With the Midsummer Classic importing four Baltimore Orioles from this summer of baseball resurgence here in the Charm City, Luke Jones and Nestor get set for All Star Game and praise the first-half excellence of the team despite many things not going according to plan.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
year, players, good, win, game, talking, orioles, week, draft, pitcher, play, mullins, baseball, coming, kid, starting, star, stunk, break, teams
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor Aparicio 00:00
What about w n s? T, Towson, Baltimore? Baltimore positive we are into the All Star Game week. I remember when I used to get on jet planes and fly out to places like Seattle like I did about I don’t know 1820 All Star I don’t know how many I did. I did a lot. I will not be there this week, but half of the Baltimore Orioles will be there at least it feels that way as the Oriole surge toward the end. It’s been a little while since we saw this guy. He looks a little heftier, a little darker. It’s he’s been hanging at the beach eat pizza for the last two weeks. He is back. You do when you left the orals didn’t win for like it felt like a week. After you left. I was ready to say your assets coming home at the end of the day. And then why would the lights go out over the air and dear my dear friends, Laurie Piper and Jerry Piper their boat almost sank off the coast of Wildwood during all of that mess where the word power went out like all this crazy stuff that went on. Welcome back. I know you were stressed out about the Orioles in Yankee Stadium last Monday and Tuesday. Dennis and I were talking about the big crowds and they didn’t play well. They weren’t hitting well. They were pitching well, you blow out the Yankees once or twice and take it to the weekend. And here we go. Well, it’s a big party here for the all star break. Especially with Adley rutschman in his old man, right?
8
Luke Jones 01:16
No question about it. And let’s be clear, I wasn’t stressed out at all on vacation. I followed along on my phone a little bit. I tried to use the Masson app a couple times unsuccessfully. I missed out on Colton Kaiser’s first at bat. And that was something that ticked me off. But that aside, it’s the ebbs and flows of a baseball season. And it is amusing when you’re detached from it in the way that I was for a little while to see the reaction to losing six of seven, which, let’s face it, even the best teams in baseball year in and year out or can have some kind of stretch like that, right? I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 01:50
they haven’t had one yet. Right? That means I’m in a pretty good year.
Luke Jones 01:53
Right? I mean, that had been their first four game losing streak. They weren’t playing good baseball, Brandon Hyde said as much as they were down Oh, two in that four game set at the in the Bronx last week. But it’s just it’s a case now where you look back long enough now. And we think back to the long winning streak that started this last year. You know, it was really early July when the Orioles took off last year. So this has been a calendar year now that they have not just been good, but been really good. I mean, look at the record, it speaks for itself. This is the best winning percentage they’ve had at the All Star break since 97. I mean, that was the wire to wire 98 Win Orioles that everyone thought was going to go to the World Series until Marquis Grissom hits the home run against Armando Benitez in game two.
Nestor Aparicio 02:35
8It’s hard for me to because I’ve been on the air 31 and a half, almost 32 years. Like I remember 97 It’s crazy to me that we didn’t exist in 9797. We were broadcasting from over at the Sheraton an afternoon drive. I remember it well, that we started in 98. It’s been that long in the history of the radio station 25 summers, the best one still the one before we existed. So yes, that’s that’s a long time.
Luke Jones 02:58
It’s a long time I was 14 at the time. So I mean, it just the Ravens were a year old at that point in time, it was a long time. So it speaks to where this club is right now. But to see them do what they did over the final two games against the Yankees to get a four game split, which is not something that you’ll take that you go into a series like that against one of your division rivals on the road. They’ll take that, so they regrouped. And then after having the issues they had against Minnesota the previous weekend, to go there and beat up on the twins and really come away with the sweet thing and you’re feeling good and a 15 to two final on Sunday. It really is one of those cases that it’s funny that a week ago, you were saying wow, they’re they’re limping to the All Star break, they need this break. And now you’re saying wow, the way the bats came alive, you don’t really want to stop playing. So again, it’s a long season. But the last couple of weeks showed us that. Yeah, there are peaks and valleys. There are good times and there gonna be some times even for the best teams where you’re struggling. Look at Tampa Bay, the way that they scuffled going into the break the fact that the Orioles are right there with them now in the Al east and setting up for what’s going to be a really exciting second half of baseball. So it’s
Nestor Aparicio 04:15
exciting to see the Red Sox their last place, but they’re playing 530. But like, like, It’s the strangest year in this, what a year to imbalance the schedules where we now have like, as you would say, a sample size the math teacher in you, where we have half of the year have a sample size and say all of these teams are that much better than all the rest of those teams.
