Mountcastle's debut significant for the organization, plus other notes

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

August 21, 2020, 8:56pm

Comments

It is an exciting day for any organization when one of its top prospects arrives in the majors. And the big day for the Orioles and Ryan Mountcastle arrived Friday versus Boston. He walked twice and was part of a late rally, but the Orioles lost 8-5 as their losing streak reached six.

But this was not just another game for the player or the team. The Orioles did a wonderful job providing messages broadcast on the MASN telecast and on social media from Mountcastle's family wishing him well. Mountcastle himself, during a Zoom pregame interview Friday afternoon, noted how important the day was for not only him, but for so many close to him that supported his journey to the majors.

"It means so much," he said. "I've had so many people in my life helping me to get to this point. My parents, my friends, my family, my coaches. There are so many people who have helped me get to this point. Just thinking of all them and all the sacrifices they've made to help me get here. It means a lot."

For Mountcastle, 23, after seeing all the stops on the farm from rookie ball through Triple-A, and after more than 2,000 at-bats on the farm, the big day finally came. He had to show some patience. He did not get a September call last year and had to wait through 42 percent of this season to get his chance.

But the club surely had some reasons for waiting longer than many in the fan base would have liked. The Orioles wanted him to continue to polish some plate discipline skills and continue to improve in the outfield. That is a spot he played for just 26 games late last year. After earlier giving it a go at shortstop, third base and first base.

Mountcastle told the Baltimore media that he was quite aware that fans were eager to see him make his debut.

"Yeah, I was getting some good love on social media, and just seeing that is exciting for the fans and myself, just to see that they want me up there. So, yeah, it was pretty cool to see," he said.

On his first day, Mountcastle pulled off what is for him a rare feat: He walked twice. On seven pitches in the second inning and on eight in the eighth. Then he scored ahead of Chance Sisco's fourth homer. He also struck out and lined to right. In 127 games at Triple-A last year, he walked just 24 times. He had just a pair of two-walk games. Then he had one on his first night at the major league level.

He also showed the aggressive swing that has helped him produce quite the resume on the farm. Mountcastle was the 2019 International League MVP and the Orioles' Minor League Player of the Year. Three times he was a mid-season All-Star and he played in the 2018 Futures Game at Nationals Park. He was twice a national top 100 prospect.

The long road through the minors had reached its end. Now we find out if the kid can stay here and whether his bat will play at this level, as so many scouts feel it will. Can he handle left field? The good news here seems to be that the Orioles sure seem committed to playing him just about every night. If he goes a few games without a hit, he should not have to look over his shoulder.

The other good news here is that the excitement that has played out around Birdland twice this year for the debuts of Keegan Akin and Mountcastle should play out many more times moving forward. How many more this year? We'll see on that. But with no minor league games to be played this summer, maybe the O's front office will consider bringing up some players earlier than the club might have under normal circumstances.

Mountcastle's debut was fun. Now fans get to see him play again and again and again.

More notes on Friday's game:

* Lefty John Means gave up homers on two changeups last night and threw just 10 such pitches among his 44. It was a rare night with Means' changeup not producing the usual results. He now has a 10.13 ERA. In the last 10 games, the O's rotation ERA is 7.19 and their starter has gone four innings or less six times. Orioles starters have covered just 41 1/3 in those 10 games, not nearly enough.

* Right fielder Anthony Santander's hitting streak reached 16 games. It is the longest current streak in the major leagues. During the run, Santander is batting .343 (23-for-67) with seven doubles, a triple, seven homers and 18 RBIs.

* Center fielder Cedric Mullins went 3-for-4 with a bunt single and solo homer. He is batting .476 (10-for-21) during a six-game hitting streak, a career best. His homer was the fifth of his career and his first since Sept. 18, 2018.

* Rio Ruiz went hitless and is 3-for-26 (.115) his past eight games. His average for the year has fallen to .200. Hanser Alberto is 1-for-10 in this series and 4-for-24 his past six games. After he hit .305 last year, his average in 2020 has dropped to .306.

* Pat Valaika and Mullins hit back-to-back homers in the last of the seventh. It was the fourth time this season the Orioles hit back-to-back homers.

* The Birds outscored Boston 2-0 last night in the seventh inning. In that inning for the year they have outscored opponents 23-4.