The Orioles are calling up infield/outfield prospect Connor Norby, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN on X. Members of the Baltimore beat, including Jake Rill of MLB.com on X, had previously noted that Norby was en route to Toronto with the rest of the team. Norby isn’t yet on the club’s 40-man roster but the O’s have a vacancy there after recently losing Kaleb Ort off waivers to the Astros. They will need to make a move to get Norby onto the active roster. Infielder Jorge Mateo is in concussion protocol, per Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com, and could perhaps wind up on the injured list.
It’s a nice early birthday present for Norby, who turns 24 on Saturday. His call-up is yet another step in the march of exciting prospect that the Orioles have graduated in recent years. The O’s finished last in the American League East in each full season from 2017 to 2021 losing 108 games or more in three of those seasons. In the process, they managed to use high draft picks to stockpile exciting youngsters such as Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, Kyle Stowers, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez, all of whom were taken with a first- or second-round pick.
Norby can be counted in that group as well, with the O’s grabbing him in the second round of the 2021 draft. He got a brief professional debut in the months after that draft selection and then tore through three levels in 2022. Going from High-A to Double-A and Triple-A, he hit 29 home runs in 547 plate appearances. He also drew walks in 10.1% of those trips to the plate while only getting punched out 20.8% of the time. His combined slash line of .279/.360/.526 led to a 137 wRC+, or 37% above average overall, and he also stole 16 bases.
That performance was enough to get him on the back of some top 100 prospect lists going into 2023. Baseball America gave him the #93 slot while ESPN put him at #92. His results last year were still solid but not quite as overwhelming as the prior season. He spent all of 2023 in Triple-A, getting into 138 games. He still hit 21 home runs and walked in 9% of his trips to the plate, but the offensive environment was quite strong in Triple-A last year, thanks in part to some robo-ump shenanigans. Norby’s .290/.359/.483 batting line produced a 109 wRC+, still above average but not by a massive margin, and his 10 steals were a slight drop-off from the year before.
He didn’t get as much prospect love coming into this year but has been performing quite well for Norfolk. Through 51 contests in 2024, he already has nine home runs and seven steals. His 30.7% strikeout rate is quite high but he’s also drawing walks at an 11.3% clip. His .286/.374/.510 line translates to a 127 wRC+ on the year so far.
Defensively, Norby came up as a second baseman but the O’s have had him spend a bit more time in the outfield corners since the infield is fairly crowded by the presence of Henderson, Westburg, Holliday, Mateo and others. That gives the club a bit of flexibility in how they slot him into the lineup, though the outfield mix is pretty crowded with Cowser, Stowers, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and Austin Hays all sharing time there while Ryan O’Hearn is the regular in the designated hitter slot and Ryan Mountcastle at first base.
Mateo has been the regular second baseman for the O’s lately, so that position could be open if he is indeed going to miss some time due to a concussion. Norby could slot in there or the O’s could also move Westburg from third base, as he has plenty of second base experience, with Ramón Urías taking over at the hot corner. That latter scenario would leave Norby in a backup role, which wouldn’t be ideal treatment for a notable prospect, but the O’s have also called up guys like Stowers and Kjerstad without finding significant playing time for them.
However it plays out, it continues to highlight the embarrassment of riches that the Orioles have in terms of young position player talent. They have so many of these exciting youngsters that even finding playing time for all of them is a challenge. In the long run, that is something that could be worked out organically. Santander is an impending free agent while Mullins, Hays and Mateo are all slated to hit the open market after 2025. That will open up plenty of opportunities for the youngsters in the long run while it’s also feasible that the O’s use some of these young players in deadline trades to bolster the pitching staff for a postseason push.
