Three Orioles named finalists for MLBPA awards

The Tides have been sold, Baumler is making a comeback, and the Orioles have plans to strengthen their rotation.

• By
  
  Tyler Young
  
• on October 18, 2023 7:05 am

Good morning, Birdland!

Although the Orioles’ remarkable season ended over a week ago, we continue to be reminded of its specialness. On Tuesday, a trio of Orioles were announced as finalists for several MLBPA awards.

It’s important to note that these awards given out by the MLBPA are not the definitive awards in Major League Baseball, such as MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year. Those awards are given out by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and we won’t hear about them until after the World Series.

You might be wondering, “Do these awards even matter then?” Well, during the offseason, we need something to write about. These Orioles players surely appreciate the recognition, but these awards won’t be featured on their Baseball Reference page.

Anyway, the three players named as finalists are Gunnar Henderson, Kyle Bradish, and Ryan O’Hearn. Henderson has a good chance of winning AL Outstanding Rookie. Bradish had a great season, but the competition with Gerrit Cole is tough. As for O’Hearn, it’ll be hard not to name Liam Hendriks the winner after his comeback from a cancer diagnosis.

Being nominated for year-end awards is significant and shows that these players put together a solid season. It’s something to be proud of, and it’s exciting to see more Orioles than usual among the finalists.

Links

Henderson, Bradish and O’Hearn finalists for MLBPA awards | Roch Kubatko
Get more information on the awards and where these players stand in the running.

Norfolk Tides sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings | The Virginian-Pilot
Not a fan of big conglomerates? Well, the Norfolk Tides have been sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings, an organization that already owns 20 other minor league teams. Let’s hope they continue to keep the team in Norfolk.

Baumler making progress in Fall League | MLB.com
Carter Baumler is healthy and catching up to others in his draft class. Despite some arm injuries, he remains highly regarded. Let’s hope the Orioles can develop him into a valuable player in the future.

Jon Meoli analyzes the Orioles’ rotation for the offseason | The Baltimore Banner
Hopefully, the Orioles assess their pitching staff honestly. It needs improvement beyond Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez. The healthy return of John Means is not guaranteed, so they should explore the trade market for potential upgrades.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Garrett Olson turns 40. He was a left-handed pitcher for the Orioles from 2007 to 2008 before being traded to the Cubs.
• Alan Mills is 57. He was a key member of the Orioles bullpen for nine seasons, with two separate stints in 1992-1998 and 2000-2001.
• Terry Clark celebrates his 63rd birthday. He spent part of the 1995 season in the Orioles bullpen.
• Ed Farmer (b. 1949, d. 2020) was born on this day. He pitched in just one game for the Orioles in 1977.

This day in O’s history

Although not much has happened in Birdland on this date, here are a few notable non-baseball events:

1648 – The first American labor union is formed by shoe makers.

1851 – The publication of Moby-Dick.

1867 – The United States acquires Alaska from Russia.

1898 – The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico from Spain.

1954 – Texas Instruments announces the first mass-produced transistor radio.

1963 – Félicette, a Parisian cat, becomes the first cat in space.