The big bat of Gunnar Henderson, a solid effort by Grayson Rodriguez and a booted ball by Anthony Volpe added up to an Orioles victory to begin the Yankees series with a 2-0 win. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the week ahead and the possibility of adding John Means and Kyle Bradish back into the rotation.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
orioles, bullpen, game, pitch, yankees, night, good, team, baseball, bats, win, point, lineup, eighth inning, soto, run, sit, play, red sox, arm
SPEAKERS
Nestor J. Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home we are wn S TA and 5070, Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive we are positively into a good homestand it’s he could get better here at this point, but I don’t know how it gets better and better than beating the Yankees today. Nothing’s beating that one to nothing. And nothing is just fun to say when you beat the Yankees to nothing. Look, Joan short just now after a I used to say late nights at their early nights now, right like 630 the games get over. Nobody hits the ball. They all go home early, right? Like literally. Yeah, well,
Luke Jones 00:39
I don’t know if I’d say early nights, but earlier than they used to be. Let’s say they used to push someone who’s there doing postgame and all that but yeah, I think this was the kind of game and Brandon Hyde said it Danny kulambu picked up his third career save as the Orioles went out even by committee more just matchup driven. This felt like one of their wins that we saw last September, you know, when they weren’t necessarily swinging the bats at a really high rate. And their bullpen was without it’s closer. And Brandon I played matchups and your Cano and a returning CNL Perez and Danny coulomb got the job done a backing up Grayson Rodriguez who didn’t it? Yeah, it was kind of a grind for him didn’t have a lot of first pitch strikes did not miss a lot of bats early in that game, but got the job done pitch to contact effectively, and navigated what’s been a tough Yankees lineup, especially the top half of that lineup. How good it’s been so very much to me felt like last September, in the way that the Orioles won that game, which was good. On the heels of losing two games against Oakland that, frankly, they should have lost and all the concern about Craig Kimbrel, who is apparently feeling better, but wasn’t available on Monday night. But I’ll disagree a little bit though. Beating the Yankees to nothing. I’ll take beating them 11 Nothing is being better than that. But a there was a close game. It was a well pitched game on both sides. Very little offense for the Orioles. In fact, they needed Anthony Volpe to Buddha ball in the eighth inning just to get that insurance run. But what can you say when when you shut out the opposition, especially a team like the New York Yankees, you pitched really, really well. And it was good to see the bullpen do that after a really rough stretch here of late,
Nestor J. Aparicio 02:24
you know, they shut them out. And you didn’t have anything even glowing to say about Grayson Rodriguez that that like, you know, not a lot of first. But But what I would say about him is facing this lineup. You might you’re gonna be a little more particular, right? Like I just I think in general. And even though it’s a scuffle and a struggle, and he he left frustrated, you know, after the last at bat in the sixth inning, I think it’s shut out like he did everything you’d want to see him doing in October game. And that’s where I look at it and having gone down Arlington with you, you know six months ago to say where’s the growth in all of this for a guy who was just trying to get to the big leagues this time last year, right? Like literally. And I also think when I see him, I see Messina and stuff like a bass bigger. But I just see this guy that He’s rarely going to leave a game and the third or fourth inning even when he does I mean they after they shut the Yankees out. We’re like, well, he could have been better he could have been it could have been better for him. And it could have been You’re right.