For now, Norby will get the call to the big leagues for the first time and start his service time clock. Even if he stays up for the rest of the year, he won’t be able to get a year of service in 2024, meaning the earliest he could reach free agency is after 2030. He could perhaps reach Super Two status if he stays in the majors from now and through the end of the 2026 campaign, but it’s also possible that he winds up back in Norfolk after Mateo is healthy. Holliday and Kjerstad are also playing well in Triple-A at the moment and could force their way back to the big leagues down the line. There are many moving parts that will impact the long-term plans but it’s undoubtedly a great day for Norby.
Not sure if he’s in their long term plans when Holliday is ready but hopefully he shows well at 2B. I’m assuming Westburg goes to third when Norby plays. It would be nice to increase his trade value as well.
Westburg has been starting at 3rd almost exclusively this year.
Was not expecting Connor to be the next prospect up
I’m surprised he came up faster than Holliday (2nd time) and mayo
Mayo is hurt and Holliday is not quite there yet!
Holliday is playing well at AAA.
Not nearly as well as pre-call up and still has a big hole in his swing.
He has a 923 OPS at AAA this year. That’s good……
He’s batting .265/.423./444 (.867) since he went back to AAA.
That’s also good…….
It’s more situational than anything else. If Holliday were completely ready it would have been him. As it’s likely a temporary gig until Mateo recovers from the concussion it makes sense to give Norby a look-see for the week and go from there.
They probably also want him to work on not striking out in nearly a third of his atbats. I also agree with you, if they bring him up again, it is for a long term stint and not another cup of coffee just to send him down again.
yay!!! :3 he’s so cute <33
LMAO!
am I wrong?
Same pic is on his dating profile,.
send me the link please XD
Must be June.
Kernersville, NC’s finest. Best luck to you Connor.
K-Vegas
Another guy whom I got to see his entire college career. The dude can hit. Great to see him finally get called up from this deep Orioles system. His younger brother is currently a pitcher for the same college Connor went to, and is competing in a regional. Exciting day for the Norby family…
Stinks for Mateo who was being pretty consistent at the plate for the first time and I was really hoping could become a more consistent offensive threat to go along with his outstanding defense and speed. With how the Orioles are built and the business of baseball these days, Mateo’s time with the team was limited.
It never hurts to have a stocked farm system. Hopefully the issue with Mateo isn’t a serious one and he can come back soon, but it gives Norby a chance to get an extended look after mashing AAA pitching last season and having a great start to this one.
Does anyone know why the O’s wear the Autism motif on the sleeves of their city connect uniforms?
I assume there is an underlying reason that O’s fans are aware of.
Its a map of the different neighborhoods in Baltimore.
Oh, so it’s nothing to do with autism? It very closely resembles the autism pattern.
Thank you, that makes much more sense for a city connect uniform.
It is supposed to be a patch to “resemble the residents of the city, vibrant, colorful, and quirky.”
Born and raised in Baltimore, I reject this notion of “quirky” and I feel that this is a nod to supporting LBGTQ without exactly coming right out and saying so. Just put a pride logo on it and be done with it, then.
If they wanted something to actually resemble the city, they should have had pieces of garbage sewn onto the jersey, giant sized rats put on it, and give it the foul stench of the inner harbor during the summer.
You sound pleasant
I don’t care how you think I sound. I take exception to being called, “quirky.” I am part of Baltimore, and I don’t like other people speaking for me.
You sound so quirky…
To the quirky, normal sounds quirky.
Oh wow. No one cares that you reject that and see it as a “nod” to LGBTQ. Which it isn’t.
Read the reasoning behind it. It is definitely a nod to LBGTQ. The language is right there in black and white. As I said, if they want to make that nod to them, go ahead and do it. I don’t care.
Yet you’re still commenting on it. Hm.
as a gay person, kindly stfu :3
As a straight person, you can kindly “stfu :3”
Does that make this statement any more or less credible than yours? Hint: No it doesn’t.
Incorrect, I am responding to other peoples’ replies to my comment. Please try to understand how logic works.
uh..I wasn’t talking to you?
Is that what it means when I get a reply from you to one of my comments?
