Banner Baseball Show with
@afkostka
👃 Jorge Mateo stole
#Orioles
’ 2B job right from under our noses
💪 Gunnar’s prodigious power
🔙 Craig Kimbrel returns to closer role
⚾️ Reflecting on Ryan McKenna, Mike Baumann
New episode ⤵️
According to his roommate John Rhodes, O's prospect Colton Cowser is building a 7,500-piece LEGO millennium falcon on their dining room table. Rhodes hasn't been able to eat there for weeks.
"We love Colton. Colton is Colton."
Some cherry-picked fun facts 🍒
The Orioles have scored 13 more runs than the Yankees this year
Cedric Mullins has a higher OPS and more stolen bases than any Yankee
Mullins has more HRs than Giancarlo Stanton
John Means has a lower ERA than Gerrit Cole
Five years ago today, the
#Nats
agreed to terms with Max Scherzer. Since then...
79 wins
2.74 ERA
1371 strikeouts
0.942 WHIP
2.92 postseason ERA
World Series ring
I think that signing worked out.
Colton Cowser tossed the ball from the final out into the fountain.
“I just yeeted it.”
The problem: it was Craig Kimbrel’s 422nd career save, tying him with Billy Wagner at 7th all-time.
Cowser had to go back and ask someone to retrieve it from the fountain.
Adley Rutschman hasn't homered since July 16.
Yet in the 18 games since, he's hitting .356 with 8 doubles, 18 walks, only 9 strikeouts and has a 1.011 OPS.
SS Jackson Holliday is
@MLBPipeline
’s new No. 1 prospect, making him the third
#Orioles
player in the last 2 years to earn the honor (Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson).
OF Colton Cowser also jumps to No. 15.
Colton Cowser tossed the ball from the final out into the fountain.
“I just yeeted it.”
The problem: it was Craig Kimbrel’s 422nd career save, tying him with Billy Wagner at 7th all-time.
Cowser had to go back and ask someone to retrieve it from the fountain.
Joey Ortiz is hitting .358 with a .990 OPS in Triple-A Norfolk.
Jorge Mateo is hitting .211 and hasn't homered since April.
Sooner or later, the
#Orioles
will have to make a choice.
Per my math, Adley Rutschman is seeing 5.29 pitches per plate appearance thru his first 3 big league games.
For reference, the current MLB leader in pitches seen/PA is Yoshi Tsutsugo at 4.61.
The Yankees are 1 game over .500. The
#Orioles
are 1.5 games behind them for a wild card spot. There are 20 games left.
Even if this ends up being the closest they get the rest of the way, it’s been so, so fun.
MLB execs say the
#Orioles
have the best farm system in baseball, per
@MLBPipeline
.
Also received votes for Drafts Best, Most Underrated Farm System and Develops Hitters Best.
Gunnar Henderson went 3-for-6 with a homer, a double, 5 RBIs and a walk-off single for Triple-A Norfolk tonight.
He raised his average for .291 and his OPS to .918.
Am I crazy or was that one of the best O’s wins of the last few years?
All the young guys homer, outstanding defense, Mateo has a breakout game, new-look bullpen shuts the door.
Really encouraging stuff happening in
#Birdland
I can’t wait til July 31 when the Braves make a desperate trade for Félix Hernández, sending 3 prospects and international bonus money into Mike Elias’ waiting arms.
SWEET SHOWDOWN: Rival teams in Italy participate in spectacular "Battle of the Oranges" event, pelting revelers with dozens of oranges from atop horse-drawn floats.
🗣 J. J. HARDY.
James McCann, part of the Tigers' postseason traveling party in 2014, remembers hearing that in the ALDS and can't wait to play in Baltimore.
The Orioles were .500 entering August, 17.5 games back of the Yankees in the AL East.
Since then, they’ve gone 10-4 and are 10.5 back in the division and 0.5 back in the wild card race.
Since July 1st...
World champion Red Sox: 15-15
Baltimore
#Orioles
: 14-14
Since the All-Star break...
World champion Red Sox: 10-14
Baltimore Orioles: 11-11
Cool note ahead of the MLB Draft:
Orioles director of draft operations Brad Ciolek told
@BrendanMorty
and me that O’s scouts are taking turns wearing the home run chain as they present their final evaluations of players.
I didn’t know Mo very well, but anyone who spent any amount of time with him knew just how special he was. He radiated love and positivity.
Rest In Peace, Mo.
#MoStrong
🧡
Got an official comment from
@BatdogRookie
. Said he just lost focus on that play. He’s gonna go back and watch the tape to see what he can improve on.
No. 10 pick Kumar Rocker did not sign with the Mets.
Meanwhile, the Orioles signed Colton Cowser at $1.2 million under the designated slot value, in addition to all 20 of their following picks.