Luke Jones 03:30
Yeah, my tone wasn’t right there and how I was I meant that as complimentary. You don’t have your best stuff all the time. You’re not necessarily going to command all of your pitches quite the way you want to. I mean, if you go back and look at it, I mean I have the boxscore in front of me. He was he was behind one oh quite a bit. He also had some instances where he got ahead Oh 212 And and worked. Opposition worked a full count. I meant that as a compliment to him you’re not going to have your most electric amazing swing and miss stuff every single time out. And when you don’t when you can navigate that lineup and hold them to five and two thirds scoreless in it. You know scoreless over five and two thirds innings. It’s really really impressive. So so that’s what I meant by that more so I mean, he only threw a first pitch strike on 11 of 25 hitters he faced your down one Oh, that frequently against that lineup. That’s generally not going to go well so I meant that as a compliment to him. I mean he did not get his first with his first swinging strike until his 44th pitch of the night that’s really rare for Grayson Rodriguez now I don’t even necessarily think that it meant his stuff was bad. I’m not saying velocity was fine all that but certainly it’s a challenge going up against that lineup and we saw him obviously get the strikeout a judge we saw the battle that he had with Juan Soto I mean, those are the at bats within the within the context of the start, but also thinking about them in the big picture. That’s what you’ll Love to see. And I think that really lends itself to the point you made. So I want to be clear, I wasn’t saying that to be degrading of him. It was more so a case of this wasn’t necessarily the night where he’s going out there and getting 20 or 25 Swinging strikes and dazzling you in that way. But he pitched you know, he pitched and he battled and it was a grind at times. But when you do what he did, which was hold the Yankees to five hits and only had three strikeouts, you know that that’s on the lower side for him. Three walks he was he didn’t love that. But again, that’s a team that will grind out at bat. So that was a compliment to him, and it’s especially on the heels. And you just said it. He rarely gets knocked out early anymore. Well, you did get knocked out early in Anaheim last week. I mean, he did not pitch well, and that game didn’t make it out of the fifth inning, but he rebounded in the fashion that he did. Knowing that the bullpen had its struggles over the weekend, had worked a lot on Sunday, didn’t get deep into the game in the way that we traditionally think about deep into the game, but he gave the Orioles every chance to win on a night when let’s face it, other than Gunnar Henderson’s leadoff home run. I mean, they did not have a hit from what Jordan Westberg cinco in the second inning, all the way until Adley rutschman, with his single in the eighth inning. So Clark Schmidt in the Yankees really shut them down over offensively. So you’re going to have nights like that even even if you’re the best offense, the top run scoring offense in the American League, you’re gonna have some nights like that. So when you can have a night like that offensively and come away with a win. It just speaks to how good your starting pitcher was, and how excellent the bullpen was backing them up. Where, you know, Brandon Hyde said it and I’ll single him out. Specifically, you know what he did coming in 710 and getting the final out there, pitching an eighth inning and then coming out for the night so he had to sit downs as a reliever didn’t throw a lot of pitches. So I was okay with with Brandon i doing that. And okay, he gave up a hit in the ninth inning. But you don’t see relief appearances like that too often. That was they kind of asked canole to do almost what the things that Felix Batista did last year, not in the ninth inning, of course, but earlier in the game. So for him to navigate one and a third innings and appear in three different innings and do that and only throw 15 pitches in the process. That was pretty impressive. And Brandon Hyde said that’s really what he thought won them the game late, considering it was one nothing throughout until the Volpe error.
Nestor J. Aparicio 07:34
Well the efficiency of the bullpen is important as well. Right. I mean, just not not taxing not throwing pitches. You got to come back and play Thursday afternoon baseball too. So like the Tuesday night game, the Wednesday night game, you come back on short rest no matter what. And I don’t want to put too much on this because but I will. These are really important games man, like when you start doing the math in August, and we start magic numbering and we start how many of you had or how many behind which is possible, they could be in second place this year? It won’t be behind the Red Sox and it won’t be behind them. Right, you know that? This is the team that’s going to get them and we’ve established this early on. We’ve now established that you know by the end of the weekend Bradish and means we’ll we’ll have some temperature on where they are as far as big league pitching I mean, sound enough to go out there and throw the ball 95 miles an hour so they’re they’re not injured anymore. Either one of them they wouldn’t have made it to this point. So I’m not concerned about I’m concerned about a future injury always a practice right. Oh, he’s with everybody throws a baseball 95 miles an hour. But this is, you know, when one maybe they want another one. Maybe we’re here on Thursday afternoon with a broom out or something. You know, that’s how the momentum for all of this thing really gets started. And no offense dude, you can’t do that against the Red Sox can’t do that against the White Sox can’t do that against the Astros even at this point, right. This is a measurement. And I guess the Indians will be a five minute measurement when you see them. But there’s some bad bad teams in the American League brother. They really are. I mean, there’s some teams that aren’t coming to catch anybody. Oh, yeah.
