Chance Sisco's return to O's has produced a heavy workload

PHILADELPHIA - Tonight is the fifth Orioles game since catcher Chance Sisco was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on June 28. It will be his fifth start. Optioned on June 17, Sisco spent a brief time in the minors. Since he's been back, he's been busy.

"It is always a good feeling to come to the park and have your name in the lineup," said Sisco, who is batting .208 with two homers and 16 RBIs over 51 games. He's in there tonight batting eighth as the Orioles begin a two-game series against Philadelphia.

Sisco said he used his brief time back in the International League well and it was productive. In five Norfolk games, he hit .353 with a double, homer and two RBIs. Opponents did steal 10 of 10 bases with Sisco catching for the Tides. But that stat doesn't tell how many times the pitcher kept the runner close or made a move to the plate fast enough to give Sisco a real chance for a caught stealing.

Several times today, Sisco referred to trying to just have more fun playing the game. That is what he's trying to do this time back with the Orioles.

"Just kind of getting back to myself and playing the game the way I do," he said. "I was just focusing on going down there and having fun and enjoying the game. Just go to work every night. Wasn't focusing on anything other than that. Have fun and not focus on anything else."

He said it was a mental reboot for him as much as anything.

"Yeah. Just preparing myself to go to the field every day," he said. "Just not worry about anything else, but going through the day as normal as I would in the past. I just went down to not really work on anything specific but just everything and enjoy each day."

Baseball certainly was fun for all of us as kids and Sisco wants everyone to know it's still fun for him now. It is just that life in the majors brings intense scrutiny and sometimes criticism on just about anything a player does on the field.

"It's a different lens to look through, I guess," Sisco said. "Not saying it's not fun. But it was not fun being sent down. So obviously you try to enjoy what you can and even make good out of a bad situation, you could say. Make the best of each situation you are given."

Sunday was certainly plenty of fun. Sisco was behind the plate as Kevin Gausman allowed just two runs over eight innings in a win over the Angels. It provides confidence for Sisco to catch such a strong game for an O's pitcher.

"I thought he was going to go nine, honestly. That was definitely fun," Sisco said. "I looked up in the seventh inning and he had around 80 pitches. I realized he had a chance to go nine and we were trying to do that. He was really good out there. Some quick outs made it easy on him and us. Always nice to have good results and it gives you confidence."