Why does college football treat overtime like a shootout in soccer and completely change the sport by putting the ball on the opponent’s 25-yard line?

While they’re at it, order all field goals to be attempted with bicycle kicks.

Why is college football expanding its playoff field to 24 teams?

Make it 124 and Maryland might sneak in.

How can anyone enjoy watching the parade of postseason relievers after starters are yanked early? Give me Jack Morris and John Smoltz in Game 7 anytime.

Look it up, kids.

Will Lamar Jackson return from his sprained ankle before Keegan Akin from his Tommy John surgery?

Why do some people complain about media doubling up on questions to a manager or coach, as if it’s harassment, but also complain about media being too soft when not pressing a manager or coach for answers?

You can’t have it both ways. Pick a side.

Yeah, I have questions. Yeah, I wonder about things. Here are two more relating to the Orioles.

*Exactly what can we expect from Kyle Bradish in 2027?

We’d need a short memory to forget what he did in 2023.

Bradish finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting with a 2.83 ERA, 1.043 WHIP and 4.8 bWAR in 30 starts, earning the Game 1 assignment in the American League Division Series. Though hard to fathom, he actually was better in 2024 through eight starts, posting a 2.75 ERA and striking out 53 batters in 39 1/3 innings. He tossed seven hitless innings with 11 strikeouts on May 26 against the White Sox.

That platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow in January seemed to be working. Or was it?

Fingers were crossed and breath was held each time that Bradish stepped on the mound. He allowed five runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings in his next outing against the Rays, shut them out on one hit with nine strikeouts over six innings at Tropicana Field and exited a June 14 game against the Phillies after five innings and only 74 pitches due to elbow discomfort.

“He was throwing 98 in the first inning,” manager Brandon Hyde said afterward, his concern evident. “I thought he had great stuff. It’s unfortunate he had to come out after five.

“This stinks for Kyle.”

“I’m going to say a lot of prayers tonight,” said outfielder Austin Hays.

Further testing revealed a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament, which required reconstructive surgery and kept Bradish out of a major league game until Aug. 26, 2025. He made six starts and allowed only nine runs with 47 strikeouts in 32 innings.

The real test came this season, with Bradish trying to go the distance for the first time since ’23. The Orioles didn’t preach innings limits but obviously kept a close watch. Manager Craig Albernaz said in August that the team hadn’t discussed workload restrictions.

The season was sort of a mixed bag for Bradish. His walk totals were up and he averaged a career high 4.1 per nine innings in his 29 starts. His 14 losses, if anyone cares, were tied for second most in the majors. He posted a 3.61 ERA in 19 starts in the first half and a 5.29 ERA after the break. From May 8 to Aug. 15, Bradish registered a 3.18 ERA in 17 outings. Opponents hit .316 with an .896 OPS in August and .314 with a 1.073 OPS in three September starts before a sports hernia brought a premature end to his season and required a surgical procedure.

That’s close enough to qualify as a full season, with his final game on Sept. 12, but 2027 is important for Bradish and the team. He’s going to be another year removed from his elbow surgery. No one needs to check on restrictions. Running out of gas, as he might have done, shouldn’t be an issue. And a rotation that might lose Trevor Rogers to free agency definitely needs Bradish to pitch like an ace, no matter what moves are made over the winter.

The Orioles are invested in him, to the tune of $90 million over five years.

Improved defense should be high on Bradish’s wish list. He allowed a team-high 12 unearned runs in 2026, surpassing his previous mark of four during his rookie season in 2022.

The 12 unearned were the most by an Orioles starter since Corbin Burnes and Dean Kremer allowed 13 in 2024.

*Can the Orioles trust two relievers who far exceeded expectations?

Of course, we’re talking about right-hander Rico Garcia and lefty Josh Walker.

Garcia took his journeyman reputation and put it in storage. He broke camp with the team and ranked first in appearances with 75, emerging as its most trusted bullpen arm at the outset with a record-setting 11 straight hitless appearances to begin the season.

It was the longest season-opening hitless streak in the majors since Josh Hader’s 12 with the Astros in 2020 and the longest in a non-shortened season since Justin Wilson’s 11 with the Tigers in 2017.

Garcia allowed one hit through his first 20 appearances to become the only pitcher in the majors since 1900 with one or fewer over an opening 20-game span. The first 32 right-handed hitters he faced went 0-for-29 with three walks, the longest hitless stretch of that length in team history. Eddie Watt held the record with 29 in 1967.

His 15.8 percent inherited runner scored rate ranked seventh lowest in the majors. His .170 (24-for-141) opponent average against left-handed hitters was fourth lowest in the majors among right-handed relievers in a minimum 125 at-bats.

Rico Garcia, ladies and gentlemen.

Walker was an August 2025 waiver claim from the Phillies and December waiver claim from the Braves. The Orioles selected his contract on May 11, optioned him twice and returned him once after his stint as 27th man in a doubleheader before he became one of the most trusted relievers on the club.

Keegan Akin underwent Tommy John surgery. Dietrich Enns had a foot infection, was sent down and didn’t come back. Walker filled a lefty void with a 2.08 ERA in 31 appearances and only two home runs surrendered over 30 1/3 innings. He set career highs in every major statistical category.

Between Aug. 6 and Sept. 23, Walker didn’t surrender a run in 21 straight appearances to tie for the fourth-longest single-season streak in franchise history after Zack Britton (25), Will Ohman (25) and Troy Patton (22).

(Two of those three might have come as a shocker to you.)

Garcia and Walker are out of options. They should be able to withstand any future moves from the front office. But they still have something to prove in 2027. Such is life for a reliever with a short track record.