Since our Luke Jones went on his annual New Jersey beach vacation, the Baltimore Orioles haven’t lost. It’s not lost on Nestor as the pair discuss the Orioles’ torrid seven-game winning streak heading to Fenway Park in Boston, where the Red Sox have won 13 in a row. Something’s gotta give in Beantown in the AL East race.
Luke Jones and Nestor Aparicio discuss the Orioles’ recent seven-game winning streak, which has propelled them back into playoff contention. The team’s pitching has been exceptional, with a third-place ERA in the majors since May 22. Key performances include Brandon Young’s consistent pitching and Cam Sanders’ recent success. The Orioles face a tough series against the Boston Red Sox, who have won 13 straight games. Injuries to key players like Adley Rutschman and Blaze Alexander remain concerns. The team’s performance will likely dictate their trade deadline strategy, with a focus on bullpen reinforcements.
Orioles’ Winning Streak and Upcoming Games
- Nestor Aparicio welcomes listeners to WNST AM 1570 and mentions the Maryland Crab Cake Tour starting Friday at Pizza Johns in Essex.
- Nestor and Luke Jones discuss the Orioles’ recent winning streak, with Luke taking credit for the team’s success since his return from Wildwood.
- Nestor and Luke reflect on the Orioles’ performance, noting the team’s best baseball of the year and the importance of pitching.
- Luke highlights the Orioles’ pitching statistics since May 22, emphasizing their strong performance in ERA and bullpen.
Orioles’ Pitching and Hitting Performance
- Luke discusses the Orioles’ pitching, noting their third place in the majors in ERA and strong performances from starters and the bullpen.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the Orioles’ hitting, mentioning the team’s struggles with striking out and the need for better performance from key players like Gunnar Henderson.
- Luke mentions the injury to Blaze Alexander and the need for better consistency from the team’s hitters.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of the upcoming series against the Boston Red Sox, who have also been performing well.
Cam Sanders and Team Dynamics
- Nestor and Luke discuss Cam Sanders’ recent performance, noting his wins and saves despite being optioned back to Norfolk.
- Nestor mentions listening to the pregame show and the interview with Cam Sanders, highlighting the challenges of being called up and sent down.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the team’s health concerns, including injuries to Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the pitching staff, particularly Brandon Young, in the team’s recent success.
Orioles’ Wild Card Race and Injury Concerns
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ position in the wild card race, noting the importance of winning games to stay competitive.
- Luke highlights the challenges of the upcoming series against the Red Sox and the need for the team to perform well.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential impact of injuries on the team’s performance, including the loss of Blaze Alexander and the need for better performance from third basemen like Kobe Mayo.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s pitching and the need for consistent performance from the bullpen.
Orioles’ Future and Trade Deadline
- Nestor and Luke discuss the potential moves the Orioles might make at the trade deadline, including the possibility of trading players like Taylor Ward and Trevor Rogers.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s performance in the upcoming series against the Red Sox and the need to continue winning games.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential impact of the trade deadline on the team’s future and the importance of making the right moves.
- Luke highlights the challenges of the upcoming schedule and the need for the team to stay focused and perform well.
Orioles’ Fan Engagement and Upcoming Events
- Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of fan engagement and the upcoming events, including the Maryland Crab Cake Tour and the Ravens’ training camp.
- Nestor mentions the upcoming events at Pizza Johns in Essex and Acosta’s in Timonium, highlighting the importance of fan interaction.
- Nestor talks about his recent trip to Philadelphia for the All-Star game and the potential for future segments on the show.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s performance and the need for fans to stay engaged and supportive.
Orioles’ Performance and Future Outlook
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ recent performance, noting the team’s success in winning seven games in a row.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s pitching and the need for consistent performance from the bullpen.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential impact of the upcoming series against the Red Sox and the need for the team to perform well.
- Luke highlights the challenges of the upcoming schedule and the importance of the team’s performance in staying competitive.
Orioles’ Trade Deadline Strategy
- Nestor and Luke discuss the potential trade deadline strategy for the Orioles, including the possibility of trading players like Taylor Ward and Trevor Rogers.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s performance in the upcoming series against the Red Sox and the need to continue winning games.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential impact of the trade deadline on the team’s future and the importance of making the right moves.
- Luke highlights the challenges of the upcoming schedule and the need for the team to stay focused and perform well.
Orioles’ Health and Injury Concerns
- Nestor and Luke discuss the team’s health concerns, including injuries to Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s pitching and the need for consistent performance from the bullpen.
- Nestor and Luke talk about the potential impact of the upcoming series against the Red Sox and the need for the team to perform well.
- Luke highlights the challenges of the upcoming schedule and the importance of the team’s performance in staying competitive.
Orioles’ Future and Fan Engagement
- Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of fan engagement and the upcoming events, including the Maryland Crab Cake Tour and the Ravens’ training camp.
- Nestor mentions the upcoming events at Pizza Johns in Essex and Acosta’s in Timonium, highlighting the importance of fan interaction.
