For the final three or 4 weeks, Robinson Chirinos has spoken up much more than regular. The 38-year-old catcher is one in every of three gamers within the Orioles’ clubhouse to have appeared in a serious league postseason sport. He is aware of what it’s wish to really feel strain, to really feel the affect of each determination on the diamond, and he needs to ensure a roster stuffed with rookies understands it, too.
Last week, specifically, he provided his perspective to a bunch of gamers in a gathering.
“When you hate to lose, and you know how it feels to win games and get to the postseason, you’re never gonna be the same,” Chirinos stated. “You’re gonna do everything you can to get to the postseason and play for a World Series.”
Baltimore stays on the skin wanting in on the closing wild-card spot. By finishing a late comeback in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, the Orioles (76-69) saved themselves inside hanging distance, 4 video games behind the Seattle Mariners with 17 video games to play.
Each sport will loom bigger, with pivotal moments in what feels just like the playoffs earlier than October formally arrives. Take Sunday, for instance, when catcher Adley Rutschman stepped to the plate with bases loaded and no outs within the ninth inning. He’s performed in All-American video games and received a College World Series with Oregon State, however in opposition to nearer Jordan Romano at Rogers Centre, Rutschman confronted what may very well be the largest second of his profession so far.
He got here by with a go-ahead, two-run single. Afterward, he stated he tried to disregard the circumstances, enjoyable as a lot as he may. But as left-hander DL Hall stated earlier than the sport, the highschool tournaments and showcases don’t fairly evaluate to a serious league playoff race.
“Nothing can prepare you for up here,” Hall stated.
That is, till you expertise it.
No matter how the rest of the season unfolds for Baltimore — falling quick or overachieving even their wildest desires — the expertise of enjoying significant video games in September units the group up for achievement sooner or later. In Sunday’s comeback victory, 5 rookies performed key roles, together with nearer Félix Bautista in opposition to All-Star caliber hitters.
Next season, because the Orioles goal to ramp up the strain on the established American League East golf equipment, the core group of gamers can have already undergone the strain of a postseason push.
“Just the experience alone, I don’t think you can put a value on it, getting these guys into big games early on in their careers,” right-hander Jake Reed stated. “It’s going to set them up in the future for even more success. … It’s huge. It’s scary, I think, for other teams in the league that this team has this kind of core group of young guys.”
Aside from Chirinos, the one different gamers with postseason expertise are first baseman Jesús Aguilar and second baseman Rougned Odor. Between the three of them, they’ve performed in 42 playoff video games — together with seven within the World Series, when Chirinos performed for the Houston Astros in 2019.
That information base is helpful. Gunnar Henderson, enjoying a pivotal function for Baltimore regardless of being the youngest place participant in baseball, stated he’s leaned on these veterans for recommendation. Chirinos has served as a mentor to Rutschman. The pitching workers gravitates towards right-hander Jordan Lyles, who regardless of not pitching within the postseason, performed for the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the 2018 season, which ended within the National League Championship Series.
It’s an identical method to what outfielder Austin Hays felt when he was promoted in 2017, with Baltimore within the combine for a wild-card spot. As he tried to search out his footing, he credit Manny Machado and Adam Jones as figures who led him by the challenges of a primary MLB season coinciding with a playoff push.
In 2017, nonetheless, the Orioles fell aside. Hays remembers how troublesome that was to endure, experiencing a workforce slide out of playoff rivalry. This season may nonetheless end in another way.
“Just the idea of playing meaningful games that matter at the end of the year, you’re basically fighting for your life every day. I mean, that’s what you want as a baseball player,” Hays stated. “You want meaningful games. You want to be playing in games that will get you to that next level. So it’s definitely meaningful for us right now to be able to go through that, just playing a game that matters every single day. Just trying to get to that next step.”
That subsequent step may arrive as rapidly as subsequent season. After the commerce deadline, when the Orioles parted with first baseman Trey Mancini and nearer Jorge López, govt vp and normal supervisor Mike Elias stated “it’s liftoff from here.”
They’ll arrive on the launchpad with a bonus, having skilled the highs and lows of a postseason chase, irrespective of how this season resolves.
“I have no idea how long I’ll be in one place. I’ve learned that over the last couple years,” Reed stated. “But I know that wherever I’m at in five years, this team is going to be a problem.”
What’s to come back?
The Orioles return to Camden Yards for a three-game collection in opposition to the Detroit Tigers earlier than going through a gantlet to finish the season. After the Tigers, the AL-leading Houston Astros arrive for 4 video games. Then Baltimore will end the common season with three collection in opposition to AL East foes: The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Toronto.
By the tip of it, the postseason image can be clear. To attain October, the Orioles might want to undergo a few of baseball’s greatest groups.
What was good?
For the primary time this season, supervisor Brandon Hyde began 4 rookies in the identical lineup Saturday: Rutschman, Henderson, Terrin Vavra and Kyle Stowers. Those 4 all produced in opposition to the Blue Jays. Stowers’ pinch-hit single within the ninth Sunday helped spark the comeback. Rutschman drove in 4 runs, Henderson drove in three and Vavra drove in a single.
There have been loads of promising indicators for Baltimore this season. But the rookies acting at a excessive degree in a giant collection is up there.
What wasn’t?
The clutch hitting was spotty this week, because it has been for a lot of September. Barring the 3-for-9 efficiency with runners in scoring place on Sunday, the Orioles entered hitting .210 with runners in scoring place since Sept. 1 — the sixth-lowest mark within the majors.
On the farm
High-A Aberdeen started its first South Atlantic League Championship Series on Sunday, shedding 5-3 to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The IronBirds will host Bowling Green at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium on Tuesday, and if mandatory, Game 3 can be performed Wednesday in Aberdeen.
TIGERS@ORIOLES
Monday, 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com