The Orioles play their first home game tonight since June 14, when my granddaughter ate a bowl of chocolate and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles that my wife brought from home, got another photo taken with The Bird and celebrated Ketchup’s win in the Hot Dog Race.

Those were the only scoops that day.

We’ll find out later if catcher Adley Rutschman is ready to be reinstated from the seven-day concussion injured list, which could send Chadwick Tromp back to the waiver wire.

“Especially with concussions and head injuries, it’s going to be day-to-day,” manager Craig Albernaz told the media Wednesday. “Rutsch rode the bike yesterday. He had a great day. He went through a bit of a workout today, so it’s going to be very delicate, especially with a head injury.”

Sound encouraging?

Let’s dig into the mailbag while we wait for the next update.

How much is Cal Ripken Jr. involved now with the Orioles?
Ripken’s increased role in the organization has been known for months. I’m not sure why it became breaking news in the third week in June. Mike Elias approached Ripken, now part of the ownership group, about assisting in certain areas, mostly tied to fundamentals. The Orioles wanted to venture a bit outside the analytic bubble, getting back to some traditional baseball work while still making use of all the data at their disposal. Who better than Ripken? This also was a motivator in hiring Mike Shildt as upper-level coordinator of instruction. Ripken observes, takes notes, flags certain things and doubles back to them later. He doesn’t walk around saying, “I’m Hall of Famer Cal Ripken and this is how we need to do things around here.” He doesn’t force himself on anyone. But he happily accepts any offers to work with the team. I’ve heard this from multiple people “with direct knowledge of the relationship.” He also met with Albernaz during the managerial hiring process. That’s how far back we’re going here. There was a weird disconnect between franchise and franchise icon for a number of years, but it’s been fixed. This was a long-winded way of responding to your question with, “A lot more than in the past.”

Any chance the Orioles encourage Samuel Basallo to hang out with James McCann in the off-season? Maybe they get in a few bar fights, maybe McCann just screams things like, “Walk it off,” and “Rub some dirt on it” like my Dad used to. Wait, this got more personal than I meant it to.
This site also can be therapeutic. Feel free to lie down on the couch while we converse. Some pitchers still reached out to McCann the season after he left the organization. That’s how much he was valued as a leader and a friend. I don’t think Basallo and McCann will spend the winter hunting and joining the same fantasy football league. You might have noticed that Basallo was nailed in the mask twice during Wednesday’s game and didn’t require medical attention. He waved off whomever was moving up the dugout steps. There’s a fine line between toughing it out and risking a worse injury, so Basallo and the Orioles must be careful not to cross it. If he was dazed from the foul tips, he’d need an athletic trainer to check on him pronto, but that wasn’t the case. Basallo is learning how to play through some pain, but McCann took it to the extreme with the busted nose and eye swollen shut. Don’t feel like less of a man. That wasn’t the norm. It was miles from the norm. It was four or five exits past the norm.

Who are the Orioles drafting in the first round this year? And don’t say “your mom.”
I’d never! It’s much easier to toss out some names that are likely on their board. No one knows exactly how the first six picks will play out before it’s the Orioles’ turn. I’ve checked multiple mocks and, per usual, there are multiple players tied to the organization. Baseball America just published it’s “top 500 draft board” and had Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick seventh. I’ve also seen and heard Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron and, gasp, UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora and Stoneman Douglas left-hander Gio Rojas. Pitchers? Get real. Burress seems to be the most popular prediction. The only consensus is that UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is No. 1. Hold on, lemme check the spelling of his name to make sure I’ve got it right. … Yep. Too bad the Orioles can’t trade up.

Shouldn’t the ball have been called dead, and play halted, once Nolan Schanuel kicked it away from first base, intentionally or not, during the penultimate play in Wednesday’s game?
He didn’t intentionally go all World Cup on the ball. It was just part of the play. But listen, I no longer know what constitutes a basepath, since runners apparently can veer into right field or one of the dugouts to avoid a tag. I don’t know what’s a catch in the NFL. I don’t know much about history, or some “modern” baseball stats that keep popping up on my timeline that read like a bowl of alphabet soup+. But I didn’t see anyone arguing Schanuel’s advancement to third base.

