By now, Orioles fans are pretty familiar with Mike Elias’ “damage control” trip after the trade deadline. It was a wise move to fly to Texas to explain himself a bit better. His comments to the local media after the deadline deal of Trey Mancini had given the impression that he didn’t really believe that the magic in the air around Camden Yards was real.
The best way to state that these times were different was to tell the assembled players that, from that point forward, it was “liftoff time.” That, combined with his “blue skies” comment several weeks prior, was an attempt to prove to the players that management believed in them.
Apparently, the equipment manager of the team hasn’t gotten the memo. I brought this topic up as co-host of Glenn Clark Radio on Aug. 19. I don’t know about you, but when I look around at the numbers dispensed to Orioles players, I wonder if they’ve run out of the real numbers or maybe retired a whole bunch that we don’t know about.
We do know that Nos. 4, 5, 8, 20, 22 and 33 are off the board to honor Earl, Brooks, Cal, Frank, Palmer and Eddie. But where are the real numbers? We know Adley Rutschman got No. 35, because that’s the number he wanted.
But let’s look around the O’s roster. Tyler Wells is a big boy, and his No. 68 might have made sense in his first spring training in 2021. Dean Kremer could be a star in the making, and he is only worthy of No. 64. C’mon, man, where is a 15 or 29 or maybe even a 32?
Spenser Watkins? I’ll admit I was puzzled by the club sticking with him for a second go-round after he posted a 2-7 record with an 8.07 ERA in 2021. Those are numbers that define the No. 80 he still wears. But his ERA this season is a tick above 4.00, and that it’s even that high is largely due to two bad starts — one when he allowed seven earned runs in St. Louis in early May and another when he didn’t record an out against the Rays in late May.
If you take those two starts out of the mix, he carries a real nifty 3.02 ERA in the other 74.1 innings. That’s worthy of, say, a Jamie Moyer-esque No. 51, not 80.
Look, I get it when a Logan Gillaspie comes up and is awarded No. 71. Nick Vespi is No. 79. I think he deserves a rethinking next spring.
Two possibly important pitchers are Kyle No. 56 Bradish and DL No. 49 Hall. You want Bradish to be better? Give him No. 29 or 38. Name me any other 49s other than Tom Niedenfuer, Hayden Penn and Dylan Bundy? All with checkered results. What’s wrong with Hall’s Norfolk Tides No. 18?
And look at Kyle Stowers, now on his second tour of duty. (After No. 66 Brett Phillips was DFA’d, Stowers probably gets a longer look this time around.) Stowers has been uniformed again as No. 83. Hey, this was the club’s third pick back in 2019, behind only Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. There isn’t any more serious number you could give the kid? How about a 14, 17 or even a 40?
If liftoff has truly arrived, it’s time the uniform numbers match the expectations.
Why haven’t I mentioned Felix Bautista and his huge No. 74? Because he is The Mountain and that number seems to befit a Mountain. And I especially don’t want to jinx him.
Photo Credits: Kenya Allen/PressBox