The Orioles have been abnormally quiet about the status of manager Brandon Hyde’s contract, only announcing his initial hiring on a three-year deal that spanned the 2019-21 seasons. Dan Connolly of The Athletic reported back in September that Hyde had quietly signed an extension in the summer of 2020 — a deal that’d carry him at least through the current season. Baltimore never announced the deal. Now, Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun reports that Hyde is under contract beyond the 2022 season. The specific terms of his deal still aren’t clear, as the Orioles and Hyde have clearly preferred to keep them close to the vest.
Nevertheless, it’s notable to learn that Hyde isn’t playing out the season under the dreaded “lame-duck” managerial status. That he’s under control for at least another year is an ostensible vote of confidence in Hyde, who is clearly being evaluated on far more than the team’s win-loss record. That’s true of any manager in today’s game but is particularly true for skippers who are leading clubs in Baltimore’s situation.
It’d hardly be fair for the front office to fault Hyde for the team’s consistent losing records, after all, when the baseball operations staff has spent his entire managerial tenure tanking in an effort to perennially bolster its draft position. Beyond that, the O’s have routinely traded away big league-caliber players as they near free agency. Hyde’s rosters have been disproportionately comprised of waiver claims, minor league signings and organizational depth pieces who’ve been pushed into larger roles as the front office has eschewed any real free-agent spending or win-now trade acquisitions.
Ruiz spoke to several Orioles players, including clubhouse leaders like Trey Mancini, Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Paul Fry — all of whom went on record to effuse praise for Hyde. All noted Hyde’s consistency even amid protracted losing streaks, with Mancini noting that Hyde is “the same guy every day.” Mancini in particular was appreciative of Hyde and the role he played as a support pillar when Mancini was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer in the spring of 2020.
While three-plus seasons of rebuilding — and the frequent losses associated with it — might take their toll on a manager, Hyde spoke optimistically and enthusiastically about the organization’s future in his interview with Ruiz. he remains committed to the O’s, stressing that he’s “in this for the long haul” and that he’ll “be here when we’re winning.” O’s fans, in particular, will want to check out the full interview for quotes from Mancini, Mullins, Hays, Fry, Ryan Mountcastle, Hyde and GM Mike Elias on the job the skipper has done under challenging circumstances.
Just keeping the seat warm for Buck Britton hopefully
Don’t you think Hyde is going to have that Britton success once he gets all of Britton’s good players in the next year or so?
The comments were on the record – what do you expect them to say? Maybe they do respect the job he’s doing, but it would be much more revealing to hear what they think OFF the record.
I just don’t know what people expect this guy or Shelton in Pittsburgh to do with the hands they’ve been dealt. Yeah, they do some unconventional things but I don’t know if you ever get used to constant losing.
When the young guys start to arrive and become acclimated to MLB, you start making evaluations. To do so now is kind of ridiculous
I don’t see either of them getting fired this year unless they go through some bizarre 30 game loosing streak or they get into a physical fight with a player. However, I expect David Bell to get canned by the Reds sometime in May.
Hyde did almost get into a fight with Chris Davis where they both had to be separated and Hyde escorted to the tunnel. I believe Davis even tossed his helmet in Hyde’s direction. Davis is now no longer with the team, but that move should have happened a few years ago…or actually should have never been signed in the first place…thanks Peter Angelos.
Bell deserves to get fired
You forgot people in general aren’t smart and fans aren’t as smart as just the average person so of course they’re going to be results oriented and not be smart enough to know the best manager in the world wouldn’t have won with the team on the field the orioles are currently putting on the field
Anybody that knows even an ounce of baseball isn’t blaming Hyde for the state of the Orioles. Nobody could win with the refuse bin bargain signings this team is trotting onto the field in a “rebuilding” effort.
I am glad this article calls what the Orioles are doing by the appropriate term. They are intentionally tanking, and not “rebuilding,” though I don’t agree you go far enough with the claim.
They are intentionally tanking and yes, with that does come the ability to select high in the draft. But, they aren’t even fielding a team with real major league caliber players, refuse to extend anyone with talent and instead trade them away for peanuts and more “suspects” rather than actual prospects
Peter Angelos’ health is in a serious decline and has been for awhile. His last major move after a career of meddling personally in the team was to sign Chris Davis over the head of his GM at the time, Dan Duquette. He then let Brady Anderson and his two sons negotiate deals for Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb. When Angelos passes it is assumed that his sons will inherit the team. With that comes further speculation that they in turn will sell the team rather than incur the huge tax liability of that inheritance. Until that occurs, this team will not be spending money and won’t be close to competing.
I actually think they’re showing some promise. The pitching hasn’t been too bad. I’m not worried about mount castle—he can hit.
