The ALCS momentum shifts, Gold Glove finalists, and what to expect from coaching changes.
Good Morning, Birdland,
There was some good news and some bad news on Tuesday. On the bright side, both Colton Cowser and Ryan Mountcastle might win a Gold Glove. Also, Cowser got his hand all fixed up, and he is expected to be good to go by spring training. On the negative side, the Yankees won again, and appear well on their way to a World Series berth.
That is not guaranteed, of course. The ALCS will shift to Cleveland later this week, and getting some home cooking could help out the Guardians a bunch. But it does not feel like things are going how I would personally prefer.
Watching these playoffs from an Orioles fan perspective has been excruciating. At their absolute best this season, the Orioles were the AL’s best team. They weren’t running away with that distinction or anything. These Yankees and Guardians were right there, and then everybody kind of fell apart at the same time. The Yankees just fell apart the least, and so here we are.
But man, the Orioles could have gone so far this year. The AL was wide open, and the Orioles had the deepest roster. Heck, even the pitching was pulling itself together despite all of the injuries. To steal a line from the Bombers skipper Aaron Boone, it was all right there in front of us.
Instead, we will probably have to watch the pinstripers in the World Series, and they will probably be favored against whichever team emerges from the NL. That is what I want! Ah, the cope is real, but it’s all we have in mid-October.
Links
Colton Cowser Undergoes Surgery On Fractured Hand | MLB Trade Rumors
On the same day he was named a Gold Glove finalist, it was revealed that Colton Cowser had surgery on his hand. It’s not good news exactly as surgery comes with inherent risk. But it sounds like everything went well, and Cowser will have plenty of time to get healthy before spring training.
More on Cowser and Mountcastle as Gold Glove finalists | Roch Kubatko
These make sense. Cowser covers a ton of ground in left field, and possesses a great arm. This should not be the last time he is featured on an end-of-season list like this. Mountcastle handles himself well at first base, and he is head-and-shoulders above someone like Ryan O’Hearn. That was evident when Mountcastle was on the IL. Will either actually win the award? Eh, who knows. Cowser is a rookie, and these awards can be tough for those guys. Mountcastle was great, but maybe a touch below others at first base. Either way, it’s neat to be a finalist.
What Orioles coaching changes really mean | The Baltimore Banner
As always, Jon Meoli makes some excellent points. Perhaps most important is that reporting indicates that the Orioles did not force either of the co-hitting coaches out, and just because a new voice/voices will be guiding the team’s offense next year does not mean philosophies will change too much. These guys can hit. They showed it in the first half.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Jonathan Schoop turns 33 today. One of the few international signings to make an impact during the previous Orioles regime, Schoop was a force from 2013 through ‘18. He peaked in 2017, when he hit 32 home runs and made his lone all-star game. He was dealt to the Brewers as part of a team-wide fire sale in 2018.
- Mike Dimmel is 70 today. The outfielder got into 33 games between 1977 and ‘78 for the O’s.
- The late Don Hood (b. 1949, d. 2023) was born on this day. He pitched in 28 games for the Orioles between 1973 and ‘74.
This day in O’s history
1969 – The Orioles’ World Series hopes come crashing down as they lose their fourth straight to the Mets. The O’s had taken a 3-0 lead in the third inning thanks to home runs from Dave McNally and Frank Robinson, but that’s all they would score, dropping Game 5, 5-3.
1979 – The Birds drop Game 6 of the World Series to the Pirates, 4-0, which will send the set to a decisive Game 7.
1983 – Baltimore wins the World Series! Eddie Murray smacks two home runs, and Scott McGregor throws a five-hit shutout as the O’s cruise to a 5-0 win to clinch the championship over the Philadelphia Phillies. Rick Dempsey, with his .385 batting average, is named World Series MVP.