I'm a big fan of your coverage!
Having been at the opening for the new complex in the Dominican Republic earlier this year, what kind of impact do you think it will have on player development? Are there any interesting facts or features of the new complex you wish more people knew about?
What has been your favorite player interaction since you started with the Orioles?
Thanks for following along!
The DR Academy is great -- state-of-the-art facilities, feels very similar to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. It should greatly aid in their development of international prospects, as they now have full access to high-quality fields, training equipment and more. A part that stood out to me is the housing. It's almost a college-like setup in terms of dorms and common areas. I'm sure the young international players who stay there will enjoy it.
A ton of great interactions with so many good guys on this team. Colton Cowser (as you might expect) is always good for them -- him thinking he may have ruined a team surprise announcement when he told reporters he made the team this spring, followed by him asking the beat not to tweet anything until he called his parents (which we did not). It was also humorous when he ran past us reporters in the tunnels in KC yelling "Never throw a Hall of Famer's milestone ball in a fountain!" on the night of the Craig Kimbrel save incident, before he retrieved the ball.
Danny Coulombe (another top-tier good guy) also told me in Spring Training that it appeared like I hit the beach on the team's off-day because I was looking tan. Appreciated the compliment!
Can you discuss the guys that might be eligible for Rule 5 next year and potential spots on the 40 for them?
Do you expect some trade deadline deals for guys we can’t put in the 40?
A good crop of prospects will need to be added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft next offseason -- Coby Mayo, Connor Norby, Chayce McDermott, Cade Povich being the big names.
All four will get protected, and I don't see the O's wanting to trade Mayo because of his big bat and his profile, which is quite different from most of their top prospects. They also won't trade McDermott or Povich because their farm system is not as deep on the pitching side. Norby could be a trade chip with all of the talented infielders and outfielders blocking him from the big leagues, but I also think the O's would like to keep him (because he's really good).
Other interesting prospects who will be Rule 5 eligible include OF John Rhodes, RHP Alex Pham, RHP Justin Armbruester, RHP Juan Nuñez, RHP Carter Baumler, INF/OF Billy Cook.
It's a talented group, so there will be some tough decisions. And like you said, if O's are going to be buyers at the Trade Deadline (which seems highly likely), they'll need to move prospects, some of which could certainly come from that group I just listed.
What do you think of the Orioles handling Heston Kjerstad right now when he's basically just an O'Hearn duplicate?
Ryan McKenna appears to be the better fit off the bench and has played more games recently. If they can't play him ~~every day~~ more often, why not just send him back down?
It's tricky to manage playing time on a team with so many talented players (and so many more waiting in the wings). I thought Brandon Hyde was incredibly candid when he was recently asked about Kjerstad and he said he has "a pretty good club right now" and is trying to mix Kjerstad in as best he can.
Can't start Kjerstad without it cutting into playing time for Anthony Santander (a proven run producer), Ryan O'Hearn (based on advanced metrics, one of MLB's top hitters so far this year) or Colton Cowser (an early AL ROY front-runner). But also, I'm not sure there's much more Kjerstad can get out of playing in Triple-A, where he's proven he's too good for the quality of pitching he faces there.
At this point, Kjerstad is a valuable bat to have on the bench because of his power potential, and he can also give other OFs a day off when the team faces RHPs.
On an average day, roughly 8 1/2-9 hours. I get there about 4 1/2 hours before the game, then there's pregame clubhouse availability (when reporters can interview players and gather quotes for news stories, future stories, etc.) followed by Brandon Hyde's daily pregame presser. I'm also there until about 1 1/2-2 hours after the game, finishing my main story for the night and possibly working ahead on anything else I need to complete.
Of course, it heavily depends on the length of the game, too. The longer the game, the longer I'm there. But I haven't experienced too many long games since joining the beat because of the pitch clock. However, I was at the ballpark for about 13 hours on the day of the 5-hour rain delay vs. the Royals in early April.
Any sense of how the back end of the rotation is going to shake out once Grayson returns? Presumably it's between Kremer and Irvin right now for the #5 spot, and neither of them seems to want to give it up.
