With Major League Baseball remaining shuttered ahead of what was supposed to be Opening Day on Thursday, I’ve offered a dozen Orioles thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. We all know there are much bigger problems in life right now, but it’s OK to miss baseball. I certainly do and have already thought about how great that first ballpark hot dog is going to be. As Buck Showalter often cited the adage, “This too shall pass.”
2. The timing of Trey Mancini being diagnosed with colon cancer coinciding with baseball’s shutdown made the news even more difficult to process. Thankfully, Orioles officials have been very upbeat about his health and prognosis since then. He’s a special individual.
3. Mike Elias has reiterated there being no shortcuts or fast-forward buttons for Baltimore’s lengthy rebuilding process. I guess we didn’t plan on there being a pause button of this degree. I feel for those minor league players who already face a very small window to really make it in baseball.
4. I wasn’t a believer in the spring renaissance of Chris Davis, but the interesting stat was only three strikeouts in 26 plate appearances, a stretch of contact that was rare in even his best seasons. I hope we get to see whether any of that was real sooner than later.
5. MLB’s #OpeningDayAtHome idea is a good one, but I enjoy older games in which I don’t recall many details. I’d prefer any decent Opening Day games from the past. As I write, I am watching a 1992 Mike Mussina start against Seattle on YouTube and haven’t a clue what happens.
6. With Noah Syndergaard becoming the latest star pitcher set for Tommy John surgery, I can’t help but wonder about the health of pitchers during and after this indefinite shutdown. Pitching arms can be so fragile even with regular routines and schedules.
7. The Orioles — and their fans — endured 108 losses last season to be slotted for the No. 2 pick in June’s amateur draft. It will be interesting to see how MLB adjusts if the draft is postponed or canceled altogether. Again, these are relative problems, but there are no good answers.
8. I haven’t had the chance to read Joe Posnanski’s entire “The Baseball 100” series yet, but this piece on Eddie Murray is just a sampling of his superb writing. “There was nothing artificial about him, nothing fake, nothing theatrical.” I never turn down a chance to read about Steady Eddie.
9. The Houston scandal fallout feels like an eternity ago, but credit to Richard Bleier for reminding us of the Astros’ shame in a lighthearted way.
O’s pitcher @richardbleier (IG):
“I’ve heard trash cans can be a great baseball tool so I figured I’d give it a try. Mine did pretty well but I think it knew what was coming.” pic.twitter.com/HabUx7i401
— 2020 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) March 24, 2020
10. One of the subplots stemming from Adam Jones signing with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan was his opportunity to potentially play in the Tokyo Olympics. I hope the former Orioles great has the chance in 2021, especially after his heroics in the World Baseball Classic a few years ago.
11. Younger Orioles fans know Earl Weaver was a Hall of Fame manager and undoubtedly have laughed at clips of his heated arguments with umpires, but this Moneyball-like look at him and his great clubs is really well done. Talk about someone ahead of his time.
12. I always remember the following Rogers Hornsby quote at the conclusion of the World Series, but it carries a different meaning right now. Here’s to a new spring arriving for baseball and in countless other ways before we know it.
