2022 was a yr to recollect for the Orioles, with their rebuild ultimately producing outcomes on the main league degree.
It shall be laborious for them to handle one other 31-game enchancment in 2023, however even modest good points could possibly be sufficient to push Baltimore into the playoffs a yr after ending because the American League’s greatest workforce to overlook out. The Orioles have made some additions to their roster this offseason, however steps ahead from gamers who had been already within the group may be an answer. Franchise management must also head into the yr with clear targets.
In the ultimate days of 2022, listed here are New Year’s resolutions for Orioles gamers and executives to take into 2023.
Adley Rutschman, Cedric Mullins and Gunnar Henderson: Improve in opposition to left-handed pitching
Perhaps the one qualms about Rutschman and Henderson’s first main league stints had been their performances in opposition to left-handed pitchers. A switch-hitter, Rutschman slashed .280/.386/.503 hitting left-handed however managed a line of solely .174/.287/.265 from the correct aspect. Henderson’s splits got here in additional restricted probabilities, however he posted an .872 OPS with the platoon benefit and a .448 mark in left-on-left matchups.
Mullins, in the meantime, carried out exceptionally properly in opposition to lefties in his All-Star 2021 season, his first after abandoning switch-hitting. But he struggled in 2022 to the purpose of being both dropped in or stored out of lineups in opposition to a lefty starter, together with his OPS in opposition to left-handers greater than 200 factors under 2021′s determine.
Austin Hays and Kyle Bradish: Avoid dramatic half splits
By the all-encompassing offensive metric weighted runs created plus, Hays was tied because the Orioles’ best hitter within the season’s first half. By FanGraph’s model of wins above alternative, Bradish was tied as their greatest pitcher within the second half. Stretching these performances throughout a full yr would bode properly for them and Baltimore.
Hays’ June 22 cycle left him with a .287 batting common and .829 OPS. He hit .219 the remainder of the rationale, struggling to rediscover the steadiness within the field that led to the early success. Bradish had the other expertise, recording a 7.38 ERA in his first 13 main league begins earlier than touchdown on the injured checklist with shoulder irritation. Shortly after his return, he made an adjustment to his beginning place on the mound and took off from there, with a 2.76 ERA over eight begins to shut the yr, together with two wherein he pitched at the very least eight scoreless innings in opposition to the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros.
Grayson Rodriguez, DL Hall and John Means: Do one of the best you may with what you’ve
Baltimore’s three most gifted starters all determine to be on innings restrictions this yr, and every figures to be dealt with a unique approach.
The recreation’s high pitching prospect, Rodriguez appears more likely to open the yr within the Orioles’ rotation, however the correct lat muscle pressure he suffered in June brought on him to throw solely 75 2/3 innings in 2022, so he’ll seemingly be restricted in 2023.
After lacking time in 2021 with an elbow damage, Hall ended 2022 as a reliever to handle his workload. He pitched 98 innings between the majors and minors and has by no means reached the 100-inning mark in his profession. He would possibly once more break up time between the bullpen and the rotation, if he pitches out of the latter in any respect.
Baltimore’s opening day starter, Means threw solely eight innings earlier than his season ended due to Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgical procedure. He’s anticipated to overlook at the very least the primary two months of the season.
The trio may not mix for 300 innings in 2023, however no matter they’ll provide will seemingly be important to the Orioles’ playoff hopes.
Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo: Chase much less
In 2022, no Orioles common hit the ball tougher, on common, than Mountcastle, and none of them hit it softer than Mateo. But each gamers additionally ranked among the many worst 10% of certified MLB hitters in chasing pitches out of the strike zone, in response to Baseball Savant.
Even although Mountcastle’s high quality of contact didn’t all the time produce leads to 2022, few hitters within the recreation did higher at hitting the ball laborious with regularity. Of the 126 majors leaguers who put at the very least 350 balls in play, solely 5 had them extra regularly end in a “barrel” — contact that has traditionally produced a .500 common and 1.500 slugging share — than Mountcastle: Aaron Judge, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani and Austin Riley. Laying off pitches out of the zone would permit Mountcastle to faucet into that pure energy extra regularly.