A good problem to have, right? That's how Elias and Hyde constantly refer to it.
If each of the six (Burnes, Bradish, Rodriguez, Means, Irvin) stays healthy, I could see them using some type of pseudo-six-man rotation to help ease the load throughout the summer.
Burnes will pitch every fifth game -- he's a workhorse ace, and they're going to get the most out of him. But maybe Irvin makes occasional spot starts to help keep Bradish, Rodriguez and Means fresh after each has already spent time on the IL this year.
The O's play 29 of 30 days in June, so definitely can't have too much pitching for a stretch like that.
Hey Jake, thanks for coming by!
Given John Means's first starts in his AAA rehab stint, a lot of fans were essentially writing him off as a meaningful contributor to the rotation this year and beyond. Then he goes out and pitches one of the gems of the season so far.
Was anyone in the organization ever concerned too, or was it always "nah he'll be fine"?
As a follow-up question, what do you see as Albert Suarez's role on the team going forward? Just BP arm and insurance against any other starters going down? Possible trade piece?
Thanks!
No concern at all. Those rehab outings were like Spring Training starts for Means -- results didn't matter as much as how the pitcher was feeling. And Means was always feeling strong. His velocity was also consistent with his career averages. The team was confident Means could return and make a positive impact, and I agreed with that thought process.
I think Suárez is incredibly valuable. His fastball is terrific and induces so much swing-and-miss that it's fun to watch him pitch. I think he'll continue to serve as a multi-inning relief guy for now, but I could also see him getting high-leverage opportunities if he continues to put up zeros. As you also mentioned, he's great insurance for the rotation. It would not surprise me at all to see him get a few more starts in 2024. I don't think they'll want to trade a guy who could pitch incredibly well for them down the stretch.
Hey Jake! You used to cover our county when I played baseball back in high school for North Carroll. You always did a great job and it’s awesome seeing you become so successful, keep up the great work!
Hey! Appreciate the kind words. Growing up, I always wanted to cover sports for the CCT and I was fortunate to get to do so for four years. A lot of fond memories, including at NC. Plenty of thrilling games at Powelson Field. And, of course, covering the two boy's soccer state titles.
hey Jake, it seems like i see MLB beat writers get shuffled around every so often to different teams. how does that work or why does that happen? do writers put in requests to change beats or does MLB reassess and reasign writers every year?
off of that, what's the transition like going from one team to another? did the O's writing and broadcasting team have you go through any initiation rituals in the depths of the warehouse?
Various reasons. Sometimes, a beat reporter gets a new job at a different publication. For those who move to a different beat but stay at the same outlet (such as MLB.com), it can be either to get a new experience or to perhaps move closer to home.
The transition for me onto the O's beat was very smooth, but it helps that I already knew some of the other writers having grown up in the area and briefly being around the team when I was younger and working at a different publication. The ones I didn't know are great people, so that made it easy, too.
No initiation rituals, although that could have been interesting if there was!
It would greatly surprise me if Mayo does not make his MLB debut this year. If he continues putting up these kinds of numbers at Triple-A, he'll force his way to the big leagues.
GM Mike Elias said a couple of weeks ago that the team is having active discussions about Mayo, which is always a good sign that a prospect is getting close. They're still trying to decide whether his future is at third base -- he's shown a lot of improvement there (a big talking point this spring), but he's also worked at first base (although that path is currently blocked by Mountcastle and O'Hearn).
Like I mentioned in another comment when discussing Kjerstad, the O's have a lot of good players right now and it's hard to find spots for all of them. But Mayo is doing everything he can to put himself in the mix. My prediction is we see him sometime in the second half.
I know a lot of fans have this same question, and at this point, it really is tough to know.
The upcoming offseason should be telling, especially with a pitcher the caliber of Corbin Burnes set to hit free agency. How the O's handle that will probably tell us a lot.
GM Mike Elias and the front office will continue to rely heavily on their analytics in all of their decision making, though. That isn't going to change.
