Baltimore Orioles

New York Yankees: In baseball you see something new all the time, I’ve never seen this (video)

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

The New York Yankees will play 162 games this year after a truncated season last year. But as many games, as they play, one thing is near a surety. Baseball is one of those sports that games last longer than many fans would like, but in many of those games, you see something you have never seen before.

It could be a Derek Jeter flip, a triple play, a bench-clearing fight, two grand slams in the same inning, an inside-the-park home run, and the list goes on and on. One thing that always sparks the interest of game-goers is team managers acting badly or even worse umpires acting even worse.

I’ve been a Yankee fan for 70 years, and over those years there isn’t much I haven’t seen, but last night I saw something for the very first time, an umpire throwing out the entire Baltimore Orioles ground crew. It was the ninth inning with the Yankees’ Brett Gardner at the plate. It started to rain and the Oriole’s ground crew positioned themselves behind the tarp roll in right field territory. For some unexplained reason umpire, Tim Timmons threw the entire Camden Yards ground crew out of the game, ushering them off the field with several gestures.

Brett Gardner hit his game-winning two-run blooper to no man’s land for the Yankees win. As soon as closer Aroldis Chapman finished off the Orioles in the bottom of the ninth, the grounds crew came back out onto the field and unrolled the tarp.

Mets Game Preview: (6/9/21) @ Baltimore Orioles (22-38)

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After an ugly blowout loss on Tuesday, the New York Mets look to rebound against the Baltimore Orioles in the final game of their short two-game series. Rain could creep into Baltimore later in the game, but it could hold off until its conclusion. The first pitch is once again scheduled for another 7:05 p.m. ET start from Oriole Park.

Pete Alonso has been scorching hot since he returned from the injured list. He is 10-for-30 (.333) with three homers, including two last night. Mason Williams returns to center field and has struggled after earning a call-up from Syracuse. After hitting .373 in Triple-A, he is 3-for-16 over eight games in the big leagues.

The Orioles had everything working with their offense in their ten runs, 16 hit output. Maikel Franco continued his notorious Mets killing with a double, home run, and three runs batted in. Over his career, Franco has 20 home runs against the Mets, which are his most against any team. Cedric Mullins has been an all of baseball killer this year and is the hottest hitter in the sport. He is in the middle of an eight-game hitting streak where he is 17-for-32 (.531), and nine of the hits have gone for extra bases.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker had a rare lackluster start his last time out against the San Diego Padres. Walker pitched five innings allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned), and walked four batters. His line could have been cleaner if Williams secured the Fernando Tatis Jr. home run that popped out of his glove early in the start. Walker is still sixth in all of baseball with his 2.17 ERA.

Matt Harvey gets to face his old team again and is looking to rebound from an ugly May. Over six starts, Harvey had a 9.64 ERA, allowed more runs than strikeouts, and only had one start where he pitched past the fifth inning. He started June better by holding the Minnesota Twins to one run in three innings pitched.

Matchup To Lookout For

Taijuan Walker vs. Ryan Mountcastle: 0-for-7 (.000)

Orioles Destroy Mets Pitching in 10-3 Blowout Loss

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The New York Mets‘ top three in their starting rotation are as good as it gets, but there are glaring holes with the pitchers that follow them. David Peterson fell victim to an onslaught from the Baltimore Orioles, led by Mets killer Maikel Franco in the 10-3 loss.

Peterson avoided his usual first-inning trouble but failed to find success in the rest of his dreadful start. He lasted just 2.2 innings allowing eight hits and four runs, and his ERA ballooned to 6.32. Peterson did not have issues putting the ball in the strike zone, allowing the O’s to make hard contact consistently. Robert Gsellman tried to keep the Mets in the game but was just as unsuccessful in long relief. Gsellman allowed four runs in 2.1 innings pitched and allowed Baltimore to put the game away.

The Orioles offense put up 16 hits, nine of them going for extra bases, and all but two starters had a multiple-hit game. Freddy Galvis led them with three hits, but Maikel Franco and Pat Valaika combined for three doubles, a home run, and six runs batted in. Bruce Zimmerman allowed the O’s to put the game away thanks to his third consecutive strong outing. He threw five innings, allowing just two runs and tying his career-high with seven strikeouts.

Alonso Does It All

Pete Alonso carried the Mets offense with a two-home run game which provided all three Mets runs. Alonso struck O’s pitching in the first and ninth inning, but there was almost nothing from the offense in the innings between. The Mets had just one hit in the seven middle innings on a night where they needed a ton of offense to win.

