Every Friday, I’ll ponder five topics related to the Orioles or Ravens (or a mix of both).
Five questions …
1. Is it just me or does the acquisition of Kyle Arrington have you feeling really good about the Ravens in 2015? Baltimore is no stranger to significant roster turnover, but fans were understandably uneasy in seeing so many high-profile players depart this offseason. Since then, general manager Ozzie Newsome has done some of his finest work — on paper, at least — with this year’s draft and Wednesday’s acquisition of veteran cornerback Kyle Arrington, which addressed the last glaring need the Ravens had. Arrington isn’t a Pro Bowl player, but his experience and versatility will be welcomed in a secondary that struggled at cornerback and safety last season. The Ravens may not be the clear favorite in the AFC this season, but they could be very dangerous in December and January if — and it’s a big one — rookies Breshad Perriman and Maxx Williams are ready to contribute in a meaningful way.
2. Is it just me or are the Orioles delaying the inevitable with Hunter Harvey’s latest elbow problems? I couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu when hearing Buck Showalter say that the pitching prospect wouldn’t need surgery before he then dodged a question about whether a magnetic resonance imaging exam showed any damage to Harvey’s ulnar collateral ligament. Last July, Harvey was first diagnosed with a flexor mass strain, the same ailment experienced by Dylan Bundy before he ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013. To be clear, undergoing the surgical procedure shouldn’t be viewed as flippantly as some like to think as not every pitcher fully recovers, but the fact that this is the second time in less than a year that Harvey is having arm issues makes you wonder if we’ve seen the last of him on a mound until sometime in 2016. He will seek a second opinion with Dr. James Andrews in the near future, and you know how that story usually ends.
3. Is it just me or are you already fatigued hearing hype about this year being different for Matt Elam? The Ravens hope to finally get a return on their 2013 first-round investment, but Elam will need to show improvement on the field after a dismal 2014 campaign. While it’s certainly premature to completely bury the strong safety in only his third season, Elam won’t be assured of anything this summer with Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis the favorites to win starting jobs on the back end. Head coach John Harbaugh mentioned earlier this week that Elam has lost eight pounds and that his body fat is down to about six percent. Elam will hope that improved fitness helps improve his tackling and coverage skills, two areas that were sorely lacking in last year’s performance. The Ravens have had other late bloomers such as cornerback Jimmy Smith, but Elam has rarely ever shown signs that his game could have another level and the discussion about him being in better shape and showing more confidence means very little until we see it translate to the field.
4. Is it just me or does Showalter just “get it” about managing in Baltimore? Winning is the most important change that the sixth-year manager has brought to the Orioles, but Monday provided the latest example of how he always knows the right thing to do. Showalter so often wears a black jacket during games that most fans would struggle to remember his jersey number, but you saw him proudly wearing his No. 26 in the series opener against Toronto when the Orioles wore “Baltimore” home jerseys in their return to Camden Yards. It was a subtle gesture, but it came after the honest and thoughtful manner in which Showalter spoke about last month’s unrest in Baltimore. He isn’t from Charm City and he’d be the first to tell you he hasn’t done it alone, but no one has been more important in rebuilding the pride of what it means to be an Oriole or an Orioles fan since his arrival in 2010.
5. Is it just me or does Jarret Johnson top the list of Ravens players you wish had won a Super Bowl? Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, and Kelly Gregg also deserve mentions, but Johnson epitomized what it meant to “play like a Raven” in his nine years in Baltimore. During his retirement press conference this week, I asked him about his emotions watching his former team win the Super Bowl less than 11 months after he departed via free agency — the Ravens made no real effort to keep him after the 2011 season — and you couldn’t sense an ounce of bitterness or regret in his reply. Johnson recalled celebrating when the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII and quickly sent a congratulatory text message to Harbaugh, a man with whom he occasionally clashed in their years together. The Ravens coach said that was one of the most meaningful messages he received that night and replied telling Johnson he was a part of that championship. He wasn’t a Pro Bowl player and is unlikely to go into the Ring of Honor, but the dependable Johnson was about as “Baltimore” as a guy from Florida can be.
