Let me start with the mea culpa part of this column first. I guess since I have never won any writing awards, they won’t be able to take anything away from me. What for, you ask?
Well, in about 45 days, I’ll have written a column dismissing Tony Mansolino from having any chance to get the “interim” tag removed from his title and continuing as manager of the Baltimore Orioles to now writing a column almost endorsing him for that same job. Or at least admitting he has more than a puncher’s chance to retain his place in the dugout.
For purposes of full disclosure, I am not a beat reporter. I don’t spend endless hours in the locker room. I’ve covered the team for 40-plus years, but the locker room dynamics have changed in the past two decades. I used to be there all the time. I often talked to coaches to try to learn the game. They were easily accessible.
At some time that changed and the coaches were no longer easily accessible. Until he took over as manager, I had never spoken to Mansolino. I made the assumption that he was a solid baseball professional and teacher. I didn’t dislike him as a third base coach.
Mansolino’s personality is not one that immediately bowls you over with great energy or pizzazz. Frankly, his monotone voice and dry personality bored me. It didn’t register on my personal managerial Richter scale as big league manager material.
So, when I began to write that last column in early August, I was not in the camp supporting him being a candidate for being the full-time manager in 2026. Before I wrote the piece, it wasn’t as if I didn’t ask everyone I know in the press box. It was pretty much universal that he was nothing more than a space saver.
Around that time, Mike Elias purged the team of just about every player not under club control beyond this year and then some, leaving Mansolino with seemingly a very much diminished team.
Instead of totally mailing it in, this much diminished and rag-tag team has found a way to play roughly .500 ball and win series against the Dodgers, Padres, Red Sox, Mariners and Astros. All told, Mansolino has posted a 58-55 record since taking over from Brandon Hyde.
I think he has won over a fan in the president of baseball operations. I’d prefer Skip Schumaker, who has the gravitas I want out of my manager. But I don’t know that he’d have the relationship with Elias that would make for a winning combination.
I watched Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter do their dance for several years. I never felt it was them against the world. It felt at times more like one against the other.
Look, there are others I like more than Mansolino for the job, but who I am to say he can’t be as fine a man and manager as say Johnny Oates was?
I’ll tell you this, if Elias gives him the job and the horses, Tony Mansolino may just do a really solid job as the manager of the Orioles.
More On Being Precise About Titles
OK, on to other business. I haven’t chimed in on the odd way we found out that all the debating by the fan base about the future of Mike Elias as GM of the Orioles was a colossal waste of words and energy.
Reports recently surfaced that the Orioles promoted Elias to president of baseball operations last offseason and that the club is searching for a GM to work under Elias. The Orioles haven’t confirmed those reports.
My question about all this is simple. Don’t the powers that be see allowing this to linger for months as some sort of meaningful statement to the fan base? How is this not seen as an insult to the folks that live and die with the Birds?
This is an organization that has made it a point of emphasis to be very precise in announcing that Tony Mansolino is the “interim manager” during every home game but doesn’t think it’s important to square with their fan base that the leader of their baseball organization was promoted months ago?
This also comes from the man who after firing a manager on a Saturday chose not to talk to local media until the team was in Milwaukee. It just makes for an odd way to be transparent with your media and fan base.
Quite A Hit List For Elias
In addition to naming a GM and deciding on his manager, Mike Elias clearly has a huge list of priorities for the 2025-26 offseason before the team comes together next February in Sarasota.
Let’s hazard a guess on a few obvious and not-so-obvious things Elias and his GM will need to work on:
1. Find a closer. If the Orioles are truly interested in being serious, they have to get a serious guy with closing experience to replace Félix Bautista. He must still be at the top of his game.
2. Figure out how to fix Adley Rutschman or move on. Don’t pee on my pants and tell me it’s raining. If I hear about his expected average and his hard-hit rate again, I’ll start screaming. He has not just been injured, he has been ineffective since the middle of last year — end of story. You can’t fix a problem until you admit there is a problem.
3. Get Trevor Rogers extended. I already put forth the parameters on a deal that I think would work for both parties.
4. Add one more starter who isn’t intended to be the No. 4 or 5 starter. Aim higher. This can be done via trade or free agency.
5. Rebuild the bullpen. I have been impressed with lots of what I’ve seen from Dietrich Enns, Kade Strowd, Rico Garcia and others. But there is nothing wrong with bringing in one or two proven setup men like Andrew Kittredge.
6. Take a big swing at signing Gunnar Henderson. I don’t expect he’ll have any doubts about his future, but it’s not like he’ll be coming off a great season. This may be the one chance to nail him down, if there even is a chance.
7. Help the lineup with one significant right-handed batter. Think of someone like Yandy Díaz … a truly hard out. The Orioles have too much swing and miss in this lineup. Not a surprise with a young team, but the club needs a veteran presence in the lineup.
8. Bring in a baserunning expert. This club needs help in that area, particularly stealing bases.
9. Matt Holliday hire? No, not as the hitting coach, but perhaps to work on some things with specific hitters. So much of what this team does in this regard is so analytical that I am not sure they know how to talk hitter to hitter.
There is plenty more on this front in the weeks ahead. And I’ll be here voicing my opinion.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox