One play motivates Westburg to be better

The play still haunts Jordan Westburg and serves as a hard lesson.

Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals’ young star, reached on a tie-breaking infield single with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the Wild Card series. Westburg’s throw to first base was late as Kyle Isbel crossed the plate in a 2-1 loss that completed the sweep at Camden Yards.

Westburg keeps replaying it in his head, with the same result. He made a diving stop on a ground ball up the middle with runners on the corners, and Gunnar Henderson raced to second base in case Westburg tried for the force.

“Witt is fast,” Westburg told the media while standing at his locker inside a quiet clubhouse. “I got to the ball and made a stop. It’s kind of sandwiched in between dirt and my glove. Didn’t pick it clean right away. Probably took an extra half second to kind of get my feet underneath me and try and get off a throw and he was too fast. Yeah, I want to make that play. It’s a tough play. I’m trying not to beat myself up over that.”

"I was in the hole a little bit, so I was doing my best over there to get it," Henderson said. "Felt like whatever way he decided to go. Obviously the guy at first (Michael Massey) can run and Bobby obviously can run really well. Just tough play."

Manager Brandon Hyde also defended Westburg.

"Obviously when you're on your stomach it's going to be tough to throw,” he said. “He did the best he possibly could. I haven't looked at the transfer or where he was at that point, but I thought Westy did a great job of getting to the ball."

The bigger culprit was an offense that went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position in the series and left 16 on base. The Orioles were outscored 3-1. But Westburg keeps thinking about the lunge that kept the ball from reaching the outfield but couldn’t keep the game tied.

He’s experienced back-to-back playoff losses, including the Division Series against the Rangers. He’s learned that little moments can have huge repercussions.

“I think back to the play I had on Bobby Witt,” he said Friday night at PBR Baltimore. “Made a diving stop. Could I have gone to second? Maybe. I tried to go to first, didn’t get him, and that’s what kind of made the difference in that game. That run scores. So little moments like that. … I’ve learned that.

“I kind of know how to control that or handle that. Not only control it but handle it. That’s what I think I can use going forward. Hopefully, we’re there again this year.”

Westburg will play an important role in the hunt for a title. He’s going to start at third or second base and build on his first full season in the majors, when the All-Star had 26 doubles, five triples, 18 home runs, 63 RBIs and a 2.8 fWAR and 2.4 bWAR in 107 games.

A broken right hand suffered on July 31 cost him about seven weeks or he would have been more of a factor.

“I hope to stay on the field for a full year,” he said. “Super disappointed about how my season went last year, and of course, I really couldn’t control anything that happened. But I want to be on the field. It killed me to be off the field and to be on the IL. I hope it’s a full, healthy year. I can stay on the field and make an impact again with this team.”

Westburg turns 26 later this month, after the Orioles report to spring training. Lacking the same experience as other players won’t deter him from becoming one of the clubhouse leaders.

He feels ready.

“I definitely want to step into that role,” he said. “I know I’m still a young guy in the service time aspect, but I do think I can play a little bit bigger role in the clubhouse if I need to. We have some veteran guys, though, so if they come in and kind of set the standard early, that would be great. If they don’t, it falls on us young guys.

“I feel more than confident that I can be comfortable in that role.”

* The Orioles lost infielder Jacob Amaya on a waiver claim by the White Sox.

Amaya was claimed by the Orioles from the White Sox on Jan. 16 and designated him for assignment on the 27th after signing outfielder Dylan Carlson.

The fate of corner infielder Emmanuel Rivera remains undecided. He was designated for assignment four days ago.

* Former Orioles second baseman Rich Dauer passed away at age 72. The team made the announcement yesterday.

"We send our deepest sympathies to the Dauer family as well as his many teammates and friends," the club posted on the former Twitter.

Dauer spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Orioles and was the second baseman on the 1983 World Series champions. He was the epitome of defensive consistency and reliability, as well as one of the looser personalities in the clubhouse, his sense of humor earning him the nickname "Wacko." He's a reminder of good times, also playing in the 1979 World Series.

“Our thoughts are with Richie’s family today," Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. said in a statement. "He was one of dad’s guys who embodied The Oriole Way. Rich was such a smart, hard-nosed player that we all learned from by watching. He was a great teammate with an infectious personality. He will be missed."

Hall of Famer Jim Palmer wrote the following on the former Twitter:

"My long time teammate Richie Dauer passes. Was part of the Oriole way, where you didn’t have to be a star to help the O’s win. Richie had an infectious personality that kept us loose, yet focused. Another reason I was so blessed to be an Oriole for life. RIP."

The Orioles made Dauer the 24th-overall pick in the 1974 draft out of USC and he debuted two years later. He set two fielding records for second basemen in 1978 - 86 consecutive errorless games and 425 consecutive errorless chances.

Dauer is on a short list of players who won the College World Series and MLB World Series. The Orioles inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2012.

Dauer was the Astros' first base coach in 2017 when they won the World Series. Mike Elias served as assistant general manager.

During the parade, Dauer suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of a head injury which required emergency brain surgery.

Dauer interviewed for the Orioles' managerial job in 2003 before they hired Lee Mazzilli. He expressed interest in becoming third base coach for the 2013 season before the team promoted Bobby Dickerson to the position.

"I don't know if there's anything I could say or do that I haven't done in the past that would further justify the fact that I'm qualified for the job," Dauer told MASNsports.com. "I've been doing this quite a while and am exactly what they're looking for. I'm an Oriole. I played for the Orioles. But the main thing is I have to be the right guy that's going to go out there and coach third and do work with the infielders that's going to make this team a winner again. That's what it's all about.

"I'm just waiting for the opportunity, and it would be a great opportunity for me. I know it's neat that I played for the Orioles, and I've always thought about getting back to the Orioles, but it's more than who I played for. It's about what I can do to help the team be the best it can be."

Asked what it would mean to be back in an Orioles uniform, Dauer replied, "Obviously, it's more than just a job. What I would do out on the field is what I've been doing for 38 years. It's a job I've been practicing for 38 years. And just being able to go back and give back to the city that gave so much to me to get my career started and meant a lot to what I am today.

"I can't even imagine the thrill of being able to pull into the parking lot, lock the door and be able to go into the Baltimore Orioles clubhouse as an employee. As happy and as great as that would be for me, I'd also love to see how many people I'd see along the way who would be a lot better off when I'm through talking to them."