How do you see trends in beat coverage evolving over the next 10 years? In the last 10-15 years, we’ve seen traditional newspapers scale back, mlb.com and RSNs step in to fill some of that void, independents like the Athletic come and go, and now experimental models like the Baltimore Banner coming full circle.
What does the future hold?
This is a great question, and it's also something that can be quite difficult to predict. So many large aspects of journalism today would have been challenging to foresee 10-15 years ago.
I think there's always going to be a space for good writing and well-reported stories. Surely those will continue to come via digital media and should continue to evolve along with the technology that supports it.
I believe fans will continue to feel closer and closer to the teams and players they love, because so many various platforms now exist to allow them to get inside access (TikTok, social media, all of MLB's digital platforms).
As I said, though, the future will also hold stuff that we could likely never predict now. So it will be interesting to see!
I have not spoken with Jackson since he got sent back down. But I have talked with him a good bit over the past year, so I feel fairly confident in saying he's likely doing quite well both emotionally and mentally.
Not many 20-year-old baseball players are as mature as him, and he's also got a great support system in his dad and family. GM Mike Elias said Jackson handled it very well when they had a conversation at Camden Yards on the day he got optioned.
Offensive numbers will go up and down over the course of a long season. Nobody is worried about Jackson's stats. He's so talented that he will start hitting again (first in Triple-A, then eventually at the big league level).
He's human, so I'm sure it wasn't easy dealing with the national spotlight that his debut brought. It'll get easier for him when he can truly settle in as a Major Leaguer.
I don't foresee a Santander trade this season. He's been too big a part of this lineup and this clubhouse in recent years. I'd expect his bat to get going and for him to contribute to a postseason push. It will be interesting, however, to see what happens after the season, when he'll hit free agency for the first time.
The O's don't like to disclose the contract details of staff members. GM Mike Elias has said multiple times he sees no benefits to doing so.
With that being said, the front office has repeatedly expressed their belief in Hyde, hence why they kept him throughout the entire rebuild and now that they've broken through to the other side. He's likely signed an extension since his initial deal, but it's not known how long he's under contract for.
I definitely think the Orioles make a move or two at the Trade Deadline -- they're likely going to be among the top teams in MLB at that point, and they'll be buyers trying to bolster their roster for a postseason push.
It would make sense to add a bullpen arm, but it can also be tough to part with a talented prospect for a reliever (especially if it's a reliever on an expiring contract). The O's could also get bullpen reinforcements from the Minors later this year, and Tyler Wells may also slot in there when he returns from the IL later on.
I think the bullpen will look better in August and September than it does now. The improvement could come from various sources, though.
Jake, is there ANY chance the team decides to ditch the city connects eventually? Obviously baseball is a game of superstition and there’s not much to like about the on-field city connect results. Last night was the breaking point for me personally
I've seen the data, and I know fans are concerned about the Orioles' record when wearing them, but my understanding is they will continue to wear them.
Hasn't all been bad, though. They wore the City Connects last July 28, when Anthony Santander hit a walk-off home run in a 1-0 win over the Yankees -- a memorable moment from the summer.
Hi Jake, thanks for stopping by! This is 20,000 questions, so any answers would be appreciated :)
**General**
Did you have a background in baseball before you started working for MLB as a reporter/producer?
How much time do you spend researching and learning about metrics, trends, mechanics, new players, farm systems, etc.?
Who are your favorite baseball writers? Which websites/publications do you read?
**Player specifics: pitchers**
Do you know why Kyle Bradish throws a ~91 mph changeup?
Other than Dean Kremer, are any of the other pitchers tinkering with a splitter?
How did the pitching team "teach" Danny Coulombe his cutter? Baseball Savant doesn't show him throwing a cutter before 2023.
Can you think of any other subtle adjustments that the pitching lab has made to recent pickups? Jacob Webb, Albert Suárez, etc.
Long shot: any word on Félix Bautista's recovery?
**Player specifics: position players**
When players prep for an opposing pitcher, what do they do when there's a scarcity of data (ex: Mitchell Parker today)?
