Leftovers for breakfast

NEW YORK – No matter how badly the Orioles want to get Mike Baumann into a set routine, circumstances tend to pry him out of it.

Baumann was optioned in late April, recalled Saturday and optioned again yesterday due to a lack of available relievers in the bullpen. Burned by his own productive outing on Saturday, when he allowed one run against the Rays and walked none in 3 2/3 innings.

The Orioles try to keep their pitching prospects away from the Triple-A shuttle, but stuff happens. Long games, injuries and other unfortunate occurrences.

It’s the nature of the baseball beast and it devoured Baumann.

“You can try to plan things out in this game as much as possible, but things just do not work out, unfortunately,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“We’ve done with (Ryan) McKenna a bunch of times, where we’d like to see McKenna go down to get regular at-bats, and all of a sudden there’s a need at the major league level. Mike might be in that category, also.

“We have a plan in place when guys do go down, then all of a sudden a starting pitcher gets hit in the forearm in the first inning, and things rapidly change.”

Spenser Watkins was the starting pitcher, a 106-mph line drive up the middle hurting Baumann, as well.

“I think we do a really good job of preparing, but then things happen on a nightly basis here in the big leagues and you have to alter your plans at times.”

* Sunday’s walk-off win, the fifth for the Orioles this season to lead the majors, brought some confusion based on the scoring on the final play.

Not the actual run. Adley Rutschman crossed the plate in the bottom of the 11^th inning. But why Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi wasn’t charged with an error on Rougned Odor’s ground ball.

Choi whiffed on it, and the original ruling was a fielder’s choice, RBI and error. The Orioles contacted the Elias Sports Bureau, which changed it to a fielder’s choice and RBI.

I’ve been asked how a ball that isn’t fielded can be a fielder’s choice. Got to be a cheap hit or an error.

The explanation is that an error takes away the RBI, as if we’re assuming Rutschman is going to be out at the plate. And Choi showed his intent to go home on the play by the positioning of his body, as well as the circumstances. Game is over if he settles for first base.

Hope that helps at least a little.  

* Dean Kremer starts tonight for Triple-A Norfolk as he builds innings for a possible return to the Orioles.

Kremer tossed two scoreless with Double-A Bowie in his first game since straining his oblique while warming in the bullpen on April 10 at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles want Kremer to make at least a couple starts with the Tides before they consider promoting him. Get him up to at least five innings.

They need a starter to replace Watkins, and the doubleheader taunts them. Circumstances again could change the Orioles’ plans, with Kremer summoned earlier, but that isn’t currently in the cards.

Don’t think about Grayson Rodriguez, either. Just setting up yourself for disappointment.

* Rutschman’s triple into the right field corner Saturday night for his first major league hit, which honestly looked more like a double and error, brought back memories of Matt Wieters and Manny Machado doing the same in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Especially odd for two catchers, since speeding around the bases isn’t a common tool at the position.

Ryan McKenna was the last Oriole whose first hit was a triple, on April 11, 2021. But there actually are nine players on the list, including, get this, catcher César Devarez on Aug. 18, 1996 in Oakland.

Devarez’s entire major league career consisted of 16 games. He went 0-for-4 in 1995 and 2-for-18 the following year, with both hits coming in the same game – after he left the bench to replace Chris Hoiles.

Hoiles exited in the fourth inning with a groin injury.

Mike Adamson tripled for his first hit on July 5, 1967, and it’s weird for two reasons. He also had only two hits his entire career, which lasted 11 games over parts of three seasons, and he was a pitcher.

Adamson was the first-overall pick out of USC in the secondary phase of the 1967 draft and went directly to the majors. He started against the White Sox in the second game of his career, allowed two runs and three hits with seven walks in six innings, and tripled off White Sox starter Joe Horlen in the third to score Andy Etchebarren.

Here’s the entire list:

Lenny Green on Aug. 29, 1957 vs. Indians
Marv Breeding on April 19, 1960 vs. Senators
Mike Adamson on July 5, 1967 vs. White Sox
César Devarez on Aug. 18, 1996 vs. Athletics
Matt Wieters on May 30, 2009 vs. Tigers
Blake Davis on June 24, 2011 vs. Reds
Manny Machado on Aug. 9, 2012 vs. Royals
Ryan McKenna on April 11, 2021 vs. Red Sox
Adley Rutschman on May 21, 2022 vs. Rays

* Jordan Lyles' 117 pitches last night are the most from an Orioles starter since Dylan Bundy threw 118 on May 17, 2019 versus Cleveland.

This one really got me.

It’s the most by an Orioles pitcher against the Yankees since Zack Britton’s 120 on Aug. 28, 2011 in Baltimore.