Gunnar, DL, Adley, and G-Rod will be up by the middle of 2023. Pair that with Hays, Mullins, and Mountcastle and you have a decent start of a core.
Santander might factor in also. & they’ll need to make smart FA/deals to supplement but I’m more optimistic than in the past. So long as this ability to pitch continues.
Adley and Rodriguez and Bradish and Hall and Stowers will be up this be year, not 2023.
By the middle of 2023 was my word choice.
Obviously they won’t all come up at the same time. I’m not sure DL hall will be up this year either. He’s yet to throw 100 innings in a season. I could see wanting to keep his service time down and stretching him out further in the minors.
Bradish should be up in a couple weeks. We need starters and he’s ready to go.
It is way too soon to laud any of the pitching performances of this group.
Based on what can Mountcastle hit? He certainly can’t field.
Hays is nothing special. Mullins is already 27/28 and has had one very successful season under his belt.
Santander….might factor in.
So you have no sure OF, no sure INF, and you might have a catcher and some pitchers, but we don’t know anything about how they will pan out in the majors….so it is all what it has been for years. Nothing.
Believe it when I see it from this group. The orange hype train has always been much larger than the actual product on the field. They get no benefit of the doubt any longer.
Are you a Myth or just miserable?
Ed that’s garbage. No sure OF’s???
Cmon. You can be negative to be negative but the O’s have a better OF trio than half the teams in baseball.
Dude, what are you smoking?
You can’t point to any one of the starting outfielders the Orioles currently have and say they are a foundation piece for the franchise. Hays wasn’t even wonderful in the minors and there are injury red flags all over him after he changed himself from a speedy contact hitter to a jacked up power hitter in one off season (wonder how he did that?). Santander is also injury prone. Mullins is already approaching 30 and has one good season under his belt. None of them have more than one good season in the majors and with Hays, he doesn’t even have one yet.
You are absolutely delusional if you think this crop is better than half the teams in baseball.
I’m honest, tell the truth, and am correct. That’s what people hate. They hate that I’m right and blow their pie in the sky scenarios out of the water. See, I deal in the what is, not the what might be. You can’t do it until you actually prove it.
All these people that say Mountcastle can hit in the majors. Based on what? He’s currently a .250-.260 hitter with low OBP, no walks, a ton of strikeouts, no value on the bases once he gets there, and a liability in field, that may at peak hit 30HR. His success in the minors has been based on an incredibly high BABIP that doesn’t play up to this league. That is what he is. Don’t tell me he’s a fantastic high average and power hitter until he actually does it. He’s yet another well over-hyped and flawed hitter that the Orioles churn out all the time. No concept of plate discipline, and an all or nothing free swinger.
Mullins/Hays/Santander
To go along w Cowser/Stowers/Coby Mayo maybe Kjerstad if he’s ever healthy.
The Orioles don’t have their OF set up? That’s craziness. Mountcastle is never going to be a star. He’s going to be a slight to above average DH/1B. No arguments there. But he can hit.
And holy SHHHHHIT. Cedric Mullins is 27–SAY IT WITH ME 27! That’s not approaching 30–get that negative garbage out of here.
There’s no guarantee that this rebuild works and we have a real steep uphill climb. I’ve been as negative as anyone but there are at least some signs that the future can be bright.
I’d be bearish if the pitching falls apart completely this year again. If we can start developing arms—we can compete.
One year wonder/injury prone question mark/ one year wonder & injury prone question mark
All unproven major league talents.
No, the Orioles don’t have a sure OF.
Mountcastle is never going to be a star? Well he should be, he was a top pick in the first round of the draft. And he should be better than a middling major league hitter because…..that’s his only skill. He doesn’t do anything else. But he can hit…huh? Based on what? Another low average, low OBP, 20-25HR hitting free swinger that can’t run the bases or play defense.
27 is approaching 30. You don’t age backwards. That’s not negative, that’s just biology and the truth.
There is no reason to believe this “rebuild” will work, because it ISN’T a rebuild. It is a purposeful tanking. They aren’t even trying.
“If we can start developing arms….” Bwaaaaaaa haaa haa haaaaa! Have you been paying attention? This has been the mantra for about 20 years now. I have already demonstrated how this organization ruins arms both physically or mentally and has no clue how to develop anyone.
How much more of this garbage on the field will it take for you all to finally wake up and realize what is being stuffed under your nose? Newsflash, it isn’t perfume.
Ed I’ve known moved to the you’re a clown territory.
Mountcastle was the 36th pick in the draft. That’s not a top pick in the first round. Garbage.
This will be a worthless exercise communicating w you. You’re full on doom & gloom. Alrighty.
