Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones, Cadyn Grenier, and the Number 37

Baltimore Orioles baseball returns in just 37 days.

Even though I know the Baltimore Orioles are going to be bad, I’m excited. The return of baseball is nearing, which means unforgettable nights at Camden Yards with a lap full of crab dip waffle fries and the views of that iconic warehouse in the background. How close are we? Well, in 37 days, the Orioles will take the field for the first time in 2019 as they kick off their Grapefruit League schedule in Sarasota, Florida against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, February 23rd. The crab dip waffle fries are a little further away, but baseball is right around the corner.

It’s trivia time. Who did the Baltimore Orioles select with the 37th overall pick in the 2018 draft? If you guessed former Oregon State Beaver shortstop Cadyn Grenier, you are correct, but there isn’t a prize, sorry.

Grenier appeared in 43 games with the Delmarva Shorebirds after joining the Orioles’ organization, slashing .216/.297/.333 in 162 at-bats. He chipped in one home run, 12 doubles, and three stolen bases along the way.

In a story from Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com, Grenier summed up his rookie season by saying,

"“I had a pretty rough patch, but towards the back end, I was really happy with how I played,” Grenier said. “For me, that meant a lot. No matter how tired I was, and towards the back end of the year, I was able to pull through the struggles and get a lot better. In Instructional League, I felt really good. Overall, I was pretty happy with my year just in the growth process I went through in the short amount of time.”"

His 10 errors in 336 innings weren’t something expected from a prospect who will rely on his defense to carry him through the system. A 29% strikeout rate and wRC+ of 84 were also not ideal. However, Grenier helped lead Oregon State to a College World Series title, meaning a very long college season followed by an immediate introduction to the South Atlantic League as a pro ball player. There was also the foul ball he took to the face when attempting a bunt, causing him to miss a few games.

I’ve only managed to watch one at-bat of Grenier’s and haven’t seen him play defense, so I don’t want to speak on whether or not he sticks at shortstop or what his future role may be with the Orioles, but industry reports largely agree that he will become a sound defender, with a swing that needs a lot of work, if he wants to hit at the major league level.

Odds are fairly high that Grenier has a better career than the only other player the Orioles have selected with the 37th overall pick, outfielder Josh Hart. Hart appeared in 366 games, hitting .243 with a .292 OBP and seven home runs before he was released by the Orioles in March of last year. The Miami Marlins later signed him to a minor league deal, but released him just a few months later.

So, what does Adam Jones have to do with all this? One of the more beloved Orioles in team history, Jones was also selected 37th overall (by the Seattle Mariners) and has played in more major league games than any other 37th overall pick in MLB history. The 5x-All-Star has played in 1,686  career games, hitting .278 with 266 home runs and counting. Hopefully, once teams realize they are out of the Manny Machado and Bryce Harper sweepstakes, the market will pick up and Jones will find a new home to finish his career on a high note.

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Paul Fry’s debut with the Baltimore Orioles.

There are more 37’s we can talk about on today’s countdown. LHP Paul Fry made his major league debut in 2018, logging 37 innings with the Orioles and finishing with a 1-2 record and 3.35 ERA. He struck out nearly nine hitters/9 IP and surrendered only one long ball. One of his best performances came in a late-September game against the soon-to-be World Series champion Boston Red Sox. Fry tossed three perfect innings to record his second save of the year.

His fastball/slider combo produced a heavy amount of weak contact, allowing only one barreled ball all season, per Baseball Savant. Fry’s key pitch is his slider, which held hitters to a .197 average, produced a swing-and-miss 33% of the time, and helped to field a 58% groundball rate. Expect to see a heavier dose of Paul Fry in 2019, especially if Mychal Givens and other veteran bullpen arms are dealt to help continue the rebuild.

It has been a very long offseason, but we are one day closer to having baseball back, every single night. In the meantime, were you able to catch a glimpse of Cadyn Grenier last season? Thoughts on where Adam Jones will end up? Will Paul Fry have a successful sophomore season? Let us know below!