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As the Orioles move through the first series of their three-city road trip, hoping the weather allows them to play this afternoon in Oakland, the activity down in Sarasota is picking up in intensity. The daily routine is shifting into another gear.
There’s more to track than the major league club and four full-season affiliates. You just need to do some digging.
The Orioles are playing their first extended spring training game today against the Pirates. Veteran Matt Harvey, signed to a minor league contract on April 8, is making the start.
Harvey won’t be asked to provide much length, of course, since he’s been working out with the team for less than two weeks. But if you’re wondering how far along he is, well, he’s starting an extended spring training game.
Rico Garcia, who missed the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, will follow Harvey.
The Orioles have scored two runs while losing the first two games of their series in Oakland, but the rotation has allowed one run or fewer in five straight and seven of eight.
Tonight’s lineup includes Ryan McKenna in right field, Anthony Santander in left and Austin Hays on the bench.
Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Trey Mancini is starting at first base.
Kelvin Gutiérrez is playing third base and Chris Owings is the shortstop.
Owings is 0-for-7 with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Triple-A Norfolk Tides are starting Grayson Rodriguez tonight against the Durham Bulls. Kyle Bradish is listed two nights later.
The Orioles are starting Jordan Lyles today in Oakland. Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann’s next turn is Friday night in Anaheim.
It’s virtually impossible to separate the two rotations.
The Orioles seemed unsure about their fifth starter before confirming Spenser Watkins. They’ve lost ace John Means for at least a significant portion of the season, and quite possibly the remainder of it.
Chris Ellis had his contract selected yesterday from Norfolk and he made last night’s start in Oakland. Watkins seems to have earned a third turn after allowing only one run and two hits Monday night over five innings. Look for him in Anaheim.
The Orioles selected the contract of right-hander Chris Ellis from Triple-A Norfolk, and he’s starting tonight against the Athletics in Oakland.
Ellis was on the taxi squad and the logical choice. Alexander Wells also is on the taxi squad but can’t pitch in the series unless he’s replacing an injured player. The Orioles optioned him Sunday morning.
That was the expected. What also happened today comes as more of a surprise.
A full 40-man roster required a corresponding move for Ellis, and the Orioles have designated former first-round draft pick DJ Stewart for assignment.
Stewart, the 25th-overall selection in 2015 out of Florida State University, was optioned to Norfolk after making three pinch-hitting appearances in the opening series at Tropicana Field and going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. In two games with the Tides, he was 1-for-5 with a strikeout and stolen base.
Dillon Tate isn’t a pitcher who steals peeks at the stadium’s radar gun readings before returning his attention to the catcher delivering the signs. He isn’t grading his performances based on the miles-per-hour on his sinking fastball.
The fuss over his drop in velocity during the Orioles’ home opener against the Brewers brings no emotion. Not anger or amusement.
Tate recites the number of runs he surrendered that night: zero. He’d kick the ball to home plate with his left foot if it produced outs.
An inherited runner and one of his own were stranded. Two batters were retired and the bullpen delivered five scoreless innings behind starter Bruce Zimmermann.
The sinker was 90-91 mph rather than 95 or more. Asked about it the following day, manager Brandon Hyde said a mechanical glitch was noticed and discussed, and easily could be fixed.
Anthony Bemboom starts behind the plate tonight as the Orioles begin a four-game series in Oakland.
Anthony Santander is in left field, Austin Hays is in right and Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman. Trey Mancini is serving as the designated hitter.
Mountcastle and Santander have reached base in all nine games.
The infield also includes Ramón Urías at third base. Rougned Odor is at second after yesterday’s pinch-hit two-run single in the eighth inning that broke a scoreless tie against the Yankees.
Spenser Watkins gets his second start after allowing one earned run, but four total, in three innings against the Brewers. He’s never faced the Athletics.
There isn’t much advance notice for Spenser Watkins before he’s named a starter in a series. The conversation can happen a day before the game.
He’d be ready if told an hour prior.
Watkins didn’t know after going on the taxi squad for opening day whether he’d be their No. 5 starter. He didn’t know yesterday morning whether he definitely was the choice for tonight’s assignment in Oakland.
The right-hander had an inkling. But that doesn’t count as confirmation.
The game notes yesterday listed the four spots as TBA, but the Orioles’ public relations staff alerted the media around 12:30 p.m. that Watkins would start tonight, with Jordan Lyles going Wednesday and Tyler Wells Thursday.
There’s no way to gently underplay an elbow injury to staff ace John Means. Whatever time is lost is crushing to the Orioles, who need him on the mound and inside the clubhouse. They can only hope for better news than they’re braced for, and other pitchers to step up in his absence.
Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann is fourth in the rotation, but first in ERA. Nine innings and no runs allowed.
The entire Zimmermann story isn’t just a local angle.
Zimmermann shut out the Yankees over five innings today while Nestor Cortes Jr. was busy silencing the Orioles through the fifth. No one blinked until the eighth, when the Orioles loaded the bases with two outs against Jonathan Loaisiga and Rougned Odor, pinch-hitting for Chris Owings, lined a two-run single into center field in a 5-0 victory before an announced crowd of 25,938 at Camden Yards.
The bullpen turned in four scoreless and hitless innings, and the Orioles boarded their charter flight to Oakland with a 3-6 record and 10 games awaiting them on the road.
The Orioles transferred pitcher John Means to the 60-day injured list this morning, clarifying his physical issue as a left elbow sprain rather than strain. Reliever Marcos Diplán had his contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk to leave a full 40-man roster.
The active roster was adjusted with left-hander Alexander Wells optioned to Norfolk.