On Wednesday, the Mets turn to Taijuan Walker and look for a split of the series against O’s. Matt Harvey gets to face his former team for the second time this season. The first pitch from Oriole Park is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Mets Game Preview: (6/8/21) @ Baltimore Orioles (21-38)

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New York Mets, Luis Rojas

After getting Monday off, the New York Mets make a quick stop in Baltimore to face the Orioles for a short two-game series. The Mets are coming off a series split over the weekend in San Diego while the O’s took two out of three from the Cleveland Indians. The first pitch from Oriole Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

The Mets are still surviving in first place despite their abundance of injuries. Jonathan Villar was limited over the weekend but will return to the leadoff spot and play third base. Villar was red hot in the last nine games he played, batting .393 with a .500 on-base percentage which jumpstarted the Mets in the leadoff spot.

After losing 14 consecutive games, the Orioles have found a way to win four out of their last five games. Trey Mancini and Cedric Mullins continue to be the lone bright spots for the O’s. Mancini leads the team with 11 home runs, and Mullins leads them with a .322 batting average. John Means (2.28 ERA) is the anomaly for an Orioles pitching staff with a 4.84 team ERA, fourth-worst in MLB.

Pitching Matchup

David Peterson looks to rebound after a dreadful start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he only recorded one out. Peterson has a 5.89 ERA and has struggled to find consistency at any point this season. Against the D’Backs, he allowed three hits, three walks, and five runs on 35 pitches. With very little quality starting pitching depth, Peterson will get a long leash in the rotation.

Rookie Bruce Zimmermann makes his 10th start of the season and comes off a solid start against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed just one run over 5.2 innings and striking out seven. Zimmermann has faired much better at home, where his ERA at Oriole Park is 4.21 compared to 5.79 on the road.

Mets Spoil Harvey’s Return in 7-1 Win For Seventh Straight Victory

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The much-anticipated return of Matt Harvey came with plenty of love and support, but the New York Mets had a winning streak to continue. Outside of a 1-2-3 first inning, Harvey and the Baltimore Orioles could not get anything going in the Mets 7-1 victory.

The Mets fans gave Harvey the standing ovation he deserved, but the offense greeted him rudely. They tagged Harvey for seven runs and eight hits which forced Harvey out of the game in the fifth inning. Kevin Pillar opened things with a two-run triple in the second inning as he continues to fill in nicely for Brandon Nimmo. Speaking of fill-ins, Jose Peraza stepped in for Jeff McNeil and had a great game. Peraza delivered two singles, two RBIs and made a couple of tremendous defensive plays at second base. Dominic Smith‘s bat has suddenly become red hot as he went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Skywalker Leads The Way

Taijuan Walker continued his dominant season by throwing seven innings and keeping the Orioles to just one run. His three walks are deceiving because two came back-to-back in the second inning. Walker was a strike-throwing machine with 63 of his 97 pitches in the zone. When he gave up hard contact, he also benefitted from great defense through the diamond. Drew Smith made a powerful return to the big leagues by working an 11 pitch, 1-2-3 ninth inning, and reaching 97 mph with his fastball.

The win is the seventh straight, and they are building winning habits that were not prevalent in April. They went an incredible 7-for-10 with runners in scoring position, recorded three 2-out RBIs, and stole two bases. As the offense wakes up, they have climbed out of the cellar in MLBs offensive stats. Their average w/RISP is up to 21st, their team average is 12th, and their on-base percentage is 3rd.

The Mets get Thursday off as they head down to Tampa Bay to begin a nine-game road trip on Friday. David Peterson gets the start against Tyler Glasnow for the 7:10 p.m. ET start from Tropicana Field.

Mazeika Magic Continues As Mets Win 3-2 For Sixth Straight Victory

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New York Yankees, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets may not be at their best yet this season, but six straight wins say otherwise as they took another W by a score of 3-2 over the Baltimore Orioles. Patrick Mazeika continues to be an unlikely hero for the Mets as his fielder’s choice once again leads to a walk-off victory. Mazeika still does not have a big-league hit yet but has two walk-off wins to his name.

The Mets almost tied it up in the ninth of Orioles’ closer Cesar Valdez, but Kevin Pillar missed the foul by a couple of feet. He combined singles with Jonathan Villar to set the table for a Dominic Smith pinch-hit single to tie the game and allowed Mazeika’s grounder to seal the win.

