Leftovers for breakfast

TAMPA – Coby Mayo remembers the conversation he had last year with outfielder Kyle Stowers and the question posed to his friend.

“I asked him, ‘Would you rather be in the big leagues and not playing much or be down in Triple-A and playing every day,” Mayo recalled, “and he’s like, ‘I think being in the big leagues is very valuable, even if you’re not playing, just learning.’ Being able to watch the game and being around the coaches.”

The Orioles must agree because they’re carrying Mayo on the roster and sitting him much more than he plays.

Last night’s start against the Rays was only his third in the last 12 games. An 11-for-36 stretch over 11 games to finish June didn’t create a regular spot for him in the lineup.

Stowers made his first All-Star team with the Marlins and hit his 20^th and 21^st home runs last night, including a walk-off, to give him five blasts in his last two games.

“Look what’s happened with him. He got the opportunity this year and he’s gone out there and crushed it,” Mayo said.

“We went to dinner the other night and I actually told him, ‘Hey, remember last year when I asked you, would you rather be in the big leagues or in Triple-A, even if you’re not playing in the big leagues?’ And he’s like, ‘I told you, absolutely.’ You always want to be in the big leagues and you’re living your dream and every day you’re there, you get an opportunity to, even if you’re not playing, be the next guy up. You never know when the opportunity’s going to call.”

Let that be a lesson to every young player who must wait his turn.

“You can look at it in a negative way and say, ‘I’m not playing,’ and not have the right attitude, so when you get in there you’re not gonna be ready for the opportunity,” Mayo said. “Or you can look at it like, ‘I’m not playing today but I’m gonna get a little bit better,’ and see if there’s a pinch-hit opportunity or someone gets hurt.

“You just never know what happens. So I think being ready and having the attitude that, ‘I’m getting in there,’ is more beneficial, for sure.”

Mayo’s playing time is sporadic but he’s more relaxed than during his 17 games with the Orioles last summer, when he went 4-for-41 with 22 strikeouts and rode the Triple-A shuttle - an uncomfortable seat for one of the organization’s top prospects.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I got called up,” he said. “Thought  I was gonna hit the ground running and never look back, and obviously I didn’t have the start I wanted to, but I’m just happy where I’m at now, and I think there’s a lot of improvements still out there. There’s still a long time, the rest of the year, and you never know what happens. You can have a good week and get hot. Every day’s a new opportunity.”

It also can be a winding road, as Sheryl Crow reminded us.

Mayo traveled to Disney World for part of his All-Star break and was recognized by a young fan.

“A little kid came up to me in a Gunnar Henderson shirt and asked, ‘Hey, are you Coby Mayo?’ I thought it was pretty cool just for that to happen,” Mayo said.

“Being in Orlando, it’s far from Baltimore. I think it just goes to show you that Birdland, it’s not just in Baltimore.”

* Kyle Gibson announced his retirement earlier this week after 13 seasons.

Gibson made 33 starts with the Orioles in 2023, returned in March and lasted only four before his release on May 20. He posted a 16.78 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

The Rays signed Gibson eight days later and released him on June 21 after he allowed only one run and struck out 22 batters in 17 1/3 innings over four starts with Triple-A Durham.

“Leadership’s one of those things I don’t think we talk about enough in the world, let alone Major League Baseball. But Gibby’s one of the great leaders in this game,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.

“He was so incredible, just behind the scenes. A lot of times we think leaders are the loudest people and the most upfront people, people that we see the most. That’s rarely the case. It’s usually the kind of people behind the scenes that are some of your best leaders, and Gibby’s one of those guys. The things that he did for our young players, the things that he did for our team, what he does in the community.

“People don’t realize when Gibby would go on the road, he would do community service everywhere he went. A lot of people don’t understand that about the guy, and that’s a form of leadership, but there’s so many other things that he did. The game was lucky to have him, and I don’t know where he’s gonna end up. I’ve got a feeling he’s gonna be on a youth baseball field leading a bunch of young players out there. But I’ve got a feeling in one form or another, he’ll get back in this game.”

* The Orioles didn't need Félix Bautista last night in an 11-1 loss and extended his break by using Grant Wolfram, Corbin Martin and Colin Selby. Bautista hasn't pitched since Game 1 of a July 10 doubleheader.

Bautista has recorded 66 saves in his first three seasons, excluding 2024, when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. The only Orioles closer with more saves in his first three seasons, per STATS, is Randy Myers with 76, and he did it in two (1996-97). 

Gregg Olson had 64 from 1988-90, Jorge Julio had 61 from 2001-03, and George Sherrill had 51 in two seasons from 2008-09.