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Friday, October 27, 2017

Columns:  Managerial changes in AL East leave Orioles, in awkward spot going forward The Sun 10/27  the Orioles' sole finalist for The Sun 10/26  Never fleet of foot, Orioles base running lagged behind league yet again in 2017 The Sun 10/26  Machado is named finalist for Gold Glove MLB.com 10/26  Orioles' Arizona Fall League overview MLB.com 10/26  Showalter moves up active list, Miller moves on to next career MASNsports.com 10/27  Manny Machado is lone Orioles finalist for Gold Glove Award MASNsports.com 10/26  Talking ’s ouster, game times and more MASNsports.com 10/27  Will Be Back With The Orioles In 2018? PressBoxOnline.com 10/26  Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Machado’s Gold Glove chances; Davis snubbed; Buck moving on up BaltimoreBaseball.com 10/26  Machado is Orioles’ lone Gold Glove finalist BaltimoreBaseball.com 10/26

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-managerial-future-20171027- story.html

Managerial changes in AL East leave Orioles, Buck Showalter in awkward spot going forward

By Jon Meoli / The Sun October 27, 2017

For all of his feuds with them and the competition that builds with 19 divisional games each season, Orioles Buck Showalter must be feeling a difficult mix of relief and remorse for the firing of the two AL East managers that earned playoff berths this year — Boston's and now New York's Joe Girardi.

On the one hand, managing against those two for as long as he did made Showalter particularly sensitive to the idiosyncrasies of each man and his team, which made them easy targets as he fostered the Orioles' "Us against the world" mentality. He'll undoubtedly find the same with new Red Sox manager Alex Cora and whomever replaces Girardi, but it will take a while to reach the levels of their predecessors.

However, as someone who has been fired three times and seen success come after, Showalter has a good idea of what the future could hold for those two titans in his division. They made managerial switches because their clubhouses are full of young, dynamic talent that should contend for championships for the next five years at least, and managers better suited for this generation of both players and the game itself.

Cora will be in lock step with the front office on personnel decisions and has been praised for his knack of translating analytics into relatable information to the players. Girardi was numbers- obsessed from the start, as his infamous binder showed, but even he found himself out of step with how his players and management want things .

So that each team, both with vastly superior young talent than the Orioles have and a longer window to continue contending, has made a move to improve that will give everyone at Camden Yards pause as to what happens going forward. The Yankees announced themselves as contenders this month, while Boston's back-to-back division titles and the core of players that got them there aren't going anywhere.

Showalter had the perfect team early in his tenure to foster resentment for the two division powers, and rode that to great effect. The Orioles still seem to take pleasure in beating Boston, which they did 10 times this year, and a quarter of their schedule being made up of these two teams will allow some kind of simmering ill will to continue.

But as he enters the last year of his contract — and so do stars Manny Machado, , and Zach Britton, not to mention executive vice president — the elder statesman among managers in the American League East and second-longest tenured manager in the AL probably doesn't know what to make of the changes among his peers.

There's likely no transition to take advantage of — only the hope that a better starting rotation in 2018 allows the Orioles to keep up before such decisions have to be made on their end.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-manny-machado-gold-glove- 20171026-story.html

Third baseman Manny Machado the Orioles' sole finalist for Gold Glove award

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun October 26, 2017

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is the club's lone finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award, putting him in contention for his third award since 2013.

Machado, who is an American League finalist alongside of the and José Ramírez of the , continued to make his signature highlight-worthy plays at the hot corner this past season, even if his defense wasn't as highly rated by analytics as previous seasons.

According to , among AL third basemen who played at least 700 innings he ranked fourth with six defensive runs saved and sixth with a 4.9 UZR/150, which credits or debits fielders for the value of a batted ball in their area based on whether they make a play on it.

Oakland Athletics rookie and Todd Frazier, who split the season between the and , both rated in the top three in both categories but were not nominated.

Machado won his first Gold Glove in 2013, and followed that up with another in 2015, when he was also voted the Platinum Glove winner for the game's best fielder.

Last year, was a finalist along with Machado, though neither won. This year, Davis' defense took a step backward.

The only other likely candidate this year seemed to be , who had his best defensive season since 2014 by most measurements but was left outside the top three. The AL finalists at second base are of the , Brian Dozier of the and of the .

