Still up in arms for more pitching before Orioles arrive in Sarasota?

As the Baltimore Orioles move back into the local news with the Birdland Caravan ahead, Luke Jones and Nestor wonder what moves general manager Mike Elias will have left before pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota to continue to augment the never-ending need for more arms and innings.

Luke Jones and Nestor Aparicio discussed the Orioles’ final preparations for spring training, highlighting the team’s pitching needs and recent offseason moves. The Orioles have spent nearly $200 million, with a projected opening day payroll of around $150 million. Key acquisitions include Pete Alonso, Shane Baz, Zach Eflin, and Ryan Helsley as the closer. Jones emphasized the need for another starting pitcher and a high-leverage bullpen arm. They also discussed the potential trade of Kobe Mayo for pitching depth and the importance of maintaining roster flexibility due to injury risks.

• [ ] Send Nestor a text notification when the Orioles add another pitcher (notify Nestor of any confirmed pitcher acquisition)
• [ ] Attend spring training/caravan media availability as schedule permits and report on media access with Craig Albernaz and Pete Alonso (confirm attendance and coverage plans)

Orioles’ Offseason Moves and Pitching Needs

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the upcoming baseball season, noting that the Orioles are in the final weeks before spring training.
• Luke Jones mentions the Ravens’ upcoming coaching hire and the early start of the Orioles’ offseason activities.
• Luke Jones highlights the Orioles’ significant spending, mentioning the $200 million spent and the projected opening day payroll of around $150 million.
• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the Orioles’ pitching needs, including the potential addition of big-name pitchers like Valdes and Ranger Suarez.

Impact of Signing Pete Alonso

• Luke Jones and Nestor Aparicio discuss the impact of signing Pete Alonso, noting his potential to improve the Orioles’ lineup.
• Luke Jones mentions the need for another starting pitcher and a high-leverage bullpen arm to complete the team’s roster.
• Nestor Aparicio expresses optimism about the Orioles’ potential to improve their roster before the start of the season.
• Luke Jones emphasizes the importance of adding a top-tier starting pitcher to solidify the team’s rotation.

Trade Possibilities and Kobe Mayo’s Future

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the possibility of trading Kobe Mayo to acquire a starting pitcher.
• Luke Jones explains the potential fit of Kobe Mayo as a first baseman and the challenges of finding a position for him on the roster.
• Nestor Aparicio mentions the depth of the Orioles’ farm system and the potential trade chips available.
• Luke Jones highlights the importance of having depth and the potential for trades to improve the team’s pitching.

Bullpen and High-Leverage Arms

• Luke Jones discusses the need for another high-leverage arm in the bullpen, beyond Ryan Helsley and Tyler Wells.
• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones debate the value of left-handed relievers in today’s game.
• Luke Jones mentions potential bullpen candidates like Cade Stroud and the importance of having multiple options for high-leverage situations.
• Nestor Aparicio emphasizes the need for a reliable bullpen to support the starting pitchers and close out games.

Orioles’ Financial Investment and Future Plans

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the Orioles’ financial investment and the new ownership’s willingness to spend on talent.
• Luke Jones highlights the importance of adding another starting pitcher to complete the team’s rotation.
• Nestor Aparicio mentions the potential for trades to acquire top-tier pitchers and the importance of having depth in the farm system.
• Luke Jones emphasizes the need for the Orioles to make significant moves to compete in the AL East.

Impact of Injuries and Depth

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the impact of injuries on the Orioles’ roster and the importance of having depth.
• Luke Jones mentions the potential for trades to acquire players who can fill in for injured players.
• Nestor Aparicio highlights the importance of having a deep farm system to support the major league roster.
• Luke Jones emphasizes the need for the Orioles to be proactive in addressing potential injuries and depth issues.

Spring Training and Media Availability

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the upcoming media availability and caravans with Craig Albernaz and Pete Alonso.
• Luke Jones expresses optimism about the Orioles’ potential to improve their roster before the start of the season.
• Nestor Aparicio mentions the importance of having a strong bullpen and starting rotation to compete in the AL East.
• Luke Jones highlights the need for the Orioles to make significant moves to be competitive in 2026.

