Category: Sports

More tweets on Orioles prospect Coby Mayo

I think he’ll be a star.

The George Brett pine tar incident – 40 years ago today

My thoughts on the rest of the Orioles season (7/16/23)

The Orioles have had a great season so far. I think they will make the playoffs but I don’t think they will go far unless they trade for a top starting pitcher. Most teams they could play will have a number one starter better than what the Orioles have. The Orioles have more good minor league prospects than they can use so they have plenty of guys to trade.

The Orioles have won more games than expected based on run differential. Their record is 56-35. Per Baseball Reference, based on their run differential (+52), their record should be 51-40. The teams ahead of them in the American League have much better run differentials. Tampa Bay is +156 and Texas is +158. The Orioles have exceeded their projected wins because of the back end of the bullpen. At the beginning of the season, FanDuel only projected them to win 76.5 games – I took the over and it looks like I will win some money. Per the Baltimore Sun, FanGraphs said the Orioles were projected to finish 35-38 after the All-Star break because they have the toughest expected schedule in baseball.

Starting pitching and middle relief are the biggest concerns. I am worried that their young starters (Wells, Bradish, Kremer) haven’t thrown that many innings before and may wear out or have to be restricted.

I am concerned that the Orioles may not sign their young stars to long-term contracts and plead that they are in a small market. The team is very profitable and should sign players to long deals.

Still, this has been a fine season and the future is very bright.

from Roch Kubatko on MASN 7/17: “They’ve gone 31-23 against teams with winning records for the third-best winning percentage in the majors at .574.”

The Baltimore Sun’s take:

I think Coby Mayo will be a star for the Orioles

Coby Mayo should be a star for the Orioles. He is currently at Norfolk and should be in the majors in 2024. What I like the most about him is that he is putting up great numbers at age 21, several years younger than his peers.

He was the player of the month for June in the Eastern League for June and knocked in three RBI in his Norfolk debut. He is the #7 Orioles prospect and #76 overall by MLB Pipeline.

I think age is important. The best Orioles hitters of the last 40 years (Murray, Ripken, Machado) were all established, successful major leaguers by age 22. This bodes well for Mayo and really well for Jackson Holliday who will probably be in the majors by 2024. I think that Gunnar Henderson will be a better hitter than Adley Rutschman. They are doing similar things this year and Henderson is three years younger.

How the Orioles helped rising prospect Coby Mayo harness his ‘insane raw power’ ahead of arrival at Low-A Delmarva

Jon Meoli: Inside the meeting that transformed Orioles prospect Coby Mayo into the minors’ hottest power hitter.

More tweets on the Polo Grounds

I saw the Mets play there in 1962 and 1963.

More tweets with photos of Roberto Clemente

More tweets with photos of Satchel Paige

I call the Orioles’ Ryan McKenna 47.20

Here’s why (and thanks to my friend Bob who suggested I call him Mr. 47.20 and that it should be his uniform number).

 It was the second game of the season.  The Orioles were playing in Boston and I bet $20 on FanDuel on the Orioles to win. I would make a $27.20 profit.  The Orioles had an 8-7 lead with 2 out in the bottom of the ninth.  I am already thinking about what delivery meal I will get with my winnings.  A Red Sox batter hits a fly ball to Ryan McKenna for what should be the last out.  He drops it and the next batter hits a home run.  The Red Sox win 9-8 and I don’t get my $47.20.

McKenna is primarily a defensive guy.  We have better players in the minors which is where he should be.

Tweet about 35 years of Bull Durham

Bull Durham is an excellent film. It’s much more than a baseball movie.