The winners will be announced on Nov. 7 at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-base-running-struggles- 20171025-story.html

Never fleet of foot, Orioles base running lagged behind league yet again in 2017

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun October 26, 2017

Of all the obvious ways the Orioles can improve in 2017 — the pitching staff and overall defense chief among them — there's another simple facet of the game they can improve that might make things a bit better in 2018.

Stealing bases has never been something the Orioles utilized in their recent big-ball era, but the amount of outs they've run into over the past few years has taken runs — and likely wins — off the board.

That their league-low 32 stolen bases were 21 fewer than the next-nearest team is only part of the picture. The Orioles rated in the bottom half of the league in several base-running categories, both traditional and more advanced, and not all of it has to do with their lack of speed.

According to baseball-reference.com, the Orioles took extra bases on singles 37 percent of the time, which tied for 22nd in the majors. That includes taking an extra base 24.8 percent of the time on singles with a batter on first, and scoring from first on a 43.5 percent of the time.

As a station-to-station team, it's only natural that these aren't higher. However, when the offense is as inconsistent as it was in 2017, staying conservative on the bases and waiting for the big blast could leave some opportunities for runs on the table.

FanGraphs boils base running down to three facets — extra bases taken, stolen bases and double plays. By Ultimate Base Running (UBR), which credits or debits base runners with the run expectancy from whether they take an extra base or not, the Orioles had a -6.9 rating this year, their worst since 2010. In the overall running metric, the Orioles were at -15, their worst since 2012 and third worst in the game.

There's a difference between not stealing bases — which is more understandable — and the Orioles' problems in other facets on the bases. It's unreasonable to send a player without the speed to avoid an out, but not everyone fits that mold. Manny Machado went from 20 steals to zero to nine in the past three seasons, and was criticized for running into outs on the bases early in 2017 with Chris Davis at the plate, though in hindsight maybe Machado's aggression was warranted in those circumstances. The likes of and Craig Gentry had the speed to make an impact, but rarely had the opportunity.

Perhaps the recent arrival of , the pending arrival of and maybe the addition of a speedy bench infielder if leaves in free agency could expand that facet of the game for the Orioles. But there's nothing they can do about the caliber of athletes on the roster, many of whom don't have footspeed as their greatest physical gift.

If they're homering at the prodigious rate of 2016, maybe they can afford to be conservative and keep as many men on base as possible next year. When things are as volatile at the plate as they were in 2017, perhaps there's room for the Orioles to be better on the bases than they have been.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/259787116/manny-machado-named-finalist-for-gold- glove/

Machado is named finalist for Gold Glove

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com October 26, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was named one of three American League Rawlings Gold Glove finalists on Thursday.

Machado joins Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria and Cleveland's Jose Ramirez as candidates for the prestigious award that honors the game's top defenders. The NL finalists at third base were (Colorado), David Freese (Pittsburgh) and (Washington).

Machado was the O's lone Glove Glove finalist as manager Buck Showalter's team -- known for above average defense -- dipped this season in that category. Machado won his first Gold Glove in 2013 and was voted the Platinum Glove winner for the game's best fielder in '15.

He was a finalist last year, along with first baseman Chris Davis, though neither player took home the hardware.

The Gold Glove Awards will be unveiled on Nov. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

This year's Gold Glove Awards represent just one way the game's top performers will be recognized. Voting is underway now for the Esurance MLB Awards, which annually honor MLB's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process. MLB Awards season will culminate on Nov. 17, when winners are announced live on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 8 p.m. ET.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/259665374/baltimore-orioles-arizona-fall-league- overview/

Orioles' Arizona Fall League overview

By Mike Rosenbaum / MLB.com October 26, 2017

The Orioles are well represented in this year's Arizona Fall League, with five of their eight participants ranking among the team's Top 30 Prospects. Headlining that group is , who, at age 20, is adding on to an impressive season in which he reached Double- A.

"This is such a great opportunity to come out here against this competition," said Mountcastle, Baltimore's No. 3 prospect, about being chosen for the Fall League. "It's the best of the best out here from the Minors."

The second of two first-round picks made by the Orioles in 2015, Mountcastle made an immediate impact the following year in his full-season debut by slashing .281/.319/.426 with 10 home runs and 28 doubles over 115 games with Delmarva.

He made even greater strides at the plate in this past season, first in the Carolina League, where he posted a .314/.343/.542 line with 15 homers and 35 doubles across 88 games with Class A Advanced Frederick en route to a Double-A promotion in mid-July.