Final Thoughts on the Orioles’ Season

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the potential for the Orioles to have a successful season in 2026.
• Luke Jones emphasizes the importance of adding another starting pitcher and a high-leverage bullpen arm.
• Nestor Aparicio highlights the need for the Orioles to be proactive in addressing their pitching needs.
• Luke Jones expresses optimism about the Orioles’ potential to compete in the AL East and improve their roster before the start of the season.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Orioles pitching, spring training, World Baseball Classic, offseason moves, payroll, starting rotation, bullpen, Pete Alonso, Kobe Mayo, trade possibilities, high leverage arm, injury concerns, depth, financial investment, winning mindset.

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SPEAKERS

Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W NST AM, 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore. Positive. I know it’s football, it’s all football. It’s all coaching. It’s purple blooms of smoke coming in Owings Mills. But there’s gonna be a baseball season. And we are Are we a month out, Luke? Are we at the 30 day count? Are we down into the 12. We didn’t Ken Singleton, right now, are we, you know, heading in that direction here to Dave Johnson, 2726 Johnny Oates, 25 you know, Rafael Palmer, I’ll go through it all, but it’s, it’s close, right? I mean, I do you want to talk baseball? You still want to talk more about football hiring?

Luke Jones  00:37

I mean, let’s face it, they’re going to the ravens are going to hire a coach at some point here in the next week or two, and then it’s going to be baseball season, and then it’s going to be like, you’ll have the press conference, yeah, OTAs will be able to start a week or two earlier and all that. But it’s still going to be all right, there’s a whole lot of hurry up and wait to see what this looks like and all of that. Meanwhile, yeah, we’re inside a month. And when you consider some of the guys like gunner Henderson who are going to be in the World Baseball Classic, there’s they’re already starting to ramp up. So yeah, I mean, I think everyone’s still waiting to see what other moves the Orioles will hopefully make on the pitching side. But we also know that the polar bear is going to be at first base, right? And they’ve, they’ve added Shane Boz. They’ve added, you know, they brought back Zach Eflin, Ryan Helsley is going to be their closer. I mean, they’re, you know, their offseason activity was much earlier than it typically is, and much earlier than a lot of teams, right? I mean, we

Nestor Aparicio  01:36

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just how much money have they spent? And they spent almost 200 million.

Luke Jones  01:41

Man, you put me on the spot, real money, real money. They put in, you know, as far as money that’s going to be spent over the next five years, yeah. I mean, they put in some, they put in some money, legit, very legit money, you’re