Luke Jones 09:14
I mean, the White Sox aren’t catching anyone although they did. Hey, they they won three right recently after they had won three the entire season. I mean, it’s still it is still early. I think I’m gonna continue to stress. It’s
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:24
just like, Oh, hold on. This is like the Ravens playing the chiefs in September. You want to see this game? You know what I mean? This is the ones you’re gonna measure it against. It
Luke Jones 09:32
is it is but it’s still a long way to go. I mean, we’re still not we’re just getting to the 30 game.
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:40
Listen to me. I just did my 25th anniversary die. I’ve waited my whole effing life to have a series in April with the Yankees where we might win. Like, dude, like this is
Luke Jones 09:51
one game 101 games last year? Yeah. Okay,
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:54
that’s last year. I
Luke Jones 09:55
mean, 96 2014 Yeah, but
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:59
you’re right here. like this happens all the time. This is not your like this is like
Luke Jones 10:03
it’s like baseball. I’m just acting like it’s late April peace boy,
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:08
we’ve got a long way to go. It’s I agree it’s a pitching the team get excited about it. We’ve waited a long time for this. I asked
Luke Jones 10:15
what should I do a cartwheel? Like? I’ve said it’s a big series, but it’s late April, I’m not going to. I’m not gonna sit here and act like this is mid September they played a big series was when they played the raise in mid September last year. That’s That’s all I’m saying. I’m not. If you play,
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:34
right, you won’t have big series in September, I guess is my point with the Yankees. If you’re on the Yankees, you won’t have to worry about anybody else catching you.
Luke Jones 10:44
Sure, okay. Fine. Agreed. If we’re burying all the other teams in the Al least which, you know, I was never a big believer in the Red Sox. But if we’re burying Toronto and Tampa Bay already, okay. You know, I’m not ready to bury them yet. But they haven’t been great so far. But they’re also not 10 games under 500. The point I’m, I’m I’m not trying to rain on your parade. It’s late April. I’m sorry. I can’t sit here with and say that these games.
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:13
Right now. I was too excited about the Orioles this morning. And Luke said I didn’t want to rain on your parade.
Luke Jones 11:21
Yeah, that’s true. I’m just I’ve watched baseball my whole life. I can’t sit here and say a series is massive in April. I’m just saying it’s big for April. And I agree. And yes, they only play 13 as opposed to 19 times. So these games do mean more. But there’s also a lot of baseball to navigate that isn’t going to involve head to head with the Yankees that they’re going to have to play really well. They’re playing really well. They’re 18 and 10. You know, we’re getting off track here. Sparring over something that’s
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:49
not how well they’re playing isn’t indicative of how they lost they blew a couple of games over the weekend because they’re closer has an arm problem. Right, right. Like meanwhile
Luke Jones 11:58
everyone, not you but everyone on the internet. You would have thought the Orioles were 10 games under 500. I’m
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:04
not and I said this a long time. But I’ve also been at this long enough to know really, you can down way the importance of the Yankees games, but I think these are the most important games they’ll play all year. Me. I know. Jim Palmer is in the box. And when you’re shutting them out, frustrating the hell out of them. You can’t get a hit and you’re still winning. They’re still players kicking the ball around in the eighth inning to open the door for insurance. You don’t even have your closer you’re starting even have a stuff and you want and you wake up and you say, man that that’s how it’s gonna go on October to I guess that’s my it felt to me like when they’re in a one nothing game in the seventh inning. Dude, I’ve seen this script. I’ve seen this script with Ubaldo Jimenez and with Armando Benitez, and which down the line I’ve seen the script where Tino Martinez hits a two run home run in the eighth. And you know, and they lose, they’ve lost so many one than nothing hung in there for six innings and gave it the old try in the year they were going to win 64 games. This is a whole different dawning of a day how many Yankees fans were there? Was it like boisterous in that way? It was,
Luke Jones 13:16