Luke Jones 04:37
Right? I mean, just look at the not just the fact that each team is over 500 But the fact that each team has a positive run differential, you know, it’s not some fluky situation where you look at some teams and say, Okay, well there’s this many games over 500 But you look at their run differential and it’s minus four, something like that where you say okay,
8Nestor Aparicio 04:57
the standings would be different if they all had to play each other and others 13 times, right? Yeah,
Luke Jones 05:01
I mean, it’d be hard to say exactly how it plays out. But it is interesting in the year that we go back to a much more balanced schedule, as it was many years ago, looking at the American League, I mean, you’re going back to pre, pre the rays coming into existence, and kind of see how it was back then. But it’s setting up to be really exciting. As you mentioned, you look at the Red Sox, and okay, they’re in last place, but they’re still five games over 500. You know, they’re still very much in the thick of the wildcard race. So this is gonna be a heck of a second half of baseball, not just for the Orioles, but for the entire division. But I think it really does speak to just the job that they’ve done building this thing, the idea that they’ve brought up some young guys recently, and now and we’ll get into it, the roster crunch that they’re going to find here now with Ryan mountcastle brought back for the last game before the break. What does that mean? Right? You know, at the All Star break 14 position players to all pitchers, they’re not going to stick with that alignment. So who’s gonna go you know, you’ve already option that person.
Nestor Aparicio 06:09
You know, the guys on the edge. They’re done, right? I’m more talking about like, oh, Hearn, and some of these other guys. Like I don’t, I don’t know where the edges of all this are. I just know when you’re Reus hit the ball off his foot stayed in the game on Sunday, I’m thinking to myself, they have so much flexibility, right, you always have it the Ravens defense and it not being a traditional four, three or three, four hybrid, or whatever it is, but plug and play. You know, you got guys that can play shortstop for third you got guys with the outfield, the infield, you got that you got a lot of different players. And then you think about the bench when a guy does knock a ball off his foot and you’re playing with not enough guys on the bench. Now they’re up 14 to one or whatever, it didn’t matter, right. But there is a point where you want to have the kind of flexibility and I know you’ve talked about pinch runners late in games, you know, when when they eventually go to what they’re going to do in the infield, which, eventually they’re going to have like six or seven, first or second year players and like Hayes and Mullins, right? Eventually, that’s what this is gonna be. It’s gonna be all young guys. And, and the core, there’s not going to be any space here for hangers on right?
Luke Jones 07:21
8Not really. I mean, not really. And you just mentioned it. I mean, Ramona Reyes, I thought it was interesting to see him play maybe a little more than usual over the last five, six games going into the break. To me that was a signal of are you trying to showcase this guy to maybe trade him? I mean, he won the gold club last year, but you look at the fact that they have Westberg up now. Gunnar Henderson certainly deserves to play just about every day unless maybe he’s facing a tough one left handed starter. You know, you’re you’re trying to figure out with Adam Fraser and Jorge Mateo, you love the tools, but certainly has played his way out of being an everyday starting shortstop at this point. I mean, that’s just reality. So you don’t have enough room for everyone, especially if you’re looking at the mountcastle O’Hearn situation. Now Castle, we’ve talked about it, he’s had a sub 270 on base percentage, even before the bout with vertigo that landed him on the IL o Hearns. Been really, really good for them. So I could foresee a little bit of a platoon scenario.
