From Buster Olney's Blog today - lot's of love for the mid-Atlantic this week:
The Ripkens and the Tylers have been the lords of baseball in Baltimore for decades, and for those who are more familiar with Cal Sr. and Cal Jr. and Billy than the Tylers, a quick primer is in order. Ernie Tyler was in charge of the Orioles' clubhouse operations for years, before his sons Jimmy and Fred took over; this while Ernie ran the umpires' room, preparing baseballs and running them out to the home plate ump during games.
It has been their responsibility to prepare for and respond to every roster move the Orioles make, with the lockers and the jerseys and other equipment. So consider all the work that has entailed this crazy summer -- they deserve an extra month in their offseason.
The Orioles have been winning this year, and as they begin play today, they are 4.5 games out of first place. And because of injuries, matchups, roster advantages and disadvantages, extra innings and even Mother Nature, the team has made a staggering number of roster moves.
Orioles baseball information coordinator Jay Moskowitz and public relations director Monica Pence pinned down the exact number of club transactions since the day the Orioles' roster was set: As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, it comes to 118 moves (including the four guys Baltimore placed on the DL to begin the season):
27: Players optioned to the minors
22: Players recalled
16: 15-day DL
13: Contract selection, from the minors
12: Players designated for assignment
9: Disabled list reinstatement
8: 60-day DL
3: Players lost to waivers
3: Players outright
3: Player acquired in trades
1: Waiver claim
1: Paternity list
But keeping track of the Orioles' transactions is a little bit like asking what time it is, because these numbers are forever changing. Ryan Flaherty was placed on the disabled list, and Manny Machado -- one of the game's top prospects -- was summoned from Double-A, to get a chance to be the Orioles' third baseman. Machado is expected to get his first start tonight against the Royals.
On Tuesday night, the Orioles played a 15-inning game, and in the midst of that, the decision was made to send Zach Britton to the minors. Before the game was over, Tommy Hunter -- who was scheduled to start the next day -- had to warm up in the bullpen, which meant that manager Buck Showalter needed a starting pitcher from the minors.
This type of thing has been going on day after day after day with the Orioles, and they have been finding a way to stay in the race. When Orioles GM Dan Duquette answered the phone Wednesday, I asked him the question everybody in baseball has been wondering: When are the Orioles going to collapse?
Duquette laughed; the joke was on me, for sure.
"We've been piecing it together," Duquette said on Wednesday morning. "I think it's important that you have your best team out there every night. ... The combinations that you can bring can you help win a ballgame.
"Buck knows how to get the matchups he wants out of the bullpen, and he knows how to get the most out of the guys in the field."
With all the different platoons and combinations he has been using, Showalter has made sure to keep one player who is good defensively in the mix at each position, an important element in the Orioles' play this year. The manager listed the group of players he might theoretically field in a given game: Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, J.J. Hardy, Robert Andino, etc. "That's pretty good defense," he said.
Showalter also ticked off a number of subtle additions Duquette and his staffers have made, like Miguel Gonzalez, a 28-year-old pitcher signed out of Mexico midway through spring training after being seen by international recruiting executive director Fred Ferreira. Gonzalez has helped prop up a rotation that has been hurt by injury, with six starts and nine appearances. Ten different pitchers have made starts for the Orioles this season; they've used 22 different pitchers.
Part of the reason why the Orioles have had success amid change, Showalter believes, is because of the culture of the clubhouse. "It's a very professional group," said Showalter. "It's very blue collar -- a lot like Baltimore. They really like each other. And they like to win."
Showalter told all the players brought to spring training that they would get an opportunity, no matter where they opened the year. It may have sounded like manager-speak, but the Orioles could not have stayed in the race without help from players who have climbed from almost all levels of the organization this year.
Manny Machado is only the latest. Somewhere, the Tylers are preparing his jersey for him this morning.
