This, that and the other

The sunny disposition that Colton Cowser carries into games, the clubhouse and pretty much every step in life was put to the test Wednesday night.

The Orioles lost Game 2 of the Wild Card to again get swept out of the playoffs. Cowser wasn’t on the 2023 Division Series roster, went 1-for-7 against the Royals and dealt with the additional pain of a fractured left hand. In its totality, no one hurt more than him.

That’s enough to break anyone, but Cowser still managed a smile and a few quips as he walked to his locker and took questions about the pitch that eventually forced him to the trainers room. It was an unfortunate finish to a season that could give the Orioles back-to-back Rookie of the Year selections following Gunnar Henderson in 2023.

Closer Gregg Olson was the last Oriole to earn the honor back in 1989 before Henderson came along. Yankees pitcher Luis Gil appears to be Cowser’s primary challenger and I’ve seen national media favor both of them. An article on FOX Sports referred to Cowser as a “shoo-in” but noted the reduction in odds.

You know which way Orioles manager Brandon Hyde would vote.

"I'm on the Cowser Rookie of the Year bandwagon,” he said at last week’s press conference.

“To hit 24 homers, to play the defense he's played. I said the other day, the No. 1 thing with Colton for me is the confidence level. Last year, they beat him up a little bit. I thought defensively, he played a little cautious. And then once he got experience and got comfortable up here, you saw the defense really, really improved. The throwing improved, just his routes and the way he communicated when Ced (Mullins) was next to him or when he played center, communicating with the corner outfielders. It was spectacular.

“And then offensively, I think he was up and down. But to end the year with .750, whatever it was, OPS and 24 homers in his first full season, that's a heck of a year."

The final line was .242/.321/.447 with 24 doubles, three triples, 24 home runs and 69 RBIs in 153 games. The 172 strikeouts bothered him, as did the inconsistency that he pointed out many times. Those ups and downs – batting .303 with a 1.004 OPS in April, .188 with a .580 OPS in May, .182 with a .679 OPS in June and .329 with a .911 OPS in July - that he’d like to smooth out.

Cowser’s 4.0 fWAR ranked second to Henderson’s 8.0 and he’s going to play every day next season no matter how the roster shakes out. He made 91 starts in left field, 36 in center and six in right. Anthony Santander is a free agent. Cedric Mullins is eligible again for arbitration, with Baseball-Reference.com projecting his salary at $8.7 million. Heston Kjerstad is waiting for a chance but must convince the Orioles that he can play most days in the field. Austin Slater is a free agent and more of a fourth- or fifth-outfielder type. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said right field remains on the table for Cody Mayo but ranked it third on the position possibility chart.

Losing Santander would further increase the need for a big bat in the lineup, and the outfield can be a targeted area. But Cowser’s going to get his 500-plus at-bats.

* The Royals didn’t change their roster from the Wild Card round to the Division Series against the Yankees. They’re carrying 15 position players again, including former Orioles second baseman Adam Frazier.

Frazier still doesn’t have an at-bat in three games, the first two against the Orioles. He went 4-for-9 with the Mariners in the 2022 Wild Card, but 1-for-14 in the Division Series and 0-for-5 in last year’s Division Series loss to the Rangers.

Frazier has played for five teams since the beginning of 2021. He stays in contact with his former Orioles teammates.

“Yeah, of course,” he said last week. “Always pay attention to the box score, stuff like that. Keep in touch with guys throughout the year. When good things happen for them, be sure to reach out. Just things like that. Help guys get through a long season.”

His current team ended that season with a sweep at Camden Yards.  

The Orioles earned the home Wild Card by building a 57-33 record on July 7, when Craig Kimbrel recorded his 23^rd and last save. A .500 second half only knocked them down to the No. 4 seed.

Frazier didn’t think the Orioles would crumble beneath the weight of all those injuries.

“It’s a deep roster. Deep roster means next-guy-up kind of mentality,” he said.

“I guess in September they lost a lot with Mounty (Ryan Mountcastle) being out, (Jordan) Westburg and (Ramón) Urías. That’s never easy replacing three guys like that, and I think they found that out. They played well but you kind of weather the storm and you end up in the Wild Card instead of winning the division.

“Everybody deals with those things. Vinnie (Pasquantino) going down for us was tough and you can’t just replace 100 RBIs, so our offense took a hit. Even though guys stepped in and filled in well, you lose a little bit of the continuity. Everybody kind of goes through it and the good teams are able to weather that storm.”

* The minor league transactions log listed infielder Nick Maton as electing free agency on Friday.

The Orioles outrighted Maton to Triple-Norfolk on Sept. 17 after he went 0-for-5 in five games. He was 0-for-23 in spring training.

We shouldn’t treat these numbers as a reflection on his ability to hit. Maton batted .258/.363/.471 with 12 doubles, a triple and 16 home runs in 87 games with Norfolk. And his experience playing every position except the one that requires catching gear should appeal to another team on a minor league contract.

* When will we get an update on left-hander Tucker Davidson?

The Orioles designated Davidson for assignment on Sept. 29, one day after they selected his contract and he tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Minnesota behind opener Matt Bowman. Davidson exceeded the requirements of his role but never was going to last beyond his assignment.

The club needed bulk behind Bowman while carefully managing its bullpen before the Wild Card. And it need a replacement the following day for a pitcher who wasn’t available or making the playoff roster.

Baseball can be a cruel business.

Davidson was 5-11 this season in Triple-A but he also had a 3.89 ERA in 32 appearances, proving again that a pitcher’s record is as useful as a fur sink.

You say you want a resolution? He’s going be claimed on waivers, clear or be traded. And it’s hard to imagine a lefty with his past success being ignored by 29 other teams.