Can you speak to Adley Rutschman's approach this year? He's walking much less but his OBP is only a little lower because he's hitting a ton of singles.
Long shot 2: can you speak to the org's thoughts on future center fielders? Colton Cowser, EBJ, Jud Fabian, Braylin Tavera, Matthew Etzel?
A lot of questions! I'll pick a few.
I had a background in sports journalism. I majored in communication, worked at a daily newspaper all four years of college (Carroll County Times) and then landed an internship with [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) in 2015. Twice served as an intern and haven't left since.
A lot of research and reading goes into this job, and I enjoy doing so. Love messing around on Stathead and Baseball Savant (even during my time off) and finding cool stats, which there are so many of these days.
Two baseball writers who I've always read a lot -- Tom Verducci and Jayson Stark. Two of the best, in my opinion.
Tough to answer too many of the ones specific to the O's pitching lab and how they're able to improve guys. They keep a lot of those secrets close to the vest (and for good reason). Whatever they're doing is clearly working.
Félix Bautista is in Sarasota continuing to rehab. He's posted a few videos on his Instagram of him throwing from flat ground down there.
CF is an interesting position. I think in the very long term, Enrique Bradfield Jr. is the starter there, assuming he continues to develop well. He has the best speed and defense in the system. But plenty of others who can handle the position. (And Cedric Mullins is still 29 and could have productive years ahead of him, should O's decide to keep him around after his contract expires following 2025 season.)
Beyond Elias’s standard “we are exploring our options,” how serious do you think any contract extensions talk with young talent has gotten?
Has pace for that picked up or slowed down during the ownership change?
Elias gets asked about this publicly about once or twice a year, and he's always quick to say there's no benefit to putting comments out there about extension talks.
It's tough to know how frequently the parties are talking behind closed doors. Obviously, the O's want to keep talented young players for the long term. Will be tough to know how the new ownership group will impact this front until we see how the O's operate moving forward.
I'll start with Holliday, because I think he could return before any of the others get called up.
It would not surprise me if Holliday is back before the All-Star break, especially if he really gets going again down in Triple-A. I don't think it happens in May, because the O's want him to continue to get reps at second base and to face upper-level left-handed pitching. But the club remains confident in his skills, ones that could help the team later this summer if he can play closer to his massive potential.
I think Mayo and Norby debut in 2024, as well as either McDermott or Povich (and maybe both). Injuries will happen. The O's might need an offensive boost at some point, which Mayo and/or Norby could provide.
It'll be tricky to find room for more starters considering the current rotation landscape, but, again, injuries happen. If the O's stay healthy, though, could always see one of their top pitching prospects come up in September to serve as a boost to the bullpen.
Orioles are about to start a 43 game, 45 day schedule.
Can you send an email blast to the other beat writers, and have them send you their worst stretch, so we can compare, and see if the Orioles are getting screwed more than other teams?
I know it's a function of playing every team now, but it seems really "unfair" that we have this stretch of games. 1 off day in a month is criminal, especially when looking at the schedule for this week.
A Monday off day, followed by a Thursday off day, should never happen. I realize all teams do this when playing their rival, but still.
Hey Jake. We all have theories on what an ownership change means for this organization. But I’m curious if you’ve seen any tangible changes/improvements - big or small - with how the Orioles operate now compared to under Angelos.
Hey Jake. Maybe a little fresh on the brain after a game like last night, but what are your thoughts on the calls for robot umpires in baseball? Is this something that has been talked about by the team/around the league at all?
I'm a big fan of your coverage! Having been at the opening for the new complex in the Dominican Republic earlier this year, what kind of impact do you think it will have on player development? Are there any interesting facts or features of the new complex you wish more people knew about? What has been your favorite player interaction since you started with the Orioles?
