00:00He's Ryan Ripken. What's up, Ryan?
00:02What's up, Rob? And, you know, I got to hang out with Rob Long yesterday, you know?
00:07Sorry.
00:10Overrated.
00:14Welcome to the club.
00:15It wasn't too bad. It wasn't too bad.
00:17How are you guys doing this morning?
00:19Doing well, man. Doing well.
00:20Ryan, I'm going to start off with this one question.
00:22One question only for you to start off with.
00:24Why can't we have nice things?
00:28Hey, that is a good way to start it off.
00:32You know, we talked about it a little bit yesterday, Rob, right?
00:38It's just you have – it's not a lack of opportunities.
00:43It's not a lack of, you know, in a position to, you know, seize a moment.
00:52But it just seems to be that every game or, sorry, or throughout the season,
01:00it feels like most games there's moments that happen and you sit there
01:05and it's – and then the game ends and you go, how did we get to this point again?
01:10Yes, yes.
01:10You know, and so, you know, and specifically too when you start off the series
01:17with a great win, Trevor Rodgers, great.
01:22I mean, overall, starting pitching minus for Sunday, you know, it was good.
01:28But in game two, the double error with Blaze hurt.
01:34You come back, but you fall short because you can't get the runner in less than two outs in the
01:41tent.
01:41Then yesterday, you get the lead early.
01:43You're winning this game after the first.
01:47And then a two-out walk leads to another two-out walk.
01:53Then there's a double that scores two and then an error.
01:56And you look up and you're losing the game off of one hit, right?
02:00So there's just different ways here.
02:03And I know for Birdland, again, to talk to a lot of people as well,
02:07and we've watched it all, it's just – I wish I could say it's just one thing, right?
02:14But there is one or two moments, it seems, that pop up each game,
02:18and that's been the biggest reason why the Orioles have been, you know,
02:21losing some series in my mind that they definitely should be winning.
02:25Yeah, the defense has been not great.
02:28We were talking about Kobe Mayer earlier.
02:31And he's, you know, he's only patty 190.
02:34He's not having a very good year at the plate, except against left-handed pitching.
02:39He's got an OPS of over 1,000.
02:42But only about a quarter of pitches in Major League Baseball are left-handed.
02:45I'm assuming that's why they kept him.
02:47Is that good enough reason to keep somebody, you know, up at this level?
02:52I think so.
02:53I mean, I – well, on the other part, I'm on the different area than most,
02:57where I still believe this is your time to try to get the most development out of Kobe Mayer
03:05because you're not going to have this type of runway again.
03:10I've really liked seeing his growth from the mental side
03:17because that's something for him who was taking those steps.
03:20And then physically, he's making strides.
03:23Now, I know, you've got to go out there and you've got to make plays at third,
03:26which he has made strides.
03:28The problem is, obviously, it's not good when you spike a ball going over to first base
03:33and that leads to another run.
03:35And then we're going to look more at your offensive struggles.
03:39But the development part here is key, and I'm still going to stick with it.
03:43This is a guy that the potential is there.
03:46I know we have the urgency right now.
03:47Now, we need to win, we need to win, but we also really need to make sure
03:53if we think he can be a big part of the future, you got –
03:57this is that time to continue to have him work.
04:01Because another example, and I think this guy is really starting to put it together.
04:07Last year, people wanted him sent down earlier this season.
04:11People wanted him sent down.
04:12I'm talking about Colton Couser.
04:14And when you watch Couser play and you saw him play center,
04:18that looks like a guy where things are turning on.
04:21And, again, that's not the answer I know that fans want to hear from
04:24because you've got to win games.
04:26And you're looking at who can help you win games.
04:29But also, in the previous years, I'd argue with some of these young guys,
04:34the Orioles were trying to win games, but almost it would be at the sacrifice
04:38of trying to help some of these young guys develop and figure it out the bigs.
04:42And that's a hard game to play when you have such high expectations.
04:47But that's also something you have to do if you're looking at the long-term,
04:52hopeful long-term solutions for the team.
04:55How frustrating is it watching Gunnar, knowing what he's capable of?
04:58And he even said as much after the game yesterday.
05:00He's been putting in the work, and he's just not seeing the results.
05:03Yeah, I mean, putting it bluntly, it just sucks.
05:07And he'll say it that way, too.
05:09This sucks.
05:11And I hate it for him because when you read the comments or you hear him talk,
05:17there's nothing more frustrating as a player as you put in all the work.
05:22And there is no doubt at all that Gunnar is probably doing more work than anybody right now.
05:31But the hardest thing is you don't get credit for how much work you do.
05:35You get credit for what you do on the field.
05:38But the problem for Gunnar is how do you continue to keep your emotions?
05:44And that mental side, how can you try to take a deep breath?