Nestor Aparicio 08:22
Who would have ever thought that
Luke Jones 08:23
right. Exactly, exactly. So and let’s be clear, these are good problems to have. This is a good situation. It’s just like at the end of the preseason, we’re talking about the ravens and saying, Well, can you can you keep this guy you’d like to keep this veteran around? But well, you just drafted this guy in the fifth round and, and you like his long term upside. So you know, what, how does this eventually shake out? You never know. Because like you said remote areas, bows, one off his leg. And that’s just a reminder of how quickly something can change. You know, we saw it with Mullins on Memorial Day, how he lands on the IO and suddenly, Aaron Hicks is here to your point and doing what he’s done. But yeah, they certainly have options and they’re certainly there’s more coming. I mean, Sunday was a great reminder of this not only talking about the draft and you know, they take Enrique Bradfield, who might be their starting centerfielder in a couple of years you know who knows what happens with Cedric Mullins long term and what this kid well that’s why
Nestor Aparicio 09:15
you don’t want to deal him for a pitcher six weeks from now because you’re feeling like we can come or three weeks from now even compete Right? Like all of this talk about pitchers and what Elias does. I’m at a point where with Elias and I don’t mean to kiss his ass on the air but whatever he does, I’m i It should be is his palate on this. And if they don’t try real hard to win the World Series this year, by going out and buying pitchers, it means they didn’t trade Couser or Khalid and then I trade holiday but in trading any of any of these guys that could wind up being something you know, I saw my Dell on the on the pregame show on Sunday and stuff and I’m thinking to myself, these guys, so far they’ve been freaking geniuses. John Angelo should be so lucky he better re up them. He better reopen them while he’s out trying to get federal money and, you know, be the architect of downtown when he can’t even fix his own baseball team. This is an interesting time for the franchise loop with Wes Moore and with the state and with Politico making reports over the weekend about federal money, that if this is their charge to win the World Series this year, that they feel like that’s really important and giving up 234 pieces of their farm system. These are deep, deep questions, because they’re good enough to win the World Series right now. Right? I mean, I, they they’ve been, they’ve proven this for a year and a half. Now. They’re good enough that once they get to October, they can win a couple of games. And they have enough pitching, whether it’s Gibson tonight or whoever, whoever they have, that they don’t need to spend $20 million, and players give away the farm to load up to win this year. Because they have to win this year. I mean, dirty little secrets if they don’t have to win this year. Fans are okay. They’ll they’ll eat the hamburger waiting on the steak for now, because the hamburger is pretty good right now. So I don’t know that they need to give the farm away. But these are questions we and look I want to bring something up because the cows are and you being way you and I you’ve been here 15 years. I’ve been here 25 And they didn’t have prospects like that. years ago. They judge Jeffrey Hammonds for five minutes they thought Aleksa Joe was a prospect rocky carpenter. They didn’t have prospects even when they stunk they didn’t draft Well, right. Now go back. Hi, Greg Olson on last week, he’s like, You do know I was the first first round pitcher to actually make the team in 10 years, right? I’m like, Yeah, I was a fan in the 80s. I remember that. So we put all of this stress on, you know, kid gets drafted on Sunday night all that this organization used to be so awful with the old man that he would fire Mike Flanagan for drafting Matt weeders. Because Matt was going to cost over slot that happened, you can go back and look that up. And then once waiters are getting the organization, they would not start as clock. We haven’t heard anything about clock starting with any of these young players in regard to how much we might have to pay them later. Because uncle Peter is taking a nap and eating pudding like this. I’ll tip my cap to John on this. I have not heard a word from anybody about well, yeah, John doesn’t really want to start holidays clock because you’ll have to pay him and 2026. Like, I haven’t heard any of that. That’s good. That means they’re focused on what they should be winning. Not how much money are they going to scam from the people they’ve been doing that for? They’ve been good at that they’ve been really good at that. Yeah, I mean, I
8Luke Jones 12:27
think overall, I think that’s fair. I mean, I think you could certainly go back and look at Adley rutschman. And say that they didn’t push him to the major leagues nearly as quickly as they could have. And of course,
Nestor Aparicio 12:39
they didn’t need to. Right. Exactly, exactly. And that’s, that’s how we got you. We stunk so bad. We got to take you.
Luke Jones 12:45
Yeah, I mean, they were historically bad in 2018. And that was the year they entered trying to win actually keep in mind, let’s let’s use
Nestor Aparicio 12:51
8that many games. She get the first pick in a second. Exactly.