- Nestor talks about his recent trip to Philadelphia for the All-Star game and the potential for future segments on the show.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the team’s performance and the need for fans to stay engaged and supportive.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are WNST AM 1570 Taps in Baltimore. It is Baltimore positive. It is summertime, and Luke Jones is back, and the Orioles are on a winning streak at least for the time being. We’re going to be doing the Maryland Crab Cate tour beginning Friday at Pizza Johns in Essex. We’ll have the Ravens scratch offs. I have the Maryland Treasures. I still have some of these to give away. Also, going to be a Costas next Thursday in Timonium, where Koco’s on the 26th of August, setting up dates throughout August. Maryland Crab Cake Tour is presented by the Maryland Lottery in conjunction with our partners at GBMC and Farnham and Dermer. They are the comfort guys, and Zach Dermer is going to come on and talk about the lack of comfort. This guy was down at the beach, where I’m thinking maybe the air was fresher in Wildwood than it was in in in Baltimore mid last week. Luke Jones is back from his summer respite, and dude, I’m not the only one. I mean, anybody that knows you and knows me knows that you should go back to Wildwood for another week because you’ve been gone and the team hasn’t lost since you left. You were tough on the Beaver, you know that Friday before the All Star game. You’re like, show me something, I’m challenging you. Sweep the Royals, do something, show me something. They haven’t lost since, dude. I mean, you you gippered them all up before you left for Wildwood, man. How are you?
Luke Jones 1:20
I’m doing well, and yeah, I’m taking offers right now for anyone who wants to send me back to the beach. How much is pizza?
Luke Jones 1:29
It’s not too much, but we got our money’s worth. That’s for sure. Well, maybe Bill
Nestor Aparicio 1:33
Cole’s, Farn and Dermer come together. You know, put a couple, pub a couple nickels together, send you back. You know?
Luke Jones 1:39
Yeah, yeah. Well, maybe I’ll keep it going with Pizza Johns, you know, since I’m back in the area. If we were
Nestor Aparicio 1:44
Wawa sponsored, I mean, no problem to send you to New Jersey, right, right, right.
Luke Jones 1:48
So, but no, it’s it’s been a good week for the Orioles on a lot of fronts. I said it. I didn’t shy away from it after the Cubs series, where they were able to salvage that final game. That was the last game I covered and really watched from start to end. I was. This was a long
Nestor Aparicio 2:04
time ago, by the way.
Luke Jones 2:05
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, yeah. And you get the All Star break it built in there, so it does feel longer than than what it you know that than it actually is in terms of games.
Nestor Aparicio 2:12
Feel like it was a long time too.
Luke Jones 2:14
Sure, sure. But yeah, I was able to watch Sunday afternoon’s game. I’d listen to Saturday’s game. But you’ve got a team that is playing its best baseball of the year. The the pitching continues to lead the way, just as we all expected back in March, right? I mean, my goodness, I I’ve cited this for quite a while now. We’re coming up on two months. They’re third in the majors in ERA since may 22 They’re fifth in starter ERA since may 22 sixth in bullpen ERA since may 22 which that’s the big one that surprises me. But their pitching’s been leading the way. Their pitching has has saved the day for them. You know, we’ve talked about it periodically over the last 678, weeks that if the bats could ever live up to expectations, I mean, that doesn’t mean Gunnar Henderson being an MVP candidate, but a better version of Gunnar Henderson, and other guys being more consistent and go go through the list and not losing Blaze Alexander to a broken hand, which was very unfortunate to to end the first half. Now the Messiah
Nestor Aparicio 3:17
Runchman thing is yeah, yeah. So I mean, you know,
Luke Jones 3:20
there’s always the next concern peeking around the corner. I mean, that’s obvious, and we’re going to get to talking about the Boston Red Sox in a moment. But they’re playing good baseball, and they’re doing enough to win games. They’re they’re pitching very well. The hitting hasn’t been great. The hitting wasn’t great in Houston over the weekend, and they struck out 38 times in a three-game series. Normally, you hear that you’re thinking, “Ooh, did they lose two out of three? Did they get? Well, Friday
Nestor Aparicio 3:44
night was one of those damn lie statistics games. 13 strikeouts, all of that, and they won.
Luke Jones 3:49
Taylor Ward hits a two-run homer in the eighth, right? So, and look, it some of that is
Nestor Aparicio 3:55
Tyler O’Neill every night. There’s a different star. That’s the magic of Oriole baseball.
Luke Jones 3:59
Well, how about Cam Sanders. How about Cam Sanders? He gets his. You mean Norfolk first?
Nestor Aparicio 4:04
Cam Sanders. You know he
Luke Jones 4:05
right back at Norfolk, but he gets a W. He had just been acquired earlier in the week. Gets a the win Friday night. Gets the save Saturday, and then gets optioned to Norfolk on Sunday. I mean, you know the
Nestor Aparicio 4:16
funniest thing is I was listening to the pregame show Sunday. I had a little yoga gig, and I was in the car listening. And by the way, Josh Lewin does a really good job. And no offense to Brett Hollander, but I’ve been hearing more Josh lately. And you know, Josh, a baseball guy, so but nonetheless, he does great job. They did an interview with him, and when the interview was over, they’re like, “Well, unfortunately, he’s just optioned out. You know, you sat and listened to him 15 minutes about how happy he was to be in the big leagues and all that. They optioned him out, and I’m like, well, you know, that’s sort of like the the Buck Showalter shuttle, especially if they start winning, if they have a chance. This thing will get real serious about who’s up and who’s down and who’s in the bullpen and who’s on the bench. And especially with, which um you know it won’t be the story of the year for me, but it’s a story. The injuries, right? As we get to the middle, like if they’re gonna be competitive, they they better get healthier. The Visaya Rutschman, I mean, like I yeah seven games in a row. Like you’ve even said, you could stink and win seven games in a row. You know the 88 Orioles might have won seven games in a row at one point, right? Like you could stink and win seven games in a row. For them to be any good, the hitting has to return. You know, like I’m not poo-pooing a winning streak. God bless them. I mean, they’re back. We canceled this flight to Boston you and I had on Tuesday. We’re supposed to go, and now we could have gone to Fenway Park. It’s all your fault. Yeah, it’s my fault. It’s all your fault. That’s I’m happy. The winning.