it was quite a few. I mean, announced attendance was 23,000 I mean, I, I I’ve been I’ve been doing this so long. I’m not gonna sit here and say what percentage because I wasn’t sure for one thing. There wasn’t a whole lot to cheer about on either side, quite frankly, because there wasn’t a whole lot of there, there was a nice contingency of Yankee fans. I’m not going to sit here and say there wasn’t. Was it a takeover ala 2008? No, it wasn’t like that either. You know, Yankee fans were everywhere. They’re like cockroach roaches. Aw, they’re everywhere. No matter where you go, what market what city? You know, if they’re everywhere. They’re the Yankees. I mean, of course, just like the Cowboys even though the Cowboys haven’t won in three decades,
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:55
what do you make of them by the way? What is your on the the Yankees in a general sense over the course of the season? You know, they couldn’t have praised Soto more you know, last night on the broadcast. Yeah. And I mean, you see these guys get off the bus they they’re big leaguers. You know, they they had their down days, and they didn’t want a lot of games last year and went but they have there to be fear. They are to be respected. They’re
Luke Jones 14:21
not to be feared. I’ll disagree with that completely. Because the Orioles won 101 games last year. I mean, if you’re asking me which team should we’re with, which team should fear the other? I’d say it’s the other way around. That said yes. I mean, Juan Soto is an extraordinary generational talent same with Aaron judge who I’ll be at isn’t off to a great start. So when you have a one two punch in your lineup, you know whether they’re in second and third, whatever it is, I mean, it’s extraordinary. It really is. Anthony will be while he’s cooled off a little bit from the hot start. He had air aside in the eighth inning he’s a good ballplayer I mean he’s, you know, the game keys. You know, Yankees fans hopes that he’s there, Gunnar Henderson, although he’s got a ways to go because God
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:05
has no cheat. He’s no cheat. Let me fight.
Luke Jones 15:08
Oh yeah, and I mean, that is so right I was just gonna say it’d be really unfair to compare but where I still have some skepticism about the Yankees continuing to win at this clip is Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton and some of the injuries they have on the pitching side. And, you know, the bottom half of that order, and I never do goes on the paternity list. So you know, they’re missing the other bat. But I still have some legit skepticism. As far as some of these veteran players, some of these guys that had been injured over the last couple of years, whether they’re going to hold up and be on the field and play productive baseball over 162 games. Now, that doesn’t mean I think they’re going to fall apart. Let’s be very clear. I think your assessment of this most likely being the Orioles, toughest competition to win the division. I’ll go along with that. Because you know, some of the teams that we mentioned, even if I’m not ready to bury the Blue Jays or the rays just yet, or throw the Red Sox in there, because the Red Sox have actually played pretty admirable baseball considering some of the injuries they’ve had as well, but it’s still a team that while it’s very high priced, they’re dealing with you know, they’re depending on a lot of veteran players who recent track record last year or two with injuries or lack of production is shaky, you know, so, yeah, the Orioles have some concerns. We’ve talked about it with the bullpen. We’ll continue to talk about the bullpen regardless of how they did on Monday night. I I’m not changing my tune on this. I’ve been consistent since spring training. I don’t love this bullpen. And I really don’t love it if Craig Kimbrel now is going to have physical concerns on top of just kind of being up and down Craig Kimbrel in the last four or five years, but that said, you know, there’s nothing for the Orioles to fear about the Yankees. And you didn’t categorize it that way. You’re just saying in a general sense. Yeah, bring it on. I mean, the Orioles were the best team in the Al East best team in the American League last year for a reason. And yeah, that doesn’t mean that anyone’s gonna roll over for him it does doesn’t mean that they’re guaranteed to win 101 or win 102 games this year. But you look at that lineup, at least one through eight right now. You know, the nightspot whether it’s a reassert Matteo or whoever on a given night that’s, you know, we can talk about that if you want, but it’s a heck of a lineup. And it’s a starting rotation to your point, as you talked about Bradish and means bout to add those guys back to the mix. Hopefully they stay healthy. Hopefully they look like healthy John means and healthy Kyle Bradish. Because if they do, then, boy, your rotation looks that much better. And then the trickle down effect could be as we mentioned, a couple days ago, it could be Hubbard, Suarez maybe settling into the relief next and maybe he would that arm that he showed as a starter, that philosophy could pick up a couple more miles per hour even so, you know, all of this is good. All of this, despite me trying to downplay a late, late April early May series. You beat the Yankees to nothing to open up a series and you’ve increased your odds of winning a series and getting in first play you know, as much as the standings right now don’t mean a whole lot but but yeah, your point is well taken if you play great baseball over the course of six months, but the Yankees also played great baseball over the course of six months then yeah, these head to heads mean that much more. So this
