I tend to disagree with is perspective being as relevant now. Traditionally attendance was influenced/dependent upon the opponent draw. Our fans wanting to see “the better teams” and the bigger fan bases visiting the Yard.
However, I believe that times have changed. Because we have so many homegrown stars and such an excellent team, the O’s are much more of a draw themselves since the days of Cal Ripken.
The Oakland series will be well attended. Early this week I purchased tix to next Sunday’s game and there were very few sections that had 4 tix available. And this is for the lowly Athletics.
The Orioles are the one team that has an investment in him, both monetary and emotional. They are the one team incentivized to have him pitch in the majors this year.
What ML team, rebuilding or not, wants to take a pitcher who’s given up 14 hits, including 5 home runs, in 7 AAA innings, stick him in their bullpen, so he can keep accumulating FA service time?
What’s their incentive? That he’s going to magically turn into the 2021 John Means and they can flip him at the deadline? While it’s possible that he regains form, I don’t think there’s a ML team willing to take the lumps on a longshot.
Stephenson - Injured
Brasier - 4.50 ERA
Robertson and Ottavino are killing though.
Fuji - 9 ERA in AAA
Uwasawa - 6.30 in AAA
These are the names from the offseason that I remember.