Luke Jones 5:42
I’m taking credit for the winning streak, though. I mean, I you said it. I I said it during the going into the Kansas City series. I said, look, if you want to be talked about in even semi serious terms post All Star break, I think you had to get that sweep. You get the four game winning streak. You get back to five games under 500 at that point in time, and then you see how you come out of the gate, coming out of the All Star break. And I mean, they couldn’t have done it any better. Again, to your point, wasn’t flawless in every area, but they pitched certainly pitched well enough, and the defense came up big at a couple points, and you know O’Neal’s big throw on Saturday, the kind of being the highlight there, and they did just enough with the bats, right? I mean, I’m with you. I I do look at the the health picture, especially now with you know Ruchman’s dealing with a little bit of a wrist issue. You know, Albernaz didn’t indicate that it was overly serious, right? But they brought up Sam Huff, and you need a third catcher on the roster now. And then Basayo’s been dealing with the shoulder that you you even saw the swing. He kind of grimaced a little bit, and it didn’t look great. And they pull him from the game. Which, by all means, be cautious in that moment. But yeah, you kind of look at that and say, okay, you’ve already lost Blaze Alexander. When is he going to be back? Right. So you’re counting on Kobe Mayo or Christian Encarnacion Strand at third base. What’s that going to look like? I mean, it was great to see Mayo go the other way for a home run on Sunday, but we’ve seen what that looks like on an everyday basis, and that doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence, but at the same time, I keep coming back to the pitching, right? And you know, Kramer wasn’t very good on Friday night. You know, command was. You know, you could tell he wasn’t at his best, and obviously didn’t get through five innings. But Trevor Rogers really good, and Brandon Young continuing to do his thing. I mean, the Brandon Young thing’s been amazing. I mean, it really has been. It’s one thing to pitch well for a month, six weeks, two months. But I mean, this is-he looks like he belongs, right? Yeah. I mean, he’s looking. I was actually my mom’s birthday is on Monday. Happy birthday to her! But we were talking. Oh, we had our family party for her, like where we invited her, her brother and her sister, and you know some of my cousins were over and everything. But I actually said it to my cousin, who’s a big Orioles fan. I mean, he was the one texting me while I’m on vacation about the game, which was fine. Like I, I like getting the updates from him. But I said to him, I said, if Brandon Young isn’t careful, he’s going to turn into like this this this iteration of the Orioles version of Chris Tillman, right? Where you know Tillman never, in contrast to what he was hyped as being when they acquired him once upon a time, you know, along with Adam Jones in that Bedard trade, Tillman was never this dominant pitcher, right? He was never a guy who had these huge strikeout numbers. The velo ended up not really being what they thought it might be when he was in the minors, but he had a four or five year run where he was just, you know, wasn’t wasn’t a bona fide ace in a vacuum, but at times he was very much their ace. Made an all
Nestor Aparicio 8:56
star game,
Luke Jones 8:57
yeah. And even though I, you know, even though I certainly view Braddish as the up, you know, Bradish as the one, the guy that has the the the upside to be the one. He’s been the one in the past, but Brandon Young has just been so huge for them. And and once again on Sunday, I mean, you know, and he actually has gotten a few more strikeouts here over the last several weeks than he was getting earlier in the year. But you know, he’s not a guy that’s gonna, you know, light up the scoreboard or the box score with punch outs and swing and miss, but he’s just doing a really good job, and he’s done it for such a long time now where you kind of just look at it and say, well, I don’t know if this long term is gonna mean he’s a number two or a number three, but I’m feeling more and more confident that he’s going to be comfortably in that starting five somewhere, and that’s just that’s just such a massive development for them because he was not a guy that we talked about in those terms whatsoever. I mean, going into spring training, where was he in the pecking order? Even they had their top six that we talked about. They had Kade Povich. We were. Talking about you know Trey Gibson and some of the other guys at Norfolk, and Brandon Young was there, but he was what eighth or ninth in the pecking order, and he’s been you know he’s been right there with with Bradish and anyone else for as far as being their best pitch starting pitcher. So he’s just been huge. I mean he he really has been, and it’s been just such a great story. If anyone had said Brendan Young would have the number of starts that he’s made to this point in the season, you would have said, “Oh man, this has gone horribly wrong. And it’s not like the season’s been great, obviously. And you know, you need a a seven game winning streak just to get back to two games under at this point in time. But I mean, he’s been one of their most valuable players, like comfortably been one of their most valuable players. So, what a story! And it really does speak to what this year has become as they’re at the point now where, hey, it’s interesting. They’re getting ready to play the, you know, two hottest teams in baseball are meeting at Fenway Park this week. They have made it interesting, haven’t they? They have, and their pitching has done the heaviest lifting. And no one thought that was going to be the case, right? We all thought, all right, they’re going to hit. They have Alonzo now. Taylor Ward’s here. Gunner’s going to be bouncing back like Jackson Holidays, another year old. Like you go through the list of everything on that front, and the hitting, you know, it’s been underwhelming. That’s that’s probably the nicest way I could describe their offense in 2026. It’s been underwhelming, but their pitching has, I mean, from mid May on, late May on, it’s been really good, and it’s the reason why they’ve had a chance. It’s, you know, I don’t I don’t know if you want to say kept them afloat because they needed a seven game winning streak just to to get to where they are now, which is they’re back within sniffing distance of 500. We’ll see what happens from this point forward. But this weekend series in Houston, just another reminder of just how big the pitching has been. Whether we’re talking about you know Trevor Rogers doing his thing and getting back on track, or the Brandon Youngs, and and even now that someone like Cam Sanders, who who knows if he’ll do anything of real note the rest of the year, but we’ve seen it. We’ve seen it over the years going back to the Buck Showalter era. If you’re going to do something where you’re in contention for a playoff spot in September, if you’re going to have any chance to play games in October, you need those unlikely contributions. And Cam Sanders was the guy over the weekend to to do that for the Orioles, getting a win and a save.
