Probably still need to trade for a starter and a reliever to maximize postseason chances.
Hello, friends.
The Orioles! Two games into the non-mathematical second half of the baseball season, the theory that we all wanted to believe in over the All-Star break, that they just really, really needed those days off to rest, is looking good. Players who were in deep funks have had good games on either Friday or Saturday and the offense feels closer to the best version it could be.
Saturday’s 8-4 win was one of those games that was in blowout range and then events transpired that made it more interesting. Particularly, Cionel Pérez and Yennier Cano combined to create a save situation out of a blowout, enough to get Craig Kimbrel warming. Ryan O’Hearn hit a ninth inning homer – this after being hit in the kneecap earlier in the game – to take it back out of save range, but Kimbrel was already warm and probably needed an inning to avoid rust anyway. He let a couple of guys reach but no runs crossed.
Check out Andrea SK’s recap of the game for more of the lovely totals, which included a lot of bottom of the lineup guys getting their offensive numbers heading in a better direction.
Combined with the Yankees losing on Saturday afternoon, the Orioles have a two-game lead in the American League East. The O’s are 6.5 up on the recently-surging Red Sox, who, by the way, lost yesterday too. The Orioles are the first team in the AL to reach 60 wins, because the Guardians, who also entered Saturday at 59 wins, lost as well. Not that pitcher wins tell us much, but Grayson Rodriguez is the first AL pitcher to get 12 wins. When the whole offense isn’t slumping, this is a darn good team and it’s good not to lose sight of that.
Which is not to say there’s no room to improve the roster. I think the Pérez/Cano stuff served as another reminder that the O’s could use an eighth inning guy who’s able to step into the ninth on days where Kimbrel is unavailable. Starting today, when Dean Kremer takes the mound, we’ll be reminded of the need for another starting pitcher. Only nine days remain until the deadline. There are a lot of fringe teams who could break one way or the other over those nine days, and that will probably settle who Mike Elias wants to target.
For today, the Orioles are going for a sweep. That’s fun. Kremer is set to start the 2:35 game for the O’s, with Andrew Heaney pitching for Texas. Speaking of teams on the fringe, getting swept in this series probably sends the Rangers into seller territory.
Around the blogO’sphere
Tarik Skubal? Garrett Crochet? Orioles trading for an ace with team control won’t be cheap (The Baltimore Sun)
Coveting hypothetically-available starting pitchers is one thing (and it seems like Skubal might not be,) but contemplating the prospect price that would have to be paid for those guys is quite another.
One top prospect the Orioles should not part with (Steve Melewski)
A weird number of people have decided lately that they would be cool with the Orioles trading Jackson Holliday. Steve Melewski is not among that weird number.
If the Orioles want to improve in the second half, their infield prospects can help (The Baltimore Banner)
Holliday gets the top photo for this one as well, though it’s also about Coby Mayo and Connor Norby.
Danny Coulombe says rehab is going well, Orioles hope he can return in September (Baltimore Baseball)
“Right on track,” is how Coulombe described his recovery from the surgery that he had to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow.
Hyde on Stowers: “He’s putting himself in great position to get a shot” (School of Roch)
After the Orioles sent Kyle Stowers back to the minors yesterday when Heston Kjerstad was activated from the concussion injured list, the manager had plenty of nice things to say about him.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1996, the Orioles got their reunion with Eddie Murray, trading Kent Mercker to the then-Indians for the future Hall of Famer’s push to 500 homers.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2012-15 pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, 2011 reliever Willie Eyre, 1997-2002 infielder Mike Bordick, and 1966-70 pitcher Moe Drabowsky.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: journalist Paul Reuter (1816), writer Ernest Hemingway (1899), and actor Robin Williams (1951).
On this day in history…
Today in 356 BC, an arsonist set a fire that destroyed the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus in present-day Turkey. Regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Greeks responded to this destruction by building a new temple.
In 1798 AD, Napoleon led the French to victory over the Ottomans in the Battle of the Pyramids. Actually fought about nine miles away from Giza, Napoleon’s army suffered only about 300 casualties while the opposition suffered 10,000. The battle led to Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt, for a little while anyway.
In 1925, Tennessee biology teacher John Scopes was found guilty for teaching evolution to his students. The fine: $100. In today’s money, that’s nearly $1900.
In 1959, a Black man, Pumpsie Green, played for the Boston Red Sox. They were the last team of the era to integrate and have a Black player allowed on the team.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 21. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!