Why are we carrying three catchers with Adley on the IL?
They should have carried more third basemen after Blaze Alexander bruised his knee on a foul ball. But you’re asking about catchers. It probably doesn’t seem as necessary without Rutschman on the roster, oddly enough, because I’d think there would be fewer chances that manager Craig Albernaz would DH one of his catchers while putting the other behind the plate. That’s mainly a Rutschman/Basallo thing. But having a third is just insurance. It’s a luxury. They didn’t need outfielder Michael Siani. I’m not aware of any health issues with Sam Huff, but I’ve been away from the team for a while. Nothing reported on it. Basallo must shoulder a much heavier workload, and having an extra catcher is likely tied to it.

Whatever happened to Michael Siani?
The Orioles designated Siani for assignment, and he cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He’s a plus defender and runner, and it’s good to have him in the organization as upper-level outfield depth.

Is Pet Sounds seminal or overrated (as 50 incorrectly claims)? The best band ever (The Beatles) mentioned it as an important influence.
If I wanted to hear pet sounds, I’d listen to your … never mind. Wouldn’t it be nice if I had an opinion on this topic? I’ve never been a big fan of the Beach Boys. I like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” I love “God Only Knows.” Is there an area in between seminal and overrated that we can settle into? If not, seminal seems a bit over the top to me, though it did inspire The Beatle’s “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I’ll save that description for Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti,” Nirvana’s “Nevermind” or Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” (How’s that for range?)

What is the trade deadline strategy for the Orioles?
Too soon to make any sort of declaration. There are more games to play before knowing whether they’re buying or selling. My guess, given that even the most gut-wrenching losses keep them close to the Wild Card, is that they’re going to add to their roster. The bullpen might be deemed as the most important target area, especially from the left side. Another starter could be considered, as well as another bat. I was asked on a radio interview a few days ago whether they might want a center fielder, and that’s a possibility if trying to wedge another bat on the roster. But we’re doing a lot of speculating.

Who do you see as the second baseman of the future on the Orioles? Holliday, Alexander, Estrada, or someone else?
Alexander is most likely to stay in his current role, moving around and getting plenty of starts. There might be fewer available if the future includes Jordan Westburg hunkered down at third base and Coby Mayo on the roster. Estrada is too young to be labeled as a utility player, but he could fill a role similar to Ramón Urías. Holliday is supposed to be the everyday second baseman after the Orioles invested the first-overall pick on him in 2022. He’s the present and future. He’s just got to stay healthy and swing the bat like he’s capable. The broken hamate bone in February was an unfortunate setback in his development as a major league hitter. He hasn’t been in the lineup since Saturday because of some tightness in his groin, but he pinch-hit Wednesday.

Was Adley diagnosed with an actual concussion, or is he simply in concussion protocol?
Rutschman is on the seven-day concussion injured list, which suggests he sustained a concussion. It’s in the title. You can be in protocol while the medical staff determines the severity of the injury, but Rutschman was removed from the active roster. The injury report says “concussion.” The latest update said Rutschman “continues to be monitored and following post-concussion protocols.”

Can the Orioles get better defensively?
They’re working at it. And they better do it. Games are being lost because of breakdowns in the field, with the most recent occurrence in the 10th inning Wednesday in Anaheim. We also saw it happen in Pittsburgh, Miami, Toronto and Los Angeles. A .983 fielding percentage ranked 22nd yesterday in the majors. Forty-nine errors were the ninth-highest total. The eight Defensive Runs Saved were 17th.  The minus-10 Outs Above Average put them 21st. So hey, it could be worse. The DRS is minus-8 at third base and minus-9 in center field, in case you were curious.

Who would you rather have has your landlord, Mr. Roper or Mr. Furley?
Janet or Chrissy. And this seems like a good place to stop.