Nestor Aparicio 12:34
Luke Jones is back from Wildwood, and the Orioles haven’t lost in a week and a half. I was at the All Star game last week. Let’s see, we got a contract to a pitcher to a number one since last time we left, and onto the team and onto the field. We’ll talk about Bradish and we’ll talk about my Philadelphia thing and and your nieces and Max Pizza and all that. But 500 right? 500 and and I don’t know whether they’ll get a game over. I don’t know if they’ll they’ll get a game over. You know, I mean, this might be the end of their run. They lose 500 Who knows, right? But that part where they can get to 500 by the end of the week, dude. If you and I come here and and and and they get back home, Philadelphia, a week and a half from now, and they’re two over, three. You know, if they can be in that range, they have found themselves. They saved their season since you left. Literally, they’ve saved the season since you left.
Luke Jones 13:26
Yeah, I mean, there’s no question about it. I mean, when you continue to look at the wild card race, right? I mean, it’s not. It’s changed from the standpoint of the Boston Red Sox. Yeah, them and Boston
Nestor Aparicio 13:36
are the two teams that are trying to be that team, right? Yeah,
Luke Jones 13:38
exactly. Yeah, I mean, it was you’ve seen Toronto really fall back. Detroit played really, really well, but they fell so far behind, right? I mean, the the Tigers really had a 2025 Orioles kind of start, right, where they just kind of got Houston Astros a couple
Nestor Aparicio 13:55
years ago, where they buried themselves, right? Yeah,
Luke Jones 13:57
exactly. Well, I mean, and look at Houston right now. I mean, after this sweep that that the Orioles, you know, handed to the Astros, they were a team that played really well for a month to get themselves back in the picture. But it’s a reminder, and this is probably a good lesson for the Orioles where they stand right now. It can still be very fleeting, right? They’re they’re going to go to Fenway now. They’re going to play a Red Sox team that’s won 13 in a row, a team that has pitched better than them, right? Which who canceled this
Nestor Aparicio 14:24
trip? Whose idea was it to cancel this
Luke Jones 14:26
trip? It was me. But yeah, yeah, it’s I’ll own it. It’s fine. But the
Nestor Aparicio 14:31
Fenway curse continues.
Luke Jones 14:32
But but you look at this. I mean, whether you’re talking about the Red Sox or the Orioles or Seattle or any of these teams, right? I mean, you’re one bad week away from circling the drain again. I mean, that’s just where it is. But if you can, and doesn’t mean you’re going to continue to win every single game. But if you can get yourself in a position where you continue this, if you can take two or three at Fenway, for example, you’ll come home this weekend and you’re you’re right there. Your game under five. 100, but you also know that if it goes the other way and you have a couple bad series, then you’re back to 567, under, right? I mean that that that’s how quickly it can unravel, and that’s just the reality of when you have a season where you don’t get off to a good start. You’re just you’re behind the eight ball, and that’s where that’s where for me the injuries are a little more concerning. I mean, you and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it much, and it feels like it happened a while ago now. But losing Blaze Alexander really hurts. I mean, we know what kind of surprising bat he had brought to the the bottom of the order and hitting over 300 and all of that. So you lose him, now you’re in a position when you start seeing guys
Nestor Aparicio 15:40
at third base. You don’t even know their name. Yeah,
Luke Jones 15:41
I mean that. I mean it’s look. I love seeing Kobe Mayo face left-handers, right? And we were reminded of that on Sunday. You know, he hits a home run off a lefty. I mean, he’s been unbelievable against lefty pitching. But now they’re in a position where, unless it’s going to be Encarnacio and Strawn, Kobe Mayo’s going to have to play against righties, and he’s going to have to do a little more against them, and that’s even putting aside the the big question about the defense. You know, playing third base every day, and can can that hold up and be tenable? You know, can it be palatable? Can it be acceptable? You know, he’s not going to be Brooks Robinson, but can it be a situation where you’re not a an utter liability over there. I mean, that’s a question, and that impacts your pitching, right? We’ve talked about it. I mean, the defense still had its moments over the weekend where you you kind of look at it and cringe a little bit, but they also made some plays at times where you say, “Hey, that helped you win a ball game. So, so they still have question marks, and there, this is still very much a flawed team. We know that, but you look at the rest of the American League. I mean, look at the entire wild card picture at this point. Even the Yankees, and you see what they’ve been over the last couple weeks. They get news that Aaron Judge is still doesn’t sound terribly close to coming back. Their offense has not been very good without him, and that’s obviously the headliner. But they have some others in that lineup underperforming. But you go down the list. I mean, you have Cleveland. They’ve been without their best player for a while now, right? And and they’re only a few games over 500. Talked about the Red Sox, Seattle. You know, big expectations for them this year. They’re a 500 team. So you go down the list. I mean, you can poke holes and point out flaws and deficiencies for all these teams right now, including the Orioles. But you’re in a position where, if you can keep this going, and it doesn’t mean it, you know, that seven in a row has to become 10 in a row or 12 in a row. But can you continue to win and win consistently, especially as you’re, you know, we’re now inside two weeks of the trade deadline, roughly. You go to
Nestor Aparicio 17:47
Boston and Ruchman and Pasayo are question marks. Blaze Alexander’s out. You know, I mean, you’re counting on the pitching, right? Like, sure, like the pitching is going to have to be this good. Yeah, because the bats aren’t going to be, you know. I’m not thinking Kyler O’Neill’s coming to life, but I’m thinking like Gunnar Henderson might.