Nestor Aparicio  01:51

$200 million is the last four of their payrolls

Luke Jones  01:56

prior to last prior to last year, yeah. I mean, boy, yeah. When you start to say about it, yeah, when you think about what ain’t my money, as I keep saying, but yeah, of course. But it’s definitely different. There’s no doubt. I mean, right now, I think their projected opening day payroll somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 something like that. So, you know, there’s, you know, based on what they spent last year, based on what David Rubenstein has said, what Eric Getty has said. I mean, there should still be some meat on the bone for the right guy, right? And that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a $300 million contract, but there should be something there. And until, remember, Valdes and Ranger Suarez come off the board, we’re going to continue to look at those two and until the Orioles make a trade for another pitcher, which I think that’s still a possibility as well, we’re going to continue to look at that market as well. So you’re hoping, you know, even with some of the improvements that they’ve made, even with the excitement that some of these moves have prompted, you still look at them, and I’d still have a tough time saying that they’re any better than maybe the third best team in the Al East right now. So if they can add land a big fish, or the number two or number spot, number one, number two spot in their starting rotation, and then everyone else can slot down a spot, then I like their chances even more, right? So they’re a better team than they were at the end of last year. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still some work to be done. And the good thing about that is there are still players out there. There are still moves to be made. I mean, we just saw it for all the the euphoria at Soldier Field on Saturday night when the bears were coming back against the Packers and racing a what 18 point halftime deficit. They signed Alex the cup, signed Alex Bregman. That news broke in the fourth quarter of that game Saturday night. So, I mean, that was big news. And then what’s that? What does that mean for the Red Sox in the Al east? So there’s still, still a lot of moving parts left to this offseason. I mean, as crazy as it is, as you pointed out. I mean, we’re under a month, you know, as far as spring training really getting going and guys reporting, and some guys reporting early and all that, but there’s, there’s still a lot of business to sort out, and you’re hoping what that means for the Orioles is still some opportunity to improve your team and to like, like we said, they they added a couple starting pitcher. Sure. I like the Bos trade. I like Zach Eflin, if that’s the third starting pitching edition or resigning, right? I mean, it’s hard to call it an addition when he was on the team last year. But, you know, I don’t like those moves as much if those are the if you’re telling me those are the moves for their rotation, and nothing else, you know, I’m still looking whether it’s signing one of the big two that are left, or if it’s going out and putting together a package of Kobe mayo and a couple other prospects, and you go land some other teams number one or number two starter. I still want to see that. I still want to see that. And I’d still like to see another bullpen arm. You know. It doesn’t have to be, you know, they’ve got their closer, but another arm that you would say, this is a guy that could pitch in the seventh and eighth inning. For you, he can close on a night where Helsley is going to be available because he’s pitched two of the previous three nights. So, you know, they still have a couple major items on their list to check off. For me to to start really feeling like they they’ve got a great chance to win this division in 2026

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Nestor Aparicio  05:24

are you of the mindset that the mayo curse, that trade thing, prospect pipeline, that rushman say? I mean, are you of the mindset that there can’t be a trade, a blockbuster, send four guys somewhere and get a picture in an outfield I don’t know. I mean, I I just feel like that. That’s been the thing I’ve been waiting for on the wnsd tech service, brought to you by Cole roofing and Gordian energy, from you is sort of the spending of the money on the polar bear cool. You know, Alan McCallum made cases for the to sign the Blue Jays legacy kid, right? So, yeah, I mean, and he’s gonna get money too. He had signed yet, right? He’s money.

Luke Jones  06:11

He’s still out in the market, right? So these are talking to him, maybe the Red Sox now, tectonic plates and Kyle Schwarber.

Nestor Aparicio  06:17

And there was money out there in different ways. But this was always thought to be by you and me before Mr. Money Bags and Mr. Bobblehead guy started spending it, that this would be trade oriented to get somebody Zach Eiffel and in his prime, in some way, they may have a year or two dangling on 15 or $20 million worth of pitcher, somebody in their early third I don’t know. I don’t even who that is. I don’t know what the identification of that would be, but the thought was that the trade chips would be a way to get pitching, and that that hasn’t been a part of the offseason yet. Yeah.

Luke Jones  06:56

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I mean, obviously they made the trade for Boz, but that wasn’t, you know that that was a little more guys that were much, they weren’t as advanced. You know, a couple of their guys were first round picks in this last draft, right? So, but yeah, I mean, I I still think that’s a distinct possibility, if not likely, because I just look at it and say, Where’s Kobe Mayo fit? I mean, okay, you could make the argument and say, okay, Kobe mayo, if you end up not, you know, if you end up letting go of Mount castle or you throw him away in the trade. And maybe, maybe you trade his bad contract for some other team’s bad contract that might fit a more specific skill, you know, a more specific opening that you have, you know, something that you need a little more depth. I could hear that. But, you know, I look at Kobe Mayo now, and I just say, like, Where does he fit on this roster? That you’re going to maximize what he can be and look unlike you mentioned Heston kersta in passing, who? I mean, I assume they’re going to bring him to spring training. We’re going to spring training. We’re going to see what he looks like. I mean, we haven’t seen him since, what, July last year. I mean, June last year. He, he has no trade value at this point in time. I mean, I just don’t, I don’t think anyone’s taken Heston cursed at he if he’s going to rehabilitate himself, it’s going to be that he’s rehabilitating himself with the Orioles, or he just, they just let him go. I mean, which not saying they should, but that’s that, to me, is more likely than any team looking at Heston kerstad as something, that you’re going to give up something of value. They also picked up

