Mailbag leftovers for breakfast

Was Robert De Niro robbed of an Oscar in 1992 for his portrayal of Max Cady in “Cape Fear?”

De Niro was amazing in that role. A brilliant performance. I would have chosen him. But I also can’t argue with Anthony Hopkins winning for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs.”

See, you ask and I answer. It’s that simple. Or in this case, I ask and answer to set up the latest mailbag entry.

(Martin Scorsese was robbed twice – for Raging Bull and Goodfellas – by first-time directors Robert Redford and Kevin Costner. And he’s been the victim of other snubs. Those just irk me the most. But I digress …)

I’m serving mailbag leftovers as we trudge through another week in the offseason. Any thoughts of editing for clarity, length and style were scraped into the trash.

Of Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser, which will be the first to sign an extension with the Orioles?
They could go 0-for-3. There’s the Scott Boras factor with Henderson, but he’s negotiated extensions with others clients, so it isn’t unprecedented. Some examples are José Altuve, Xander Bogaerts, Stephen Strasburg, Elvis Andrus, Carlos Gómez and Jered Weaver. By the way, Boras also reps Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg. Anyway, it would just be a guess. I’ll say Rutschman because he arrived first.

Do you think there’s any possibility the Orioles trade someone off the active roster (Cowser, Kjerstad, etc)?
There’s definitely a chance that they trade a player from the active roster, but it won’t be Cowser. He’s in the lineup every day. He’s part of that young core you build around. And there obviously are no issues with finding a position for him.

Will the club hold onto Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle in 2025?
They are arbitration eligible, which means more raises, and they are not untouchable. I’m expecting them to be on the Opening Day roster, but this isn’t a lock.

Of the formerly untouchable players, who is now likely to be touchable?
I’ll maneuver around the awkward wording here. We never received an official “untouchable” list, though Mike Elias dropped enough hints about Jackson Holliday. Talking to various people in the industry led me to believe it also included Samuel Basallo, Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser. Guys who were conversation stoppers. I’m curious to know whether the Orioles might be a little more open to listening on Mayo if they can’t give him a position and regular at-bats. They don’t have to do anything with him. I’m just wondering.

Which Rookie of the Year award gives the Orioles an extra draft pick?
The one distributed by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which is causing issues with some voters who don’t want to influence the extra draft picks. Feels like a conflict.

Roch, if this mailbag is going to be a staple this time of the year, should I go out and buy a book of 13-cent stamps?
Don’t waste your money. But thanks for reminding me of one of my favorite Weekend Update jokes on SNL. Chevy Chase delivered it. Not sure I can post it here, but it starts out: “The post office is about to issue a stamp commemorating prostitution in the United States. It’s a 10-cent stamp." Then he explains when the price goes up to a quarter. You get it. Anyway, let's move on.

What are the chances of James McCann, Anthony Santander or Corbin Burnes resigning with the Orioles?
It’s “re-signing.” You’re welcome. McCann, Santander and Burnes in that order. You had it right in my opinion. McCann is an obvious No. 1 because he isn’t going to cost nearly as much. He’s much more realistic.

David Rubenstein is 75 and wants to win a championship. Do you expect the payroll to dramatically go up the next couple of years?
“Dramatically” is open to interpretation. It’s going to keep rising due to arbitration alone, and they are in a better position to take on larger contracts and offer them. I’m not talking Yankees/Dodgers spending. You’re not going to squeeze that from this market. But I think we’ll see the Orioles become more competitive among bidders.

How will Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo be utilized? Do you expect them to be everyday players?
The path is clearer for Kjerstad if Santander vacates right field, though the Orioles could bring in a veteran. Plus, Kjerstad can serve as designated hitter. Mayo, as we’ve discussed, is a corner infielder and the Orioles would need to remove someone. You’d like to see young hitters like Kjerstad and Mayo avoid the bench. The challenge is making it happen.

What was your first mailbag question answered and the title of said mailbag? Do you keep a list?
I don’t have a list. I do Google searches in my attempts to avoid repeating titles. You’d think the search bar on this site would allow me to find my first mailbag here in 2008, but we don’t appear to be set up for such a task. If anyone out there can find it, please let me know.

How long is Zach Eflin under team control?
Eflin is signed through the 2025 season. It’s probably too early to start talking about an extension.  

Is it true that Rob Reiner, direction of "A Few Good Men", wanted to use the line, "You aren’t qualified to offer a snarky opinion from your mother’s futon" instead of Jack Nicholson's trademark "You can't handle the truth", but it was already trademarked by an Anne Arundel region sports writer?
Good one! Take the rest of the day off. That line is one of my favorites. I'm not sure the instigator has posted here since then. And yes, it’s off-limits unless I’m properly compensated.

Is reliever Brooks Kriske still in the organization, and is he your favorite Oriole named Brooks?
Kriske is in the organization and on the 40-man roster. He isn’t eligible for arbitration. And he isn’t the top seed in the Brooks pool. You know it, I know it, the American people know it.

How strict is MLB in keeping an ejected manager from running his team? Is it the honor system or is the tossed manager held in isolation until the game ends?
They’re locked in the bathroom until 10 minutes after the game. OK, that isn’t true. No one is watching. Let’s be honest here. Managers can hang in the tunnel. Who’s gonna catch them? Or they can sit in their office and relay instructions. Or they can just let the bench coach run the show. They’re supposed to be on the same page.

Will Colton Cowser milk his MLBPA rookie award for all it’s worth?
That’s udderly ridiculous. (The judges also would have accepted, “He would if he cud.”)