Luke Jones 18:07
I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 18:08
right?
Luke Jones 18:09
I I will continue to say if this team is going to earn a wild card spot, they’re going to need a better version of Gunnar Henderson. Forget about the MVP. I mean, he’s not he’s not going to be in the MVP conversation. He hasn’t been anything close to that. He’s he’s been a way way more of a league average player. I’m going to get hit tonight and
Nestor Aparicio 18:26
not strike out. Hit tomorrow and not strike out. I mean, hey,
Luke Jones 18:29
he he had all the play. He went the other way on on Sunday to drive in a run. That was good to see. He stole home on the back end of a double steal with Pete Alonso of all people. You know, so he some good contributions there. Every time he gets a hit, every time he has a a good game, you’re hoping that’s the start. You’re hoping that’s the start. I mean, how many different times have we said that? I know I’ve asked him about it after a couple games over the last
Nestor Aparicio 18:55
well two years ago. He looked like the natural, right?
Luke Jones 18:57
So, but but but when you look at this offense in its totality. That’s still for me. That’s still the missing link there, where this offense is going to, you know, be good enough in concert with the pitching and every other element of the game. I’m still waiting for Gunnar Henderson a better version of him. I mean, it just and you know, let’s face it. Friday and Saturday, he looked horrible at the plate. I mean, it wasn’t just oh, he’s scuffling. He looked terrible. You know, he. I mean, I. I think Palmer even said it a couple different points. You know, and I know I listened to Saturday’s game. They even noted a couple times where I mean, he swung right through some hittable pitches. Yeah, a couple
Nestor Aparicio 19:35
days off didn’t do him any good. Yeah,
Luke Jones 19:37
yeah. Well, I guess what there was there was a story he stayed with Colton Cowser and they were working out on Wednesday or Thursday, something like that, and they ran out of gas. I mean, man, if that wasn’t a, you know, like a an ominous sign of of what kind of year he’s had, but but
Nestor Aparicio 19:54
Kowser seems like a good guy to hang out with for a couple days. He is. I think I’d have fun with Colton. Yeah,
Luke Jones 19:59
yeah. Well. But he’s also cooled off dramatically at the plate from where he was about a month ago. So I mean, look, there, there, there’s a reason they have earned. They’re not a
Nestor Aparicio 20:09
good team that has won seven in a row,
Luke Jones 20:11
right? They have earned even after a seven-game winning streak, saying they’re a sub 500 team. However, they’ve done enough work to this point and winning 10 of their last 13, seven in a row, two straight sweeps. You know, got now go to Boston, and boy, if you’re talking about the eyeball test, the litmus test, whatever you want to call it, I mean, this Red Sox team is absolutely on fire. You know, it’s not often when you say you’ve won seven in a row and then you’re going to go somewhere and play a team that has a winning streak nearly twice as long as as yours. So, hey, go win two of three, right? I mean, if if you want to if you want to be taken seriously as as the kind of team that is going to be in this and the kind of team where Mike Elias should be looking to add and not subtract, go win two of three. And and you know that’s not unreasonable. And and I would I would hope these guys wouldn’t be thinking that that’s an unreasonable ask, right? I’m I’m not asking for a sweep here. Win two out of three against a team that’s red hot, a team that’s hotter than you right now. And if you do that, you’ll be hotter than that team, and you’ll be coming home and and feeling good, albeit getting ready to play the Braves, right? I mean, there’s there’s no real break here. I mean, even you kind of look at the upcoming schedule. I mean, Boston, Atlanta, Detroit is is kind of sort of trying to to hang in it. I I don’t think it’s going to happen for them. And then you have the Phillies coming to town after that, and and then you’re at the trade deadline. So you know, I mean, this goes back to what I said before that KC series. If you wanted us to talk in any kind of terms other than, are you trading Taylor Ward? Are you trading Trevor Rogers? Are you trading Yenier Cano? Right? Then you need to go on a run here. Well, they’ve done that, but they’ve got to keep it going. Right? They had a nice run back in late May and early June, and then they fell back again. They can’t fall back again. Like this has to be like okay. You’re two under 500 Can you get to one under 500 by the end of this series? Can you come home and take two out of three there? If you are, you’re at 500 and now you’re at the week of the trade deadline. And so that’s that’s how it works. But they needed something like this, right? They had kind of gotten to the point where they had run out of time to just do the slow and steady wins the race like the tortoise, right? I mean, they they needed to rip off seven in a row or something of the along those lines, and they’ve done it. So now let’s see what they do from that point forward. So I’m all for it. It’s much more interesting than just saying, “Well, who are they trading at the deadline? Right. So they’ve at least put off that talk, at least for the time being. Like I said, it can be fleeting. They have to keep it going, and certainly they they need to get the best version of Shane Boz and Kyle Bradish in these first two games against the Red Sox, and you know try to come away with a series win against a team that’s playing out of their minds of late in the Boston Red Sox.
