Who Are the O’s?

 

The O’s refers to the American baseball franchise the Baltimore Orioles, who are based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Orioles, who compete in the American League (AL), won the World Series in 1966, 1970 and 1983.  

  

The Winter Baseball Meetings 

 

The Winter Meetings, which take place every December for four days, are a forum for representatives of all Major League Baseball teams and their Minor League Baseball affiliates to debate league matters and make off-season trades and deals. Baseball’s Winter Meetings, which are usually the busiest week of the offseason, was an in-person event in 2022 for the first time in three years. The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego hosted the Winter Meetings on Sunday 11th December. 

 

Due to the owners’ lockout, the Winter Meetings were postponed in the last off-season, and as a result of the pandemic, they were held remotely in the year before this. The Winter Meetings have finally returned, and long-time fans of the Orioles such as Brandon Glickstein cannot wait to see what happens next. 

 

The O’s general manager, Mike Elias, has financial freedom and – as a result of this – plans to increase the team's payroll. Therefore, baseball fans can expect significant player moves following the Winter Meetings. 

 

Player Acquisition 

 

The key priority for the Orioles throughout the 2022 Winter Meetings should be a great starting pitcher. Elias has made it abundantly clear that he wants to acquire a starter who can fill one of the top three positions. Aside from this, the O’s are keen to acquire a powerful bat. At present, the O’s have a very flexible team with several players who are able to play in a number of positions. It will be interesting to see how a powerful bat will fit in with this team. If the O’s do make a significant deal following the 2022 Winter Meeting, it is likely to be for a starter. 

 

15 Rule 5 Drafts 

 

In the previous 15 Rule 5 Drafts, Baltimore has selected at least one player during the Major League phase. Now that the Orioles’ farm system is much deeper, it is likely that this streak will come to an end. The four players who would have been eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft – Rodriguez, Seth Johnson, Joey Ortiz and Drew Rom – were protected and therefore not lost from the O’s top 30 prospects. 

MLB’s 2022 Cinderella Story: The Baltimore Orioles

 

Across the Major League Baseball (MLB) landscape in 2022, few teams have surprised fans and enthusiasts throughout the first half of the season as much as the Baltimore Orioles. On the heels of a disastrous 2021 season (they lost 110 games), the Orioles were not expected to emerge as a strong contender for postseason baseball in 2022.

However, throughout the season’s first 89 games the team has posted a winning record, thanks in part to a winning streak of 10 games that had them only a couple of games out of a playoff berth in mid-July.

So, what’s fueling the turnaround?

Elite Defense

It's not just the winning streak that has Orioles fans such as Brandon Glickstein dreaming of watching them play well into October. Since mid-May, the team’s stellar defense has helped put up a 31-20 record, with the Orioles ranking second in the American League (AL) behind the New York Yankees in defensive runs saved (DRS) with 47.

For sure, elite defense has punctuated the remarkable turnaround, and for those who’ve followed the team over the years, it has been a while since they posted a positive DRS season.

At the heart of this change has been sound execution and standout performances from various important positions. Jorge Mateo’s 11 defensive runs saved leads the league’s shortstops, while Ramon Urias’ eight DRS have him second in the American League. Center fielder Cedric Mullins has seven DRS, good for second in the league, while left fielder Austin Hays’ four DRS have him among the best in the America League.

Essentially, the Orioles’ defensive play is helping them to allow fewer scored runs, therefore creating more opportunities for victory.

Difference-Making Pitching

According to baseball analysts, the Orioles’ pitching is one of the difference makers underlying the team’s historic turnaround. Where the 2021 Orioles allowed 956 runs, the 2022 squad has allowed 377 runs in 89 games, with a projected total of 686 for the entire season. The team’s bullpen has a role to play in this, as it is ranked as the fifth-best in the league.

Contributors such as Felix Bautista and Cionel Perez have halved their walk rates from the 2021 season, while the starting rotation has achieved a 2.33 starter earned runs average (ERA) in baseball – a record best. Overall, the Orioles 4.50 ERA is also markedly better than the 5.99 posted in 2021.

