Overcoming the Orioles’ Inferiority Complex

As the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline approached, the surprising Baltimore Orioles record was hovering around .500 and only 3 games back for a Wild Card berth. The team, which was the worst during the past 5 years, was experiencing a remarkable and unexpected turnaround. Baseball fans may have forgotten that the Orioles’ miseries were recent; they had the best record in the American League the previous 5 years.

The fan base was understandably excited over the chance the O’s may make it to the postseason despite a string of 100 + game loss seasons. Would General Manager Mike Elias make a big move or two to shore up some holes and provide the team with reinforcements to actually make a run?

No, he continued on a path to what he calls the long-term picture. Instead, he traded fan favorite Trey Mancini, a move in which I was begging he would not do on several levels, and emerging star closer Jorge López—both for minor league prospects.

Despite no help from the cavalry, the 2022 Orioles persisted and finished the season 4 games over .500—with 31more wins than they had amassed in 2021—and only 3 games from a Wild Card spot. If not for a team batting slump for most of September, they most likely would have landed in the post-season.

Following 2022, Elias spoke of—actually promised—increasing the payroll (the O’s have the 2^nd lowest of the 30 teams) but as it turned out, did not include large long-term deals for free agents. A few free agents signed for short deals and none of them are in the superstar category.

Elias declared the rebuild is over and said this year’s goal is to make the postseason building on last year’s success. Here’s my problem. Why can’t he simply say that he and team ownership will do whatever it takes to get the team ready for a run deep into October and not just make the Wild Card?  After all, most inspirational speakers implore us to “reach for the stars”, “aim high”, etc.

Why doesn’t owner John Angelos commit to a higher payroll rather than clinging to the default notion that small and mid-market teams can’t compete for the top dollar stars? Look at the San Diego Padres, a comparable team in the TV market and what they are spending.

Kyle Stowers greeting Gunnar Henderson

The lack of significant financial commitment is among the reasons the O’s attendance was so dismal in 2022 especially during a playoff-contending run. Fans aren’t convinced the management and ownership believe in the team’s ability to compete at a high level. It’s some form of inferiority complex.

There is a lot more to be excited about in 2023. The emergence of young stars catcher Adley Rutschman, infielder Gunnar Henderson, starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and other talent like outfielder Kyle Stowers will be mainstays in the solid core line-up.  With the acquisition of Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin, the starting rotation will be competitive for the few remaining spots with their ace John Means still on the shelf recovering from Tommy John surgery.

And the Orioles boast arguably the best farm system in baseball with a plethora of talent in the pipeline, so the team should be quite entertaining and competitive in the years to come.

Disregard the stat-driven projections, which are ridiculously predicting a fall-off this upcoming season. No wonder there is an inferiority complex. I’ll bet against those projections, especially with the new balanced schedule favoring the O’s.

Team ownership and the front office need to become as excited as the fan base and media and act like the Orioles are a big-time ballclub because they are.  Of course, they want to manage expectations. But come on, this is a talented, young squad. They are not the “Why Not?” team of 1989.  They’re better, and don’t be shocked that they will prove it by season’s end.

Don't Trade Trey Mancini

Well, lookie here! The Baltimore Orioles, baseball’s perennial doormats for the past five years, find themselves in the midst of a Wild Card chase. As of July 13, the team is carrying a 10-game winning streak—the longest such success since Bill Clinton was president—into St. Petersburg to face the Ray's prior to the All-Star break.  

They are now one game over .500 following a string of seasons whereby they lost well over 100 games each.

While the fan base in Baltimore is experiencing a renewed sense of joy, the enthusiasm has been tempered by the rumors that their stalwart leader, Trey Mancini, may be on the block at the trading deadline come early August. He’s a free agent after this year, and the Orioles, still reeling from the devastating Chris Davis contract extension under previous management, has been loath to sign players long term at a steep price.

The O’s current management spearheaded by GM Mike Elias needs to put the notion of trading Mancini deep in their back pocket and find other ways to strengthen the franchise.

Mancini is a true leader in the clubhouse and revered by his teammates like no other. At age 30 and the longest tenured Oriole, younger Birds flock to him for advice and mentorship. A loss could disrupt the strong chemistry the team is enjoying for the first time in quite a while.

More importantly, trading Mancini would deal a major blow to the fan base, which has finally seen a light at the end of the tunnel with their beloved team. He is arguably the most popular Oriole and for good reason.

In 2020 Mancini announced he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and accordingly missed that Covid-truncated season following surgery and six months of chemotherapy treatments.

He returned to the Orioles’ lineup in 2021 and was a big run producer. He appeared in the All Star Game’s Homerun Derby, though not named to the all-star team, and fought his way to battle the incomparable Mets slugger Pete Alonso in the final round only to come in second.

I would have preferred to see Mancini take the mic at the All Star game the next night at Denver’s Coors Field to introduce MLB’s traditional Stand Up to Cancer moment.

“Good evening. I am Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles, and I fought cancer and I won.” How inspirational would that have been! It would have been a moment for the ages, drenched in emotion, but alas, it did not happen.

Appropriately, Mancini captured the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2021 and is performing at a high level in 2022 leading the team in batting average.

Attendance at Orioles games has been below par to say the least over these past few years. They seem to draw only when articles of clothing are given out, such as floppy hats and Hawaiian shirts. I do believe that attendance will increase markedly should the team continue their strong play and compete for a playoff spot.   

Trading Trey Mancini will not further that end—in the clubhouse, on the field and in the stands. Let’s see what happens after the season. Perhaps, Mancini will sign with the O’s at a hometown discount. Maybe not. But let’s not destroy the renewed good vibes from yesteryear and allow the season play out.

Don’t trade Mancini.

NOTE: This post is has been updated to reflect the Orioles' winning streak, which stands at 10.