On top of the inherent challenges of being a 20-year-old in Double-A, Mountcastle also was asked by the Orioles to move from , the position he had played his entire career up to that point, to third base.

"It was pretty smooth," he said regarding the transition. "There are double plays I need to work on that are a little bit different than shortstop, with arm angles and stuff like that. But outside of that I feel pretty confident over there."

Meanwhile, the right-handed hitting Mountcastle was challenged at the plate for the first time in his career. In 39 games with Bowie, he batted .222/.239/.366, albeit with three homers and 13 more doubles.

"It was a great learning experience for me," said Mountcastle, who finished his season with a .287/.312/.489 line, 18 home runs and a Minor League-leading 48 doubles between the two levels. "Facing that higher-level pitching and competition, it was definitely something I took a lot from."

Any of his struggles from Double-A certainly haven't followed Mountcastle into the AFL, where he's now safely in eight straight games with a six-game RBI streak for the Salt River Rafters after going hitless in his first two contests. He's batting .268 (11-for-41) overall with two homers, three doubles and eight RBIs.

"Baseball -- you're going to fail, it's going to happen," he said. "You just have to keep your head up and stay confident."

Orioles hitters in the Fall League:

Steve Wilkerson, IF -- The switch-hitting utility player, an eighth-round pick out of Clemson in 2014, turned in is his best offensive season to date as he established career highs in most categories while making a smooth progression up to Double-A. Wilkerson, 25, has continued to swing a hot bat in the Fall League, posting a .321 average with four extra-base hits in his first eight games.

Anthony Santander, OF (BAL No. 9) -- The Orioles were able to keep Santander, whom they selected from the Indians system in the December Rule 5 Draft, on their 25-man roster for the entire season thanks largely to a strained right forearm that sidelined the 23-year-old (on the 60-

day DL) until mid-August. Once healthy, Santander collected 11 hits in 30 at-bats (.267 average) over parts of 13 games in the big leagues while seeing time at both corners.

Orioles in the Fall League:

Keegan Akin, LHP (BAL No. 8) -- A second-round Draft pick in 2016, Akin is pitching in the Fall League as a 22-year-old after a promising but inconsistent first full season with Frederick. He fared much better during the second half after taking a nearly two-week break to work on his mechanics, only to have his progress halted by a trip to the disabled list early in August. Pitching out the this fall, the 6-foot, 225-pounder has given up one earned run on five hits in seven innings (four appearances). He's utilized his full four-pitch mix in spite of the relief role, throwing a fastball that's been up to 96 mph while sitting mostly 91-94 along with a slider, a curveball and a changeup, all of which typically register in the lower 80s.

Luis Gonzalez, LHP -- Gonzalez, 25, turned in a breakout performance in 2017, his eighth professional season and his third straight year in the Carolina League. He appeared in a career- high 36 games for the Keys, posting a 2.47 ERA with 75 and a .173 batting average against in 62 innings. Armed with a 92-94 mph two-seam fastball and a mid-80s cutter, Gonzalez is capable of getting out hitters on both sides of the plate, and he actually fared much better against righties (.130 BAA) than lefties (.241) during the regular season.

Jesus Liranzo, RHP (BAL No. 22) -- Liranzo's stuff took a step back with Bowie during the regular season as he shifted between the bullpen and rotation. He struggled similarly in both roles, and he now owns an 11.57 ERA, with more walks (6) than strikeouts (3), through 4 2/3 innings (four appearances) in the Fall League.

Tanner Scott, LHP (BAL No. 6) -- The 2017 Futures Game selection is back in the Fall League for the third straight year, this time with a taste of the big leagues under his belt. The 23-year-old southpaw was rewarded with a mid-September callup after an impressive Double-A campaign in which he posted a 2.22 ERA with a .188 batting average against and 87 strikeouts over 69 innings (24 starts). He appeared in two games out of the Orioles' bullpen down the stretch, allowing two runs in one inning in his big league debut against Boston before striking out one of the two batters he faced versus Tampa Bay three days later.