Luke Jones 12:55
And it worked out that he was the kind of player that hey, he’s an all star five years later. So there you are four years later. So there you go. But you look at it, and especially now and this it really started with them deciding to bring up Gunnar Henderson late last year. I mean, if they really wanted to play that game, you know, they they could have dragged their feet longer on him. You know, they they could have held off on bringing him up late last year, and brought him up in May this year, you know, and done that kind of thing, but they did it. And that’s a better ballclub for
Nestor Aparicio 13:27
15 years when they stunk by actually drafting the best player. Well, Peter didn’t believe in that, Peter, I believe in paying Scott Boras players he believed in me name the names of whatever Adam loions and just go through all of the names of all those guys some of the way more anonymous than Adam Lowen. But this is different. Yeah, when they’re taking a kid with a pic seven teeth, the other eight whatever they picked, right? They pick it in the middle of the round, even this kid, by all stats and by everything and by fans, minds, we hear them we feel like he’s gonna at least play in the Major Leagues at some point he he might not be the number one overall this or that. But we feel like that these guys have these guys have a track record now of being very, very good. Exactly. And
Luke Jones 14:11
it’s I mean, it’s easy to look at Adley rutschman. It’s easy to look at Colton Couser, who’s a top five pick. It’s easy to look at those types of guys. Jackson Holliday who promoted the buoy on Sunday and just the track the path that he’s on. I mean, this this kid’s gonna be in the major leagues next year.
8Nestor Aparicio 14:27
I mean, barring an interesting curse that has a physical ailment, right. He’d be in the majors right now he might. They’re picking these guys that back in the days of Todd Van Poppel, and BJ surhoff And like Ben McDonald and Andy Bennis. And when you pick those guys back in the day, it really it felt like I mean, even with Ben I called him a savior and Greg Olson squared me up on that, but I was a fan in 1988 89. It was a savior to me, that doesn’t feel like any of these guys are saviors, but it feels like when you invest in Scouting a player that you don’t say five years ago, it was just a high schooler we didn’t know we didn’t want you use your number one pick on him. But the thing that the organization has going for it now suddenly just identifying good players, but having the kind of system that can even get through a kid’s physical problems, health problems, and still get his head, his mind back on track, to be a baseball player, and the plague they’ve lived through the plague for all these guys have lived through the plague last three years, four years. This is this is very, very impressive. It really, really is. And I’ve been on the air 31 years, 25 years, you’re bitching about slough? This is impressive. And they’ve earned the hall pass to say, whatever players they trade for whatever they give away whatever money they spend the John’s by the end of the month to win the World Series this year. These guys have to have a more of a two to five year Halo plan here. They have to,
Luke Jones 15:48
and they should and I’ve said that all along. And look, let’s be clear, I want them to get better at the trade deadline. If the right move presents presents itself. I mean, you should because as much as you talk about these long term plans, we can go back to the ravens and go back to 2006. The Ravens were 13 and three and then they lose the nd and we saw what happened the following year. 2019 14 and two record setters 13 Pro Bowl players Lamar Jackson unit unanimous MVP? Well, they’ve won one playoff game since then. I mean, it’s it’s tough to do, there’s no guarantee. So I want to be clear in stating that I still want to see them do everything they possibly can to improve them within the framework of understanding. Yeah, I’m not looking at this as a one time shot. But that said, going back to what we were talking about with the draft picks, for me, it’s one thing to say you’re going to nail the first overall pick, you’re going to nail second overall or fifth overall. But look at Gunnar Henderson, you know, he wasn’t a he wasn’t the first overall pick. He’s the guy they developed. He’s a high school kids they developed to the point that he became baseball’s top prospect last year. And you see what he’s done. He’s one of their best players now, at age, you know, just turned 22 You look at Jordan Westberg you know, he was a competitive, competitive balance a round you know, it’s kind of that sandwich pick at the end of the first round. And he’s in the majors and he’s looked good. So so it’s not just the top five overall picks where you say okay, you are picking from the pool of the absolute best players or all of the best players minus a couple. For me it’s impressive to see them with these competitive balance picks or second round third round you know, we’ve seen other guys make their major league debut you know, even some guys where it hasn’t worked out quite as well. You know, a Kyle sours for example. So, but you’re developing guys and that’s where you look at Enrique Bradfield Jr, as I’ll just bring them up and I’m not gonna sit here and say that I’m extremely well versed and tracking this kid