Mateo’s offensive recreation is constructed round pace, and staying within the strike zone may permit for will increase in touch and his stroll charge. Either would permit him to take higher benefit of his working capacity, particularly with the bigger bases being launched in 2023 anticipated to result in a rise in steals throughout the league.
Dean Kremer and Anthony Santander: Double up
Both gamers went into 2021 with important roles however ended the yr with much less sure standing due to efficiency (Kremer) and damage (Santander). But they bounced again considerably in 2022 and can look to indicate that degree of play extra really aligns with their skills.
Kremer had a 7.55 ERA in 2021 after making Baltimore’s opening day rotation and was set to start 2022 in a bulk aid function earlier than struggling an indirect damage warming up for his first outing. Once wholesome, he was inserted into the rotation and was one of many Orioles’ high starters from then on, with a 3.23 ERA over 22 appearances. His 125 1/3 innings lead Baltimore’s incumbent beginning candidates.
A sprained left ankle hampered Santander all through 2021, however with that concern behind him in 2022, he led all switch-hitters with 33 dwelling runs and in addition paced the Orioles in RBIs, complete bases and slugging share.
Repeat performances, with a full season’s value of begins from Kremer, can be welcome.
Brandon Hyde: Let the youngsters play
In Hyde’s fourth season as Baltimore’s supervisor, the fruits of the Orioles’ rebuild ultimately had been at his disposal. There determine to be much more in 2023.
But the presence of high prospects received’t essentially imply a lot in the event that they go days between seeing the sphere as struggling veterans get on a regular basis enjoying time. Rutschman and Henderson had been promoted into common roles, understandably given that every was the sport’s high prospect on the time they had been known as up. But Terrin Vavra and Kyle Stowers performed occasionally regardless of showing to supply upgrades, at the very least offensively, over Rougned Odor and Jesús Aguilar.
Hyde has been adamant that every lineup he places out is with the intent of giving the Orioles their greatest likelihood of successful that day’s recreation, and he put a excessive precedence on protection in making these choices. But if, say, Adam Frazier’s 2022 struggles carry into 2023, Hyde shouldn’t hesitate to discover what a prospect can do with the function.
Mike Elias: Add one other starter
Making this a yearlong decision gives some flexibility. The Orioles’ government vp and common supervisor missed out on the chance so as to add a high starter through this yr’s free agent class, so Baltimore’s path to at least one seemingly must come at one other time, from one other technique or a mix of the 2.
The Orioles may make a commerce this winter or approaching the 2023 deadline, benefiting from their stockpile of prospects. With most starters of significance having signed elsewhere this yr, Baltimore may as a substitute strike subsequent offseason, when Ohtani, Julio Urías and Aaron Nola headline the starters anticipated to be out there.
Perhaps, the addition comes naturally by the event pipeline Elias has helped create, with Rodriguez seemingly the more than likely of Baltimore’s present pitchers to turn into a real ace. Regardless, Elias has stated he needs one other starter. The time to get one in 2022 is nearly gone.
John Angelos: Commit
It’s been greater than three years for the reason that Orioles’ CEO and chairman declared the workforce will play in Baltimore “as long as Fort McHenry is standing watch over the Inner Harbor.” The Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority nonetheless have but to conform to a long-term lease holding the workforce at Camden Yards.
In that point, Angelos has reiterated the dedication to the town in phrases however a lot much less in motion, with the one official progress in that point being a two-year extension that stretched the lease to the tip of 2023. The Orioles can train a five-year extension by Feb. 1, however the lease is in any other case set to run out on New Year’s Eve 2023.
Of course, Angelos will even enter 2023 amid a authorized dispute together with his brother, which includes claims of Angelos’ want to maneuver or promote the workforce. Those would definitely be hushed with a brand new long-term lease in place.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com