Colorful communities doesn’t mean gay. Obviously. But keep projecting your intolerance and seeing LGBTQ under every rock & around every corner. Just reeks of tolerance /s
Maybe you have a problem with reading and comprehension.
I never said “colorful communities means gay,” you won’t find that comment anywhere made by me. That is a blatant lie.
I projected support for the LBGTQ community. I suggested that the Orioles put a pride badge on their uniforms and make a statement rather than some indirect nod to it, Did you not read this? It seems as if they are ashamed to say they support the community. If you want to educate yourself, go and read the Orioles website dedicated to this decision. Read the reasons behind it. You will see a lot of LBGTQ talking points associated with it.
You would think that the people in charge of this promotion would want to clear things up, as the color and design are confusing people thinking it is something that just is for Autism Awareness, which again, for all of you people who can’t read, is a perfectly find and noble thing to be in support of. You would think that something that is designed to speak to the community and represent it to other cities and states around the country and world, would want to make their message clear. I know, I know, logic is a foreign concept around here.
The issue I took was that I, being born, raised, and as a resident of Baltimore, I didn’t like anyone speaking for me and trying to tell others what represents me. I don’t like being referred to as “quirky.” Do you think that “quirky” means gay? You must, because that’s the only thing I took exception to, and here you think that means an attack on the LBGTQ community.
You people need to go back to elementary language arts classes.
AE86 – I take it you won’t be signing up for the Harbor Swim?
He’s not lying about rats. I saw a dead one when I worked at Hopkins that was bigger than most cats.
I’m not lying about any of it. I was born and raised in Baltimore City. I know what it is really like.
I think the website sometimes messes up the reply thing, I wasn’t commented on yours.
So as a gay person, who were you telling to “stfu,” then? That doesn’t sound like a very tolerant, accepting, and inclusive thing to say to somebody.
And so the endless list of prospects continue…
“Welcome to the big leagues! Here’s your spot on the bench. Enjoy it.”
Grrr call him up, sit him down, and then send him down, while Mullins goes 0 for the week.
Norby doesn’t play CF. He could very well start at 2B since he’s essentially replacing Mateo. At this point if I am the Orioles, I would at least give him a decent amount of starts to see if he can play. They don’t really get much out of playing Urias at 3B and moving Westburg to 2B.
The Mullins comment was a general comment about how Hyde doesn’t use the lineup very well and is insisting on playing Mullins instead of sitting him for a few games and letting Stowers into the OF while Cowser plays CF.
The point is that Hyde doesn’t utilize his pieces well, and will probably ignore Norby as much as he ignores Stowers.
Then you haven’t been paying attention. Mullins has been sat at several points this season for a few games at a time. While Mullins may be struggling at the plate, he is the best defensive CFer on the roster.
You are incorrect. Mullins has sat occasionally, but he hasn’t sat enough. Mainly just regular days rest.
And Hyde is reluctant to pinch hit for him, for some reason, when a guy is hitting under .200, you sit him.
There’s no reason not to.
Mullins did not start on May 11th (he pinch ran late in the game), and did not play at all on the 12th. Mullins did not start on May 27th (he pinch hit, and then was subbed out) or May 28th (he pinch ran late in the game).
“Any other lies?”
I am absolutely correct. He is pinch hit for him several times this season and sat him for more than one game at a time this season.
The reason why he is reluctant to sit him is what I stated above. He is the best defensive CFer on this team and O’s CF is one of the most spacious. With Hays already sitting and injured, you can’t afford to be weak at two OF positions. Mullins also has a track record.
The O’s are on pace to win 100 games again. Imagine what the team could accomplish if Hyde worked his lineups differently.
***extreme sarcasm font ***
Time to fire Hyde. So many fans out there that would work for almost nothing and could do the job so much better.
I do know exactly what “few” means. See, I am an English Major, amongst other things, so perhaps it is you that should look up the definition of the word, and also see what it means in common usage.
