Villanova men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard scolded a reporter, made a fool of himself and embarrassed the university because he claimed inaccuracies in an article about the Wildcats leaving the Big 5. Lions coach Dan Campbell vented about the media’s questions regarding tight end Sam LaPorta blasting the organization over the lack of contract extension talks, claiming that it was causing a distraction while he actually created it.

Sometimes it’s safest deep down in the mailbag. Staying out of harm’s way.

Davey Johnson was my first manager on the beat and he once called a couple of Baltimore Sun reporters into his office and said, “That Rocco is so far over his head.” I joked later that I’d outlast him, and I did.

Calling me “Rocco” was my favorite part.

I covered Johnson for only one season and had a much better relationship with Ray Miller and the rest, but I appreciated how there never was a dull moment. And how much glee my coworkers exuded in the retelling of that story.

Let’s get to some questions.

Roch, what makes you so certain Jorge Mateo will not return? More generally, from time to time you comment on an ex-Oriole (or soon to be ex-Oriole in the recent circumstance of Andrew Kittridge, for example), not returning. Is it something they said? Something the team said? Just something that contributes to your overall view that team needs differ from their strengths? What contributes to such a (sometimes stated with firm conviction) assessment?

I remember being wrong about such (on my part) guesses. For example, the Orioles’ relationship with then star-shortstop Miquel Tejada seemed to erode once it was disclosed that he was two years older than documents indicated. As an employer (something relatable to me at the time), I suppose they felt bait-and-switched. When he was traded to Houston for the likes of Troy Patton and Luke Scott, the trade return seemed inferior and my guess was that the O’s were mighty glad to just be rid of him. Then a couple of years later, if that, he returned as a free agent, which was shocking. So, what drives such an assessment?
First of all, my heartfelt congratulations on being the first commenter whose mailbag question was divided into two parts. It would be my honor to drive you around the warning track in a red convertible. I usually try to leave myself some wiggle room, but my sleeping arrangements at home are nobody’s business. I’m working on an assumption with Mateo based on the team already moving on from him, his poor performance at the plate, and the lack of space on the roster. Blaze Alexander is a better utility version of Mateo with his bat and defensive versatility. Jordan Westburg enters the mix again. Mateo is out of options. Unless the Orioles are assembling a track team, I don’t see a reason to bring him back to the organization. Kittredge would make more sense, depending on cost and other moves that impact the bullpen. Tejada actually signed twice with the Orioles after they traded him to the Astros, but he didn’t play for them in 2012. Different front offices with Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan in 2003, Andy MacPhail in 2010 and Dan Duquette in 2012. And now, I wish I had divided my response into two parts.

Hey Roch! I’m expecting him to begin the season in Norfolk, but what do you think of Christian Franklin?
Hey … you! I think Franklin is a nice depth piece for the outfield, a term that I know makes him sound like an object instead of a person. My bad. I believe it was Buck Showalter who once pointed that out. Franklin likely will compete for a backup job in spring training. He can play anywhere in the outfield and his athleticism is an attractive feature. He’s registered a .390 on-base percentage in 435 minor league games. The tools are worth exploring.

Would you rather have your double ear infection or Dietrich Enns’ foot infection from early in the season?
My prescription should keep me away from the 10-day injured list. Enns’ foot infection was mysterious and landed him in the hospital. He needed intravenous antibiotics. And he was in Pittsburgh. “I’m not sure what happened,” said manager Craig Albernaz, “but his foot is pretty gnarly.” Sounds like I win. Then again, Enns was paid $2.625 million this year, so I might need to reconsider. He makes my paycheck look gnarly.

