The Baltimore Orioles season ended early, but Mike Elias doesn’t seem to mind.
Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias held his end-of-season press conference on Thursday, and much to the dismay of the fan base, he didn’t appear concerned about how their season ended. Orioles supporters had to endure a half-decade of mismanagement to construct baseball’s top farm system. Despite dealing for Corbin Burnes prior to the season and adding some reinforcements at the trade deadline, the Orioles battled down the stretch and were eliminated from the postseason by the Kansas City Royals.
Catcher Adley Rutschman was at the core of those issues, as the Orioles franchise icon and former No. 1 overall pick had supporters wondering if he was the solution to their problems after all. According to Elias, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde will return next year and defended the young catcher after the game.
“I’ve answered this question a million times,” Hyde told reporters. “I believe it was a young player dealing with some adversity. I believe he will return next year, but as a different player.
Mike Elias infuriates Orioles fanbase with postseason press conference
Adley is talented, as are the young Orioles, but the fans are right to be impatient. Elias has scouting experience, and it shows. He has amassed a farm system full of talented prospects. However, finding the correct balance between dealing certain prospects and player development is critical if Baltimore is to finally make the playoffs. Elias has failed in that area for two years in a row. The Orioles have not won a playoff game in a decade.
“I’ve never held an immediate press conference after the season to discuss players, contracts, and personnel. It’s not fair to me, or to anyone. We are going to investigate things. “Things did not go as planned this year,” Elias pleaded with the media.
Elias would only go so far as to say he is ‘very optimistic’ the team will increase payroll this winter, despite the fact that Corbin Burnes is due to become a free agency. Burnes’ re-signing would be a positive step, as would adding depth at first base and in the bullpen. Baltimore is under new management and (one would hope) is willing to spend more, but nothing is guaranteed in the business of professional baseball.
“I need to find the appropriate balance with all the positivity that we’ve achieved with this bad taste in our mouths and bad outcome in the playoffs,” he said.
For starters, the Orioles refused to consider Jackson Holliday in any and all trade discussions this season. Holliday struggled hard in the big leagues, and while he may one day be a productive MLB player, Elias’ reluctance in trade talks has earned him a reputation for prospect hoarding.
Eventually, the Orioles will have to make a risky transaction involving their best prospects.