"After I was up there -- it wasn't for long -- but it shows you how amazing it is, and I definitely want to get back there," said Scott. "I'm going to work on everything I can to get up there again and stay up there. It's the big leagues -- it's still my dream to get there and be there for a while."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/10/showalter-moves-up-active-list-miller- moves-on-to-next-career.html

Showalter moves up active list, Miller moves on to next career

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com October 27, 2017

The Red Sox, Yankees and Nationals made the playoffs this season and all three managers are out of work.

It’s a tough business.

With Joe Girardi’s removal yesterday as Yankees skipper, Buck Showalter moves up to fourth on the list of longest tenured managers behind the Angels’ , the Giants’ and the Royals’ Ned Yost.

Scioscia was hired after the 1999 season, Bochy after 2006 and Yost in May 2010. The Orioles hired Showalter on July 29, 2010 and he was in the dugout five days later.

He’ll be in there on 2018. A last-place finish didn’t impact his status. He already met with owner Peter Angelos and was in the warehouse yesterday, and he’s preparing a trip to Arizona to check out prospects in the Fall League. But Showalter is in the final year of his contract and what comes next is a total mystery, wide open to speculation and rumor and blind guessing.

An extension? A front office position? A new address? None of the above? Break out the pencils and mark a box.

Showalter’s 622 wins with the Orioles rank second in club history behind Hall of Famer (1,480). His 1,504 career wins are 23rd all-time and third among active managers behind Bochy, who’s 15th with 1,853, and Scioscia, who’s 22nd with 1,570.

Dusty Baker ranks 14th with 1,863 wins. He fell off the active list after the Nationals decided that back-to-back division titles couldn’t trump the team’s shortcomings in the postseason.

It isn’t much of a division from a competitive standpoint. Put a toilet brush in the Nats’ dugout and it should be able to go .500. But Baker’s dismissal still came as a surprise.

Girardi managed the Yankees for 10 seasons and came within a game this month of the . They want a new voice. He’d strike the right tone in D.C. if he wants to stay in the game rather than take some time off to be with family. And if the Nats are willing to spend for him.

* Former Orioles reliever Jim Miller, one of the really good guys in baseball, has moved on to the post-pitching phase of his career.

The Angels hired Miller earlier this month as a professional scout, with his first official day on his new job coming Oct. 16.

Miller made his major league debut with the Orioles on Sept. 1, 2008, allowing an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning against the Red Sox at . He was slotted between relievers Dennis Sarfate, now pitching in Japan, and former Rule 5 pick Randor Bierd.

Miller, now 35, appeared in eight games that month and recorded his only major league save. He spent four of his 13 professional seasons in the Orioles organization, also pitching for the Rockies, Yankees and Athletics.

The Twins released Miller in March after agent Josh Kusnick had negotiated another minor league deal. It would be the last.

“I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am. And relieved at the same time to actually have some employment,” Miller said.

“It was a long summer. I went to with the Twins, got released the last week in camp and on my way home I’m talking to my agent, talking to my wife (Tasha), and just kind of came to the realization that after 13 years and being 35 at the end of April, I was like, well, they’re not going to keep a 35-year-old and release a 26-, 27-, 28-year-old kid.

“I wasn’t chasing down the dream of being in the big leagues. And I always told myself the only way I would keep playing was if I felt I had a legitimate shot to get back to the big leagues. And once Minnesota let me go, I didn’t have any wish to be a guy in -A that they used to eat innings or keep on the phantom DL in case they needed a guy. It just didn’t appeal to me at that point. So I came home, sat down with my wife, got a plan in order as far as what we were going to do.”

Money wasn’t an issue for the family, which includes a 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.

“I was able to be a stay-at-home dad for a little bit,” he said. “I stayed at home and my wife, she’s a certified massage therapist and she went back to work at a chiropractic office to slow the bleeding a little bit. And I sent out resumes right after the trade deadline because I figured nobody was going to look at anything before that. I figured that was a good time.

“I wanted to be out in front of it and have my name out there as soon as possible. And even after that it was a very slow process. You’re waiting on the minor league season to end for development jobs and then you’re waiting for the big league season to end for any possible job there. But then right after the big leagues ended, everything kind of picked up. The season ended Sunday and by Tuesday I had a job, so it picked up rather quickly.

“I’m excited about the opportunity. I think after playing for as long as I did, a break from the field is good. Try something a little different. And plus, I want to try to work my way into a front office at some point and we’ll see how that goes.”

The climb begins in the Angels scouting department.