05:48Because when you watch him, you can see he's mad.
05:50You can see he's frustrated.
05:52And that's starting to snowball a little bit here for him.
05:56Because then you start to doubt the process.
05:58And once you start to doubt the process, you play worse.
06:03But this is – so for Gunnar, I hope he can just take a deep breath at some point.
06:08I don't know when that breaking point is going to be for him.
06:11We're all going to reach it, and he'll be okay long term, I really do think.
06:15But the problem is for the Orioles.
06:19For however people want to argue it, he is the guy.
06:22He is.
06:23And he hasn't been the guy.
06:26And that's another reason why this team isn't winning games.
06:30He is – has superstar ability, and you've needed that from him.
06:36You haven't gotten that production.
06:38You think that's where the pressure comes from, Will Ryan?
06:40Because I think that's the pressure he's put on himself, yeah.
06:43Absolutely.
06:44Because, like, you know, when I look across at this,
06:47I hope I have a chance to talk to Machado.
06:49I was supposed to talk to him a couple weeks ago when the Padres were in town.
06:52You know, when Manny came up, Manny didn't have – we knew Manny was a star,
06:57but Manny didn't have to be the superstar right at the moment he came to the big leagues
07:02or the next two years.
07:03Why?
07:03You had J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, Chris Davis when he was mashing balls,
07:07Mark Hakus, you name it.
07:10They had other guys to let Manny go through his things.
07:13For right now, what has Gunnar been the moment he stepped in the big leagues?
07:16The guy.
07:16You are going to be the guy.
07:18Yeah.
07:18And I think after the 2024 midway part, the pressure built.
07:22He was hurt last year.
07:24And now it is, all right, Pete's here, and Pete's comfortable being Pete.
07:27But now it's, Gunnar, this is your show.
07:30We need you.
07:32Manny's struggles didn't stop them from winning.
07:34Like you just said, Gunnar's struggles probably prohibit him from winning.
07:38Yeah, well, and for right now, like here's the other part.
07:42And, Rob, I told you this last night.
07:44You've got to figure out roles on the team.
07:47And Gunnar's a guy that the Orioles are counting on to drive-in runs, right?
07:51Score runs, drive-in runs.
07:52We just saw the Nationals.
07:54They have, right now, they have two players with over 50 RBIs,
07:59and Luis Garcia, which have a series, and C.J. Abrams.
08:03There's six total people with 50 RBIs in the big leagues for teammates.
08:08Well, the Nationals are going to become the first team to have three
08:11because James Wood's at 49.
08:12If he wasn't struggling so much himself that series, he's right there.
08:17This is the context.
08:18The Orioles have Pete Alonzo with 50-plus RBIs.
08:21The next closest guy is Adley Rutschman with 40, and he's missed time.
08:25And the next one's Gunnar with 39.
08:27That's it.
08:28Yeah.
08:29So when you're looking at an RBI production, that's what the team is looking for.
08:33That's what they need.
08:35And it's just hard because – and when you lose, it feels even worse.
08:40And that's the thing I hate for him is that when you hear him speak, he goes,
08:44I don't think I'm doing my part.
08:46And he's right.
08:47He knows it.
08:49But it's a tough place to be.
08:51But for somehow, some way, if he can take a moment to realize, you got this,
08:59but we just need even 80% of what you can do offensively, and we're going to be good.
09:05If he can take that pressure off, man, it'd be great.
09:08But for the Orioles, they need their guy.
09:12And hopefully we get that sooner because, you know,
09:16this is a really crucial stretch right now.
09:18Ryan, tell us all about the Ryan Ripken show.
09:21Ryan Ripken show Monday through Friday.
09:24Talk to some of the Orioles quite a bit and other guests.
09:27And then, you know, I'll be on the fan later this week ripping with Bob Haney
09:31and doing Baltimore baseball tonight.
09:33Thanks a lot, Ryan.
09:34Appreciate you.
09:36All right, guys.
09:36Have a great week.
09:37You too.
09:37Ryan Ripken is sponsored by Homeward Bound.
09:40Skip the emergency room.
09:41Homeward Bound Urgent Care is open late.
09:44For your pets weekdays and weekends in Bel Air,
09:47visit HomewardBoundUrgentCareVet.com.
09:50I mean, I agree.
09:52Gunner, lots of pressure on his shoulders.
09:54Ben Wagner joins us at 9 o'clock, but on the other side,
09:57we get stupid with Jeremy Kahn.
09:59I'll be quick.
09:59Naked bikers, 96-year-old party animal,
10:02and that freak Phil Mickelson.
10:04That's coming up next.
10:05You gave the same disclaimer to your wife?
10:08Yeah.
10:08I'll be quick.
10:09She knows it.
10:10I don't have to tell her.
10:11I don't have to tell her.
Comments