The walk-off win overshadows the Mets and Orioles pitchers duel on par with the classic Tom Seaver vs. Mike Cuellar duels from the 1969 World Series. John Means made his first start after his no-hitter and was as good as advertised. Means pitched six shutout innings, working around six hits, striking out three, and needing just 74 pitches. Marcus Stroman was once again dominant, holding the Orioles to one run on 6.1 and recording a typical 11 ground outs.

Stroman’s Intensity

Before the ninth, a key moment of the game came in the top of the seventh inning when the Orioles had the bases loaded and one out. Means’ spot in the order was up, and Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde sent up D.J. Stewart to pinch-hit. Mets manager Luis Rojas countered by pulling Stroman and bringing in Aaron Loup for the lefty on lefty matchup. Hyde once again countered with righty, Pat Valaika, and it was checkmate for the Mets. Valaika attacked the first pitch for a sacrifice fly to break the scoreless tie.

When Rojas met Stroman on the mound, both had a lengthy conversation before exiting. It likely had to do with Stroman’s disappointment of leaving a matchup he felt he could have won. Stewart was a slow runner, nursing a hamstring injury, and Stroman’s sinker could have induced the much needed double play.

Injury Concerns

Post-game concerns shift to Jeff McNeil and Albert Almora Jr., who left with injuries. McNeil had a leg cramp but could be available for Wednesday’s game. On the other hand, Almora left the game after crashing into the fence while attempting an incredible catch. He has shoulder pain, and his x-rays came back negative. Almora let fans know he was okay while walking off the field but should be out of commission for a few days.

When teams go on winning streaks of five or more, it takes some tough wins and clutch moments to get it there. They had their tough wins over the weekend with the help of their bullpen, and now they have their clutch win. They will aim for lucky number seven against a familiar face as Matt Harvey makes his first start at Citi Field since leaving the Mets in 2017. Taijuan Walker will start for the Mets at an early 12:10 p.m. ET first pitch.

Mets Game Preview: (5/11/21) vs. Baltimore Orioles (16-19)

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After a day off, the New York Mets look to push their winning streak to six against the Baltimore Orioles. They will play the first of two games at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. Both teams come in with 16 wins on the year, but the Orioles have compiled six more losses so far.

Over the weekend, the Mets needed plenty of help from their bullpen to pull out a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Relievers were responsible for 19.1 innings and allowed just three earned runs as the Mets only received 8.2 innings from starting pitchers. Granted, the Mets used an opener in game two, but they did not plan for David Peterson‘s control issues and Jacob deGrom‘s injury. Francisco Lindor started to get his bat rolling by going 5-for-11 (.455) with a home run, double and four runs batted in during the series.

The Orioles are very much in the middle of a rebuilding phase but have a couple of bright players to build around. Cedric Mullins leads the team with a .312 batting average and four stolen bases but has been a pleasant surprise with his power. Heading into 2021, Mullins had seven career home runs in 115 games. This year, he ramped it up to six home runs in just 35 games.

Pitching Matchup

Marcus Stroman takes the mound and looks to receive more help from his defense. In his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, he went just five innings and allowed four runs, but only two were earned. It was Stroman’s third consecutive start where he did not pitch into the sixth inning. Despite the lack of length in his outings, his numbers are still terrific through the first month of the season. Stroman has a 2.12 ERA and has a 1.02 WHIP over his six starts.

John Means starts for the Orioles and is coming off a 12 strikeout no-hitter which encapsulated his amazing start to the season. In 46 innings, Means has allowed just seven runs resulting in a 1.47 ERA. The Mets have not hit for any power against lefties as their .349 slugging is the second-lowest in baseball. Means will not give the Mets much help with his MLB best, 0.67 WHIP and 4.1 H/9.

Matchups To Lookout For

John Means vs. Michael Conforto: 2-for-6 (.333), Double, Home Run

Marcus Stroman vs. Trey Mancini: 7-for-16 (.438), Double, Triple, 3 Strikeouts

Could the Yankees and the Orioles make a deadline deal?

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Mychal Givens

The New York Yankees are clearly one of the best teams in baseball. However, they are not a team that is without flaws. In fact, there are several holes in this team at the moment that might hinder their chances at a 28th World Series.

