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Last February, the Baltimore Orioles finally made the big move that fans had been hoping for. They traded two of their top prospects for Corbin Burnes, a true ace pitcher, to try and help the team take the next step. Orioles fans hoped it was a sign of new beginnings from the new ownership group that was announced the day prior to the trade.
Burnes made it clear early on the he intended to test free agency after the 2024 season but would not rule out a return to Baltimore. When the offseason came and Burnes was one of several top-tier starters available on the market, Birds fans were hopeful about the chances of bringing Burnes back or landing a new ace. But as time went on, the list of available starters got smaller and smaller. The most frustrating part was seeing several of those pitchers sign with division rivals.
The Orioles have yet to add an ace to replace Corbin Burnes, and some fans are awfully upset about it
When the Orioles announced that they had signed Charlie Morton, several fans took to social media to express their disapproval of the signing. Unfortunately for one person on X, Orioles beat writer Steve Melewski wasn't going to put up with his negativity. Morton may not be the big name ace that fans were hoping for but his numbers show that he is still a very effective pitcher.
Dan I don't control fan anger. Some get angry at every bounce of the ball. If you want to deal with facts, Grayson's ERA the last 2 yrs is 4.11 and Morton's is 3.92. No O's starter the last two yrs has thrown more IP or has more QS than Morton. If facts matter at all. https://t.co/8L5wnKB1XP
— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) January 4, 2025
At ages 39 and 40 Morton has posted numbers that are arguably better than Grayson Rodriguez, the blossoming Orioles ace. The conversation goes on and no matter what gets said, Melewski responds in a professional manner while tearing apart the fan's angry opinions by producing facts and statistics that cannot be disputed.
The frustration from fans is understandable but that doesn't mean we shouldn't give Morton a fair chance. This is a guy who will go out every fifth game and give his team a chance to win. He's not a power pitcher and favors his curveball but that should help reduce his chances of injury from overthrowing. His leadership and winning experience could be exactly what this team needs to make a deep October run in 2025.