So here's something fun. Next week I'm gonna be heading to Baltimore for an O's game. We've got family friends that get tickets there, it's been an on and off tradition all my life, perfectly doable because I love Camden Yards. Very cozy. Last time I was busy grabbing Natty Bo's and didn't really pay too much attention to the game, but maybe this time I will. It's looking like we'll be seeing Shane Baz and Nick Martinez pitch, two very nice starters, and it'll be Pete Alonso bobblehead night. So it'll be a really nice time.
The team itself...obviously they haven't lived up to expectations, but there's still some undeniable spark in them. As evidence, I give you those last two games in Tampa. The Rays are the monolith right now, but the O's are keeping them on their toes.
Brandon Young might be the key to all of this, because last year, on a come-up, he was absolutely awful. Every start he got lit up, gave up 3 or 4 runs and kept losing. He was 0-6 after 10 starts. That 11th start was the kicker, because that's when I think we all realized something really cool might be in there. Young went 8 innings before allowing a hit against the Astros, and looked more dominant than he ever had, getting his first career win. The overextension led to a rough next start and an early end to the season.
This year, he was essentially given a rotation spot out of camp thanks to Dean Kremer's difficulties. He's fared a lot better for himself, going 9-3 with a 3.33 ERA and 93 Ks in 20 starts. It's not always pretty, but he's way more composed than he was last year, and he feels like a reliable, strong option again, which is very helpful. This rotation also has Kyle Bradish, with another strong ace performance, Trevor Rogers, with some excellent starts in between getting annihilated, Shane Baz, who's pitching better than his numbers might imply, and Chris Bassitt, who just got off the IL and seems to be back to his usual formula of eating innings and keeping runs from scoring. This rotation doesn't have an OMG guy like Corbin Burnes, or a star rookie in the making or anything, but it's a pretty close knit group of guys who just get it done without a ton of ulcers. That's a nice formula. When the bullpen can be that again, we'll talk, but Kittredge and Suarez aren't their usual selves this year, which is a shame.
The good news is that a lot of this lineup, even with the many vacancies, is waking up and taking charge. Jackson Holliday's got 6 homers and 22 RBIs in 70 games, and is quickly making up for lost time. Gunnar Henderson is hot again, with 20 homers and 51 RBIs. Christian Encarnacion-Strand is quickly becoming a fan favorite, he's hitting .258 with 5 homers and 15 RBIs. Tyler O'Neill's picking up steam, with 10 homers and 22 RBIs. And then you have Alonso, who's doing Pete Alonso things, he's got 27 homers and 77 RBIs, on track to hit 300 before the end of the season. Alonso really is a generational power hitter, and it's gotten to the point where the Orioles are leading him off because he's a definite on base guy these days.
I sincerely hope I catch this team on a good night next week. The lack of current catching stability scares me, as does some general uneven roster feels, but this is still a very cool team, and even if they're working from last at the moment, that doesn't mean they're completely out of moves. There's still a surprising amount the Orioles can do, even if they're likely not a playoff team this year. After all, they have a better record than the Mariners, so that's gotta say something..
Coming Tonight: His dad was an RBI machine for the Marlins. And as the prophecy foretold, so is he.
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