“I’ll have three teams top to bottom, and then I have to also see the Angels throughout the course of the year. So I’ll have about 18 or 19 teams,” he said. “I’ll write reports on everyone I see and whatever else the scouting department would want me to do.

“I just want to stay within the framework of the game one way or the other. Break from the field I think is going to be good, seeing the game from a different perspective. And just kind of see where it goes. I don’t necessarily have any goals as far as, in three years I want to be wherever. Just stay in the game and see what kind of opportunities present themselves as I move through this next phase of my career.

“I might get three years into this and not like it and want to get back on the field. I guess that’s why I said I don’t necessarily have any goals. I mean, my goal was just to get a job within the framework of the game because that’s what I know. After that, it’s kind of like, let’s see where it can take me.”

Miller will look back only with fondness, not remorse, over how his career played out.

“Let’s be honest, if you had told me when I was drafted in 2004 that I was going to play 13 full seasons and go to spring training in your 14th year, I would have said, ‘Yeah, OK, sign me up. I’m good with that.’ I wouldn’t have thought anything of it,” Miller said.

“Let’s look at some of the stuff I got to do. You were there in ‘08. I got to make my debut at Fenway. I got to pitch at old . I got to be on a team that won their division. I got to experience playoff baseball. I got to be a Yankee. I got to be teammates with and Derek Jeter and and CC Sabathia and . The list goes on and on.

“I got to be teammates with great guys in Oakland - Grant Balfour and . I met my wife playing. We have two kids now because I met her. There are so many great memories I have from being a player that I didn’t have any regrets about calling it a day.”

The Orioles acquired Miller and Jason Burch from the Rockies in January 2007 for starter Rodrigo López.

“They gave me my first opportunity in the big leagues and that can’t go unnoticed,” he said. “I had great teammates. I got to play with both in Baltimore and with the Yankees. I made my debut in Fenway. I got my first and only big league save with the Orioles. So just overall, a lot of good memories.

“I got to be teammates with . I thought he was a cool dude. I still keep in touch throughout the year with Andy Mitchell. He was a career minor leaguer with Baltimore. Probably should have gotten an opportunity but didn’t. A lot of good memories. That was four of 13 years right there.

“I got to experience so much and I don’t need to be cannon fodder in Triple-A for somebody if I’m not going to get a chance to pitch in the big leagues. I’m perfectly at peace with going home and being a dad and enjoying my kids and seeing what’s next.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/10/manny-machado-is-lone-orioles-finalist-for- gold-glove-award.html

Manny Machado is lone Orioles finalist for Gold Glove Award

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com October 26, 2017

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is the club’s lone finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove, giving him an opportunity to win his third award.

Machado is joined by the Indians’ José Ramírez and the Rays’ Evan Longoria. The winners will be announced on Nov. 7 on ESPN.

The Orioles failed to claim a Gold Glove last year for the first time since 2010. They had multiple winners in four consecutive seasons before 2015, when Machado earned his second award.

Machado and first baseman Chris Davis were finalists last year. Davis lost to and didn’t make the final three this year, with the honor going to the Indians’ Carlos Santana, the Royals’ and Moreland, now with the Red Sox.

Moreland won it last year while playing for the Rangers.

Right fielder and won in 2011; Wieters, center fielder Adam Jones and shortstop J.J. Hardy won in 2012; Machado, Hardy and Jones won in 2013; and Hardy, Jones and Markakis won in 2014.

Jones claimed the award in 2009, the first Oriole to be recognized for defensive excellence since pitcher in 1999.

Machado earned a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove in 2013, and he continued to make highlight- worthy plays this summer due to his tremendous range and arm strength, but he experienced a decline in certain defensive metrics. He committed 14 errors in 156 games and registered a .967 in 425 chances. Machado also had a 4.7 ultimate zone rating (UZR) that ranked fifth in the league per FanGraphs and six defensive runs saved (DRS) that ranked sixth.

Longoria was second in DRS with 11 behind the Athletics’ Matt Chapman (19). He committed 12 errors and registered a .968 fielding percentage in 375 chances.

Ramírez committed six errors and registered a .972 fielding percentage in 213 chances over 88 games. He also played 71 games at second base.

Gold Glove winners are selected by a vote of major league managers and coaches, accounting for 75 percent, as well as the SABR Defensive Index.