Nestor Aparicio  08:33

14 guys at the trading deadline that would be pieces that they had more depth. And I know Elias just talked about that. We there’s trades we made last year. They brought real people in here. They’re going to be real players in Norfolk, real players in our system, real players in Delmarva, all of that.

Luke Jones  08:50

That would be the trade pool

Nestor Aparicio  08:53

he has to work from, right, not necessarily, guys we’ve heard of.

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Luke Jones  08:56

No question but, but Kobe mayo, to me, is still very much a chip. I mean, he’s still, now, I’m not saying Kobe Mayo alone is acquiring a start, number one starter somewhere, or even a number two starter somewhere, but I think he’s still a very big part of whatever a deal would look like to do that, because I still think Kobe Mayo is someone who can be a really good 3035 home run first baseman. So that said, I mean, you kind of look at it right now. I mean, got beside her that’s kind of marked for the DH spot primarily. And sure, he’ll catch a couple times a week and spell Adley rutgerman on occasion. But, you know, I certainly he’s not going to be playing a whole lot of first base. I mean, Pete Alonso plays every day. We’ve talked about that part of the appeal of him, and part of the reason why you give him a five year deal and give him $31 million a year is that he’s going to play every day, and he’s going to be your first baseman. And, you know, ask Buck Showalter, when he was the manager of the Mets. That how it goes when you try to get. Pete Alonso a day off, or try to get him to DH, it usually doesn’t go that well meaning, like he just wants to play like that. That’s, you know, not that he’s a bad guy anything like that. He’s just a gamer. That’s why, that’s why they like him. That’s why they wanted to bring him in. But where does that lead mayo? I mean, the idea of mayo just sitting on your bench. I mean, how many opportunities are you even going to get from a pinch hitting capacity? So to me that from the moment that they signed Pete Alonso, I looked at that and said, well, Kobe Mayo is going to be dealt So, but it hasn’t happened yet, and that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen imminently. You know, you might take them to spring training and maybe you make a trade then, I don’t know, or maybe someone gets hurt somewhere, right? I mean, there’s always that to your point, the value of depth. And boy, the year the Orioles just had with injuries. You know, you certainly want to have depth. But Mayo is a different case in the sense that, like, where’s he going to play first? Okay? He we’ve seen him play a little bit of third base. You know, when he first got called up, that didn’t go well, he’s not, I just don’t think he’s a third baseman. So who knows? Maybe they have plans. Maybe he’s been working out in the outfield all winter. I don’t know. Maybe he’s a good athlete. I’m not saying he couldn’t learn how to play right field, but it’s still they’re

Nestor Aparicio  11:20

not going to have it bats for him. There’s no place.

Luke Jones  11:24

I don’t know how that fits. And to me that seems like a wasted asset, then for him to just sit on the bench. I mean, it just does what you’re going to send them back to Norfolk again. I mean, that that’s where I keep looking there and saying, Okay, if it’s not Valdez, you know, if it’s not for Amber Valdez, if it’s not Ranger, Suarez, if it’s not gallon, you know who, you know, he’s still out there on the market, even though you know, you wouldn’t view him as a ace, per se, but he would still be, still profiled very favorably. I mean, you’re talking about a guy who’s been an all star pitcher and is 30, I think you know, he’s certainly not washed up, even though he didn’t have a great 2025, so if it’s not one of those guys, that’s where you do look at it and say, Okay, who could be available

Nestor Aparicio  12:06

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out there still are 10 weeks from opening day right now. I mean, I mean, I don’t want to be too giddy, it’s the end of my you know, like there’s a lot of time and injuries and aches and pains and things are going to go wrong in Sarasota. Things that you think are strength right now won’t be if you know Jordan westburg gets injured again, or Jackson holiday as a hammy, or whatever you’re going to be reaching, the lineups not going to look perfect any more than whatever the Ravens roster looks like to the new head coach is going to look perfect. It’s not, you know, it’s far from that. But I’m with you. I I think there’ll be more acquisitions. I again, I’m waiting for you to send me that text on whatever the other picture they’re going to add here. And to me, if, even if, it’s bullpen stuff, I don’t know bullpen is important. I mean, I’m starting, but the bullpen thing’s important.