I made something called a correct, factual, statement. I can see how somebody like you, who make incorrect statements, have a very, very distant relationship with factual statements.
There were factually, multiple instances (because there was more than one) where Mullins sat a few (meaning a small number) games. I even gave you the specific dates when that happened, and yet you still want to try to argue with me and insult me, when you are the one that is proven to be wrong. That’s very curious.
S0 as an Orioles fan, English fan, fan of intelligence, fan of common sense, and fan of factual statements, “please shut up.” You are embarassing yourself.
I made no homophobic comments. In fact, I made a pro LBGTQ statement suggesting that if the Orioles want to promote the LBTTQ community, that they should come right out and say so with pride badges. Are you assuming “quirky” means “LBGTQ?” If so, I think that is rather homophobic of you. Just because I don’t identify as a member of the LBGTQ doesn’t mean I am anti-LBGTQ or “homophobic.” It is against the law to be straight these days?
I made A post. Other people replied to me, asked me questions, and./or made personal attacks against me, and I responded to them. Please understand how logic works.
Imagine, you lost an argument to somebody you consider to be a “jackass.” I wonder what that makes you?
It isn’t “splitting hairs,” it is separating fact from fiction. I don’t have to convince anyone of anything. The truth is what it is, people can see it for themselves. If they are honest, they will know I am right, and you are absolutely wrong. “Bad news you failed.”
Even you know it, that’s why you hate me so much, because you are so mad you lost an argument to me. How could you? You think I am an idiot? But, here you are, losing an argument and being proven absolutely incorrect by somebody you think is an idiot. And here you are still responding, trying in vain to save face, to try more personal attacks in hopes somebody else thinks it is funny, instead of focusing on what is important. Bettering yourself. Educating yourself, Making sure you don’t make stupid, incorrect statements in the future.
Just stop
Tell the one making all the incorrect statements and engaging in all the personal attacks to stop. I wouldn’t have to reply if they weren’t so wrong.
I am not playing anything. I am also not a hypocrite. I didn’t call you any names at all. I stated that your comments were incorrect and not rooted in truth or fact, and that makes them stupid.
I don’t care if every other person on the planet thinks I am a clown. What does your opinion matter to me? What do their opinions matter to me? I don’t care what you, a person who can’t tell the truth, thinks about anything.
A “few” does not mean three. Look it up. I absolutely know what the word “few” means, as an English Major, I would know better than you. If you are going to try to double down on something, you should probably make sure you are correct about it. Once again, you’re absolutely wrong. You are correct that a couple does mean two. But “few” does not actually have a specific number assigned to it other than it is more than 1. It can be anywhere from 2 on up, relative to context. Like in a case of a bag of potato chips you can say, “I ate a few,” which could mean ten or fifteen, because in relation to the total number inside the bag, that would be a “few.” So it appears that you, who I am going to assume are over the age of 7, does not have the mental capacity of somebody that age, since you don’t know what this word means.
You are the only one here claiming that I am saying I am smart. I merely state that I am educated, and that I know more than you do, as I have proven.
I am not the one ignoring the FACTS here, you are. Funny, somebody that doesn’t even know what a word means is trying to tell me to get a clue.
Quit while you are miles behind, buddy. You are only making yourself look worse. Keep on hating, I love your rage tears you cry when I dismantle you with facts and the truth.
To sn33
I see you are too intimidated by my education and my decimation of your argument to keep your replies open to me. That’s so typical of people like you. They lose an argument, keep on losing, and lose some more, to the point they just have to run away and hide from the discussion.
I am no hypocrite. I am thinking this is another word you don’t understand. Just like the word “few.” I mean, you can’t understand a 3 letter word, how would you understand a word comprised of 9 letters? And if I am a fool, clown and the various other sundry terms you try pin on me and you keep losing arguments to me, what does that make you?