Nestor J. Aparicio 18:33
is a big play great baseball. This is a good week two, of course you try to figure out how to close games when you don’t have your closer it’s a great week to figure out whether Bradish and means are going to be in is or might be or whether we need to go trade for pitching because last week we’re trading for pitching right we’re trading this guy that guy we traded mountcastle for three years now all he does is when and Santander pay him too much Mullins he was hurt whatever you need him Hey, he’s gone he’s evaporated now. He might be the guy who hits the double dome and young double that gets them into the World Series before it’s all over so we bury these guys we bring them back ureas hits a bomb then pops out with you know in the middle of the game with a terrible at that. So it’s given take the one thing I would say to your point with Soto and with you know the Yankees having generational guys and judge and Soto when the Orioles get off the bus later in the summer after having 101 games, and they’re playing 682 ball and they’re coming into your city and it’s 85 degrees and they’re getting off the bus rutschman Henderson Couser that, you know, sat down Darren moments and these guys are the light hearts now in the lineup. They’re they’re the guys that you know, you have to pitch to them because you have to pitch around everybody else. I mean, this could get messy in the summer heat when the ball goes up in the air because all these guys launch angle they all hit the ball hard Are they all put the ball up in the air? You know, I look man to watch my video. 40 years of doing this, whatever. I never seen nothing like this team. And I say this to my wife every night. She’s like, do you mean this? And I’m like, I watched them every night. And I say, there’s there’s no easy out. I always say the 78 Red Sox and I just sort of kid around about that, because Butch Hopson was Batting ninth and hit 30 home runs or whatever that year. But it’s that kind of line of the Tigers had that with Nettleton and fielder and a whole bunch of guys. They had six or seven guys that can hit 20. home runs this slide, I might have eight.
Luke Jones 20:37
Yeah, I mean, the only thing at least through an Orioles lens that comes to mind is 96 with all the homerun power they had, but that was also a much more veteran laden team. I
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:49
mean, others did, too. It was rented. It wasn’t long, but there but if
Luke Jones 20:54
you’re just talking in isolation about a one year team, I mean, that’s about the only thing that comes to mind. But that was much more veteran laden. I think, you know, I’d have to go look at the splits of September. But you know, you had Eddie Murray was kind of sort of hanging on an edge. He’s one of my all time favorite players, but that he was at the very end of his career. I can’t
Nestor J. Aparicio 21:12
use all those years inconvenience zeal. Rondo? borooah. Like those brooch rolls the
Luke Jones 21:18
following year, right. Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah. So but but that was the team that they did have nine guys that by the end of the year, because they had added Todd zeal. They had nine guys that hit 20 home runs out here. Now they weren’t all with the Orioles. But nine guys that had 20 home runs over the course of that season. So but yeah, that that’s this team is first of all, all the guys are homegrown other than Santander who was a Rule five pick in the low minors, so might as well been homegrown. And Ryan O’Hearn who has been a reclamation project, you know, that was someone that the Royals gave to the Orioles for cash. So it is much more organic, obviously. And the upside. I was just saying on a one off 96 is the only thing that comes to mind. And that team, you know, pure power shore. And Brady Anderson hitting 50 on run certainly had a lot to do with that. But this team, I mean, when you look at where they are. I just spent, you know, I was just talking about Soto and judge. And what Gunnar Henderson is doing right now is extraordinary. I mean, youngest player in baseball history to hit 10 home runs before May 1 And I know that’s kind of an arbitrary, pick it out kind of stat. But it just speaks to the power he’s hitting with right now. And Scott, Brandon Hyde said it after the game. He’s 22 years old. It’s scary how good he’s gonna
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:43
have 90 RBIs at the All Star break at this pace.
