-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
Rather than subject my mailbag to another West Coast flight and jet lag, I decided to dump some of its contents back home and travel light.
Carry on.
This is the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original, which set box office records. It isn’t streaming anywhere, but I am … usually around 3 or 4 a.m.
If I did any editing, I’m keeping it to myself. No grand announcements about clarity, length, style or brevity. Sorry to cheat you out of that thrill.
Also, a reminder that my mailbag gets your mailbag in the camel clutch and won’t let go until it submits. Especially on hump day.
Adley Rutschman in the O’s long-term plans?
Give me your interpretation of “long-term.” That could be a Basallo-like extension, but for a lot more money, or just until he reaches free agency after the 2027 season. I read and heard the speculation about Rutschman after the Orioles gave Basallo an eight-year deal. “Reports” have teams planning to make offers over the winter. I’m certainly not aware of any shopping being done by the Orioles. All we’ve heard is how the two can co-exist, with Basallo also playing first base and Major League Baseball not abolishing the designated hitter. The Orioles drafted college catchers with their first two picks this year, though Ike Irish has spent more time at first base and in the outfield. The club will have options if Rutschman leaves, but I fully expect him to be on the 2026 roster.
Did you expect Basallo to be extended after four major league games?
…… No.
Will Grayson Rodriguez become a reliever next season if he returns?
That’s hard to answer in August. He underwent a debridement procedure on his right elbow to remove a bone spur and should be fine by spring training. The Orioles know that he possesses ace stuff and thought he’d become one this year. An ace, not stuff. A healthy version of Rodriguez, and we keep waiting, should do it. But when? Pitching is super expensive and the Orioles would love to find it inside their own organization. However, they certainly could reach a point down the road where a relief role is viewed as a way to keep Rodriguez away from the injured list. Not now.
What is the difference between "medical taxi squad" and plain old "taxi squad?”
A team can carry a catcher on the taxi squad for an entire series and onto the next one. The medical taxi squad is 24 hours and exists in case a player goes on the injured list. It isn’t, and we’ll use Roansy Contreras as an example, to keep the player close and activate him the next day while another player is optioned or designated for assignment. His arrival had nothing to do with a health concern, so he was on the regular taxi squad. Vimael Machín was on the medical taxi squad and had his contract selected when Jordan Westburg went on the IL.
What is Jeremiah Jackson's contract status for 2026? Has he exhausted team control?
He’s a rookie and still pre-arb. He signed for $760,000 this season.
So we know you don't like all the Beaver jokes. How about pee-pee and poo-poo jokes?
They couldn’t be any dumber. But please don’t take that as a challenge.
When in spring training, do the players start with a physical? Is an eye exam included?
Yes and yes. Players must take their physicals before going on the field. Their eyes are checked, too. Ángel Hernández used to get his eyes checked every spring. He’d stand in front of a billboard with a giant “E” painted on it and get 26 guesses.
Jackson Holliday has been struggling at the plate and in the field for three months. He owns a .623 OPS since June 1. Is the org going to try anything different with him or are we just going to watch this poor kid collapse into himself like a dying star as he's run out to his leadoff and play second base every day?
Man, that’s depressing. I need to go back to bed and curl up in a ball. Holliday hit .270 with three doubles, four homers and a .722 OPS in July. Not terrible. He’s drawn 15 walks this month, compared to three in May and four in July, so he's got that going for him. But yes, he’s scuffling and Mansolino sat him earlier this week, noting how Holliday for the past few weeks had “probably been a tick off on both sides of the ball.” That means his defense, too. It’s also an expression that Tom Davis hates because “both sides of the ball” is for football, but I digress. Mansolino was asked about Holliday again yesterday and said, “There’s things that they’re working on swing-wise. He’s getting a lot of information right now on himself to set himself up for the future to be the guy he’s going to become.” Holliday had two hits yesterday, but was late on the sprinkler gesture after his double in the seventh. The guys at the railing held their pose until getting his attention.
What's the weirdest pre-game ritual you've ever seen from a player? And don’t say, “your mom.”
I’d never! This one immediately came to mind, so I’ll go with it. The Orioles acquired third baseman Tony Batista from the Blue Jays in 2001 while they were in Toronto. He just walked down the hallway. I stopped by the visiting clubhouse the next day and saw him standing outside of it, bat in hand, hitting popcorn kernels that were tossed to him. I’m pretty sure if was Larry Bigbie who was “pitching” to Batista, and cleaned up the area later. I guess that’s how Batista sharpened his batting eye. Manager Mike Hargrove laughed when I told him about it.
