The Orioles are in a position to set themselves up for long-term success given their breakout season in 2023 and an abundance of talent in the minor leagues. Because of this dynamic, one Hall of Famer is comparing this Orioles team to a baseball dynasty.
Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz compares the Orioles’ trajectory to the rise of the Atlanta Braves during the 1990s. Smoltz pitched for the Braves from 1988-2008 and won a World Series with them in 1995.
Smoltz was part of one of the best starting rotations in the history of baseball. The ’90s Braves sported a trio of Hall of Famers in Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Smoltz finished his illustrious career as an eight-time All-Star and a Cy Young Award winner (1996).
“I think of our 1990 team when [manager Bobby Cox] took over, the second half we started to feel something different,” Smoltz said on Glenn Clark Radio June 19. “… I find that the Orioles last year, in the midst of everything that was going on, had some confidence built in young players. They were starting to use some young pitchers, getting that experience which is vital.”
Cox began his second stint as the Braves’ manager during the 1990 season. He inherited the squad with a bleak record of 25-40. The Braves ultimately finished the 1990 season with the worst record in MLB. However, they improved slightly under Cox, laying the foundation for future success.
The Braves broke out under Cox the following season, finishing with the third-best record in MLB (94-68). This sparked an unprecedented run from 1991-2005, during which the Braves won 14 consecutive division titles and five National League pennants (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 1999).
From 1991-1999, the Braves recorded a record eight consecutive NLCS appearances, including a 1995 World Series win. Cox created a winning culture, and the Braves dominated the National League in the ’90s.
Although the turnaround is still ongoing, the Orioles are navigating a similar path from worst to possibly first. In 2021, they were tied for the worst record in the MLB (52-110). Entering play on June 27, the Orioles have the third-best record in the majors at 48-29.
Smoltz credits Orioles manager Brandon Hyde for creating a winning culture.
“I think it’s underestimated, undervalued and not quantified. Because analytics wants to quantify everything, and you can’t quantify that,” Smoltz said. “… He deserves a lot of credit. They had to endure a lot of bad losing and he has created a culture in the midst of that. [The Orioles have] brought up some young dynamic players, no doubt. They’ve drafted, and now they’re developing. And if you can keep a culture with the coaching staff, your chances of winning are a lot better because now you’ve instilled something.”
One of those young dynamic players is catcher Adley Rutschman. The Orioles went 67-55 in their final 122 games in 2022 after his arrival, finishing above .500 for the first time since 2016. With Rutschman in the lineup, the Orioles have transformed into one of the top teams in the American League.
“[Rutschman’s value has] been huge,” Smoltz said. “I mean the one thing I can tell you about baseball is when we project a star or when we get a high draft pick, young player out of a stud college, most of the time they are developing into who they say they’re going to be. And this has been an indicator for the Orioles.”
The Orioles have historically struggled to develop pitchers, but this season their rotation features more talent than in years past. Tyler Wells (28 years old), Dean Kremer (27) and Kyle Bradish (26) make up a young core the Orioles can build around.
However, there’s still room for improvement and Smoltz believes the development of starting pitchers is crucial to ensure the Orioles have long-term success.
“Developing pitchers is the only way you can have sustainability, and I think [the Orioles are] starting to do that. They have some exciting young players,” Smoltz said. “I think if you polled 1,000 fans they couldn’t name 10 players on the Orioles, but that’s OK. Because you couldn’t name 10 players on the Braves in ’90 and then all of a sudden it became household names.”
The Orioles are ahead of the curve and winning more than expected. As they look to make a playoff push there are questions surrounding whether the Orioles will make a move to spark a deep run.
Historically teams ahead of their timeline haven’t been aggressive at the trade deadline and instead banked on their young talent gaining more experience. Either way, Smoltz says reaching the postseason is a big step for the Orioles to form a contender.
“Getting to the playoffs would be huge for this organization. Giving these young players a taste of it [is] essential,” Smoltz said. “Even if they didn’t make a marquee move, getting to the playoffs would be what they need as an organization to move forward if you’re going to kind of mirror what we did in 1990.”
For more from Smoltz, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Atlanta Braves