Luke Jones  12:53

Oh, that’s why I said I to me, I look at their bull, the makeup of their bullpen right now, and okay, like the Helsley deal, you know, I’ll buy into the idea that he was tipping his pitches, and that’s why he had a brutal month with the Mets. And you know, that hurt his value, and it made him a, you know, made him signable For a two year deal. You know, with an opt out there. I like that. They brought back kittridge, you know, like that. The idea that they rented them to the Cubs, they got it, you know, I’ll hear that, but okay, I’ll even hear Tyler wells being in that picture for the seventh and the eighth inning. That still feels light to me from a high leverage standpoint, because beyond those guys and and wells, there’s question, right? Can he stay with Cano? Right, you’re done with I mean, not gonna, not done in the sense that, like I, I’m automatically gonna get rid of them, but I’m certainly not writing his name and pen in that bullpen by any stretch. Like he’s got to earn it. Like I, I need to, I need to see him. Yeah, what you did, 2022 doesn’t matter anymore, right? I mean, that was a lot. 2023 is a long time ago at this I mean, ask Brandon Hyde. I mean, it’s crazy. You know, we’ve talked so much about head coach. Think about it. Brandon Hyde had the best record of the the Orioles had the best record in the American League, and the Ravens had the best record in the NFL in 2023 and yet, Brandon Hyde and John Harbaugh are both gone.

Nestor Aparicio  14:16

I remember that cocky conversation I had over Koco’s for SIG and with Dave shining of The Washington Post. And, you know, receives got his hat, his Oriole hat, on his bills whatever, and his Raven whatever. And we’re like, which one’s going to bring the parade here first? And he said, Neither. It’s too hard to do. And here we are.

Luke Jones  14:33

Yeah, here we go. But, but again, you kind of look it’s not to say I don’t like other names in that bullpen, like Cade Stroud. I thought he pitched well the last two months last year, for me, he’s very much a name of interest in terms of competing for a bullpen spot. I’m certainly not that said. I’m not putting Cade Stroud in the eighth inning, you know, as I’m trying to, you know, kind of piece together, what I think my bullpen is going to look like on any given night, like he’s got to earn. In that in the same way, like Tyler wells. To me, tell me, Tyler wells could become their eighth inning guy, great. I want him to earn that. I don’t want that to just be handed to him. So that’s where I say, Yeah, to me, I’m really looking at them needing another high leverage arm to add to that mix. You know, maybe a lefty. I mean, you kind of look at the lefties right now in their pen your Keegan akin and Dietrich ends. You know who pitched well, when the Orioles acquired him at the trade deadline, but another guy, like,

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Nestor Aparicio  15:24

is that something that isn’t as valuable because of the multiple at bat? It’s, I mean, it’s, it’s not as bad as what used to be. I was No,

Luke Jones  15:32

well, it’s, it’s a different role now. I mean, like, think, and God rest his soul. Like, you think of what Brian Mattis was for Buck show Walter in the 2014 bull pen. How many times he literally came in to get one guy out. I mean, you don’t have that anymore. You’ve got the three batter minimum.

Nestor Aparicio  15:50

And, you know, and it’s always some basher or some guy who’s going to hit, you know, 48 doubles that the left handed bat you want to you got to get Freddie Freeman at you got, you know, it’s good. You’re going to be in that situation. It’s not that role anymore, though, because you’re facing Mookie Betts in the next two guys after that, right?