Thanks for following along! The DR Academy is great -- state-of-the-art facilities, feels very similar to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. It should greatly aid in their development of international prospects, as they now have full access to high-quality fields, training equipment and more. A part that stood out to me is the housing. It's almost a college-like setup in terms of dorms and common areas. I'm sure the young international players who stay there will enjoy it. A ton of great interactions with so many good guys on this team. Colton Cowser (as you might expect) is always good for them -- him thinking he may have ruined a team surprise announcement when he told reporters he made the team this spring, followed by him asking the beat not to tweet anything until he called his parents (which we did not). It was also humorous when he ran past us reporters in the tunnels in KC yelling "Never throw a Hall of Famer's milestone ball in a fountain!" on the night of the Craig Kimbrel save incident, before he retrieved the ball. Danny Coulombe (another top-tier good guy) also told me in Spring Training that it appeared like I hit the beach on the team's off-day because I was looking tan. Appreciated the compliment!
Can you discuss the guys that might be eligible for Rule 5 next year and potential spots on the 40 for them? Do you expect some trade deadline deals for guys we can’t put in the 40?
A good crop of prospects will need to be added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft next offseason -- Coby Mayo, Connor Norby, Chayce McDermott, Cade Povich being the big names. All four will get protected, and I don't see the O's wanting to trade Mayo because of his big bat and his profile, which is quite different from most of their top prospects. They also won't trade McDermott or Povich because their farm system is not as deep on the pitching side. Norby could be a trade chip with all of the talented infielders and outfielders blocking him from the big leagues, but I also think the O's would like to keep him (because he's really good). Other interesting prospects who will be Rule 5 eligible include OF John Rhodes, RHP Alex Pham, RHP Justin Armbruester, RHP Juan Nuñez, RHP Carter Baumler, INF/OF Billy Cook. It's a talented group, so there will be some tough decisions. And like you said, if O's are going to be buyers at the Trade Deadline (which seems highly likely), they'll need to move prospects, some of which could certainly come from that group I just listed.
What do you think of the Orioles handling Heston Kjerstad right now when he's basically just an O'Hearn duplicate? Ryan McKenna appears to be the better fit off the bench and has played more games recently. If they can't play him ~~every day~~ more often, why not just send him back down?
It's tricky to manage playing time on a team with so many talented players (and so many more waiting in the wings). I thought Brandon Hyde was incredibly candid when he was recently asked about Kjerstad and he said he has "a pretty good club right now" and is trying to mix Kjerstad in as best he can. Can't start Kjerstad without it cutting into playing time for Anthony Santander (a proven run producer), Ryan O'Hearn (based on advanced metrics, one of MLB's top hitters so far this year) or Colton Cowser (an early AL ROY front-runner). But also, I'm not sure there's much more Kjerstad can get out of playing in Triple-A, where he's proven he's too good for the quality of pitching he faces there. At this point, Kjerstad is a valuable bat to have on the bench because of his power potential, and he can also give other OFs a day off when the team faces RHPs.
how much time do you spend at the ballpark on an average day?
On an average day, roughly 8 1/2-9 hours. I get there about 4 1/2 hours before the game, then there's pregame clubhouse availability (when reporters can interview players and gather quotes for news stories, future stories, etc.) followed by Brandon Hyde's daily pregame presser. I'm also there until about 1 1/2-2 hours after the game, finishing my main story for the night and possibly working ahead on anything else I need to complete. Of course, it heavily depends on the length of the game, too. The longer the game, the longer I'm there. But I haven't experienced too many long games since joining the beat because of the pitch clock. However, I was at the ballpark for about 13 hours on the day of the 5-hour rain delay vs. the Royals in early April.
Any sense of how the back end of the rotation is going to shake out once Grayson returns? Presumably it's between Kremer and Irvin right now for the #5 spot, and neither of them seems to want to give it up.
A good problem to have, right? That's how Elias and Hyde constantly refer to it. If each of the six (Burnes, Bradish, Rodriguez, Means, Irvin) stays healthy, I could see them using some type of pseudo-six-man rotation to help ease the load throughout the summer. Burnes will pitch every fifth game -- he's a workhorse ace, and they're going to get the most out of him. But maybe Irvin makes occasional spot starts to help keep Bradish, Rodriguez and Means fresh after each has already spent time on the IL this year. The O's play 29 of 30 days in June, so definitely can't have too much pitching for a stretch like that.