Nobody else thinks I am dumb, only you do, and really, we’ve proven here what your opinion is worth. About as much as your obvious poor education.
Why are you hung up on him playing 45 of 54 games? That fact does not exclude the FACT that he sat multiple games, multiple times, as I have proven already. I’ve never flip-flopped on this, I’ve said it the whole time. I’ve also not split any hairs. You simply don’t know what words mean and I educated you. You should be thanking me.
Again, I never claimed to be smart. You did. I am glad I don’t wake up as you in the morning. That would be the worst!
Mullins is hitting .185 since coming back from the first injury in mid August last year. Its in 339 PA so we’re not talking about a mini slump. He does have 12 HR and 16 SB in what’s essentially half a season but minimally productive otherwise. This is starting to stick out.
Its great that he’s good defensively, but I’m going to return to my Izturis argument again – if he prevents 10 runs with his glove he’s preventing the team from scoring many more than that with the bat right now. Same with Mateo.
I’m not sure why some fans get so stuck on players. Orioles gave McKenna 450 PA over time so he could prove he could hit .240 and strike out a lot. He was so useful that SF – which does not have a glut in the OF – held onto him for about 2 weeks and DFA’d him.
Mullins’ slump has gone on long enough to give Cowser/Stowers more looks in CF.
Well you got your wish. Norby is starting 2B tonight and Mullins is on the bench this game.
It is almost like I know what I am talking about or something. People around here really hate that about me.
Now is the opportune time to extend Cedric. Os can get him on the cheap because of hitting struggles.
I actually do, as things I have said have been proven to be true. People really hate the truth. They REALLY hate it when people they think less of, turn out to be more intelligent, correct, and win an argument against them. You fall into that category. You hate me because I’m right and you know it.
I never claimed to be rich. I never claimed to be tough. I never claimed to be smart. I simply told you that I was correct, which is a true statement.
So how insecure are you that you have to try to belittle somebody on a message board?
I don’t care if people hate me or their reasons for it. Hate is a petty emotion and is fueled by feeling of self-perceived inadequacy and jealousy. It must be tough being you.
He’s also had some durability issues. It would be good for the Orioles; and I would assume they already know if this is simply a slump, or if this is a physical issue going on, before they pull that trigger. Keep in mind, despite his downturn in offense so far, he’s still going to be a pricey addition. The Orioles have a lot of young, promising talent that if they continue to keep trending this way, will need to be locked up long term.
I agree. Lock up many of the young guns.
I’d focus on Adley and GRod and maybe Westburg. Not so much Cowser or Stowers because of Mullins and Santander. IMO, prioritize extending Mullins and Santander before the young guns.
Unfortunately, I can’t see a Henderson extension happening because of his level of play and the agent that reps him.
I wouldn’t be sad to see Santander or Mountcastle go. I feel their replacements are already here or will be soon.
I’m with ya on Mountcastle. Too streaky at the plate for my liking.
This is the second season in a row that Santander has gotten off to a cold start. Last year he followed a cold April with a blistering hot May, and then cooled off again. This year he started April and May cold, and so far in limited sample size in June he’s heating up.
Santander is 29, and will be getting more and more expensive. When he’s going good, he is a great hitter. But, I feel they can get the same numbers he posts from somebody already on the team.
Mountcastle is also a streaky guy. If the long term plan is to keep Rustchman and Basallo is going to be coming up soon, I think Basallo’s position will be 1B. While waiting for that you could open 1B up to somebody else, like Mayo if he can stay healthy.
I think Basello is a trade chip. Don’t sleep on Creed Willems.
Santander was a main cog on a 101 team in 23 and a winning one in 22. Keep him as well as Mullins long term.
The question isn’t about what he’s done. It is about what he can do going forward and at what price not only financially, but who won’t be playing because he’s on the roster.
I don’t agree with keeping Mullins based on one break out season. The Orioles have a lot of young OFers in the minors and currently looking for playing time at this level, either with this team, or another.