Former Orioles minor leaguer Zach Davies, traded to the Brewers on July 31, 2015 for , is a finalist among pitchers. Parra, now with the Rockies, is a finalist in left field.

American League:

Pitchers: (Red Sox), Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays), (Rays)

Catchers: (Indians), Martín Maldonado (Angels), Salvador Perez (Royals)

First basemen: Carlos Santana (Indians), Eric Hosmer (Royals), Mitch Moreland (Red Sox)

Second basemen: Brian Dozier (Twins), Ian Kinsler (Tigers), Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox)

Shortstops: Elvin Andrus (Rangers), Andrelton Simmons (Angels), (Indians)

Third basemen: Manny Machado (Orioles), José Ramírez (Indians), Evan Longoria (Rays)

Left fielders: Brett Gardner (Yankees), (Royals), Justin Upton (Tigers)

Center fielders: Lorenzo Cain (Royals), Kevin Pillar (Blue Jays), (Twins)

Right fielders: Kole Calhoun (Angels), (Red Sox), (Yankees)

National League:

Pitchers: R.A. Dickey (Braves), Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks), Zach Davies (Brewers)

Catchers: (Giants), (Cardinals), Tucker Barnhart (Reds)

First basemen: Joey Votto (Reds), Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks), Anthony Rizzo (Cubs)

Second basemen: DJ LeMahieu (Rockies), Dee Gordon (Marlins), Ben Zobrist (Cubs)

Shortstops: (Phillies), (Giants), (Dodgers)

Third basemen: Nolan Arenado (Rockies), Anthony Rendon (Nationals), David Freese (Pirates)

Left fielders: Gerardo Parra (Rockies), Adam Duvall (Reds), (Marlins)

Center fielders: Billy Hamilton (Reds), Michael A. Taylor (Nationals), Ender Inciarte (Braves)

Right fielders: Yasiel Puig (Dodgers), (Marlins), Jason Heyward (Cubs)

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/10/talking-joe-girardis-ouster-game-times- and-more.html

Talking Joe Girardi’s ouster, game times and more

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com October 27, 2017

There are 30 teams in the majors. As of yesterday, 20 percent are changing managers. As of yesterday, 30 percent of the 2017 playoff teams will have different managers next year.

The Yankees’ Joe Girardi will not return to the Bronx. He has been the skipper the past 10 years, winning 91 games per season and finishing first or second seven times. His teams made the playoffs six times, won the World Series in 2009 and lost in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series this year.

By most standards, Girardi was successful. Maybe the real surprise was that he lasted 10 years in that pressure cooker. The future will tell us whether the Yankees made the right move here or overreacted to something they deemed an issue or concern. Heck, maybe there were perfectly legit reasons for them to not retain Girardi - but short of them telling us that (which they didn’t do), reporters can only truly speculate.

So with three playoff managers losing their jobs this month, what makes a good manager in 2018 and moving forward?

That person must be able to relate to, work with and lead veteran players while also being able to nurture and get the most out of young talent. They must deal with the changing face of media and the age where everything is a big deal and everything is covered at all times. They must deal with fans who have more of a public voice than ever before through social media. They must deal with their own front office and balance old-school scouting approaches with current trends and analytics. They must adapt to changing trends in the game. They must answer to ownership. They must handle a pitching staff, knowing when to coddle and/or push their pitchers while keeping their bullpen fresh over 162 games. They must present a confident front and always appear in complete control to players, fans and reporters alike. They must win. But other than that ...

Sports Illustrated’s wrote this excellent story on Girardi leaving New York. He wrote that, “The top priorities in hiring a manager had changed. Now here are the two most important ones:

“1) Force of personality: a catch-all phrase for the ability to connect and communicate with young players and to represent the team’s image and brand on a daily basis in front of the media.

“2) Fluency in analytics: the belief in data-based decision-making deep enough to serve as an efficient conduit between the front office and the players.”

The job of manager is changing and is very different than it was even five years ago. It is very, very different than the job that guys like Earl Weaver and once did well.

Is time of game important?: Game 1 of the World Series between the and lasted just two hours and 28 minutes. It was the fastest World Series game since 1992. It was a fantastic pitchers’ duel.

Game 2 of the World Series lasted 11 innings and took four hours and 19 minutes. Both games were great to watch and prove that if the baseball is good, the time it takes to play it doesn’t matter that much. We’ll watch and enjoy every minute.