Continue being an orange kool-aid sucking ostrich and wondering why this team is still one of the worst in the game of baseball over the next 10-15 years again while talking about the next overhyped prospect being the key to the “rebuilding efffort.”
But yeah, I’m the clown. Keep thinking that. Might wanna get yourself some spirit gum remover.
Brady Anderson’s two sons or Peter Angelos’s two sons will inherit the Orioles? I’m trying to follow here, but the description is a bit unclear.
“When Angelos passes it is assumed that his sons will inherit the team. ”
Was that part too unclear?
Not really one for tax law are you big Ed.
May be time for you to move up state to the farm
Oh, please do elaborate. Just don’t make some random, cryptic, and what you think is a clever quip. Explain what you think I don’t know. This should be extremely entertaining….
Ed “The,
This part, “He then let Brady Anderson and his two sons negotiate deals for Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb.”
Read the whole paragraph. I understand context is difficult for some people.
Thanks, Ed “The. It was kind of of you to steer me straight. You seem like a real mensch.
I can’t figure for the life of me why you’re at war with everyone on this site. Having a rough day? I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
I never have a rough day.
I am a very nice person and I am glad you realize that.
I know exactly why people are at war with me (I am not at war with them however). It is because I deal strictly with facts and what is. I don’t deal in hypothetical and what can be. I am very often correct in everything I post because of that basis and it doesn’t match up with the rosy picture that a lot of people choose to believe even though the facts are slapping them repeatedly in the face telling them the opposite.
Giants Bench Coach Kai Correa would be a great manager for this young group
Am sure he’s very much waiting in-the-wings…
There really would be no point in firing Hyde. The Orioles aren’t in the next stage of their rebuild, let alone close enough to contention to make a change. However if they do fire Hyde i suppose Rick Renteria would make sense as a transition Manager to bridge the gap between Hyde and the next Manager who will actually manage the team when they are competitive, that seems to be his thing…
So Hyde is especially astute at duct-taping a team that can get through 9 innings, 162 times. Signing him through 2023 may as well have read “the Orioles have no intention of being even halfway competitive until at least 2024, so they’re going to hold onto the cheap manager who doesn’t raise a fuss.”
I agree there’s not much that can be done, but it goes beyond Hyde. The guidance and continued development of talent especially at the major league level seems to be lacking for about 90% of the players (think Arrieta, Gausman, Mike Yaz – Machado is an exception). You could get a trio of Earl Weaver, Joe Torre, and your choice of deity, they’re not going to get this team to win more than 70.
The article takes one step in the right direction by saying they are intentionally tanking. Thank you. But the rationale is incorrect. They are not interested in developing young talent to eventually field a competitive team. They want CHEAP, to field a team, and hoard competitive balance money. Then the spin begins about “the talent coming up.” Their “turn around” is always 2 years out from the current year. Mancini won’t be an Oriole come August. If it wasn’t for injury, Means would be gone, too. Santander was mentioned – he becomes arbitration eligible next year, so within 2 years he’s gone no matter how well he does. Even if Hall and Rodriguez are actual pitchers and perform well despite being trained by the Orioles organization, that’s 2 starters out of 5, and no trades or free agency to bolster the staff. The recycling will just continue, there’s no foundation of players being laid upon which to build – they’re traded as soon as they’re due to be paid.
Argue if you want, but until I see any different you’re barking at the moon.
Seems like you are echoing almost, if not all of my points and feel exactly like I do. Anybody that thinks this is a “rebuilding effort” is fooling themselves. This is “get to the finish line as cheap as possible.”
Take your pick as to the reason, but the most logical in my mind seems to be the looming poor health of Peter Angelos, his passing, and the passing down of the team to his sons. Until that occurs, this team will continue the current course. Keep costs down until you eventually sell for profit. Then it will be up to the new ownership to determine what to do with this franchise.
The only thing I would quibble with you about is the “development” of those players. Arrieta and Gausman didn’t become good until after they left the Orioles. Machado didn’t need any development, he was a done product when they drafted him. And Mike Yaz isn’t really a complete player.
@thornton
Lol this aged very poorly.
Brian, funny I got into the Hyde discussion with my friend the other day and he said the same thing.
Hyde isn’t Earl Weaver but he’s not Dave Trembley. Remember when Trembley would rest ALL the regulars on a Sunday and lost pretty much every Sunday game all season? Good players make a manager look good, bad players make a manager look bad. I think he’s average. My friend knows more about baseball/follows more closely than I do and gives Hyde a “six, maybe seven out of ten.” Bad managers can also turn a good team into underachievers (see Phil Regan, 1995).
But my comment on not spending $ stands until they spend money. Take the young core developed and then spend the $ to fill in the gaps to be a dominant team for a number of years. Step 1 done, step 2 pending.