Luke Jones  16:06

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I mean, there’s you’re and you always wanted guys that can defend themselves against either side of the plate. I mean, even if it was a lefty one out kind of guy, you know, a loogie as a lot of

Nestor Aparicio  16:17

times, these left handed guys would never face right handed guys are only bums, or only late inning or only in washout or whatever, and the right handed guys would still hit 319, off.

Luke Jones  16:26

Yeah, there’s always that, but, but at the same time, is it still valuable to have one or two lefties in the pen, if you have I mean, look at the Orioles in recent years, how lefty heavy their lineups have been the last couple years, where you’d say, All right, yeah, Pete Alonso is going to be in the middle of that. Or Mook, you know, you mentioned Mookie bats or, like, someone, but if it is a pocket in the lineup where three out of the four next three of the next four hitters are lefties, then, yeah, that’s a natural spot to bring in the lefty. So I still think that’s, I don’t know if, like, I wouldn’t say that specifically is a need as much as they just need another high leverage arm to add to that mix, because Ryan Helsley can’t close every single game every single night. If you’ve got a stretch of five one run games over a week, then you can’t necessarily count on your closer to be able to close out all five of those, especially if you want that guy fresh by August and September. So to me, they need that. They still need another starter, like I said, whether it’s a one, whether it’s a two, I might even be able to say, Okay, if you tell me a legit number three, at the very least, but someone to where you’re not just looking at Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish, and then after that, it’s, you know, a step down, right? I mean, Shane Boz has upside as I said to me, he’s, he’s kind of the Grayson Rodriguez replacement, except he’s been healthy the last year and a half after going through his period of injuries a few years ago. So, you know, I mean efflin, as Zach efflin’s back is healthy, and I know when he was on the Zoom, he told the local media that he feels optimistic he’s going to be ready for the start of the season. I love Zach Eflin as the number five starter. Like, I mean, my goodness, I mean that that’s, you know, because he’s someone who is capable of pitching better than that. If you tell me that he’s healthy and the back issues that he had last year are behind him. He pitched very well for the Orioles when they got him two years ago, as much as that trade deadline overall was not very good for them. Effluent was good. I mean, started a playoff game for them.

Nestor Aparicio  18:31

Jack Larry available, that’s all I need to know.

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Luke Jones  18:34

I don’t think you’re going to be seeing a match there at any time soon, but that guy

Nestor Aparicio  18:39

was good everywhere.

Luke Jones  18:41

But here, that’s funny, yeah, but I, you know, I, I’ve even thought, you know, with with efland, you know, was that someone that they resigned with the thought that maybe you are going to make a trade for a splash, you know, more of a splash for a number two, number two starters, number one, number two starter somewhere else, and maybe that team’s going to want back Dean Kramer, right? Like someone who has, he’s a league average starter with a year, an extra year of club control, you know, because some when teams give up a big time pitcher, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not want some pitcher back in return. So maybe that was the the idea there, I don’t know. Point is, I look at their rotation right now, I still see very much a need for a top half of the rotation guy to insert there, you know, someone that you know where you can whether you’re going to slot Rodgers and Bradish down one spot, whether you’re going to have Bradish be your ace and the newcomer is the number two and and Rogers is the number three, or if it’s ramber Valdes or arranger, Suarez, they’re going to be your Opening Day starter, right? I mean, where it’s pretty clear cut, so you know, they have time to your point. Yeah, I agree. It’s not something that you need. I mean, these names are still out there. I mean, just point blank, they’re out there.