at Vanderbilt, but you watch his highlights. You look at the stats. You look at the incredible defense in centerfield. And this is a look, we always do this for drafts, it’s easy to make a lazy comp. You watch them play, you watch the highlights. You see a little bit of Kenny Lofton in him now. I’m not saying he’s gonna be a quarter of the player that Kenny Lofton is Kenny Lofton is the kind of guy that is someone who probably should have gotten garnered a little more Hall of Fame consideration than he ever got. That’s how good of a player he was for a long time. But that kind of player with the speed, the defense the on base ability, he walked more than he struck out at Vanderbilt playing in a an elite program for an elite baseball conference. And the fact that okay, yeah, it’s the middle of the first round. There are no guarantees. This isn’t like football where you get beyond the first four or five picks in baseball. It really does truly become much more of a crapshoot. But because the Orioles have the track record they’ve they’ve had over the last three or four years at the very least, in the mike Elias, sigma del era. You look at that pick, and you’re absolutely right. Not saying he’s gonna become a future all star or that he’s going to supplant Cedric Mullins as soon as he gets to the majors in a couple years. But you feel like he has an excellent chance to at least be a majorly contributor for you. And even if he’s just that, even if he never becomes an all star, but he becomes a guy that can help you when, three, four years down the road and beyond, then that’s a really successful first round pick. So you’re absolutely right from that in that regard. So I just thought it was fascinating on Sunday. You look at all the things that happen mountcastle off the IPL Orioles when their fifth straight game they’re 19 over 500 Once again, they call up Jackson holiday to buoy Kobe, Mayo’s go into Norfolk all these different things that happen Adley rutschman In the Home Run Derby and four players go into the All Star Game Austin Hays starting and oh, yeah, they, they they had the draft, the first round pick when you consider what that meant over the last five years compared to what it meant Sunday night, which fans were still interested. But it wasn’t this moment where you’re trying to say okay, is this guy going to be the next savior or is this going to be a guy that saves them from their the plight of what the last several years have been? No it was more a detail In what was a really good day for a team that has the third best record in baseball at the All Star break? Boy, they’ve come a long way, even in two years, you know, easily five years. But in two years, considering where they were two years ago in 2000,
Nestor Aparicio 20:14
irrelevant 10 years ago today completely irrelevant.
Luke Jones 20:18
8completely irrelevant and still feeling okay. You knew Adley rutschman was coming in. It’s not that this farm system hadn’t gotten much better
Nestor Aparicio 20:24
at that point. But some of these young guys to work out and they have right
Luke Jones 20:29
and on they were still so far away, right? I mean, okay, again, Adley rutschman, could have been in the majors two years ago. I mean, that’s how good he was, you know, and how good he is and how polished he was coming out of Oregon State’s reason why he was one one. But the rest of these guys they were still a year or two away. So when you’re in that position, well, you
Nestor Aparicio 20:48
feel that way about Rodriguez right now. Right? He was can’t miss cookie shouldn’t miss no way brought him up, he stunk he’s back. And now we’re like, he might be the savior. He might be the guy that comes up two weeks from now. And looks like he’s ready. Now he looks like he’s ready. Again, back in always, always looks like he’s ready in the minors. Right? He had that hiccup up here. And maybe they don’t have to make a deal. Maybe he comes in, he can make 18 starts the rest of the way or 14 starts the rest of the way, and be really good. And be that guy that gets you to fifth or sixth inning most nights and gets jammed up once a month, but gives you a chance to win five out of six times taking the ball, he could be that guy. And if he’s that guy, they don’t have to give anybody up. And and I don’t know, if I start hearing mayo or kowsar or, or or holiday or any of these names be even Hall brought up in regard to trading out they better win the World Series, you’re going to have given two three prospects up, you better be convinced you’re winning in October, because you’re going to be there again next year. And the year after that not going to have these players. And I think it’s different than dealing for the six foot seven pitcher a number of years ago and given Rodriguez away and having a look around and say we have to play against them with the Red Sox for a decade or whatever. I think it’s different. Even back then they weren’t winning with young players back then it felt like shit Machado is gonna be gone. Davis is whatever pill he’s on. It’s like we got to do it now. Right now the market stakes the the injury and they didn’t win. Right. But going all in, I think it was different than than now I am not of the mindset that I need you to send out a wn st tax that they pick up the pitcher from the brewers and give up half the farm system for him. I’m not I’m not a believer in that.
