Because You Asked - Mad About the Boy

The Orioles have another off-day following their longest homestand of the season. They’ll hit the road for a three-game series in D.C. and Detroit.

Contrary to some of the stuff I’ve read, the season isn’t over. The Orioles have played 21 games and the season isn’t truncated to 22. Lucky for them, right? But yeah, yesterday was ugly – it only counts as one loss - and a rotation with the highest ERA in baseball is cause for concern. Injuries are a big part of the problem but it goes beyond health.

The offense also can drive a fan batty. The Reds went with a bullpen game yesterday, but the Orioles managed only one run off Brent Suter in three innings and two on the day, and they lost by three touchdowns. Key guys are slumping. Cedric Mullins can’t carry this much of the load.

I don’t want to carry a heavy mailbag, so it’s time to do some dumping. You asked and I did my best to answer. The editing was restricted to my cut-and-paste technique of moving questions from blog comments to my Word document. It’s a skill like anything else.

Also, my mailbag received a visit from the Easter Bunny and your mailbag was visited by a rabid raccoon.

Do you think Scott Blewett will stay in the organization after the Orioles designated him for assignment?
No, because he was traded to the Braves last night for cash considerations.

Is Westy's “upper-body injury” worse than it appears? With Coby Mayo hitting in Triple-A, why not use the 10-day injured list to get him fully healthy?
Ooh, a two-parter! Jordan Westburg apparently was banged up in Toronto and there have been some lingering effects at times, but it’s hard to say much about it because specifics are scarce. The upper-body explanation is more of a hockey joke. Westburg played in his 18^th game yesterday, so it can’t be too serious. The Orioles don’t want to lose him for 10 days. Manager Brandon Hyde told us recently that it wasn’t an IL situation.

I am getting concerned about Tyler O'Neill's bad breaks on fly balls. Are you surprised to see him struggle like this?
I’ve seen some diving catches and ridiculous, laser-like throws. The arm is quite a weapon. But he’s had a few mishaps, too, which he’d freely admit. O’Neill holds himself to a higher standard as a two-time Gold Glove winner. He knows which base to throw to but made a few regrettable decisions. The weather might have contributed to the bad breaks. But to answer your question, yeah, because of his excellent reputation. The bar’s raised. But as I say, better raised than closing after last call.

You say that?
No. Next question. And don’t get conversational with me.

What's that mood like in the clubhouse? Who do you consider one of the stronger leaders among the players?
Fans and sports talk radio hosts love “mood” questions. I don’t see anything unusual or what could be construed as tense. Now, I should point out that the media gets 50 minutes of access before games and most of the players aren’t in there. And it ain’t exactly packed after the final out. But what we observe seems normal, including a quiet room after losses. Guys shoot pool earlier in the day, they talk and laugh. The slumping and injured ones might not be as jovial, but there isn’t dissention in the ranks. And I always recommend trusting the people who are around the team. Stop falling for the parody accounts. Ryan O’Hearn strikes me as one of the stronger leaders. Tyler O’Neill can be that guy, too. Some of the veterans are quieter personalities and lead-by-example types. James McCann was a leader but he’s gone.

Why is the team making so many unnecessary mistakes? Base running blunders, pop ups dropping in that should be caught.
What are the necessary mistakes? Let’s save that one for the next mailbag. Hyde also wants to know why it’s happening. Fly balls down the left field and right field lines are like Kryptonite for this team. And the weather at Camden Yards can’t be used as an excuse. They know that the defense needs to tighten up and Hyde’s pointed it out multiple times. They’re better than this. We see it at times, for sure, like the double play Ramón Urías started Saturday. “That turned the game around for me,” Hyde said afterward. “Just a huge spot and the majority of third basemen don’t make that play. He’s such a really good player. Just so overlooked in what he brings and the at-bats he brings, but also just a steady rock defensively. And then a really good turn by Jackson (Holliday). That was the best turn I’ve seen him make at second base.”

Are you able to go back to the gym and start working out again?
I did my usual two-month membership at the Sarasota LA Fitness, easing my way back into workouts. I’m still careful about expanding a chest that’s wired shut, but I’m approaching the sixth-month anniversary of my surgery and that’s a key healing date. The bigger issue sometimes is the right shoulder that I popped while lifting a suitcase in Dallas during the All-Star break. Heard it, felt it, and it can be painful at times. I’m playing hurt. And this is much more than you needed to know.

Does the front office provide Brandon Hyde with the lineup or do they collaborate with Hyde or is it all Hyde's responsibility?
Now I can pass along a quote from Mike Elias, who was asked about it last week. “I am not involved with lineups. Our front office produces information that helps Brandon and the advanced team that works with Brandon to choose the lineups on a nightly basis. But our philosophy is that the guys in the clubhouse should be deciding that.” So, at the end of the day, it’s Hyde’s final call. He’s given lots of input, and by people that Elias brought it for this purpose and others.

Which reliever has the worse bad name, Balfor or Blewitt?
That’s Balfour and Blewett. See, you blew it. Those names are like having a kicker named “Shank” or being on the women’s pro tennis tour with the married name “Double-Fault.” I’ll go with Balfour because it’s just so amusing – two words combined into one last name for a pitcher. Better than Bob Walk. Blewett pronounces his last name “Blew-ETT.” I’m taking his word for it. I remember J.J. Putz telling The Baltimore Sun’s Peter Schmuck that he pronounced it “Pootz.” I found that “doobius.” The Orioles should trade for the Reds’ Spencer Steer and pair him with Colton Cowser. Anyway, I’m not judgy when it comes to weird names. Please allow me to introduce myself: Hi, I’m Roch Kubatko.