Steady Leadership

Manager Brandon Hyde also gets credit for the Orioles’ turnaround season. Observers have noted the fun and energetic clubhouse in 2022 and Hyde’s focus on creating a winning mindset for everyone in the organization.

Child Safety in Hot Climates

Typically, the warm season is the time to encourage children and young people to exercise, explore, play outside, and exercise. However, when temperatures rise so high that they pose a health risk, it’s prudent to be wary of dehydration, heat cramps, exhaustion, and other dangers that might present in extreme heat. This is particularly important when traveling with children to hot climates, where preparation and research can go a long way toward keeping kids safe.

Make Wise Destination Choices

When it comes to making your choice of travel destination, be conscious of the where and when – especially if kids are involved. The timing of a vacation trip is important, as certain destinations can be unbearably hot in the summer. For example, desert locations fall into this category, as do certain tropical regions where the humid conditions can reduce the ability to enjoy a location.

Plan Ahead

Going to the beach or swimming pool can be one way to keep children busy on a hot day. However, with prior knowledge of when it’s going to be hot, you can plan creative ways to keep young ones occupied. As Brandon Glickstein – a frequent traveler who often takes his child with him – knows, it’s vital to have activities and games that can keep kids occupied during periods of extreme heat. Visiting buildings or places of interest that offer shelter from the heat is an important option to consider.

Stay Hydrated

‘Stay hydrated’ a common refrain during hot seasons, with good reason. Both adults and children should drink plenty of water on a hot day and ideally not wait until they’re thirsty to do so. Parents and guardians should encourage children to drink water frequently if they’re outdoors, in 15 to 20-minute intervals. While it’s tempting to consume sugary or caffeinated beverages, these don’t help much in hydrating the body.

Take it Easy

While planning for a trip in the summer months, consider resting during the hottest times of the day and planning for engaging activities in the early morning or evening. Carry loose and light-colored clothing for children, which will help to maximize sweat evaporation for them, and remember to apply sunscreen. Give kids a cool bath when they get hot, and if they’re going to swim or play in the water to cool down, ensure there’s an adult present to supervise them. Last of all, even with the windows down, children should not be left unattended inside a car.

 

 

The Baltimore Ravens vs Miami

 

Lamar Jackson’s return turned out to be more of a nightmare than a joyful reunion. Baltimore headed into Miami with the second ranked offense, in the location where Jackson threw five touchdowns and helped the Ravens achieve 59 points just two years ago.

Worst Offensive Performance

Unfortunately, on this occasion, it turned out to be the worst performance from their offensive as the Ravens only scored 10 points; the least the team has achieved in any of Lamar Jackson’s career starts.

Lamar Jackson didn’t show much emotion other than frustration, because whilst the Ravens’ defense played well, the offense struggled from the start.

Miami Dolphins’ Tactics

The Dolphins are led by coach Brian Flores, who places a great amount of emphasis on the importance of defense. As a result of the pressure, the Ravens crumpled.

With heavy blitzes and a Cover Zero scheme, the Dolphins pressured Lamar Jackson and the Ravens until they couldn’t recover. In response, Lamar Jackson started throwing horizontally rather than downfield, which helped the Dolphins get off the field on third down.

Baltimore’s coaches stated that the team did not handle the Dolphins’ blitzes well, and as a result their game suffered for it.

Ravens’ Defense

The defense of the Ravens played well and limited the Dolphins to three third down conversions over thirteen attempts. This performance was even more impressive when you consider that Derek Wolfe, Marcus Peters, Brandon Williams and DeShon Elliott were all off with injuries.

Despite this, the defense must still take some of the blame for the loss. A troubling pattern of blown coverages allowed pass completions at both 64 and 52 yards. Both led to points for Miami.

A Saving Grace

One saving grace from the game for Baltimore fans – such as Brandon Glickstein – was watching Justin Houston go over 100 for his career, which is a huge achievement.

Fans also saw a Mark Andrews reception overturned, and Patrick Queen had a clear shot, only for Liam Eichenberg of the Dolphins to dive and secure the ball.

This loss to a non-contender has put extra pressure on the Ravens’ next game against the Chicago Bears.