During his end-of-season press conference on Thursday, Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias expressed a surprising lack of concern about how the season concluded, much to the disappointment of the fanbase. Orioles fans have endured years of struggles to cultivate the best farm system in baseball. Despite acquiring Corbin Burnes before the season and making additional trades at the deadline, the team faltered in the final stretch and exited the postseason, losing to the Kansas City Royals.
Catcher Adley Rutschman was at the center of these struggles, leaving fans questioning whether he is truly the solution to the team’s issues. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who will return next season according to Elias, defended the young catcher after the game.
“I’ve answered this question countless times,” Hyde told reporters. “I believe he’s a young player facing adversity, and I expect him to return next year as a different player.”
“I’ve never made it a routine to hold an immediate press conference after the season ends to discuss players, contracts, or staff. It’s not fair to me or anyone else. We need to evaluate everything because this year didn’t go as planned,” Elias told the media.He stated that he’s “pretty confident” the team will increase its payroll this winter, despite Corbin Burnes set to become a free agent. Re-signing Burnes would be a positive step, along with bolstering first base and the bullpen. With new ownership in place, there’s hope for increased spending, but nothing is certain in professional baseball.
“I need to find the right balance between recognizing our achievements and addressing the disappointing outcome in the playoffs,” Elias added.
One key point is that the O’s were unwilling to include Jackson Holliday in any trade discussions this season. Although Holliday struggled significantly at the major league level, and while he may develop into a productive player, Elias’s insistence on not trading him has led to perceptions of prospect hoarding.
Ultimately, the Orioles will need to take a calculated risk involving their top prospects.
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