One of the problems the Yankees are facing is in their bullpen. Before the year started, the Yankees might have had the best bullpen in baseball on paper. However, it’s been a little rocky to start the year.

The team lost Tommy Kahnle to Tommy John, Aroldis Chapman just came back from dealing with COVID, and now Zack Britton has hit the IL with a hamstring issue. The guys who have pitched, haven’t always looked incredible outside of Chad Green.

There is no question that the Yankees have a chance to win the World Series. However, they might need another piece or two to assist in that effort. Perhaps the bombers could look within the division for some help.

Another Yankees – Orioles trade?

If Brian Cashman is going to be active at the August 31st trade deadline, a name that he could realistically target is Mychal Givens of the Baltimore Orioles.

It would be the second time in the last couple of years that the Yankees would acquire a top bullpen arm from the Orioles at the deadline. The Yankees tried to acquire Givens at the deadline last year to bolster the bullpen.

Givens is off to a fantastic start in the shortened 2020 season. In eleven games for the Orioles, Givens has pitched 11.2 innings allowing just one run. His overall line looks like this: 0.77 ERA, 1.029 WHIP, 12.3 Strikeouts per 9 innings.

That is a arm that the Yankees would gladly welcome into their bullpen. There are going to be a lot of buyers given the expanded playoffs so I wouldn’t expect Givens to be given up on the cheap side. If Givens is dealt, the team who gets him will also get him for next season.

We don’t know yet how aggressive Cashman will be at this year’s deadline. The team is suffering right now with injuries, but when healthy, this is a team that can win the whole thing as is. Maybe Cashman plays it safe with the hope that everyone ends up healthy before the playoffs.

My hunch is that the Yankees will make a move this week. I’m not sure if it’ll be a sexy move like landing Givens or if it’ll be something small just to provide depth. Either way, expect Cashman to do something before September 1st rolls around.

 

MLB owners didn’t discuss canceling the season during Monday’s conference call

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About 40 percent of the Miami Marlins active roster tested positive for coronavirus. The team played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia over the weekend, which is where the New York Yankees were slated to play before Major League Baseball (MLB) decided to suspend that particular game as they perform more tests.

However, and according to a report from Scott Miller of Bleacher Report, MLB didn’t show an intention to cancel the 2020 season amid the Miami Marlins latest COVID-19 outbreak. The league did cancel two games that were going to be played on Monday: Yankees – Phillies and Orioles – Marlins.

During a conference call held by team owners on Monday afternoon, canceling the season wasn’t among the discussed topics, which indicates that MLB and the clubs will try to play through the conditions.

Will MLB continue to be able to manage the situation?

What was discussed during the conference call? The report states that the Commissioner’s Office will revise regulations and health directives to try to preserve the health of players, coaches and staffers. Among them are mandatory use of face masks in the clubhouses, and the reinforcement of health standards such as high-fives and spitting during games.

During the first week of MLB action, lots of players have disrespected social distancing rules by engaging in hugs, high fives and other forms of contact, and the no spitting rule has also been ignored in a lot of cases.

A total of 11 of the 33 players in the Marlins’ traveling party and two coaches tested positive for COVID-19. Besides canceling the Yankees – Phillies game on Monday, it’s possible that Tuesday’s game could be impacted pending test results.

Commissioner Rob Manfred would have the final say regarding the viability of a season, but for now, the show goes on even through the difficult reality.

New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles to Play at Naval Academy

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The New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles will make history on March 24 when they play at the U.S. Naval Academy for the first time in 35 years. The matchup will be the last each team plays before each team starts their season.

These games come after the Washington Nationals play the Boston Red Sox in 2017, but the Orioles stopped future games from taking place. The territory belonged to the Orioles, according to the MLB Constitution. Both teams plan to tour the base and get to know some of the Midshipmen.

Exclusive Event

The game will be unique because of its exclusiveness that only allows Midshipmen and U.S. Navy members to attend. The game overall is the 13th ever played at the academy, and it is the first time for the Mets. It will be a quick turnaround for the Mets as they go from playing the worst team in 2019 to the defending champion Nationals on Opening Day two days later.

Safe to say they will not be lucky enough to see Jacob deGrom pitch, but they will get a chance to watch the star-studded Mets take the field up, close and personal. Pete Alonso is one of the major supporters of the military, and he will enjoy the trip as much as anyone on the roster. It would be no surprise if he had something up his sleeve for the Midshipmen.