Sometimes, I just stare into the O’s dugout and marvel

[Frobby]

It’s amazing to look into the O’s dugout when they’re at bat and just look at all the good players who’ve been teammates since their minor league days.   Adley and Stowers were together in both Bowie and Norfolk for good chunks of 2021 and at Norfolk for the start of 2022.   Westburg and Gunnar played together at all four full season affiliates in 2021 and 2022, and teamed up with Stowers in 2022 when they got to Norfolk.   Cowser and Norby also played together at all four affiliates in 2021-22, joining up with Westburg and Stowers when they reached Norfolk (Gunnar had made it to the majors by then).  

Then layer in the pitchers.   Adley was catching Grayson at Bowie for 2/3 of 2021, and Bradish briefly at Bowie and then later that season at Norfolk; he had Bradish and Grayson both on the Norfolk staff for several weeks in 2022.  Kremer was down in Norfolk with these guys for a good bit of 2021 after struggling in the majors.   

These guys have been through so much together before even reaching the majors.   It’s no wonder it’s such a tight knit group.   One particularly poignant moment for me was when Norby hit his first homer, with Cowser on base.  Those guys played together in the FCL.  At Delmarva. At Aberdeen.  At Bowie.  At Norfolk.   And now here they were, greeting each other at home plate and taking a swing from the homer hydration station.  

So I’ll look into the dugout, and watch these guys interact with each other, and it feels like how my (now adult) kids interact when we are able to get them all home at the same time.  It’s a pure pleasure to watch them. 
 

 

[Sports Guy]

Shame DL Hall isn’t here to join them.  He was very close to a lot of these guys, especially Grayson.

[interloper]

It's tough to look at a tight-knit team like the O's and picture the slap-dash-constructed Yankees being the team that goes farther. At least, if you were writing the story of this baseball season, the narrative would support the Orioles more. Of course it doesn't always work out that way in sports. But the "we came up together" nature of these Orioles sure seems to benefit them. Can't recall a more harmonious clubhouse as long as I've been a fan. 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Shame DL Hall isn’t here to join them.  He was very close to a lot of these guys, especially Grayson.

Yeah, the two of them and Adley had a whole thing going.  Would have loved to figure a way to keep Ortiz too.  But then, I look down to the end of the dugout where Corbin Burnes is shooting the breeze with the younger pitchers and remind myself that you can’t have your cake and eat it too!

[Sports Guy]

This is something many of us have talked about for a few years but it’s obvious how close knit this group is.

But Cowser seems to be the middle guy for all of them. He is connector to everyone it seems and he may be the team favorite.

[spleen1015]

Norby was just talking about this on the Ryan Ripken show. He mentioned how him, Cowser and Mayo have been together pretty much every step of the way.

It's a great time to be an O's fan.

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

This is something many of us have talked about for a few years but it’s obvious how close knit this group is.

But Cowser seems to be the middle guy for all of them. He is connector to everyone it seems and he may be the team favorite.

I agree he's a big part. Affable goofball that everybody likes. 

I particularly enjoy that he's often paired with Westburg and they are super different personality-wise. 

[Roy Firestone]

27 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It’s amazing to look into the O’s dugout when they’re at bat and just look at all the good players who’ve been teammates since their minor league days.   Adley and Stowers were together in both Bowie and Norfolk for good chunks of 2021 and at Norfolk for the start of 2022.   Westburg and Gunnar played together at all four full season affiliates in 2021 and 2022, and teamed up with Stowers in 2022 when they got to Norfolk.   Cowser and Norby also played together at all four affiliates in 2021-22, joining up with Westburg and Stowers when they reached Norfolk (Gunnar had made it to the majors by then).  

Then layer in the pitchers.   Adley was catching Grayson at Bowie for 2/3 of 2021, and Bradish briefly at Bowie and then later that season at Norfolk; he had Bradish and Grayson both on the Norfolk staff for several weeks in 2022.  Kremer was down in Norfolk with these guys for a good bit of 2021 after struggling in the majors.   

These guys have been through so much together before even reaching the majors.   It’s no wonder it’s such a tight knit group.   One particularly poignant moment for me was when Norby hit his first homer, with Cowser on base.  Those guys played together in the FCL.  At Delmarva. At Aberdeen.  At Bowie.  At Norfolk.   And now here they were, greeting each other at home plate and taking a swing from the homer hydration station.  

So I’ll look into the dugout, and watch these guys interact with each other, and it feels like how my (now adult) kids interact when we are able to get them all home at the same time.  It’s a pure pleasure to watch them. 
 

 

In a different time, these players would likely have been teammates for a decade or more.But free agency , which is unquestionably good for the players, changed all that. In 3-4 years,Its unlikely that the dugout will look remotely like it does these days.In fact, unless Rubinstein spends an insane amount of money, its likely we can keep only 2-3 of these players in an Oriole uniform when their Free Agent years come to them.

[interloper]

7 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

In a different time, these players would likely have been teammates for a decade or more.But free agency , which is unquestionably good for the players, changed all that. In 3-4 years,Its unlikely that the dugout will look remotely like it does these days.In fact, unless Rubinstein spends an insane amount of money, its likely we can keep only 2-3 of these players in an Oriole uniform when their Free Agent years come to them.

[vab]

11 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

In a different time, these players would likely have been teammates for a decade or more.But free agency , which is unquestionably good for the players, changed all that. In 3-4 years,Its unlikely that the dugout will look remotely like it does these days.In fact, unless Rubinstein spends an insane amount of money, its likely we can keep only 2-3 of these players in an Oriole uniform when their Free Agent years come to them.

Yes it is a bit depressing to think they won't be able to keep this entire core together but if they play it right they can keep things at a very high level with trades. Just can't  hold on too long like the previous admin did with Machado. 

[Bird Lady]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

This is something many of us have talked about for a few years but it’s obvious how close knit this group is.

But Cowser seems to be the middle guy for all of them. He is connector to everyone it seems and he may be the team favorite.

I heard an interview with Jordan Westberg that confirms this. He described Cowser as "the glue" that links all the friends together. He seems to have the knack for meshing with all types of personalities.

Edited June 10 by Bird Lady

[dystopia]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Shame DL Hall isn’t here to join them.  He was very close to a lot of these guys, especially Grayson.

I’d be willing to have Hall back as a reliever . Would the Brewers be willing to trade him back? They might not want to admit defeat on the Burnes trade like that. 

[Aristotelian]

It's like a whole team of Manny-Schoop vibes.

[Greg Pappas]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

I almost spit my drink out! LOL!

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, dystopia said:

I’d be willing to have Hall back as a reliever . Would the Brewers be willing to trade him back? They might not want to admit defeat on the Burnes trade like that. 

He’s on the 60-day IL with a strained ligament.