Don’t ask me about Mullins. Ask his teammates especially the pitchers. Games are won defensively with solid play up the middle. Extend that man.
And please remember this. When Cedric went down with that injury last season, it wasn’t Cowser or Stowers that picked up the slack, it was Hicks. Cowser and Stowers and the like r the ones that need to start showing up on a consistent basis.
Santander in decline. What? No way. Extend that switch hitter.
Both these guys r major contributors to winning baseball. Each can be extended without an exhorborent price to pay.
These two will cost a fortune, that is how the market of baseball is going these days. Even guys that have what you would consider to be not great production, are going to be paid. If you sign these two, that has a potential of affecting the Orioles ability to keep two of their own, promising, young talent around in the future.
Finally, a MLBTR writer who isn’t completely enamored with all of manfred’s assanine changes. “robo-ump shenanigans”. Now let’s work on the pitch clock and the borrowed-from-softball rule, the zombie runner. What next? A short CFer?
Why are you picking on Cedric Mullins’ height?
Get his ass.
No thanks, but there is another commenter around here that is more suited to that task.
Can you explain the Robo ump shenanigans that led to a better offensive environment? Was the zone much smaller or what happened?
Umpires at the MLB level tend to make more errors on calling strikes when the pitch was actually a ball than the reverse (framing may be an explanation for this). I believe 97% of the ball calls were actually balls whereas only 88% of strikes that are called are actually strikes. When you go to robo umps you get a net 9% fewer strike calls.
What the robo ump creates is consistency and correctness. When Nestor Cortes gets a strike called on a pitch completely out of the strike zone (he gets about 1 per inning), the batter now has to presume it was a strike and adjust accordingly. That hurts the hitter and gives the pitcher a huge advantage. When you go to robo umpires, the pitcher loses that unfair advantage (essentially it’s cheating). So someone like Nestor Cortes loses his best weapon (massive strike zone) and reverts to the mediocre pitcher who wore a different uniform. MLB very carefully crafts advantages for favored franchises in order to maximize revenue. If they switch to robo umpires the fixing will have to happen somewhere else. Once they’ve figured that out, they’ll switch to robo umpires. Stay tuned.
Interesting conspiracy but I find it hard to believe that the MLB is rigging things for the Guardians (the team that has benefited the most via ump score cards)
Guy’s crushing .500 with bases loaded and 10 RBIs, this year in MiLB.
LHRP Nick Vespi is also being called up again. Vespi has pitched one scoreless inning for the Orioles earlier this year and is currently sporting a 2.90 ERA in AAA with a concerning 14 walks in 24 innings of work but also collecting 30K’s. His AAA WHIP currently sits at 1.438, not a great number. But, the bullpen has been getting a bit more worn down lately and they need a fresh arm.
Now, if he could just learn how to wear a hat.
His hat wearing development skills are a little behind… only a 40 FV
Best name in MLB history.
Rusty Kuntz would like a word…
Im not an O’s fan
But im rooting for them
They did things the right way. Endured many losing seasons, scouted drafted developed many young stars
No trash cans. No big FA signings. No PED users. Some of these players were not high draft picks anyone could have had them. This is how it should be done. And not LAD or NYM who sign everyone, give everyone tons of $$$, and win nothing
The “losing seasons” was by design. The fans are the ones that endured it. This was the big blemish on Peter Angelos’ legacy. He put out absolute jokes of a team during the decade and a half of misery.
Chirs Davis was a huge FA signing, having signed the largest contract in Orioles history, and was a PED user. He got banned for it.
Chris Davis PED usage is a little weird because they gave him a medical waiver one year to use adderall to treat his ADHD and then took it away the next year. There are still MLB players to this day playing on adderal under the medical waiver system.