Do we have an advantage now for players like Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly since Jared Banner worked with them in Chicago? How about a trade for Shane McClanahan, which has been floated on here before?
“Advantage” might be a small reach, but it doesn’t hurt. The familiarity can be an asset in negotiations, but let’s not kid ourselves. Money always talks, which can be annoying in a quiet movie theatre. We also don’t know how much authority Banner has in these matters. Elias is the boss. McClanahan is a separate subject. These teams love to make trades and McClanahan is a Baltimore native, which adds to the fun. Is he available? We’d be speculating. We do know that he’d be a one-year rental. That’s OK at the right price, just like Corbin Burnes in 2024. It’s certainly worth exploring.

Do you think Brandon Hyde will get offers to manage in the coming months, and if he does, will he accept one? Also, is a slice of pizza a sandwich if you fold it in half?
It is not, but it’s a nice technique. Will Hyde be in the fold with a new team? I can’t predict offers. I can’t even predict interviews. But yes, Hyde wants to manage again and would jump at the chance. He deserves it, too. “I really enjoyed it,” Hyde said back in March. “I love managing. I look back very fondly on those six-plus years. I’m hoping that someday the situation comes along where it’s a good fit and someone gives me an opportunity.” I don’t know what qualifies as a bad fit. Another rebuild? He pretty much nailed the first one, but why would anyone want to go through that again? Well, unless the desire to get back in the dugout burns that intensely.

Given how weak the free agent pool is overall, should we expect more trades than signings?
I always order the sampler platter when asked about free agency versus trade market. I tried “pu pu platter” but kept giggling. You’re right about the free agent pool. It’s pretty shallow. The Orioles could take a big swing at, say, outfielder Randy Arozarena or a starting pitcher, but trades remove agents from negotiations. They produced Taylor Ward, Shane Baz, Blaze Alexander and Andrew Kittredge last offseason. I think the Orioles, per usual, go both routes and perhaps more quickly than usual with the lockout looming. If I had to keep a running tally, and you can’t make me, it might be more signings that are padded with minor league deals.

If there is a lockout, how does that impact the Orioles the most heading into 2027? And what players can the team continue to communicate with? Minor leaguers? And what about players that are injured? Can they still use Oriole facilities to rehab?
Is this Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey? (Again, RIP Gilda.) The Orioles probably won’t have contact with players on the 40-man roster, but teams are in the process of collecting information from the league. It’s only October. The lockout is a union thing. Non-roster minor leaguers operate under their own Collective Bargaining Agreement. A lockout impacts teams pretty much the same. Business shuts down, which prevents trades and signings. The Winter Meetings could be canceled. No Rule 5 draft. It’s just harder to set a roster. Spring training could be truncated. The same inconveniences and challenges. We don’t celebrate it.

Do you think Bill Ripken will be involved in the organization in any capacity?
I’m so far behind, I didn’t know that he left MLB Network. According to reports, Ripken explained that the modern style of baseball media and the current state of the game conflicted with his old school perspective. He’s retired and living in South Carolina. I don’t think he’s looking for a heavy workload in any job. Guess it would depend on the offer. He declined opportunities in the past to coach. Buck Showalter wanted Ripken on his staff. But that was mostly due to the sweet MLB Network gig. Paid well and fit his desired schedule. I always thought that he’d make a good manager, and most definitely a coach.

Are you taller than Drew French?
French is listed at 5 feet 11, which surprises me. I would have taken the under. We can debate the accuracy of these heights and weights. Remember when Félix Bautista’s Baseball Reference page had him at 190 pounds? That’s one thigh. Anyway, I always listed my height at 6 foot but discovered as I got older that it’s more like 5-10 or 5-11, depending on how much I gel my hair.

Who really makes the lineups, manager or GM? No way at year end Hinds should have been playing at all.
Ah, the lineup debate rages on, a tradition unlike any other. The manager has final say on the lineup after collecting all the data and scouting reports and anything else made available to him. Mike Elias says that he has no input. However, his analytics department researches the statistical trends and studies player matchups. And the adherence to left-right platooning under different managers suggests that the philosophies stay the same. If you manage this club, you are on board with it.

Where did you hide the bodies?
Depends on … wait, what? This seems like a good place to stop.