Luke Jones 22:47
Yeah, I mean, he’s not going to not going to continue to have that many RBIs as as a leadoff hitter, but it speaks to what he’s doing right now. I mean, this is a guy who is looking more and more and I think there were thoughts of this last year, but the fact that he’s already better. You know, this guy is looking like he can hit 45 homeruns. I mean, I would have felt silly saying that at this time last year when you consider how he was scuffling, but he’s hitting left handed pitching, you know, he’s hitting homeruns off lefties even so, what’s the weakness? The weakness is he probably gets a little overzealous, you know, with with the throw or trying to take an extra base something along those lines. Every once in a while he’ll have an at bat where he’s a little overeager. If that’s the worst, you have to say about a 22 year old ballplayer. I mean, that’s extraordinary. That’s exceptional. I mean, this isn’t just looking like an MVP candidate. This is looking like he has a chance to be one of the three or four best players in baseball over the next five years. Oh, this guy’s hit
Nestor J. Aparicio 23:48
the ball for average too, right? Like I mean Mullins is down and sometimes there but but none of these guys are Dave King men, you know, all of these guys, they’re all going to hit the bull’s they for the most part, they all have incredible Strike Zone Awareness and they’ll take pitches in the walk. I mean, cows are no hurry and get on base. I mean, to this lineup, you’re blessed to have your press pass loot to be able to witness this every night. But I’m sitting here watching it with Jim Palmer and Ben McDonald at home and I’ve just never seen anything like this I really haven’t and I’ve been doing this a long time and I could sit here in praise of this team all morning all day whatever. But and I don’t know if they’re gonna win a World Series but on a day by day basis, you don’t want to play this team especially Bradish and and means come back and look at 5% of what they used to look like if they look both look like number three starters and number four start look like major league pitchers. This thing’s going to be trouble for everybody really sure
Luke Jones 24:42
that that’s why I kind of you know, I played playfully scoffed at you saying that the Yankees have to be feared I worry why I say like everyone else looks at the Orioles and say oh my gosh, we have to play them now. There’s a
Nestor J. Aparicio 24:54
team this this team’s gonna see in October that I would take more Texas whatever clique you Do you see the Yankees in October and these bats and that pitcher that they you know I don’t know I mean about Cole right I mean we talked about that all day when you lose $40 million pitchers you won’t be seeing the Orioles in October if if Corbin burns arm falls off either look as good and but right now the prosperity of bringing the other pitchers back is just and it’s only April 30. Right like we’re not even into may yet. That would really that would solve a lot of issues on let’s trade Kobe Mayo for a box of four. Number four, a Balto Jimenez get another fourth starter here. I don’t know about all that. I think Elias has been has been calm through all of this and we have to weigh out the the Kimble situation too but this is this is baseball but I love the way they’re playing. They’re fun to watch man.
Luke Jones 25:47
Yeah, there’s no question about that. I mean, I’m not going to move off of they’re going to need another bullpen arm like a legit blade and in bullpen arm I will not change my mind on that I can’t fathom. Unless there’s two more Felix Batista is ready to walk through the door, swing through the bullpen door that no one knows about right now. You’re gonna need a high leverage bullpen arm and you have more than enough minor league talent to go get that doesn’t have to be tomorrow. Again. That’s why the excitement of Monday night and seeing the fan reaction after again some of what I was saying, including people on my timeline, who I know are good baseball fans and loved the Orioles and have watched baseball long time. I mean, just like guys gotta calm down a little bit. I get it. Oakland, you know, the A’s are going to Sacramento, they stink. It’s still baseball. But these
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:37
fans have not lost a big series in April and independent relic. And I don’t. But
Luke Jones 26:42
this team this team has been. I understand what you’re saying. But at some point in time, we need to recognize this team has been at least pretty good. Since a few years we’re going almost two years since they’ve been pretty good. It was June of 22 when they really started turning the corner and they’ve been great for over a year now. So but
Nestor J. Aparicio 27:03
there can be no skepticism of their greatness at this point. I guess that’s the disappointment when you have a lead and you bring in a closer and you think it should be automatic and it’s not bullpen isn’t
Luke Jones 27:13
