All of that work just to play two extra (awful) games. Baseball is weird, huh?
Good Morning, Birdland,
No one can be shocked by what the Orioles did these last two days. It was a continuation of what the team had been doing for the three months prior.
The pitching staff was pleasantly productive. Corbin Burnes looked like the Cy Young candidate they traded for, and Zach Eflin battled to give solid innings. The bullpen—although cobbled together and lacking a true lockdown option—was able to get outs and keep things close.
The problem was the offense. Gone was the early-season power and situational hitting. Instead, almost all nine hitters appeared aloof, toothless, and ineffective. Cedric Mullins was the lone member of the lineup that seemed to have a clue in the batter’s box. He was patient and creative, looking to lay down a bunt if needed, and making the pitchers come to him. His peers were overly aggressive and unwilling (or unable) to accomplish the sorts of productive outs that the circumstances sometimes demanded.
This was nothing new. The offense had been in a multi-month funk. Some of that was due to the extended absence of Jordan Westburg. But much of it was a dip in performance across the board. Adley Rutschman has been a mess. Ryan Mountcastle regressed. Anthony Santander had long abandoned approach in favor of power. And while Gunnar Henderson had still be very good, he was not the super-human he had been early on.
But such an lengthy run of poor form is not something that can be simply shrugged off. There needs to be clarity on what went wrong. Obviously, something in the offensive process changed this season. This team was much more free swinging than in 2023. That allowed them to explode in April, May, and June. Beyond that, either the league got wise to their tricks, or the hitters lost their mojo. Perhaps a bit of both.
Rutschman, in particular, demands further investigation. His drop off in the second half was precipitous. What happened? Some have speculated he was hurt, playing through a hand injury. If that’s the case, why no IL stint? There was time to get him right, and it’s not as if he was helping the team with his .585 OPS post-All Star break. This team simply plays better when Rutschman is a force in the middle of the lineup, and at a position that tends to be a black hole of offensive output. The organization needs to figure out how to make that happen again.
And something else that felt lacking in this lineup over the last two days was a veteran presence that has “been there, done that.” Someone to loosen things up, give the younger guys a feeling that everything is gonna be alright. Mullins served that purpose to a degree. He looked cool as a cucumber, but clearly it wasn’t enough. Perhaps one more addition could help. It will be interesting to see if Mike Elias and the front office feel similarly this winter.
It’s going to be a big winter for Elias. In addition to solving what illed the offense in the second half, he also has to deal with the first high-profile free agents during his time as O’s boss. Burnes and Santander are going to test the market. They will likely get a ton of money. Will that money come from the Orioles? We shall see.
Last year it felt reasonable to come away from the sweep to the Rangers saying that “the future was bright” and “our best days are ahead of us.” The 2023 season was certainly more good than bad, and it felt like the start of something special. The 2024 season did not feel the same, and this early exit compounds that. So while it might still be true that this group will get better, they now need to prove it. And the front office needs to make wise changes rather than rolling things over again and expecting a different result.
Links
With Henderson, Rutschman and Santander flaming out, the Orioles face uncomfortable questions | The Baltimore Banner
Henderson should be given an extension this offseason if he is open to it. He’s young and he makes the Orioles offense work (when it actually does). The jury has to be out on Rutschman a bit. He struggled, and he’s a catcher. The position does not always age well, and any dreams of him playing first base more often have to be put on hold if he is going to post a sub-.600 OPS over three months.
‘Just the worst feeling’ as O’s exit playoffs early again | Orioles.com
Sad quotes from all the guys as they took questions from reporters following the series sweep. It’s tough to read these because you know the players want to win so bad. Something is holding them back, and I’m not totally sure if it’s physical, or mental, or both at this point.
What’s next for Orioles after another early playoff exit? Baltimore must finally be ready to win now | CBS Sports
Eyes will be on not just Elias this winter, but also David Rubenstein. He has done a lot of positive PR since taking over the team. Now it’s time to see him put his money where the wins are. That doesn’t mean buying up every free agent in sight, but it should mean giving Elias the means to shore up every perceived hole.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Adam Plutko turns 33 today. He pitched out of the bullpen for the 2021 Orioles, accumulating a 6.71 ERA over 56.1 innings.
- Mike Belfiore is 36 today. The lefty got into one game for the 2013 Orioles, his lone big league appearance.
- Mike Johnson is 49 years old. He pitched in a swingman role for the Orioles in 1997, tossing a total of 39.2 innings between the bullpen and a handful of spot starts.
This day in O’s history
1970 – Mike Cuellar becomes the first pitcher to homer in a League Championship Series. Cuellar smacks a grand slam as part of a seven-run fourth inning against the Twins en route to a 10-6 win in Game 1. Cuellar does not get the win, however, as he fails to get through five innings. Dick Hall tosses 4.2 scoreless innings of relief for the O’s.
1971 – Dave McNally tosses seven innings as part of an Orioles’ 5-3 win over the Athletics in Game 1 of the ALCS.
1972 – On the final day of the regular season, O’s pitcher Roric Harrison becomes the last American League pitcher to hit a home run for the next 25 years. The DH rule is introduced to the junior circuit in 1973, and interleague play would not arrive until 1997.
1986 – The Orioles are saddled with last place in the AL East for the first time since the franchise moved from St. Louis in 1954.
2014 – Game 2 of the ALDS: The Orioles win the organization’s most iconic game of the 21st century, ambushing the Detroit Tigers bullpen and taking a crucial 2-0 lead in the series.
2018 – The Orioles dismiss manager Buck Showalter following a disastrous 47-win season.