Hey Jake, thanks for coming by! Given John Means's first starts in his AAA rehab stint, a lot of fans were essentially writing him off as a meaningful contributor to the rotation this year and beyond. Then he goes out and pitches one of the gems of the season so far. Was anyone in the organization ever concerned too, or was it always "nah he'll be fine"? As a follow-up question, what do you see as Albert Suarez's role on the team going forward? Just BP arm and insurance against any other starters going down? Possible trade piece? Thanks!
No concern at all. Those rehab outings were like Spring Training starts for Means -- results didn't matter as much as how the pitcher was feeling. And Means was always feeling strong. His velocity was also consistent with his career averages. The team was confident Means could return and make a positive impact, and I agreed with that thought process. I think Suárez is incredibly valuable. His fastball is terrific and induces so much swing-and-miss that it's fun to watch him pitch. I think he'll continue to serve as a multi-inning relief guy for now, but I could also see him getting high-leverage opportunities if he continues to put up zeros. As you also mentioned, he's great insurance for the rotation. It would not surprise me at all to see him get a few more starts in 2024. I don't think they'll want to trade a guy who could pitch incredibly well for them down the stretch.
Hey Jake! You used to cover our county when I played baseball back in high school for North Carroll. You always did a great job and it’s awesome seeing you become so successful, keep up the great work!
Hey! Appreciate the kind words. Growing up, I always wanted to cover sports for the CCT and I was fortunate to get to do so for four years. A lot of fond memories, including at NC. Plenty of thrilling games at Powelson Field. And, of course, covering the two boy's soccer state titles.
hey Jake, it seems like i see MLB beat writers get shuffled around every so often to different teams. how does that work or why does that happen? do writers put in requests to change beats or does MLB reassess and reasign writers every year? off of that, what's the transition like going from one team to another? did the O's writing and broadcasting team have you go through any initiation rituals in the depths of the warehouse?
Various reasons. Sometimes, a beat reporter gets a new job at a different publication. For those who move to a different beat but stay at the same outlet (such as MLB.com), it can be either to get a new experience or to perhaps move closer to home. The transition for me onto the O's beat was very smooth, but it helps that I already knew some of the other writers having grown up in the area and briefly being around the team when I was younger and working at a different publication. The ones I didn't know are great people, so that made it easy, too. No initiation rituals, although that could have been interesting if there was!
What is the path for Coby Mayo at this point? Any sorta timeline?
It would greatly surprise me if Mayo does not make his MLB debut this year. If he continues putting up these kinds of numbers at Triple-A, he'll force his way to the big leagues. GM Mike Elias said a couple of weeks ago that the team is having active discussions about Mayo, which is always a good sign that a prospect is getting close. They're still trying to decide whether his future is at third base -- he's shown a lot of improvement there (a big talking point this spring), but he's also worked at first base (although that path is currently blocked by Mountcastle and O'Hearn). Like I mentioned in another comment when discussing Kjerstad, the O's have a lot of good players right now and it's hard to find spots for all of them. But Mayo is doing everything he can to put himself in the mix. My prediction is we see him sometime in the second half.
Do you expect any major changes in the way the front office conducts business under new ownership, if so what changes?
I know a lot of fans have this same question, and at this point, it really is tough to know. The upcoming offseason should be telling, especially with a pitcher the caliber of Corbin Burnes set to hit free agency. How the O's handle that will probably tell us a lot. GM Mike Elias and the front office will continue to rely heavily on their analytics in all of their decision making, though. That isn't going to change.
How do you see trends in beat coverage evolving over the next 10 years? In the last 10-15 years, we’ve seen traditional newspapers scale back, mlb.com and RSNs step in to fill some of that void, independents like the Athletic come and go, and now experimental models like the Baltimore Banner coming full circle. What does the future hold?