great, though. You know, that’s the area of the team. That’s not great. I’m not gonna sit here and say the bullpen is great. It’s not so and you know, it’s not either. So the overall product. Yeah, I mean, they’re all their offense has been great that our pitching has been more average. Now, that’s still a combination that’s gonna win you a ton of games, right? And that’s evident by the fact that they’re right up close to close to 667 ball, you know, they’ve been hovering around that mark, give or take a game or two. So that’s evident that you can go very far with that. But yeah, their pitching is gonna have to get better and their bullpen is gonna have to get better and you hope that Bradish means are at least one of them. If at least one of those guys can look like themselves, moving forward the rest of the season, then, even that looks makes the rotation look that much better. And again, what’s the trickle down effect for the bullpen? I think that can help think that can help the bullpen and then you’re in a position at some point, June July, whatever it is, go out and get that other arm to complement what you have out there supplement what you have out there you know, another to me it’s it doesn’t have to be a quote closer. But it needs to be someone that you feel can close games for you and pitch in the eighth and ninth inning. As I said to you going into the season, I kind of think the magic number for eighth the ninth inning guys on any given night knowing that not everyone can pitch every single night is you want for guys that you feel are locked down. Go back to the 2014 or rails at Andrew Miller. Dara no day Zack Britton, of course, and Brad Brock was really good at that point. You had that as your top four in the pen. And you know, I mean, they had a couple other guys that at times were really good. But that was that was a pretty locked down bullpen. You know, that was the strength of that team other than the Royals were bedrooms and Steve is I guess, well, yeah, I mean, there’s only one team’s happy at the end. Right. But but that’s that’s what you’re looking for you if there’s one thing about the buck era Orioles, you know, 10 years ago, they did have a better bullpen than what this bullpen is right now. But hey, that’s not to say that it’s not going to get better and we’ll see. Maybe out maybe it’s our Explorer as maybe it’s when Tyler wells comes back and he moves back into a bullpen role. And like I said they have the pieces at triple A just sitting there. Heston cursed dead. Caught up a week ago. Since his first start. He has one plate appearance and I’m not even saying that to bash brand and hide because you’re gonna sit. I mean, okay, you can sit Santander for a game, you’re not gonna bench him. You’re not gonna bench Ryan O’Hearn you’re not gonna bench mountcastle If he’s the DH that night so you know it speaks to the log jam at triple A right now. Use a little bit of that to go get a high leverage bullpen arm and it doesn’t have to be tomorrow, but at some point hear in the coming weeks as we get closer to the trade deadline which is still far out. That’s that to me continues to be the no brainer piece or two that Mike Elias needs to acquire to to fortify this thing but Monday night CNL Perez Janja Cano Danny coulomb hats off to them. They did a heck of a job backing up Grayson Rodriguez and what was an outstanding pitching effort on that rare night where the Orioles lead the EO and run scored going into the game but they did not swing the bats very well. So you come away with a win. Win your biggest strength isn’t really a strength that night. That’s the mark of a really good team and that’s where the Orioles deserve credit and always great to start off with a big four game set. Even if it is late April. I’ll keep throwing that out there with a win in the opener How about that?
Nestor J. Aparicio 30:47
That is a wrap on the recap or a recap of the wrap as Monday night the Orioles at shutout victory and back at Camden Yards and for the next couple of days and then off the Cincinnati this weekend. So we’ll continue to discuss baseball as well as football. We got a bunch of ravens draft stuff. I caught up with Dennis on Monday. Great, great conversations this week about horse racing the future of horse racing the future of Pimlico and Preakness it is Kentucky Derby week. It’s such a great week that Dictor already is going to join me this week. My first work made it sports first 40 years ago 40 summers ago. I was at sports first so make sure you’re checking out our 25th anniversary documentary. The Maryland crab cake tour gets back out on row with our friends at the Maryland lottery I’ll have the Pac Man scratch offs to give away on next Friday as we get back to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. We’re going to be at fade Lee’s every Friday when the Orioles are at home from 2am to five stop by say hello through vignarajah is on the air this week. Lots folks running for office over the next two weeks. I highly encourage everybody to vote and vote responsibly. I am Nestor we are wn st am 1570, Towson Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore positive