It seems rather silly when you think back on the Davis situation. ADHD doesn’t just go away with meds. To require players to renew the exemption year after year is really ignoring what we know about the science of how ADHD exists and manifests itself in people.
They didn’t “take it away from him.” He didn’t file for one. Then he got popped twice. Meaning, they popped him once, he knew they were watching him, and they popped him again.. So he knew it, and still didn’t stop.
Why did he not get a medical exemption that year? Because he also didn’t have a PRESCRIPTION for the drug. When he finally did get a new exemption, it was for a different drug, not Adderall, which is one of the most commonly abused drugs around.
Name the many players that are still on Adderall right now. It is industry standard to get players and most people off of this drug, and go with a long acting or sustain release alternative.
The same medical use system is in use today as there was when he played. We will only know the specific players if the players choose to disclose that medical information. Adderall is typically prescribed as the long acting version Adderall XR which is a standard. MLB also decided to allow Davis to use ADHD medication the following season after he posted the lowest batting average in baseball the year he got suspended. Chris Davis had a prescription just not a medical exemption as it is much harder to get the medical exemption than a prescription.
You happen to be speaking to a pharmacist and you are completely wrong. Adderall is the base drug, the XR (which is short for eXtended Release) is the extended version, and people that have a problem with base Adderall get changed to something else, just like Chris Davis was.
He got an exemption for VYVANSE in 2015, not Adderall.
Then there was Davis’ words himself. He “forgot” to apply for a TUE in 2012. Then he applied in 2013 and was rejected. Apparently, a panel of doctors decided he didn’t need it. He didn’t bother to apply in 2014.
You don’t know whether Davis had a prescription for what he took in 2014 when he popped positive for it twice. All he ever said on the matter what that he “…took some of what he had…” You would think he would have made that distinction.
Then you bring up his terrible performance in the year he got busted. You neglected to say that he was also injured that year, and never recovered from the injury, and ultimately retired because of it.
You say you are a pharmacist. Don’t you think your comments here and above are sort of violating your profession’s code of ethics?
Care to explain how you come to that conclusion?
yeasties – all of the info he gave about Davis is publicly available. Its not a HIPPA violation. He’s also providing information about how drugs and prescriptions work.
Davis’ injury was not the reason he was terrible, that was the complete disappearance of his batting eye. He never made adjustments when he struggled, he kept going back out and “working harder”. How many times did Cal Ripken change his stance and approach?
I believe it was a combination of things.
1) He was no longer taking the fast acting version of Adderall. He was taking a slower acting, sustained release version that removes the peaks and crashes of the previous drug, which makes it less likely to be abused.
2) He was going through some major life changes. First time father, the suspension, his struggling at the plate, and the injury.
3) He didn’t seem to want to change. Brady Anderson who was working with the team at the time took him aside for some sessions and in the very short term, it seemed to work, and then Davis went back into old habits.
4) Hyde and Davis nearly came to blows in the dugout after Hyde reamed him out for what appeared to be a lack of trying on the field.
So, stress, injury, and lack of desire all led up to the inevitable. Ultimately, he retired due to an injury, which is the official story.
Precisely. All of this information is public and common knowledge. I am not violating any ethics on anything. You can look up everything I claimed and find it being reported by numerous sports news outlets.
Can he pitch ? Let’s Go O’s !
Narbert should be quite the asset. He looks like a real tool!
Norby is here to play. He won’t sit.
He needs to do the job of making the plays at 2B, and he certainly can cover it. The guy can also really hit. Because he’s often standing next to so many rising young Oriole stars and elite prospects, he can get forgotten about. A little like Westburg. But then just like Westburg, he’ll remind you how well he can handle the bat and what a gritty tough solid player he is.
Sadly, Norby didn’t have a great debut, but hopefully he will still get a good number of starts while Mateo is out. It was great to see Urias pop a homer. Grayson had a great start and the O’s won!
Update: He is indeed starting again tonight and batting 8th. Hope to see his first hit as an Oriole!