Nestor Aparicio 23:05
He had a good week last week. He was in Wildwood, New Jersey. The Orioles had a good week. They didn’t lose. Not as good a week as Spain has had here this week. Certainly a better week than like England or some others. He’s Luke Jones. He’s Baltimore. Luke, you follow our Oriole coverage out of line if you’re on our WNSD Tech service. You get breaking news first, especially when Luke runs it and isn’t on vacation, and Kyle Bradish isn’t signing five-year deals in the middle of a Saturday afternoon. Red Sox first up at Fenway. We were headed on that trip, not headed on that trip now, headed back. Orioles home this weekend against the Braves, and then I was in Philadelphia last week for the All-Star game. I’m going to get Michael Bookdall on this week. Some of my pals that were at the game, I ran into Ken Rosenthal. I ran into Tom Verducci. Buster Olney’s coming on the show next week, so I, you know, I ran up Timmy Kirchon. I saw him and his boy, so we have a good time in Philly. I’m going to do a whole segment on the All Star Game and my travels and travails and Todd Radom and all that. But the Phillies come here next week. I, I guess your brother-in-law will be coming down for that, and you you know all the bubble peas and all that stuff. But these next couple of series, you know, good teams, Tigers next week. You mentioned, you know, they were at the cellar or whatever. But next couple series, this is-it’s astonishing they could turn their series season around right like like not that we’ve given up on for them on dad or that Michaeliah should be fired and I’ve written that and you’ve been frustrated and I’ve been frustrated and they’ve been frustrated and the fans aren’t coming either way. I don’t I mean I don’t think everybody’s running down and buying tickets for the games this weekend. Maybe if they win three in a row against Boston and they have a 10 game winning streak here. Maybe it’ll be like fantastic fans night, and they’ll get 500 extra people out or whatever. But there is a point where, like, the time you’ve spent on them in April and May, you now sit back up after the All Star game after watching World Cup every day, which I did for a month, and I swore I wouldn’t. I didn’t watch the first two weeks, by the way. I know you.
Luke Jones 25:00
Didn’t yeah,
Nestor Aparicio 25:00
and and and I wound up every day. I mean, I was in a bar in Richmond on Wednesday watching Argentina and England. And you know, I love the game. I mean, you’ve known me long enough to know like I didn’t play it. I don’t run around, but I do like soccer. I it’s good for me because the premiership being on a 10 in the morning on Saturdays and all these people that get drunk at or Saturday morning, I started at breakfast and all that. I I’m not hooked on it in that way. You know what I mean? Like, but I could be. It’d be very easy for me to just give up. I don’t know hockey, which I’ve already done, and decide I’m going to learn the premiership in the history of Chelsea, and I’m going to be a man news supporter, because the games are available and the league matches are every bit as good as the World Cup if you’re into it, but I’m done with soccer. Don’t tell Kenny Cooper, who was on the show the other day. I’m back on baseball, but the notion that you could get back into the soap opera here, and that you haven’t watched them in a week or two, you, your family, and you come back and they’re relevant again, and you dive in. I don’t want to say that’s something I wasn’t prepared for a couple of weeks ago, but there is the little boy in me that’s sort of like they might really win. Hey, we got to watch them now. You know, it it does feel like that they’re in the race again, and that what’s going to take them out of it? It’s not going to because the Yankees won too many games. I mean, there or any of these teams are going to win too many games. It does feel like you know a decent week. Wake me after the Philly series, like august 2. You know that’s going to be trading deadline time. There, we’re now up on a they’re not going to sell, right? I mean, where they are, they’ve they’ve played their way into being buyers, and you know the Bradish signing. We’re we’re going to do a long dive on that, but in a general sense, they’ve moved back into some semblance of relevancy. If you have tickets next weekend, you feel like well, you know at least they’re not 12 games under 500 the way it was trending.
Luke Jones 26:58
Yeah, I mean short short of them losing their next seven in a row, which hey, it’s baseball. I mean, we talked about this with the Cubs a couple weeks ago. Look at your hope now. You’re right, exactly. I mean, I’ll take all I’ll take all blame for it when that when they get swept at Fenway or something like that. But but no, I mean it’s this is the reality of when you have three wild cards and you have an American league that’s just not very good in general. I mean, even you know, with no disrespect to the Rays and and kind of going through the division leaders. I mean, you’re still not you know. I mean, even the Rays. I mean, they’re they’ve got a 571 winning percentage. Let’s be
Nestor Aparicio 27:35
honest, dude. If the Orioles sneak into this thing as the last of the last of the last and have to win a game or two or three, and they got to beat Tampa to do it. I mean, the White Sox, the Rangers-they’re not. These are not. These aren’t teams in a different scope or a different league. They’re all in the same league, mediocre.