Why do the Orioles DFA a pitcher after having his best performance as a reliever, but hold onto others that they're afraid to use in a game?
Signed: R. Contreras.
It is not!
The DFA of Roansy Contreras surprised many of us. He wouldn’t be available for at least a few days after working 4 1/3 innings Wednesday, but he appeared to pass the audition and earn another shot. A reliever with options could have been sent down to make room for Shawn Dubin. “There was a lot of time spent on that, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was,” Mansolino said. Contreras knows DFA life. He’s been plucked off waivers by the Rangers, Reds, Orioles (twice) and Yankees since Oct. 31, 2024. Maybe the analytics didn’t match what we saw from him on the mound, or the Orioles think they can get him through waivers. They weren’t in any rush to bring him to the majors this season.
Outside of manager and coaching staff changes, what philosophical changes do you expect to be made in the 2025 offseason?
I don’t think the Orioles will do a massive overhaul of their overall approach, philosophies, teachings, whatever. Mike Elias said that everything and everyone will go through an evaluation after such a disappointing season. Across the board. And he isn’t so set in his ways that he won’t bend. But drastic changes? I don’t see it. They’ll figure out where upgrades are needed and also hope and pray that they don’t go through the same gauntlet of injuries in 2026.
With a possible work stoppage looming after next season, does that increase the odds of players who would be free agents after 2026 more likely to sign extensions with their current teams versus waiting things out?
The easy answer is that it depends on the player and agent. The big-ticket guys can wait it out. Do you think Scott Boras is gonna panic? The man doesn’t even blink. But a possible stoppage could create the scenario that you described in some instances. We’ll probably find out. The salary cap is creating a wide divide.
If Dylan Beavers hits a three-run homer, would it be a "Beavers Weaver?”
Oh, I hope so. Patent it before it’s too late.
Why rush to extend Basallo?
The Orioles are darned if they do and darned if they don’t. Fans scream for extensions. The organization’s No. 1 prospect – also the 4th, 7th or 8th in baseball depending on the outlet - is the first to receive it and there are criticisms over his lack of major league experience. This was a much easier deal to consummate than one with Gunnar Henderson, for example. Or pick any Boras client. Basallo receives $1 million in the next three years, $4 million in 2029, $7 million in 2030, $11 million in 2031, and $15 million in 2032 and 2033. He also received a $5 million signing bonus, and there’s an $18 million team option in 2034 or a $7 million buyout. The Orioles are buying out two of his free agent years (and three with the option), so saying eight-year “extension” can be misleading. Given the cost of doing business with elite talent, and Basallo is projected as such, this seems to lean more toward team friendly. Basallo is special and he’s only 21. Good for the Orioles that they got aggressive. The baseball world was watching.
It's an old one I've been wanting to ask, but do you ever have FOMO if you’re off for a series and the Brandon Young near-perfect game and Beavers and Basallo getting called up happen?
Good question. I wouldn’t describe it quite that way, especially because I ended up writing the Beavers and Basallo promotions from home – well, my SUV in the gym parking lot for Basallo because I brought my laptop with me – and was able to contribute. I actually powered up the laptop after the seventh inning of Young’s start just in case he was perfect, but not to step on Brendan’s toes. That’s his story. Just thought I should write a sidebar for my side of the web site, and I ended up using it for the lead in my morning notebook. I value my time at home and happily share the travel, but I see what you mean. It’s a little, we’ll say “uncomfortable”, when there’s breaking news or a big event and I’m elbow deep in a bag of chips.
Rafael Palmeiro has been pretty visible in Birdland lately, and will be making his first visit to OPACY for the 2,131 anniversary game. Is there any chance the Advocates elect him into the Orioles Hall of Fame?
His name appeared on the ballot but he didn’t receive the most votes. Media also is involved here. Palmeiro is arguably the best free agent signing in franchise history, and I’m not sure why I’m couching it. I’ve said that for years. But also, yeah, there’s the failed steroid test. I’ve talked to some media members who refuse to consider him. Palmeiro still proclaims his innocence and has blamed a tainted B-12 shot. The world may never know. I’ll be happy to see him back at Camden Yards, but that also could be the reporter in me. He’s a story.