Means went on the 10-day injured list Friday afternoon, retroactive to the previous day, but his absence was expected to be lengthy and he’s getting second opinions on the elbow.
Manager Brandon Hyde said yesterday that Means pitching again in 2022 was a “question mark.”
A Google search reveals that a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together, while a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.
The Orioles close out their series against the Yankees and the homestand with Ryan McKenna starting in center field and Cedric Mullins getting a rest day.
Mullins became the first Oriole last night to homer on a 3-0 count since Manny Machado on April 20, 2018 versus Cleveland.
Austin Hays is leading off and playing left field. Trey Mancini is in right.
Anthony Santander, today’s designated hitter, extended his on-base streak to eight games last night, two short of his career high to start the 2019 season.
Chris Owings is the second baseman and Kelvin Gutiérrez is at third. Ramón Urías goes to the bench.
A hitting philosophy can be created and shared at every level of the organization, from the lowest rungs of the system to the major league team. Coaches and instructors trained in it arriving in waves. Out with the old, in with the new breed that’s lauded as progressive and innovative.
Swing decisions are the foundation. The plan crumbles if players don’t adapt, if they don’t buy into it. Or if they don’t start seeing results.
The Orioles began last night ranked last in the majors with 14 runs scored in seven games and were slashing .196/.309/.283. But their 34 walks were second-most in the American League and fourth in the majors.
Those walks were the fourth-most in team history through seven games – the 1970 world champions hold the record with 41 - and they combined with four hit-by-pitches to give the Orioles an on-base percentage that ranked sixth in the league.
If free passes seem like an odd flex, consider that the Orioles accumulated 451 last season for the fourth-lowest total in the majors. They had 164 in 60 games in 2020 to rank 27th in the majors, and 462 in 2019 to rank 24th.
The Orioles are figuring out exactly what they have in Tyler Wells beyond a pitcher who should succeed at this level.
They need to know how he’s going to do it.
Not the method, but his role.
The short reliever is now a starter on a short leash, working in a tandem role that isn’t likely to change in 2022. The Orioles are controlling his innings to keep him active throughout the summer, rather than subjecting him to a late shutdown.
Wells lasted only 1 2/3 in his first start, the hook coming because of his struggles. He completed four scoreless innings tonight against the Yankees, escaping a few jams and reminding the Orioles why they’re so intrigued with the idea of removing him from the bullpen and closer duties.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he has a few ideas for Tuesday night’s starter in Oakland, but he isn’t ready to disclose them.
He doesn’t know whether John Means will start again in 2022.
The rotation wasn’t going to stay in its break-camp form throughout the summer, but Hyde didn’t think the adjustments would come so quickly.
Spenser Watkins is expected to open the series Monday against the Athletics, when a healthy Means would have been working on normal rest if not pushed back a day. But Means is on the injured list with a strained left elbow and is seeking second opinions after undergoing an MRI.
“It’s going to be a while,” Hyde said.
Ramón Urías is batting second again tonight after last night’s walk-off walk in the 11th inning in a 2-1 win over the Yankees.
Urías is getting another start at third base, with Rougned Odor at second and Jorge Mateo at short. Anthony Bemboom is catching.
Trey Mancini is playing first base.
Anthony Santander has reached base in all seven games. He’s in right field tonight.
Tyler Wells is making his second major league start tonight, and he remains in a tandem setup. He allowed four runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings against the Rays in the opening series, walking two batters and striking out two.
Ramón Urías 3B
Austin Hays LF
Robinson Chirinos C
Chris Owings 2B
The Orioles reached their first off day since leaving Sarasota. No games or workouts. An early reset before the Yankees arrive and they get back into division play.
The only way to reset a mailbag is to dump out its contents. Sort through the pile. Wonder how many questions got lost along the way.
They’re probably scattered in some back room. Hold onto the tracking numbers.
This is the latest sequel to the hit original. You ask, I answer, we promise never to speak of it again. And then we do.
There’s no editing here unless someone catches a typo. Bring your length and style. Don’t worry about clarity. And this is the home of the brevity.
Orioles left-hander John Means retired the Brewers in order tonight on 12 pitches in the first inning, nine in the third and 12 in the fourth. They scored twice in the second on 18 pitches, but he wasn’t laboring. The total body of work was solid.
Why it lasted only through the fourth was a curiosity, to say the least.
Joey Krehbiel began to warm in the bullpen and entered the game in the top of the fifth. Dillon Tate worked the sixth. Other relievers would be following him, as manager Brandon Hyde needed to cover for Means’ unexpected departure.
The club announced that Means had left forearm tightness, with more details to come, including whether this is an injured list situation. Meanwhile, the Orioles rallied to tie the game in the eighth, but a run-scoring triple by Kolton Wong and RBI double by Rowdy Tellez in the ninth off Jorge López gave Milwaukee a 4-2 win and the series.
Means is expected to undergo an MRI, and the club hopes to have more information Friday.
Allowed to throw 84 pitches over four innings on opening day, Orioles left-hander John Means can be pushed a bit more tonight in his start against the Brewers.
Wade into the medium level of the pool before submerging in the deep end.
“It depends on how efficient he is, traffic, stressful innings,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “I’m hoping to get him up to five or six innings and in the 85-pitch range or maybe a little higher. Kind of see how the game goes.”
The Dodgers pulled Clayton Kershaw today after seven perfect innings, another product of a short spring training. Hyde was asked what he’d do tonight if Means was perfect through the seventh at 80 pitches.
No mention of Kershaw. Just a “what if.”
