This, that and the other

A World Series that supposedly was going to be boring and a ratings killer began last night with Corey Seager’s game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and Adolis García’s walk-off homer in the 11th that gave the Rangers a 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks.

The first extra-inning game of the 2023 postseason, and it was an instant classic.

The Diamondbacks’ lineup included first baseman Christian Walker, the Orioles’ fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of the University of South Carolina. A delayed success story.

Walker appeared in only 13 games in 2014-15, his path blocked by expensive veteran Chris Davis and prospect Trey Mancini. He made only six starts at first.

The Braves claimed Walker off waivers in February 2017, and the Reds claimed him a month later. Arizona claimed him three weeks after that.

Christmas list of reasons to be happy

Christmas list of reasons to be happy
'Tis the season to be jolly. If you pretend that 2020 didn't happen. My only advice is to dig deep and unearth the joyous moments in your lives. Hopefully, you'll find many more than you expected. Hopefully, you can use a trowel instead of a bulldozer. For me, it's getting engaged at spring training, less than a week before the shutdown. My plan to propose at the spot where we met outside the Ed Smith Stadium press box would have been ruined if she chose to fly down later. (I'll never know...

What's next for Orioles?

What's next for Orioles?
The conclusion of the World Series, with the crowning of a 60-game COVID champion, opens the door for free agency and trades. The official offseason is underway. As always, please continue to breathe normally. Players enter free agency the day after the World Series. For the Orioles, it's a short line at the moment with only pitcher Wade LeBlanc and catcher Bryan Holaday, according to Baseball-Reference.com. A two-man stampede doesn't make much noise. LeBlanc will be removed from the 60-day...

More on instructional league, bullpen and a Hall of Famer's birthday

More on instructional league, bullpen and a Hall of Famer's birthday
The Orioles are going to take the competitive side of their fall instructional league to the next level. Games will be played with teams from other camps beginning on Monday. Thus far, the Orioles have been arranging intrasquad matchups, which started this week, similar to the activity this summer at the alternate site in Bowie. The Pirates and Rays will provide the opposition as two of the three closest teams to the Ed Smith Stadium complex. The Pirates are based in Bradenton and the Rays in...

Closing arguments on bullpen role

Closing arguments on bullpen role
Teams in a rebuild, and specifically the people behind it, wonder about the obsession over a defined closer for the bullpen Fans ask about it. The media tracks it. The first reliever to rise after the eighth with his club holding a slim lead is crowned. Five pitchers recorded saves for the Orioles this year and Hunter Harvey wasn't counted among them. He was supposed to handle the responsibility, according to everything written and reported over the winter and spring and during summer training...

A closer look at Keegan Akin's start, plus a trade note

A closer look at Keegan Akin's start, plus a trade note
Orioles lefty pitching prospect Keegan Akin threw a very strong game today against Toronto in Buffalo. In fact, he became just the third O's starter on the year to not allow an earned run. He gave up two unearned runs in 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision. The Orioles broke a five-game losing streak and avoided a four-game sweep and winless road trip. They beat Toronto 4-3 in 11 innings on RBI doubles by José Iglesias and Bryan Holaday in the 11th. In the last of the 11th, Toronto scored one...

Orioles trade Miguel Castro to Mets at deadline (updated)

Orioles trade Miguel Castro to Mets at deadline (updated)
The Orioles have lost another reliever at today's trade deadline. Miguel Castro has been dealt to the Mets for minor league left-hander Kevin Smith and a player to be named later or cash, according to reports. The news broke a few minutes past 4 p.m., but an agreement already was in place. Smith, 23, was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Georgia. He struck out 130 batters in 117 combined innings at the Single-A and Double-A levels in...

Hyde changing closer strategy with Sulser struggling

Hyde changing closer strategy with Sulser struggling
Cole Sulser has been removed from the closer's role with the Orioles. Manager Brandon Hyde spoke with Sulser this morning, less than 24 hours after the rookie walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning and surrendered Teoscar Hernández's walk-off single that produced another loss to the Blue Jays. And his second blown save in three games. Sulser has walked 13 batters in 15 1/3 innings for an average of 7.6 per nine. He averaged 2.7 in six minor league seasons. "Suls is just...

Orioles remain intact as trade deadline looms

Orioles remain intact as trade deadline looms
The trade deadline is 4 p.m. Monday and the Orioles haven't made any moves. Alex Cobb and Tommy Milone are still in the rotation. Mychal Givens and Miguel Castro are still in the bullpen. Hanser Alberto is still in the lineup at second or third base. Milone is starting Monday afternoon against the Blue Jays. Could be his last with the Orioles. Cobb made it through last night's game. No one was pulled from the on-deck circle. Is there a hug watch during social distancing? What's happening in...

O's game blog: Looking to get a win on this road trip

O's game blog: Looking to get a win on this road trip
The Orioles have played three close games on this road trip, but lost them all. They began the trip with the best road record in the majors at 8-1. But they lost 4-2 and 4-3 to Tampa Bay and 5-4 last night in 10 innings to Toronto. Tonight they play the Blue Jays again in Buffalo in the second of the four-game series. The Orioles (14-17) have lost three games in a row and nine of 11 since they were 12-8. Of those nine losses, four have come by one run and one by two runs. They've lost the...