But baseball officials continue to have concerns over what they call “pace of play” rather than time of game. They continue to make changes. According to a stat noted this week on MASN’s “The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report,” the average time of game in the regular season was 3:05 this season - the longest ever. Heading into the World Series, the average time of a postseason game in 2017 was 3:31.

And yes, that makes it challenging for younger fans - the very fans the MLB brass says it wants to attract - to stay up until the end of the biggest games of the year. At least in the East Coast time zone. Games that last three and a half hours can challenge anyone to remain interested from start to finish.

So how can the game improve pace of play and time of games? Is it really that important? Is reducing the time of games by 10 minutes going to make an impact? Would 20 minutes make one?

Baseball is a great game and those of us that love it have the start of this World Series as the two latest examples. Short of making significant changes, are there things MLB can do to create more interest among younger fans?

The first two games of the World Series were great and fantastic to watch - no matter how quickly or how long they took to play.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/10/26/will-mark-trumbo-be-back-with-the-orioles-in- 2018

Will Mark Trumbo Be Back With The Orioles In 2018?

By Rich Dubroff / PressBoxOnline.com October 26, 2017

A year ago, Mark Trumbo was a free agent coming off a 2016 season in which he led the majors in home runs. The market for Trumbo wasn't as active as he thought it would be, however, and he ended up re-signing with the Orioles in January.

The /outfielder's three-year, $37.5 million contract seemed reasonable. Not only did Trumbo hit 47 homers in 2016, but he also drove in 108 runs. Those numbers, as well as his .850 OPS, were career highs.

But Trumbo had a startling drop-off in production in 2017, and that has led to speculation that the Orioles could seek to trade him for a .

With $26 million left on the remaining two years of his contract, it surely will be a difficult one to move, and the Orioles might have to eat some of the money.

Trumbo, who hit .234 with 23 home runs and 65 RBIs this season, is considered a defensive liability, and the market for him may well be limited to American League teams. In return, the Orioles would probably have to take either an underperforming pitcher with a heavy salary or a young, unproven arm.

Dealing Trumbo, 31, makes sense because he's a right-handed hitter and of the players expected back for the Orioles, only first baseman Chris Davis and rookie catcher Chance Sisco are left- handed. Rule 5 outfielder is a switch-hitter.

The Orioles could switch out Trumbo for Pedro Alvarez, who has a similar skill set but hits left- handed. With the addition of the left-handed hitting Seth Smith in 2017, Trumbo's time in right field was greatly reduced. The emergence of as a left fielder made it impossible to carry Alvarez.

Alvarez's stats in 2016 weren't bad -- 22 homers 49 RBIs and an .826 OPS in 109 games -- and he hit .313 after he joined the Orioles for the final month of this season.

He'd also command a lower salary than Trumbo. In 2016, Alvarez was paid $5.75 million.

In 2018, the Orioles are likely to try Austin Hays in right field. Hays, Mancini and center fielder Adam Jones are all right-handed, and it makes sense to try and add a left-handed hitter to replace Smith, who's expected to depart as a free agent.

NOTE: The Orioles re-signed infielder Luis Sardinas to a minor league contract. Sardinas is expected to compete for a utility spot in spring training.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2017/10/27/myriad-orioles-thoughts-machados-gold-glove- chances-davis-snubbed-buck-moving/

Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Machado’s Gold Glove chances; Davis snubbed; Buck moving on up

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com October 26, 2017

This was not a banner year for Orioles third baseman Manny Machado.

He pressed at the plate in the first half, and struggled in September after returning to form in July and August. His .259 average was a career worst and his .310 on-base percentage represented his lowest mark since his debut season in 2012.

His baserunning was particularly head-scratching at times and defensive metrics weren’t particularly kind to Machado. His six defensive runs saved at third base tied for his lowest career mark and paled to the 35 defensive runs saved he had in 2013.

But no one can tell me there is a better defensive third baseman in the American League right now. And I could make the argument that Machado’s defense was at least close to what it was in 2013; you have to remember that he didn’t have a healthy J.J. Hardy next to him for much of this year, and he may have felt a little more pressure to make every play.

His 14 errors committed were the second highest of his career, but in the only season he had more, he won the AL Gold Glove (19 errors at third in 2015).

And he should win the award again – his third – in 2017.

On Thursday it was announced he was one of three finalists at the AL hot corner, along with Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria and Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.

