vs. ROYALS, 10/15 (A.L.C.S., Game Four)

Looks like weather delay again

There were also 28 scheduled double headers in 1938. Hard to compare because the eras were so different. Both streaks clearly super freakish. 

He 100% will add at least one more reliever in trade this season.

During a slide into 2B he did something. He was flexing his left knee repeatedly and didn't look comfortable. Didn't take 3rd on a ball he probably could have and was sort of trying to work the kinks out of the knee by bending it over and over. He stayed in the game, so that's a good sign.

He was favoring it after he stole 2nd base and had to dodge a clumsy looking throw and tage by the reds. The entire play was a bit unnatural. Swing and miss while Mountcastle runs, then a bad throw, Mountcastle takes a clumsy slide that gets his foot caught in the dirt followed by a wild looking throw. I don't know if that aggravated the knee he was dealing with the game he sat out for. I haven't heard anything official.

I agree with both points.  Elias is too smart to pay top dollar for last year's performance when Scott has started the season so comparatively badly.  The O's are too competitive this year to screw around with what amounts to reclamation project.

There has been a lot of talk of the pitchers improvement recently.  Both the AAA and the rehab of the MLB guys.  Since our household pays more attention to the guys behind the dish, and my son's Asperger's lets him enjoy the numbers, I thought it would be a good time to get some AAA info going as most eyes are on Basallo and his recovery/progression. Handley appears to be the primary 2024 catcher for the AAA Norfolk Tide.  This is the first year Handley is repeating a level in the minors (AAA) beyond the 1 week rehab with Bowie last year.  He has not been assigned to the taxi squad in 2024. This time last year he was injured so he only had 45 ABs.  His stats were .222/.407/.267/.779.  In 15 games he only had 2 doubles. Thru 21 games so far this season (20 C, 1 DH) he has 88 PA (75 AB).  this is 1/3 of his TOTAL AAA AB's in 2023.  He is batting .240/.352/.427/.779.  Including 6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR.  Biggest change is his SLG is up nearly 160 points from this time in 2023.  His K rate is down 3% TO 21.6.  He also went into and came out of ST healthy and hasn't spent any time on the DL. Fangraphs 2023 end of year vs 2024 stats to date.  ISO is up from .093 to .187.  wRC is up from 89 to 105. These numbers put him in the top 3 of the International league's qualified catchers. Defensively, It is my opinion he has been too aggressive throwing the ball to 2nd resulting is a few skipped balls the infield could not come up.  These seem to happen in games where he is trying to help a struggling pitcher.  I imagine this would drop if he moves up.  His knowledge of the strike zone shows thru on the F/S/Sun games. From battery perspective, my son crunched some numbers for Norfolk's starting pitchers and 3 catchers to date (some of the AAA starters pitched after the MLB guys so even though relief, including these innings as starter innings.  The MLB rehabbers have been Bradish (2 Games / 8.1 Innings), Means (6/18.2), and Suarez (3/15.1) just 1 start.  Handley has caught all but 3.1 inning of Means.  Perez caught Means on 4/17 for the 1/3 inning he couldn't make it out of. The AAA guys are: McDermott (7G/28 Innings) who Handley has caught all but the 4/27 game where McDermott didn't get out of 1st inning (Perez).  Povich (6G/32.1).  Handley caught 4 to Perez's 2.  Povich has lasted 5 innings or better in all but one (4.2).    Armbruester is the one who seems to be inconsistent this year (6G/19.2) with Banuelos game 1, Handley games 2, 3, 5, and Perez Games 4 & 6 (which is the .1 inning game (Are you starting to see the pattern I have seen with Perez catching?)  Handley has caught 13 of the 19.2 innings but only 7 of the 25 runs scored against him.  Vs. the 18 in 6.2 innings with Banuelos and Perez.  Zimmerman is the only one who has been caught more by Perez than Handley.  3G to 2G.  Perez has caught 14.2 Innings/14 runs.  Handley has caught 10 innings, 3 runs (2 earned). In 31 games there have been 154innings from starting pitchers,                      Starts      IP      H      R     ER    BB    SO      ERA       H/9      BB/9      K/9 Banuelos         2        8.1     14    11    10       3       9    10.80    15.12      3.24        9.72 Handley         20    111.1     90    51    45    52    135      3.64      7.28      4.20     10.91 Perez              9         33      39    35    32    24      43      8.73    10.64      6.55      11.73   My son and I am are 'Handley Fans' and this data is available to all.  I am seeing that he isn't an all-star prospect but seems his time may be coming.  I  can't imagine the O's don't see this as well.  With McCann and Rutschman both healthy and doing reasonably well, if there is any injury with significant time to be missed, I think it may be Handley's chance to get his cup of coffee and maybe even a danish. I can't see Perez sticking around past his opt out date.  Banuelos is making a nice check on the Taxi Squad. Down in AA, Basallo has just started catching again (2 game) and his bat has been picking up.  Ardoin started very hot but has since cooled 5-12 in first 4 games, 7-30 the rest of April and 1-13 in May.  Pavolony appears to be healthy for the 1st time in his O's MILB career.  Was over .300 but has dipped the past 5 games to .239.  He is Rule 5 eligible and based on the depth above him... likely hoping for an opportunity elsewhere. Willems is hitting well in A+ but there is going to have to be movement up the ladder to make some room.  I think something could happen August or later.