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News with a Local Lens

Because you asked – Fire and ashes
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Because you asked – Fire and ashes

Let’s dive into the first post-World Series mailbag as the offseason heats up.

You ask again, I answer again, and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original.

This is a mailbag without politics. Let’s consider this a workout for next week.

It is also a mailbag without edition. Let your clarity, length and style shine.

An important reminder here: my mailbag gets a lot of candy on Halloween and your mailbag gets a toothbrush and floss.

Are you happy the Yankees lost?
I wanted a Game 7. That would have made me happy. Aren’t we supposed to support the American League, or is it only in the All-Star Game?

Do you think the Orioles are interested in Alex Bregman?
I suppose you could make the connection to Mike Elias, but how would that work? Give third base to Bregman and move Jordan Westburg to second and make Jackson Holliday a part-time player? I don’t think this is happening. I don’t see a solution. The Orioles need a bat but third base appears to be in good hands.

Besides Anthony Santander and perhaps Teoscar Hernandez, which right-handed free agents do you think would be a good fit for Baltimore? And don’t say “your mother.”
I would never do it! Tyler O’Neill, Jurickson Profar (hitter), Tommy Pham. Who am I missing?

Where will Juan Soto bat in the Orioles lineup in 2025?
Your dreams.

If MASN asked you to leave a World Series game to interview two jerks who tried to rip off a player’s glove, would you start writing your book in your car or wait until you got home?
Good ! One of the best things about working for MASN and its website is not getting those calls in the press box or at home. I lined up a lot of them with the Baltimore Sun. An editor wanted me to stake out Brady Anderson’s downtown residence on a Sunday morning because of rumors that Cal Ripken Jr. was living with him. I didn’t do it.

What is your favorite opposing team’s city to visit? DC is not allowed as a choice.
Don’t worry. I like St. Petersburg, but we don’t know where the Rays will play next season. I love Boston and wish there were more daytime or non-day games so I could enjoy the restaurant scene. I love Cleveland despite its reputation. I really enjoyed Pittsburgh in April. Some really nice places to eat and drink within walking distance of the ballpark and the Marriotts across the street. Very underrated.

What did the initials on Cade Povich’s glove represent?
I can’t say I really noticed, but they represented “The Game Honors Toughness.” That was a saying at South Mountain Community College. Is that what you meant?

Are there any other SMCC players with the Orioles?
Yes, reliever Danny Coulombe. Injuries limited him to just one appearance in 2010 before transferring to Texas Tech.

Will David Rubenstein sell his 1297 copy of Magna Carta to inflate the Orioles’ payroll?
Between his wealth and that of his investors, everything should be fine. Hold on to it. The game concerns the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria which he docked in Annapolis.

Adley Rutschman was the face of Reconstruction, the new face of baseball by some accounts, and was even marketed as Captain America because of his wholesome image. How has he adjusted to sharing the spotlight with even younger teammates like fan favorite Colton Cowser and superstar Gunnar Henderson?
Rutschman never sought or felt comfortable in the spotlight. He would happily spend the rest of his career with the focus on his teammates. He tries to push it there. We understood this early on through our daily exposure to him. Rutschman just wants to show up, do his job and not talk about it. It’s part of his process.

Do you agree that 100 Grand is the best candy bar?
I’m more of a Snickers or Almond Joy guy, but I don’t eat a lot of candy bars. My wife hates it when I buy full-size Hershey’s bars on Halloween to hand out to the neighbor’s kids, instead of the “fun-sized” candy in the bowl. She thinks they are so boring. I love a classic.

With his performance in the World Series, has Teoscar Hernández just moved out of our price range?
I don’t know if he ever participated. Again, we do not know the exact price range in the event of a new owner. We’re just assuming the Orioles will spend more than in previous years. But they won’t spend like the Dodgers and Yankees. Jim Bowden projected a three-year, $75 million contract, which seems light to me.

Do you think the Orioles will extend a qualifying offer to Anthony Santander? A QO for Corbin Burnes should be a no-brainer, right?
Both should be a no-brainer. Take the compensatory draft pick. Neither player will accept it.

Do you go to minor league games during the season? How many baseball games do you plan to attend when you retire?
I don’t get a chance to attend minor league games because I’m at Camden Yards, on the road, or happy to hang out at home. I went to Bowie’s house several times to collect interviews in the early afternoon. That’s about it. As for retirement, I don’t see myself much, and especially without having free tickets. But I hope we find out.

If Logan Gilbert were available in a trade, would you be opposed to including Jackson Holliday as a main piece of the trade package?
I would be very uncomfortable including Holliday in a trade package. He is still untouchable for me. But I don’t work in the front office, so my opinion is as valuable as a “get out of jail free” card. (Don’t try it. It won’t work.)

I haven’t heard anything about Dean Kremer this offseason. Is it safe to say he’ll be in the rotation next year? I have a team store gift card to spend between now and the end of the year and I will have money left over for a jersey after I buy your gift, Roch.
Well, how generous of you. Kremer should be in the rotation. The Orioles need a starter. I don’t see them subtracting Kremer.

Have you ordered Code Red?
You can’t handle the truth. I ordered Code White after Labor Day and got in trouble for it.

Not counting our own free agents, my top three reasonable free agent targets are Cristian Walker, Blake Snell, and Jurickson Profar. What would be your top three?
I thought about it for about 30 seconds and wrote to Tyler O’Neill, Max Fried and Sean Manaea. So you think Walker comes and Ryan Mountcastle goes?

What costumes did you wear as an adult for Halloween?
T-Rex last year to entertain my granddaughter. Wonder Woman to entertain everyone

If Jackson Holliday imitates Shohei Ohtani’s swing, will he also hit 50 home runs, steal 50 bases and win a Cy Young?
Yes, yes and no. But perhaps it will be able to close on the days when Félix Bautista is not available.

If you were a casting agent, what kind of roles would you consider Keegan Aiken for? I can see him in a non-speaking role playing a 1930s gangster in a fedora carrying a Tommy gun.
It’s a good decision. Or one of Sandlot’s kids who grew up and owns a bar.

Do the Orioles need a player who hits for power or can reach base?
Can he do both? They have power in the lineup. Losing Santander would take away 44 home runs, but Heston Kjerstad could make up for a lot of those if he’s a regular in the lineup. We saw again in the second half and in the Wild Card Series that the Orioles need a good situational hitter who knows how to get on base and how to advance runners. Someone with a high on-base percentage.

If I remember correctly, you usually make the trip to Ocean Pines for Thanksgiving. The Carousel Hotel in Ocean City is hosting a Thanksgiving buffet with the most inclusive menu I’ve ever seen. Discover them on the Internet. Would you consider giving mom Kubatko a break and taking the Kubatko clan out for dinner with an ocean view?
Mom is coming to see us now. And if I had suggested we take her out to a Thanksgiving buffet, she would have said, “That’s probably a good place to stop.” »

I’d say it took about 2.5 seconds for the Yankees fan to snatch the ball out of Betts’ glove. How quickly do you think you could have achieved this feat?
The chloroform cloth and the ransom note for the balloon would have slowed me down. And it’s definitely a good place to stop.