Luke Jones 27:52
Yeah, I mean that’s the thing. I mean, you you look at and and and that’s not me like singing the Orioles’ praises big time here. It’s just talking about everyone else. I mean, you look at Tampa right now. They’re the best team in in the American League. They’re on pace to win what 92 games, 570 ball. You know what I mean? Like that’s a really good season. But when that’s the best in the American League, when that’s the when you’re talking about having home field advantage on that side of the bracket in the MLB playoffs, I mean, that’s not that you’re not you. You shouldn’t be afraid of that, right? And obviously, I’m saying that, stating the obvious, as as the Rays are in the midst of a five game losing streak, right? I mean, there you go. Even the best team in the league is sputtering at this point, dude. 82 wins by
Nestor Aparicio 28:38
win to West.
Luke Jones 28:39
Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, Texas has played Texas and Houston both had a nice run where they got themselves more comfortably in the wild card race at one point, and obviously Texas is leading the division at this point as they’re you know what a half game up on Seattle, but but even those teams the last week or two have started to really tread water at best, and and in Houston’s case, fall back. So that’s just like it’s it’s really a war of attrition, and that’s where I think you bringing up the injuries is is so relevant beyond the guys they’ve already lost, right? And Helsley got pushed to the 60 day IL on Sunday. I’m my assumption is he’s not going to pitch the rest of the year, right? If he does, it’s going to be in September, and who knows what you’re going to get, right? You you would almost put him in the same category as Felix Batista at this point, where you know Batista has been throwing. They’ve said all along he’s got a chance to pitch at the very end of the season. I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m rooting for it to happen, especially for Batista, everything he’s been. But it’s not going to change the
Nestor Aparicio 29:43
way that I trade next week.
Luke Jones 29:45
Yeah, exactly. I mean, that’s and that’s a big thing. I mean, look, their rotation right now. Don’t get me wrong. If there’s a starting pitcher you can go out and get, by all means, go get them. Like especially if it’s someone who’s controllable for another year or two. By all means, I’d be all in on something like that, but I look at a third baseman, another outfield bat, but I really look at the bullpen, and I say that even acknowledging statistically this bullpen has done has exceeded my expectations, even with the injuries that they’ve had and scuffles that they’ve had with certain individuals, but man, if we’re talking about sizing up this wild card race, and if the Orioles are going to be in it and give themselves the best possible chance, they need, I would say, even two higher end bullpen arms, at least one. I mean, you need at least one that is someone that can close games, pitch the eighth inning, pitch the ninth inning, pitch the 10th inning of a tie game, whatever you know, whoever fits that description. I’d really feel a lot better about this bullpen if you could get two guys like that. Now, problem is just about every other team is saying similar. So what we’re going to do segment after segment about how aggressive they should be next week, right? Well, and and look, and how they
Nestor Aparicio 31:05
play this week will dictate how aggressive’s going to be part of it, right?
Luke Jones 31:08
I mean, look, I’m not I’m not suggesting that it could turn into a fire sale, but if you really scuffle then after a seven game winning streak and then you lose seven of your next 10, then you’re kind of looking at it and saying, “Oh, you know, how real is it? And and keep in mind, we’ve also talked about this. I mean, you and I’ve talked about the trade deadline a lot at over the last five weeks in terms of buying, selling, and at a few different points, I think both of us have noted just maybe you just kind of stand pat, right? Maybe you don’t do a whole lot, and maybe that’s the the way you go. Well, if they
Nestor Aparicio 31:45
were to sweep the Red Sox, they would be in the playoff race, right? Like they sweep the like depending on what the Mariners do, I guess. But they’re two games back. But they’re right there, right? So like the whole notion that they and they
Luke Jones 31:55
pass some, they have passed a couple teams, and that’s that to me is key. Like when you say two games out, but but you have five teams in front of you.
Nestor Aparicio 32:03
Well, the Blue Jays are behind them now,
Luke Jones 32:05
right? Right. You know, I didn’t even mention who I mean. The Blue Jays have really fallen off, right? So I mean, that’s the thing. But who knows, right? I mean, we’re ready to to anoint certain teams, and then they fall back, and then we’re ready to say, okay, well, this is the new flavor of the month. I mean, the Red Sox right now. I mean, people are talking about the Red Sox. Who knows? Maybe they might win the division the way they’re going right now. Yeah, we’re not in the prediction
Nestor Aparicio 32:29
business. We’re in the watch the games tonight business, and right now the Oregons have put themselves in a position where the game’s important, and I’ll be watching it. I hope it’s not on Apple TV.
