Monday Bird Droppings: It’s award season and the Orioles are up for two

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a nice weekend. The hot stove is heating up with rumors, speculation, and a few players being signed to return to their 2022 team. But for the next few days, it’s time for awards.

The Orioles have an interest, especially in tonight’s and tomorrow’s awards, which are Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year, respectively. Tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern time, you can tune in to MLB Network (or just scroll through Twitter) to see if Adley Rutschman will become the first Rookie of the Year for the Orioles since Gregg Olson in 1989.

The overall feeling for this award is that it will go to Adley’s fellow rookie phenom, Julio Rodriguez. He is very deserving! He started with the Mariners on Opening Day and put up an fWAR of 5.3 in 132 games. Rutschman also had an fWAR of 5.3, though he did it in just 113 games. Rodriguez put up better power numbers in his excellent rookie campaign.

My orange-tinted glasses make it seem obvious that Rutschman is the better choice for the award, but there is no denying Rodriguez’s credentials. Either choice is a good one. The only wrong choice would be the third finalist, Steven Kwan. He had a very fine first season but just didn’t match up to the other two.

Watching Rutschman play this year was a real pleasure regardless of any awards. Getting to see his talent and leadership on display this year was one of the most exciting things Orioles fans have experienced in a while. Getting or not getting that award won’t change that, but it would be really cool.

After tonight’s award, next in line is Manager of the Year. Manager Brandon Hyde is one of the American League finalists along with Terry Francona and Scott Servais. This award, to me, seems more likely to go to the Orioles. It’s a fuzzier concept, Manager of the Year, but it’s hard to argue with the results on the field with Hyde at the helm.

Links

Does shortstop depth shift Orioles away from highest-priced free agents? - MASN Sports
Yes, they have shortstop depth with the prospects. But does that mean they wouldn't be a better team with, say, Xander Bogaerts? I think not.

Myriad O’s thoughts: Sig Mejdal to Houston? No more Yusniel Diaz or DJ Stewart? - The Athletic
Mejdal did not comment when asked about possibly being a candidate for the vacant GM position in Houston. I don't think anyone would blame him for being interested! Also, DJ Stewart leaving the organization feels like the end of an era, in a good way.

The Orioles And Free Agency - Baltimore Sports and Life
A laundry list of possible free-agent candidates for the Orioles. I like the enthusiasm for Carlos Correa.

Heston Kjerstad wins 2022 Arizona Fall League MVP - MLB.com
It's been a very encouraging AFL for Heston Kjerstad. I look forward to seeing what he does in 2023.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles share your special day. Freddy Galvis, who appeared in 72 games for the 2021 Orioles before being traded to the Phillies, turns 33 today. Galvis spent the 2022 season with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan.

It’s also the birthday of former Oriole Curt Schilling, who turns 56. Schilling was part of perhaps the worst trade in team history when he, Steve Finley, and Pete Harnisch went to the Astros in exchange for Glenn Davis. Those three players combined for 141.4 bWAR over their combined 45 seasons after leaving the Orioles. Over half of that bWAR, 80.2, is from Schilling. Glenn Davis played in 185 games for the Orioles from 1991-1993 with a bWAR of 0.7.

Schilling’s controversial post-career path has undoubtedly made some Orioles fans glad he’s not part of the team’s history, but I dunno. We cheered for Delmon Young.

On this day in 1973, Jim Palmer won the first of his three Cy Young awards in a year when he led the league in ERA at 2.40.

In 2005, the Orioles announced that they would not be bringing back either Sammy Sosa or Rafael Palmeiro. Because there was a question if they would.