By Ryan Burnett, Staff Writer
Just like that, almost half the MLB baseball season is over. Despite previous seasons, this year the Orioles are better than fans expected. Being in the hardest division, the AL East, they need all the wins they can get.
For the past 4 years the Orioles have been in what is called a rebuilding mode. This is where a team builds their team up from the ground, adding new players that could bring more skills to the team.
The Baltimore Orioles have been able to utilize key players such as catcher Adley Rutshman, and second-baseman Gunnar Henderson. This young talent has helped the Orioles improve. Sophomore Gavin Oros agreed, “you know, they’re the home team, so they’re going to do well.”
Although the Orioles are so far very good this season, they have the second lowest payroll in baseball. The only lower payroll belongs to the Oakland Athletics, a franchise that is dying out as fans are waiting for them to move to Las vegas.
The team has done things such as giving away bobbleheads to bring fans in. The Orioles just released their City Connect uniform this past Monday, so this will definitely bring fans in.
The thing that really brings fans in are the players. Players such as Cedric Mullins have been performing at an all-star level this season with a solid batting average of .275, but put that together with the whole team and it forms a decent enough group. Music teacher Mr. McCready thinks that “even though they’re a 500 team, they play above a 500 team. And they play with a lot of heart”. Sophomore Richard Chang agrees, “I think they’re going to win because they’re just that good.”
If the Orioles want to make a run for the postseason they really have to bump up their pitching, which has been a let down at times. The Orioles ERA in April was around 6, but they have gotten it down to 4.5. The Orioles can go up to a certain lead but then the pitching implodes and they lose the game if they don’t have closer Felix Buatistia.
Thankfully, the Orioles have one of the best two closers in MLB in Bautista and Yennier Cano, so when the games are in their hands they can usually secure a win for the orioles.
Although the Orioles success right now might seem great and exciting, that could all go in an instance and we could be back to the same team who’s been underperforming for almost a decade.