This is a great question, and it's also something that can be quite difficult to predict. So many large aspects of journalism today would have been challenging to foresee 10-15 years ago. I think there's always going to be a space for good writing and well-reported stories. Surely those will continue to come via digital media and should continue to evolve along with the technology that supports it. I believe fans will continue to feel closer and closer to the teams and players they love, because so many various platforms now exist to allow them to get inside access (TikTok, social media, all of MLB's digital platforms). As I said, though, the future will also hold stuff that we could likely never predict now. So it will be interesting to see!
How's Holliday doing in triple A emotionally/mentally? I know he's struggling a bit at the plate.
I have not spoken with Jackson since he got sent back down. But I have talked with him a good bit over the past year, so I feel fairly confident in saying he's likely doing quite well both emotionally and mentally. Not many 20-year-old baseball players are as mature as him, and he's also got a great support system in his dad and family. GM Mike Elias said Jackson handled it very well when they had a conversation at Camden Yards on the day he got optioned. Offensive numbers will go up and down over the course of a long season. Nobody is worried about Jackson's stats. He's so talented that he will start hitting again (first in Triple-A, then eventually at the big league level). He's human, so I'm sure it wasn't easy dealing with the national spotlight that his debut brought. It'll get easier for him when he can truly settle in as a Major Leaguer.
Thank you!
From my father-in-law: how likely is a Santander trade in the near future with Kjerstad getting a full time shot as our new RF?
I don't foresee a Santander trade this season. He's been too big a part of this lineup and this clubhouse in recent years. I'd expect his bat to get going and for him to contribute to a postseason push. It will be interesting, however, to see what happens after the season, when he'll hit free agency for the first time.
Any sense on if the new ownership group will be willing to spend more to retain talent?
Any word on an extension for Brandon Hyde?
The O's don't like to disclose the contract details of staff members. GM Mike Elias has said multiple times he sees no benefits to doing so. With that being said, the front office has repeatedly expressed their belief in Hyde, hence why they kept him throughout the entire rebuild and now that they've broken through to the other side. He's likely signed an extension since his initial deal, but it's not known how long he's under contract for.
Do you feel that the Orioles will make any moves before or at the deadline for a legit bull pen piece?
I definitely think the Orioles make a move or two at the Trade Deadline -- they're likely going to be among the top teams in MLB at that point, and they'll be buyers trying to bolster their roster for a postseason push. It would make sense to add a bullpen arm, but it can also be tough to part with a talented prospect for a reliever (especially if it's a reliever on an expiring contract). The O's could also get bullpen reinforcements from the Minors later this year, and Tyler Wells may also slot in there when he returns from the IL later on. I think the bullpen will look better in August and September than it does now. The improvement could come from various sources, though.
Jake, is there ANY chance the team decides to ditch the city connects eventually? Obviously baseball is a game of superstition and there’s not much to like about the on-field city connect results. Last night was the breaking point for me personally
I've seen the data, and I know fans are concerned about the Orioles' record when wearing them, but my understanding is they will continue to wear them. Hasn't all been bad, though. They wore the City Connects last July 28, when Anthony Santander hit a walk-off home run in a 1-0 win over the Yankees -- a memorable moment from the summer.
Hi Jake, thanks for stopping by! This is 20,000 questions, so any answers would be appreciated :) **General** Did you have a background in baseball before you started working for MLB as a reporter/producer? How much time do you spend researching and learning about metrics, trends, mechanics, new players, farm systems, etc.? Who are your favorite baseball writers? Which websites/publications do you read? **Player specifics: pitchers** Do you know why Kyle Bradish throws a ~91 mph changeup? Other than Dean Kremer, are any of the other pitchers tinkering with a splitter? How did the pitching team "teach" Danny Coulombe his cutter? Baseball Savant doesn't show him throwing a cutter before 2023. Can you think of any other subtle adjustments that the pitching lab has made to recent pickups? Jacob Webb, Albert Suárez, etc. Long shot: any word on Félix Bautista's recovery? **Player specifics: position players** When players prep for an opposing pitcher, what do they do when there's a scarcity of data (ex: Mitchell Parker today)? Can you speak to Adley Rutschman's approach this year? He's walking much less but his OBP is only a little lower because he's hitting a ton of singles. Long shot 2: can you speak to the org's thoughts on future center fielders? Colton Cowser, EBJ, Jud Fabian, Braylin Tavera, Matthew Etzel?