Nestor Aparicio  19:52

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And we’ve never, ever, ever had a conversation about such things here, that the Orioles would be in the market for the two remaining people. Pitchers who are $200 million pitchers, that the Orioles would be serious about doing that. That was not the ownership of Peter Angelo So, and I, you know, I noticed that these, the new people, want to make that kind of splash, and it’s important, this is the time to make that splash. If you’re an owner, you know, and the money doesn’t matter to you, and you’re, you know, you’re, you think you’re loading up this year to win. Sure, sure, we’ve tried to win much around here. Like, I mean, the real God’s honest truth is there have not been a whole lot of January’s where we’re looking for a head coach on the football team who’s always trying to win. I’ll give bashati That for his press conference this week. You’re always trying to win. I don’t know that the Orioles. I don’t know. I absolutely know the Orioles mantra and their makeup was not that winning was not that important, if at all. Now, of a sudden, to these guys, winning is the only thing. Because the only way they’re going to get people back to the stadium and make their investment work, the only way their investment is going to work for real, for what they really want, which is their ego. You know that it’s about their ego, both of these guys, Eric Getty and Rubenstein, the only thing that’s going to make it work for them is winning, not an empty stadium with a shitty team that’s not going to get it done. So I but they don’t have a bad team right now. For having been a last place team last year, a lot went wrong to make them a last place team. They did not have last place talent, which is what got their manager fired right like, literally, they did not have last place talent, which is what has allowed Mike Elias to get a promotion and a raise out of this from the new people. So we still look at their talent, we still look at the organization and say they should be more competitive than they are, but that’s really about Adley rushman and gunner Andrew, that’s about their top five players, and the top two, two or three pitchers. That’s really if they perform, the team will be okay. But if westburg Henderson rushman holiday don’t, if they play like they did last year, they don’t step up, and they’re just what they are.

Luke Jones  21:57

Oh yeah, I mean, and that’s even with signing Pete Alonso. That would even be true if they go out and get a number one starter tomorrow, right? I mean, that this is always going to be about, I mean, the whole plan, right? The whole idea of a long term rebuild, and all of that is always about those core players that you draft and develop. Enough of those got at least one or two of them become stars, two, two other guys become at least fringe, all star kind of guys, and two other guys become at least league average, solid starting players

Nestor Aparicio  22:33

only one year. That doesn’t mean over the base of their career. That means one year it’s like Lamar can go to the Hall of Fame. He needs to play like he’s going to Hall of Fame next year, and everybody around him does in order for them to still be playing this time next year. That’s the way it works. So I would agree, they have the ability this year to put it all together, as they say. They have the makeup to put it all together. All my baseball

Luke Jones  22:55

you’re seeing now, finally, the financial wherewithal, or willingness, I don’t want to say, wherewithal, to compete. There’s times they could have spent in the past. It’s now augmenting that and bringing it all together, identifying what your gaps were, and then, hey, they had a gap. We knew they needed a middle of the order bat. They went out and got Pete Alonso, who’s been as as great of a middle order of the middle of the order bat in the last six years, as anyone I would say, Shohei Otani. But Otani hits leadoff for the Dodgers, right? I mean, point is, he’s been in that tier in terms of hitting home runs. And your hope is, when you do that, it’s going to make the five or six other guys in your lineup that you’re really counting on and depending on heavily, not that everyone’s going to do it, but you’re hoping that makes everyone else better. And like someone like Samuel besayo, who has all kinds of upside. If you talk to anyone around baseball, they love his bat. They think the bat’s going to be great, but now you’re in a position that because you have Pete Alonso, you’re not miscasting Samuel besayo As your middle of order, middle of the order bat, until he proves that he’s worthy of being that. And there’s not as much pressure on him to be that as he’s in his full, first full season in the major so like the pressure that’s been on Henderson and rushman last year, exactly, exactly. And we saw gunner Henderson handle the pressure great a couple years ago and last year. And by the way, sit with some of the recent interviews and everything he’s dealing with the shoulder issue this past year. I How many times did you and I talk back in June and July and August and September and say he’s not right? It’s not like he had a horrible year, but the power wasn’t there the way that you expect it to be for him. So you expect him to be better than he was last year. So, but, you know, it’s all that having to come together. I mean, look at how well it came together in 23 right? I mean, they had a good second half of 22 no one thought they’re going to win 101 games. I I certainly wasn’t that optimistic about them. Well, they were freaky,

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Nestor Aparicio  24:45

too, in the splits and how they won games and all that. I mean, that’s part of being a meteor team that over achieves. It’s different when you’re the Yankees and you’re loaded up and you’re beating everybody up and winning 108 games and their best year,

Luke Jones  24:58

you know, yeah. But we also know. That they’re that luck element, that fortune element, that one run game element, that health piece, those are all. You can’t predict those things. How many times? I mean the Yankees in recent years, right?

