infield positions if necessary.
If there’s an injury to an infielder, that creates an opening. Otherwise, the Orioles will have to make a hard decision on which valuable player to part with in order to add Mayo.
Question: What is going on with Keegan Akin? Haven’t seen him recently. Cionel Pérez has been getting all the lefty calls from Brandon Hyde. From: Rich Thorpe via Facebook
Answer: Rich, I realize you submitted this question before Akin worked the ninth inning on Sunday night. Pérez has been really good lately, allowing just one hit in 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his last four outings. Akin has also been good, giving up one hit in five scoreless innings in his last four appearances.
Hyde seems to like Akin for the longer appearances and Pérez for the shorter ones, but I think Akin could get more work soon.