Are you back to unrestricted gym activities?
Pretty much. But I still skip leg days cause, you know, I want to make absolutely sure that I’m recovered. I’m back on the pre-workout powder and just started popping creatine gummies. Those are the gummies everyone’s talking about now, right?
Which player traded at the deadline is missed most in the locker room? (And on the field if different?)
Any high-leverage reliever is missed on the field. Those late-inning leads are a lot harder to hold. Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano are missed on the field and in the clubhouse. The “core” is pushed now to become leaders. Let’s see whether the shopping list this winter includes a veteran or two who can ease that burden.
Would you like to see teams go back to expanded September rosters that can hold up to 40 players?
Absolutely, positively not. Games had to be managed much differently. It became almost impossible to play matchups with so many extra hitters in the dugout and arms in the bullpen. That’s a drastic change from April-August to the home stretch with the playoffs on the line. Also, I don’t like crowds. I think 30 would be reasonable, which I also used to say when I was single and in my 40s. I’ve heard some people suggest that rosters should reset for every series. I also don’t think there should be a cap on the number of pitchers. Right now it’s a 13/13 split. What’s wrong with 12/14?
Would you extend Trevor Rogers?
I don’t have the necessary funds. But let’s pretend that I do. I’d reach out to his people and open a dialogue. Can’t hurt. Let’s see what he does over the final month. I assume that he won’t turn into a pumpkin, though it’s hard to tell in those all-orange uniforms. He can become a free agent after 2026. Might be a good idea to get ahead of it.
Any updates on Tyler O’Neill?
He remains on the injured list with soreness in his right wrist and recently had to take a step back from his workouts due to the lingering discomfort. We’ll get another update this weekend. It’s been days since Mansolino was grilled about injured players.
Is Buck Showalter managing the Orioles in 2026? Yes or no?
No. Buck was an ideal fit in 2010, but the organization has changed so much. I don’t see him being comfortable with how the Orioles operate and having so much input coming in all directions. I won’t speak for him, though. I’m sure he’d consider a return to the dugout in the right circumstances.
Do you see major changes coming in 2026 or are they just going to "trust the process" again and assume this horrible year was all due to injuries and "bad luck?"
I instinctively repeated “major changes” and saluted. This again depends on the definition. Is it major to have a new manager and coaches? Elias has a lot of work to do on the roster. The bullpen must be rebuilt and now he’s in the market for a closer. He could hunt again for an ace starter rather than go with Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers as 1-2 in whichever order. He could shop for an outfielder and a utility infielder after trading away Cedric Mullins, Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Urías. But also, you can’t dismiss injuries and bad luck. Those are real factors. The Orioles could get a rash from a four-leaf clover.
I missed a lot this summer while residing in the Armpit Of Satan, otherwise known as Fort Irwin. Will the Orioles continue to be "sellers" this offseason by trading off veteran players for prospects, or will Elias focus on addressing needs on the 26-man roster thru free agency?
The selling has stopped. The Orioles intend to contend, and I’ll repeat that this slogan belongs on a T-shirt, and will work the free agent and trade markets. They aren’t rebuilding.
Will Elias extend any of the core veteran players?
Per usual, he doesn’t talk about his talks. He’d like to lock up some of these guys and naturally understands the importance, but Basallo was a much easier case. And not nearly as expensive. He was an easy sell, a 21-year-old kid from the Dominican who played in four major league games and was able to change his life and his family’s life. The deal worked for both sides, which is how it’s supposed to happen.
Interested in bringing Adam Frazier back next season? He is rocking it with KC right now and hitting over .300.
Elias isn’t known for organizing reunions and I don’t think Frazier fits anymore. But you did get me to look up his stats. He hit .255 in more than twice as many games with the Pirates.
When Basallo and Beavers both finish this season with less than 130 at bats and come in first and second in Rookie of the Year voting next year, what do we get?
A compensatory draft pick. Just one. Gotta finish in first place. But the runner-up gets a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni and a case of Turtle Wax.
Any updates on Kjerstad?
Still none. I’d rather not speculate and the Orioles would rather that we stop asking. They’ll tell us when they’re ready. Such a good guy. Always hoping for the best for him.
Could Jesus make a burrito so spicy he himself couldn’t eat it?
This is probably a good place to stop.
Do you put on orange lipstick before drafting game recaps, or do you save it for when the O’s win in extra innings?
This is definitely a good place to stop.