When will Kyle Gibson be available?
He’s happily married. Sorry. Oh, I understand. Gibson started yesterday at High-A Aberdeen and allowed one earned run and two total in five innings, and he threw 78 pitches. He could join the Orioles in Detroit and make Friday night’s start if he’s deemed ready. His contract won’t allow for an extended stay in the minors.

Do you think that that the articles regarding the tension in the clubhouse are purely sensationalism or is it understated?
Please share links to these articles. So far I’ve seen a parody account claim that two players fought, and a fan from outside the U.S. cite a “source” saying there’s tension based on the lineup churn. I’ve seen a few articles misinterpreted, which is always fun. Question a lineup decision and suddenly you’re implying that there’s a mutiny brewing.

How long before the front office realizes this is a failed season and begins to explore trades for prospects for expiring contracts?
You’re packing it in before May? It’s much too early to give a failing grade, and I sat in the press box yesterday. The Orioles are three games below .500 on April 21. It isn’t too early to be concerned about the rotation and an offense that runs hot and cold. Sports exist to upset us and give us an outlet for venting, but there’s a lot of season left. And yes, I know the Orioles were a .500 team in the second half in 2024. I’ll say again that it’s 2025 and a healthier roster would calm a lot of nerves. No one is running away with this division. But the Orioles obviously need to pitch and play better. This is a disappointing start, for sure. A start. Disappointing … start.

Are you drinking more after covering games during this slow start?
I’m drinking more after sorting through the mailbag. To be fair, I’m also drinking more after doing laundry and getting the mail.

If this is a lost season for Grayson Rodriguez following multiple other injury-plagued seasons for him, do you think there will be any internal conversation about converting him to a relief pitcher? Maybe his arm is built for short bursts and 60-70 innings a year and it just can't take the ramp up process and endurance required for a full season as a starter.
This isn’t a crazy thought anymore. I’d assume that there have been some internal talks about ways to keep him healthy and to get a full season out of him, which could be in a relief role, but he’s got such a high ceiling as a starter, and the Orioles would love to have an ace that doesn’t cost an arm and both legs, that they want to keep trying with him. Let’s find out just how serious this shoulder injury is and if we’re talking surgery – and whether it costs him the entire 2025 season. Rodriguez has looked like a dominant starter at times. It would be a shame if his body keeps preventing it from happening like with DL Hall.

Do you see Coby Mayo returning to the O’s anytime soon?
I don’t know how you’re defining “soon,” but I’d be surprised if it’s this month unless he’s an injury replacement. In May? It isn’t impossible, but who are you removing? Jorge Mateo would be a potential countermove because I don’t see anyone else in the infield, and he clearly can’t be trusted as a late-inning reliever. Mayo is 17-for-71 (.239) with the Norfolk Tides, but he got hot and has five doubles, four home runs, 15 RBIs, a .356 on-base percentage and a .479 slugging percentage. The Orioles basically are challenging him to use his frustration at being optioned assault baseballs and put up numbers that get him back in the majors.

I would've DFA'd Jorge Mateo because we are in need of bullpen arms considering our current starting pitching problems more than we need a zero hitter without a position.
That isn’t a question. And teams can’t carry more than 13 pitchers, so a position player would replace Mateo.

If Seattle offered to double your pay and with better retirement and health benefits.Would you take it or being close to home more important?
I’d never leave this area because of my family and comfort zone, and that’s why I couldn’t squeeze another nickel out of The Baltimore Sun back in the day. Your only shot at a raise is if they’re willing to match an offer from another paper or outlet. I was a single dad raising my daughter at one point. I have a granddaughter. My mother is on the Eastern Shore. My wife is a senior vice president at The Maryland Food Bank and she wants to stay close to her mother. Sorry, but you’re stuck with me.

Has Cedric Mullins started eating the same foods as in 2021? He seems like he's a different player than the last two seasons. Is it just because he is finally fully healthy?
That’s the theory that Brandon Hyde floated. Mullins’ legs are healthy, he’s confident and he’s having great at-bats. He’s looking like the 30/30 version. Did anyone predict that he’d bat leadoff this season? He’s also extra motivated because he can become a free agent after the season, but it’s not like he held back. His body wasn’t cooperating and now it is, which is the simplest explanation.

Roch, have they shared any desired timeline for Félix Bautista to be able to pitch on back-to-back days? I was thinking it would be by May, but others think it won't be until June or July.
The Orioles, like many teams, aren’t enthused about providing timelines because they can suddenly change and be unpredictable. I’ve heard the Orioles say that it won’t happen “early,” and I’ve heard speculation that it could be the entire first half. Bautista warmed one day without pitching and entered the game on the next day, which is a version of back-to-back. He threw on consecutive days. That makes me think the Orioles won’t have to wait until after the break.

What’s your thoughts on Blewett? And don’t say he blew it with your mom.
I’d never! Wow, three Blewett questions in one mailbag. He made quite an impression for a guy who pitched twice. He only allowed an unearned run and struck out six in 4 1/3 innings, but he also surrendered five hits and walked a batter. He was fine in those lower-leverage situations. I found it amusing that the DFA news on social media was treated as if the Orioles cut Mariano Rivera. I’m sure Scott appreciates your support.

Do position players pitching in relief count against the bullpen ERA?
Well, the Orioles went from having the lowest relief ERA in the American League to ranking 23rd in the majors at 4.59.

When will there be a Roch Kubatko bobblehead giveaway for an O's game?
Let’s quote the late, great Tom Petty: “I’ll be king, when dogs get wings.” So sometime around there. Pigs flying out of butts also applies. And this sounds like a good place to stop.

If you start lifting weights like crazy and make a bit more money, can we start calling you "Dwyane the Roch Kubatko?"
Exactly how much more money? And this is definitely a good place to stop.