More leftovers from Hyde

As new Orioles manager Brandon Hyde stresses the importance of giving a full effort, whether through conversations over the phone, in face-to-face meetings or in spring training drills that send a message that carries into the regular season. He's going to seek out the older players who can provide examples to the younger crew. And he's also going to expect that same level of commitment no matter the date listed on a birth certificate.

"A veteran player can really set a tone for the club," Hyde said. "I'm going to reference back to Chicago. We had Ben Zobrist and we had David Ross in 2016. Those guys never took ... I don't ever remember them ever giving a 70 percent effort to first base. They ran hard every single time.

"Well, Ben Zobrist is 37 years old. That translates throughout the club. If Ben Zobrist can do it with a bad back, knee, all kinds of stuff and give out an effort like that, the younger guys watching it, there's no excuses. So, I think we set the tone with how we're going to play, how we're going to run. We're going to practice running the bases hard.

"It's going to be talked about a lot. They're going to get tired of hearing it, but that's OK."

Exactly how much youth travels north, whatever the definition that separates age groups, will be determined later, after executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias is done stocking the roster and cuts are made in spring training.

Left-hander John Means became the 15th Oriole to make his major league debut in the 2018 season with his appearance in Game 1 of a Sept. 26 doubleheader, breaking the club record of 14 set back in 1955, the second year of the franchise's relocation to Baltimore. Twenty-four rookies were used over the summer and there could be a similar flow next year.

"You're constantly evaluating," Hyde said. "It's so hard. That jump from Triple-A or Double-A to the big leagues is the biggest jump, obviously, that there is and there's so much to get acclimated to. And your job is, once a player gets to big leagues, I don't care how old they are, is to make them feel as comfortable as possible. You want them not to change a thing that got them there. So, I want to start that relationship in spring training or even before that to have them feel comfortable with me, so that when they get to the big leagues - it's already going to be an overwhelming experience - that we can just try to let them go and play.

"That's the biggest thing, that they just play the same game that they were playing, because it's a lot different and there's so many things that are out of their control that they need to adjust to. But there are things that they can control that I want them to be normal and I want them to be themselves. That's the bottom line."

Thirteen of the rookies were pitchers and seven made starts, with injuries and innings limits forcing former manager Buck Showalter to seek out the last man standing in September. Ready or not. Someone had to take the assignment.

Dillon Tate might have been summoned from the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota if not for a sore shoulder. He came close to also making his major league debut and now has been placed on the 40-man roster.

"I think Mike said there are guys who are going to be on this roster right now who are going to be there when we have a parade," Hyde said. That's the bottom line. Evaluating properly, teaching properly, giving guys opportunities to play and grow, that's what we're here for."

Hyde is on board with the Orioles reaching for their past, bringing in their legendary figures, while also moving forward with their rebuild. Embrace the past without getting stuck in it. Something along those lines.

Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Eddie Murray were hired this year as special advisors, and Hyde wants them around the team.

"I think that that's really, really important," Hyde said. "I think I mentioned that tapping into Oriole greats and Orioles legends and guys that played the game well here and did things right and fans liked, I want our players to learn from those guys.

"I think there's a lot to be said for having superstar players around you. I think I said before, in Chicago we've had those types of guys, in Miami we had those types of guys that were around our club on a daily basis. Playing in the big leagues is a really hard thing to do, so to be able to have a conversation with a guy who did it well for 15 to 20 years, that's important. Just any kind of tip that you can have.

"From a coach, same thing. To have those guys around to bounce things off of. They've seen way more stuff than you have, so I think that's an important piece that we're going to have here."

Hyde met Robinson before his press conference. Robinson sat in the front row and later posed for photos with Hyde, his wife and three children.

"It was absolutely awesome," Hyde said. "Me and Mike were sitting in the manager's office and Brooks came in for 20 or 30 minutes before the press conference. Yeah, it's an enormous deal to have a Hall of Fame legend, shake his hand before the biggest press conference of your life. That's a big deal and I was honored that he was there. So happy to meet him. That was a special moment."