I’ve watched Longoria play for a long time now, and the two-time Gold Glover is an outstanding all-around player and an exceptionally smooth defender. He led AL third basemen this year with 11 runs saved – nearly twice as many Machado.

But if you read this site religiously, you know I don’t think much of advanced defensive metrics. There are way too many variables, and I’ve yet to find one I trust to paint the full picture (Machado’s 1.0 Defensive WAR was slightly below Longoria’s 1.3, for what it’s worth).

Longoria plays a tremendous third base for a 32-year-old, but he can no longer do what the 25- year-old Machado produces on a nightly basis.

I haven’t seen Ramirez play third much, and he probably should win the Silver Slugger at the position, given the fantastic year he had at the plate. But he started 86 games at the hot corner this year, and that’s not enough, in my opinion, to take the award away from Machado (or Longoria).

So, pencil in Machado for his third Gold Glove – he certainly deserves it.

Davis gets no defensive love:

We all know this was another disastrous offensive year for first baseman Chris Davis. And according to defensive metrics, Davis had a rough one in the field, too. He had a negative 1.3 defensive WAR and a negative 5 defensive runs saved.

Poppycock, I say.

Davis played a really strong first base, specifically the way he scooped throws from the left side of the infield. It became more apparent when took over at shortstop. Davis had to play first base like a hockey goalie with Beckham’s strong but erratic arm throwing missiles from deep in the hole.

Davis was a Gold Glove finalist last year, but was passed over this year in favor of Eric Hosmer, Mitch Moreland and Carlos Santana.

Hosmer and Moreland both have strong defensive reputations, but Santana has been an offensive-first player dating back to his catching days.

I have no idea how much Santana has improved as a first baseman (he had a 0 Defensive WAR this year), but I do know that this year Davis was as good as he was in 2016, and may have been better given the additional challenge of Beckham.

Showalter’s moving on up:

Buck Showalter is the dean of American League East managers now that Joe Girardi is not being retained by the New York Yankees, ending a decade in the Bronx.

Only three managers in all of baseball have been with their current teams longer than Showalter, who was hired in Aug. 2010. skipper Mike Scioscia is the longest tenured manager followed by ’s Bruce Bochy and Kansas City’s Ned Yost, who was hired a couple months before Showalter.

I’ve written this before, but it’s pretty amazing that Showalter, who had the reputation of not staying in one place particularly long, is now one of the most rooted managers in the game. That’s a credit to him, and to management for valuing continuity.

As for Girardi, I think he is among the best in baseball. I’d hire him in a nanosecond if I had an opening. I can’t imagine he’ll be out of the game for long.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2017/10/26/machado-orioles-lone-gold-glove-finalist/

Machado is Orioles’ lone Gold Glove finalist

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com October 26, 2017

Third baseman Manny Machado is the Orioles’ only hope of having a 2017 Gold Glove Award winner.

Rawlings Sporting Goods and announced the three finalists at each defensive position today in the American League and National League, and Machado is the lone Oriole to make the cut.

A two-time winner, Machado was a finalist in 2016 but lost out to one of his idols, ’ Adrian Beltre. This year, Machado is up against Cleveland third baseman/utility infielder Jose Ramirez and another finalist from 2016, Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria.

This is only the second time since 2011, when the three-finalists format started, that the Orioles have had only one defender make the list. It also occurred in 2015, when Machado won his second Gold Glove. Last season, Machado and first baseman Chris Davis were in the Top 3 of their respective positions, but neither won.

From 2011 through 2014, the Orioles had multiple Gold Glove winners each season.

The lone Gold Glove selection for the Orioles this season supports manager Buck Showalter’s contention that his team’s defense – a strength during his tenure in Baltimore, which began in Aug. 2010 – took a step backward in 2017. Showalter has said improving the defense, even with much of the same personnel, will be a focus for the club in 2018.

Machado, 25, made 14 errors in 425 chances while playing 156 games at third base. It was the second highest number of errors for a season in his career, behind the 21 he made in a Gold- Glove-winning campaign in 2015. His six defensive runs saved, according to Fangraphs, was third among qualifying AL third baseman behind Longoria (11) and Todd Frazier (10). Ramirez had a combined five defensive runs saved while splitting time between third base (86 starts) and second base (65 starts).

The winners will be announced on ESPN starting at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 7.