Cal Ripken Jr.'s son sparks Gunnar Henderson theories again with latest tweet

Ever since the Baltimore Orioles' ownership changed hands and it was revealed that Cal Ripken Jr. was going to be an active part of the organization, fans have been thrilled. The vibes around the team have been great this season, the Orioles have been playing extremely well, and everyone just wants to keep the good times rolling. Inevitably, that has meant talk and hope of extensions for the Orioles' young stars.

All it took a little while ago was for Gunnar Henderson to be in a team produced video with Ripken for fans to begin speculating wildly that an extension for Henderson could be announced soon. Baltimore fans grasping at such straws is understandable given how good he has been going back to last season, but it felt like wishful thinking then and it feels like wishful thinking now.

However, if you are truly wanting to embrace your inner conspiracy theory, red-yard-connecting-pictures-on-bulletin-board selves, Ripken's son, Ryan Ripken, has a tweet just for you.

Gunner Henderson extension speculation continues at every turn

Obviously, the most logical explanation here is that Ryan Ripken is talking about Henderson solidifying himself at shortstop this season versus him playing primarily third base last season. Moving Henderson back to shortstop this season was a decision that was made early in spring training and, so far, it looks like that was a strong choice, as he has looked great out there.

However, given the Ripken name's association with the team and especially now that the team's ownership situation has brought Ripken Jr. back into a more active role, many fans are looking for any sign from the entire family that big things are coming down the pipeline.

As fun as it is to think about, everyone has to remember that Gunnar Henderson's agent is Scott Boras, and no one hires him as their agent if they aren't looking to get paid at some point. Boras negotiating a reasonable extension for Jose Altuve with the Astros recently, as well as the fact that the Orioles and Boras are communicating about extensions already, is a good sign. That said, it may not make sense for either side to lock into any deal for a while.

Or, as Ryan Ripken might say, "anytime soon."

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