8Luke Jones 22:33
Right. And that’s fair it and look that’s they they had I mean, they had Machado they had Jonathan scope, you know, it’s not as though they were completely devoid of young talent. But you’re right, it certainly was a much more veteran laden club. There’s no doubt
Nestor Aparicio 22:47
about that cruise around and they could have you could have captain didn’t keep. Of course, of
Luke Jones 22:53
course. And we know that in 2014 was the high watermark of the buckshot Walter era and you know, they had the situation in Toronto two years later and Zack Britain’s being left in the bullpen, and
Nestor Aparicio 23:06
8I hear you want to oh six with the ravens and near misses with Flacco and Lee Evans, and it might have never happened, but it did. I hear you that there’s no better time to win than now. But I don’t know that I feel desperate for them. No. Pitching. And if they walked into the playoffs on Friday and had to play this week with what they have, I, I would say take our chances, you know, like that we don’t need we’ll be okay. Next year in the euro. I’m okay with next year right now with yours. I really am.
Luke Jones 23:37
That’s and that’s fine. And let me be clear, when I say I want to see them pursue that kind of an opportunity. That does not mean, you’re talking about a Jackson holiday, or you know, even a Colton cows are. But you know, you mentioned DL haul, I would be willing to move someone like him in the right deal. And let’s be clear, when I say that, my preference would be that you’re acquiring someone that isn’t a rental, it would be someone that you at least have club clean control, let’s say next year, you know. So, look, there are going to be lots of deals potentially, that can be made. I would not say that I’m desperate whatsoever. Is this team built to win in October? I think you look at the history of recent teams that have won in October played deep in October and early November. You do look at having a couple of studs at the top of your rotation. Do the Orioles have that? Could it be Grayson Rodriguez and they don’t eat Grayson Rodriguez to be their Savior. But I think he can come in and and certainly be a lot better than he was. But I’ll also give props to the current rotation this last time through these last five games that they want pitch really well against the Yankees and the twins. So that was good to see. So it’s going to be fascinating to see how this plays out. But generally speaking, I’m in agreement with what you said I think every move that you potentially make over the trade approaching the trade deadline over these next three weeks or so. Is kind of done with to two motivating factors one, how do you make yourself better for the rest of this year, but two, and this is where I really feel more passionate about it. What can you do to make yourself better long term and maintain that health and your farm system? And I think with Undoubtedly, it feels like that’s something Mike Elias is going to do because he’s earned the benefit of the doubt as it pertains to how he’s built this thing over the last five years.
Nestor Aparicio 25:25
He’s no joke really talking baseball a week here at the All Star game at the Richmond dad game. Austin Hays we haven’t mentioned Austin as I definitely want to talk a little bit more about him. Luke is back from vacation. You can find him at Baltimore Luke, or you can find me on the Maryland crab cakes award Coco’s this Thursday. Got great guests for SIG is coming by Dave shine is coming by Senator Cornyn McCray is coming by Marcel is going to be there. Y’all yell about these Coco’s crabcakes. I’m back. Matt unmasked. Last time we were there. We had to have the mask on. We’ll be there on Thursday for two of the five on next week. We’re at the Beaumont on the 20th in Catonsville in the afternoon. Might have a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer stopped by that day. So I’m looking forward to that. And then of course, our 25th anniversary on August 3 at Costas August 4, we’re going to be drug city celebrating for two days. I’ve got all the old get nasty shirts out the newsletters, books, stuff like that. We’re hauling it all down the cost is to give it all away. Okay, you guys have some memories for me as well. Anessa Baltimore positive.com We’re back for more. We are wn st am 1570, Towson, Baltimore. It’s the all star break. It’s our 25th anniversary right in front around here. Stay with us at Baltimore. Positive
