Orioles prospects Grayson Rodriguez, D.L. Hall, Gunnar Henderson and Robert Neustrom recently joined Glenn Clark Radio to share a little basketball trash talk. Here’s what they had to say.

“[D.L. Hall and Gunnar Henderson] think they’re good [at basketball]. There’s not much to say about that other than I could dunk over both of them. Now shooting, that’s not my expertise. That’s where Adley [Rutschman] comes in. Gunnar and D.L. are good athletes, and they just think they’re good at basketball. Until one day [when] that is settled — obviously not here pretty soon because you don’t want any injuries to occur. I think Chris Holt, our pitching coordinator, would have a mental breakdown. Definitely if we ever squared up on the basketball court, I think me and Adley have them down 21-0.”
– Right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez June 22 on why he and catcher Adley Rutschman would beat left-handed pitcher D.L. Hall and infielder Gunnar Henderson in basketball

“I’ve told Grayson this a couple times. I don’t do much talking as far as basketball goes, because I know that Grayson isn’t going to be much competition to me on the basketball court. I don’t think he has the agility or the footwork to keep up with me. I think he’s a little too long and lanky. … I was a big Kobe Bryant fan. I was a big fan of him. I grew up watching him and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Maybe not quite as good as them, but that’s what I try to be like. Basketball was my first love.”
– Left-handed pitcher D.L. Hall, who played basketball in addition to baseball during his high school days in Georgia, July 7

“I feel like the biggest competition would be D.L. Grayson and Adley are going to have something to say about that, but don’t let them change your mind. … I’ve seen some videos. I feel like it’d be a really good game [between Hall and me]. It’d have to be a one-on-one matchup to see who it is. Don’t let Grayson say anything. He’s going to put his name up on top.”
– Infielder Gunnar Henderson, the 2019 Alabama Independent School Association boys’ basketball player of the year, July 8

“Throw me out there. I think those guys are all talk, man. Put me in the starting five against any of those guys. I’d assemble a good team. Pat Dorrian, he played college basketball. He’s my road roommate. He’s my roommate at home. Me and him, we’ll assemble a team. We’ll take on those guys.”
– Outfielder Robert Neustrom, who played basketball and football in addition to baseball during his high school days in Iowa, July 13

Photo Credit: William Vaughan/Bowie Baysox, Caroline Hurtt and Scott Sears

Issue 270: August/September 2021

Glenn Clark

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