O's had some ups and downs in the first half of the season

O's had some ups and downs in the first half of the season
The Orioles reached the midpoint of this truncated 60-game season by going 14-16. So close to pulling out another win last night, one that would have left them at .500 at the 30-game point. They were certainly streaky in this span of games. They have had a six-game winning streak and a six-game losing streak. They swept three series, something they did not do once in 162 games last year, and they've been swept in three series. So six sweeps in the first nine series. And the Rays have won the...

Hyde working to keep trade rumors from becoming distraction

Hyde working to keep trade rumors from becoming distraction
Players are kept in confinement this summer beyond their trips to the ballpark, where interactions are unavoidable but also narrowed. Arrive later than usual, dress for the games, have the option of showering or heading out immediately and repeat the process the next day. What can't be done is shielding them from trade rumors and speculation that builds as the deadline approaches. They swirl around the subjects, who find out via social media or friends and family. Manager Brandon Hyde is...

Givens surrenders late home run in 4-3 loss (updated)

Givens surrenders late home run in 4-3 loss (updated)
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had "an idea" last night, as he put it, that Trevor Richards would start for the Rays in the second game of the series. He was waiting for confirmation, which can be a sluggish process. They stick with TBD for as long as possible while sorting through their available candidates in the bullpen. Hyde thought the Rays might go with an opener in front of Richards. He didn't post the lineup until later, which made sense anyway because he had to check on the status of...

Givens could go as trade deadline gets closer

Givens could go as trade deadline gets closer
As the Orioles prepare for a two-city road trip that begins tonight in St. Petersburg, Fla., reliever Mychal Givens must wonder whether he's pitched in his last game at Camden Yards as a member of the team. He hears the rumors every year. Trade chip talk follows him like baby chicks. He'd probably feel lonely without it. Baseball's deadline version of separation anxiety. The Orioles were willing to move Givens last summer, but they couldn't find the right partner. The days of being...

More on a dramatic win and Mike Elias on trade deadline

More on a dramatic win and Mike Elias on trade deadline
With his team's losing streak at six games, it had been a week between wins. The Orioles lost three straight to Toronto and it would be three in a row against Boston with another loss last night. So O's manager Brandon Hyde was ready to try to make any move that could help his team win Saturday night. "We chased that one a little bit knowing we have an off-day Monday," Hyde said on a Zoom call after their 5-4 10 inning win over the Red Sox. "I kind of went for it bringing in Tanner (Scott)...

Wojciechowski loses handle on Red Sox in 7-1 loss (updated)

Wojciechowski loses handle on Red Sox in 7-1 loss (updated)
The Orioles finally got away from a Blue Jays player who feasts on their pitching like he's breaking a fast. Was it their turn tonight to pick on the opponent? To do it with their starting pitcher? Asher Wojciechowski made three starts against the Red Sox last season and allowed two runs in 17 2/3 innings. He registered a 5.98 ERA in his other 14 appearances. A no-hitter was carried into the seventh inning on July 21 before Rafael Devers stroked a leadoff double. Wojciechowski reached his...

As Santander continues to rake, will rest of O's keep up?

As Santander continues to rake, will rest of O's keep up?
In the big picture, the Orioles are 12-12 to start a 60-game season and contending for a playoff berth. They have shown much improvement on offense and in their bullpen. But in the smaller, most recent slice of the season they've gone 1-5 in six games and contributed to their own demise a couple of times. Baserunning mistakes late in the game Tuesday and in the first inning Wednesday were costly. They went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the first two innings yesterday. They had a...

Santander's two homers still leave Orioles short in 8-7 loss (updated)

Santander's two homers still leave Orioles short in 8-7 loss (updated)
The pose has become familiar. He just needs paparazzi to capture the moment. Anthony Santander unloads on another ball and admires its flight, tosses his bat and beings a slow trot to first base. He'll glance at the dugout and gesture to teammates. A pointed finger, a few words. A celebration after crossing home plate with fists and elbows sometimes touching only air. The hard contact's already been made. Santander extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games tonight with a two-run...

O's win suspended game and run streak to six in a row (updated)

O's win suspended game and run streak to six in a row (updated)
Paul Fry was the first Orioles reliever to make the long walk from the dugout to the bullpen this afternoon, a strong hint that he'd pitch the bottom of the sixth inning in the suspended game at Camden Yards. He warmed up as the "visiting" Orioles batted in the top half and padded their three-run lead on Bryan Holaday's two-out infield hit that scored Dwight Smith Jr., who drew a walk on Sunday. Of course, it makes sense in 2020. Kyle Finnegan let an inherited runner score, Fry and three...

O's overcome deficit, 15 strikeouts to beat Phillies (quotes added)

O's overcome deficit, 15 strikeouts to beat Phillies (quotes added)
On a night the Orioles got a short outing from their starter, struck out 15 times and fell behind 3-1 in the third, they still managed to win. The strong start of the 2020 Orioles continued tonight at Philadelphia. Chance Sisco produced a clutch two-out, two-run single in the fourth and Rio Ruiz hit a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth as the Orioles beat Philadelphia 5-4. The 9-7 Orioles have won four in a row and taken the first two games in this series. They improved to 6-1 on the road and...