Luke Jones 32:38
Yeah, exactly. So I mean, it’s. I will gladly take this over the alternative of where they were a year ago at this time, which was definitively a seller and no chance. And then it was just a matter of who exactly are you going to trade off. I mean, that’s there’s nothing, there’s no fun in that, right? I mean, it’s not fun. No, no one enjoys that. Guys on the radio don’t enjoy that, contrary to what some fans might think from time to time. But I do
Nestor Aparicio 33:06
know this much: the football team’s going to take the field next week, and you’re going to be there one way or another. I
Luke Jones 33:10
will be there, and and I’m believe me, I will embrace a very busy August if it means very meaningful baseball and juggling that with being out knowings Mills. That’s it’s good for business. That’s good for interest. That’s good for fan enthusiasm. I’m not in the media
Nestor Aparicio 33:26
anymore. Do all the players answer questions the way Adley Rutschman did to me last week? It was so human. It was so much fun. He looked at me like I was an alien. You can go watch the video if you wish. I was the weirdest three questions I’ve asked in my life. So, nonetheless, um, they’re back in, and and I tell you, I mean, I wish we had gone to Boston. Although I don’t have the energy to get it at bed at five in the morning. I was gonna say,
Luke Jones 33:55
I I would have been a zombie. I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 33:58
really? So you’re happy we canceled the Boston trip seriously. I’m
Luke Jones 34:02
I’m not happy from the context of it’s the two hottest teams in baseball playing over these next couple days, but dude, my my nieces are five and two and they’re asking Uncle Luke to play nonstop, right? And it was wonderful. I mean, my heart is full. It was a wonderful vacation. Don’t they go to bed at like
Nestor Aparicio 34:21
8o’clock
Luke Jones 34:22
No, not on vacation. I mean, you’re not
Nestor Aparicio 34:26
supposed to tell them they’re on vacation. They’re kids. Don’t go bad.
Luke Jones 34:30
They they do we were on vacation, but no, we had we Uncle
Nestor Aparicio 34:33
Nestor’s a softie too. We we had we had a
Luke Jones 34:36
ball and look there there wasn’t a whole lot of Uncle Luke. You better check the Orioles score. You know it was. I’m looking at the
Nestor Aparicio 34:42
Boston chance of precipitation at night on two terrible. We didn’t want to go on this trip on Tuesday. It was
Luke Jones 34:48
oh wow that changes things big time because that that was the night we’re going to be there. So
Nestor Aparicio 34:53
so
Luke Jones 34:53
okay, I feel better about that. But hey, I feel
Nestor Aparicio 34:55
better about your niece is running you wild, making you feel young again.
Luke Jones 34:58
Yeah, and you know what? Like I said. I followed it from afar, and it’s good to see the team not just win four in a row, but seven in a row now, and they’re back in it. And let’s see what happens, right? I’m not, I’m not crowning them, and I’m also not burying them. They’re two games under 500. Mathematically, they’re right there with all these other flawed, mediocre teams, and let’s see what happens. Can you play? Can you turn a seven-game winning streak into playing really good baseball for two weeks, and then three weeks, and then four weeks? And you do that, they’re going to have a heck of a chance to to to have a chance to pull this off, right? And and to be there. And if they can get there, then we already know. Like the wild card round, it’s best of three, right? I mean, you can you can lay it all out, but it only works if you keep winning. I mean, it’s just that like Captain Obvious, right? You know, I could work for the Elias Sports Bureau with that hot take, but you know, but they’ve they’ve done what they’ve needed to do to get back within striking distance of 500 and now business picks up. You’re playing a much better baseball team at the moment than the Houston Astros or the Kansas City Royals. So let’s see how they stack up with the Red Sox, who have looked incredible for the last two and a half weeks. The
Nestor Aparicio 36:15
Elias Sports Bureau. I haven’t heard that one in a while. I know Elias was part of that. Yeah. Why won’t have Maryland lottery scratch-offs to give away on Friday at Pizza Johns in Essex. Luke, I don’t know if you know this or not, but my mall is being shuttered over at East Point Mall. We’re doing a gathering over at the mall at 5o’clock on Friday after we get together. Anybody’s a mall rat. I’m the king of Colgate. John Allen’s the king of Eastwood. We got to find somebody from Berkshire to come over there and get some hoodlum action together. We’ll look for the York Steakhouse and the Hallmark store, and maybe I could go back to you know my kid didn’t even know that I worked at Soundwaves at East Point Mall the week he was born in 1984. Probably the week you were born in 1983 too. So I’m going to show him where Sound Waves was in the mall in the Harmony Hut where I got my first CD back in 1984. Might even walk past Hoschul Cones. That’s going to be on Friday. We’re going to be Acosta’s Friday night in Dundalk. We’re going to be Acosta’s in Timonium doing the Maryland Crab Cake Tour presented by the Maryland Lottery and GBMC and Farnham and Derma. They are the comfort guys. We will comfortably be in Timonium on the 30th. That is next Thursday, and I am comfortably going to be in New York City seeing Getty Lee, Alex Lyson, and Annika Neelis kill it with some rush music next week as well. So big stuff going on around here. Orioles home this weekend against the Braves. Then they go to Detroit, like home away, home away. Philadelphia next weekend. All sorts of things happen around here. Any breaking news happens first on the WNST Tech Service. It is all brought to you by Cole Roofing and Gordian energy, and yes, Ravens Camp opens the middle of next week. Luke will be there. I got great guests coming on the show. I have Philadelphia stories. The Orioles signed Kyle Bradish. We’re going to talk at length about that. He’s Luke. I’m Nestor. We’re back on the grid. So are the Orioles. We’re Baltimore positive. Stay with