Nestor Aparicio  25:12

I mean, what kind of pitching they get, right? That’s really the story, right? If they’re not getting pitching, that’s baseball, right?

Luke Jones  25:18

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Sure, sure. So, you know, I’m, I’m optimistic about where they are, but there’s still work that needs to be done here. And if they do that, and again, it doesn’t have to be one of the top two starting pitchers, but I still need to see them add another impact starter in some way. If they do that, then, man, I I really start to like, what? Where this, where this is going. Same in the bullpen. You know, it does. Doesn’t have to be like you don’t have to trade for some teams closer. But get me another guy that right now you tell me he’s going to be a guy that pitches a lot in the eighth inning of one run games, and if it’s a day where Ryan Helsley needs a blow because he’s pitched three the previous four nights, this guy can be my closer for a night. You know, I don’t love kittridge Being the first guy in that pecking order. To me, it’s like, Can you can you slate someone that’s just below Helsley but above Kittredge in the pecking order? If you do that, whether he’s lefty or righty, then I start to like the makeup of the bullpen much more as well. So an understanding, you know, like Tyler wells, to me now, you kind of view him as a bullpen guy after the ethlin signing. So, and I like that. I think wells can be a really, I think Wells is a, you know, okay, starter, if he’s healthy, I think he could be a really good bullpen arm. You know, the little bit of opportunity in recent years that he’s had to do, that he’s done well with that role. So, so it’s still related, you know, they need more pitching, you know, whether it’s starter or bullpen. You know, to me that that just makes it look much more complete, because at the end of the day, just like every other team in baseball, you can’t have too much pitching because, you know, inevitably, you’re going to have some health concerns with your pitching as well. So you know, there’s still work to be done for me. But as you pointed out, there is still time to do that. You just don’t want to. You don’t want to be in the third week of spring training and then trying to acquire a pitcher there, and then it’s like, okay, is he going to be ready for opening day? Like, what’s his routine? Is he going to be used to us all that to me, these next 333, and a half weeks or so are pretty critical. As far as whoever you’re going to bring in, you’d like to have them in there for the start of spring training so he can really get acclimated with his new club.

Nestor Aparicio  27:26

You caravanning? You going any caravans here? You’re gonna go talk to Craig Albernaz And Pete Alonso. You, you know, you drink beer, you’re gonna What are you gonna do?

Luke Jones  27:35

I don’t know if I’m gonna be drinking beer, but I know they’ll have some media availability at some of these and, you know, depending on its proximity to southern York County, Pennsylvania, and the timing of it, and assuming the Ravens have hired a head coach by then and held a press conference and all that, yeah, looking forward to seeing this. I mean, I’ve said it to you. I’m impressed with Craig Albernaz, my very limited interactions, albeit, but I like what I’ve seen, and I was very impressed with Pete Alonso, you know, that’s, I think he’s a guy that can make major difference for them in different ways, beyond just the number of home runs he’s going to hit. So, yeah, I mean, I’m, I’m looking forward to this. I’m looking forward to spring training and man, on the heels of what was just a really, really rough year in 2025 for on the Baltimore sports, local sports scene, 2026 I mean, it has to be better, right? I hope so. I certainly hope so. And I think the Orioles can certainly be part of that equation as well.

Nestor Aparicio  28:34

All right, Luke is getting ready for baseball. We’re getting ready for the purple plumes of smoke to appear in Owings Mills over the dungeon. First time I’ve used that one. Appreciate you. Carl, I am Nestor. We are W NST am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore positive. Stay with us. More baseball and football ahead. I think I.