masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe double play combination of shortstop Richie Martin and second baseman Jorge Mateo resurfaced last night at Camden Yards after a brief interruption.
Martin was on the bench for the series opener, but Ramón Urías slid over to third base last night.
Getting comfortable with a new middle infielder is a process, but Martin said it’s gone smoothly.
Not by accident, of course. They take ground balls and throws prior to batting practice.
“He’s super talented and super athletic and it’s…

The double play combination of shortstop Richie Martin and second baseman Jorge Mateo resurfaced last night at Camden Yards after a brief interruption.

Martin was on the bench for the series opener, but Ramón Urías slid over to third base last night.

Getting comfortable with a new middle infielder is a process, but Martin said it’s gone smoothly.

Not by accident, of course. They take ground balls and throws prior to batting practice.

“He’s super talented and super athletic and it’s really easy to work with him,” Martin said. “I haven’t played against him but I’ve known him by coming through the ranks. It’s pretty simple working with him, honestly. We get out there early and I see what he likes and he knows what I like as far as feeds and turns and positioning. And you just go from there. Nothing too complicated.”

Mateo has started at short and second base. Martin could do the same. They’re capable of becoming interchangeable moving parts.

“I’m comfortable, I’m sure he is, as well,” Martin said. “Both of us up the middle, I think we work well together and it’s just about learning the other person and likes as far as feeds and turns and just that chemistry. We’re pretty cool. We’re developing a relationship off the field, which is good. I think that translates to on the field.”

Also in common is the importance of impressing their bosses while they’re here.

Mateo is the newcomer and three-time top 100 prospect who never got much of a chance with the talent-heavy Padres. Martin is the former Rule 5 pick whose injuries over the last two years stalled his career, including a missed 2020 season due to a fractured right wrist.

“It’s definitely an opportunity, and when there’s opportunities, it’s just about taking advantage of it,” he said. “I’m going to go out every day and take it day-by-day, pitch-by-pitch, inning-by-inning. That’s all I can do at this point.

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I’m going to go out these next two months and give it everything I have every day.”

A kinder and gentler stretch of luck would be appreciated.

“It’s OK, that’s life,” Martin said. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s just adversity, and it’s about how you respond. So, continue to keep going.”

* Paul Fry got the exact outing that he needed Tuesday night – other than the leadoff walk, of course.

No one scored. The ERA didn’t climb. A manager didn’t fume.

Fry allowed nine runs and walked six batters in his last three appearances over two-thirds of an inning, his ERA going from 3.24 to 5.10. He walked the leadoff hitter Tuesday night in the sixth but got a double play grounder from Willi Castro and struck out Akil Baddoo.

“For me, that was the highlight of the game beside (Anthony) Santander’s night, because I wanted to get Paul back out there yesterday,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“I talked to him before the game and he was going to pitch regardless of score. I wanted to give him a low-pressure inning just to get feeling good again. Even though he walked the first hitter on a close 3-2 pitch, getting the ground ball double play, I just thought he was more aggressive in how he attacked the three hitters he faced. So, a good outing to build on, and just wanted to get his confidence back.”

* Marcos Diplán had a 4.12 ERA and 1.627 WHIP this summer in 17 relief appearances at Triple-A Norfolk, with 23 hits and nine walks in 19 2/3 innings but also 26 strikeouts. He surrendered only one home run with the Tides, but two in one-third of an inning in the All-Star Futures Game.

Thumbnail image for Diplan-Delivers-Orange-ST-sidebar.jpgUsed twice in relief in spring training, Diplán worked only 1 1/3 innings and allowed one run and two hits with a walk and strikeout. The previous spring also provided two opportunities to pitch and Diplán surrendered four runs and two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

Safe to say he didn’t make much of an impression.

Safe to say it’s been the exact opposite in Baltimore.

The Orioles selected Diplán’s contract on Aug. 4 and he’s retired all 11 batters faced. The tiniest success stories are printed in bold type in a struggling bullpen. What he’s done is worthy of large block letters.

Can he sustain it? The Orioles will find out, and perhaps in higher-leverage situations.

He’ll need to survive the latest roster maneuvering with Rule 5 reliever Tyler Wells expected to be activated today from the injured list and starter Bruce Zimmermann not far behind him.

Throwing strikes, getting outs and cranking up fastballs to 96 mph are solid ways to stay in the majors and make a team forgive, though it never forgets, the spring training failures.

“Him out there, you could see it, and all his stuff. His mentality and his preparation with everything,” said Austin Wynns, who caught Diplán Tuesday night when the right-hander tossed two spotless innings.

“He just goes out there, ‘Here are my pitches.’ He throws it over the plate, too, and challenges them. He’s challenging hitters and that’s part of the reason he’s having success.”

Wynns believes that Diplán has the stuff to succeed at this level.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Everyone here has the stuff. Now, it’s just executing where they want to pitch it, to what locations and have some teeth on it with all their pitches.”

Diplán offers curveball and changeup to go with the heater. What’s most effective?

“Depends on the day,” Wynns said, smiling.

“Fastball is always king, no matter what, for every pitcher, but then spin. That’s a feel thing.”

* The independent Winnipeg Goldeyes released pitcher Bud Norris this week, which made me wonder if it was the Bud Norris. The former Orioles pitcher whose last game in the majors was in 2018.

It was. I had no idea he was in the American Association.

Norris signed with Winnipeg on July 10 and he didn’t allow a run in six appearances over six innings, striking out nine batters. The Goldeyes are playing their home games in Jackson, Tenn., due to restrictions at the Canadian border.

The 10-year major league veteran, who turned 36 in March, wanted to close for the independent Tri-City ValleyCats, but they didn’t have a roster spot for him. Norris began his professional career with Tri-City in 2006 when it competed in the New York-Penn League.

The Orioles surrendered promising minor league reliever and Old Mill High School graduate Josh Hader to acquire Norris from the Astros at the 2013 deadline. Sounds brutal now, but Norris was 15-8 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.216 WHIP in 28 starts in 2014 and won the clinching Game 3 of the American League Division Series with 6 1/3 scoreless innings and only two hits allowed.

That’s life as a buyer instead of seller.

There were multiple people in the organization who did not want Hader included in the deal, but they didn’t get a final vote. And Norris was a huge contributor to the division winner.