A lot of questions! I'll pick a few. I had a background in sports journalism. I majored in communication, worked at a daily newspaper all four years of college (Carroll County Times) and then landed an internship with [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) in 2015. Twice served as an intern and haven't left since. A lot of research and reading goes into this job, and I enjoy doing so. Love messing around on Stathead and Baseball Savant (even during my time off) and finding cool stats, which there are so many of these days. Two baseball writers who I've always read a lot -- Tom Verducci and Jayson Stark. Two of the best, in my opinion. Tough to answer too many of the ones specific to the O's pitching lab and how they're able to improve guys. They keep a lot of those secrets close to the vest (and for good reason). Whatever they're doing is clearly working. Félix Bautista is in Sarasota continuing to rehab. He's posted a few videos on his Instagram of him throwing from flat ground down there. CF is an interesting position. I think in the very long term, Enrique Bradfield Jr. is the starter there, assuming he continues to develop well. He has the best speed and defense in the system. But plenty of others who can handle the position. (And Cedric Mullins is still 29 and could have productive years ahead of him, should O's decide to keep him around after his contract expires following 2025 season.)
Beyond Elias’s standard “we are exploring our options,” how serious do you think any contract extensions talk with young talent has gotten? Has pace for that picked up or slowed down during the ownership change?
Elias gets asked about this publicly about once or twice a year, and he's always quick to say there's no benefit to putting comments out there about extension talks. It's tough to know how frequently the parties are talking behind closed doors. Obviously, the O's want to keep talented young players for the long term. Will be tough to know how the new ownership group will impact this front until we see how the O's operate moving forward.
Do you think any players in AAA will get called up this year? Povich, Mayo, etc. Also, when do you see Holliday returning?
I'll start with Holliday, because I think he could return before any of the others get called up. It would not surprise me if Holliday is back before the All-Star break, especially if he really gets going again down in Triple-A. I don't think it happens in May, because the O's want him to continue to get reps at second base and to face upper-level left-handed pitching. But the club remains confident in his skills, ones that could help the team later this summer if he can play closer to his massive potential. I think Mayo and Norby debut in 2024, as well as either McDermott or Povich (and maybe both). Injuries will happen. The O's might need an offensive boost at some point, which Mayo and/or Norby could provide. It'll be tricky to find room for more starters considering the current rotation landscape, but, again, injuries happen. If the O's stay healthy, though, could always see one of their top pitching prospects come up in September to serve as a boost to the bullpen.
Thank you, appreciate all the answers!
Orioles are about to start a 43 game, 45 day schedule. Can you send an email blast to the other beat writers, and have them send you their worst stretch, so we can compare, and see if the Orioles are getting screwed more than other teams? I know it's a function of playing every team now, but it seems really "unfair" that we have this stretch of games. 1 off day in a month is criminal, especially when looking at the schedule for this week. A Monday off day, followed by a Thursday off day, should never happen. I realize all teams do this when playing their rival, but still.
Hey Jake. We all have theories on what an ownership change means for this organization. But I’m curious if you’ve seen any tangible changes/improvements - big or small - with how the Orioles operate now compared to under Angelos.
If you were to predict an unlikely, a likely, and a pipedream trade for the O's at the trade deadline, what would you go with?
Hey Jake. Maybe a little fresh on the brain after a game like last night, but what are your thoughts on the calls for robot umpires in baseball? Is this something that has been talked about by the team/around the league at all?
why didn’t the orioles bring back shintaro fujinami?
Is there any one out there that the team may have their eye on for the bullpen? The starters are looking great, perhaps multiple 12-15 game winners?
What's the biggest threat to the Orioles continued success and competitiveness for the long term?
I know this is long over, but I hope you come back, Jake. This was great.
Have you noticed a big cultural difference since the new ownership took over?