Glenn and Griffin continue our Monday tradition for the 2024 baseball season Monday on GCR with ‘Three Up and Three Down’ where we rank the best and worst Orioles performers of the week, much like how we do with Pats on the Ass and Slaps to the Helmet during football season after Ravens games. The guys will each name three players, three trending up, three trending down, based on how they did for that week specifically–after the O’s went 3-3 during the week, ending on quite a sour note, dropping two of three to the Oakland Athletics…
Without further adieu:
Glenn’s Three Up:
3. SP Cole Irvin
Sure, the Athletics don’t have the most overwhelming offense. But if you put together a seven inning shutout start, you’re gonna make this list.
2. SS Gunnar Henderson
He cooled off a bit against the Athletics but still, he went 8/25 with five extra base hits and 7 RBI for the week-and there was a bit of an “as Gunnar goes, the Orioles go” feel to the week.
1. C Adley Rutschman
How freaking good has Adley Rutschman been this year? He hit .384 for the week and reminded us he can have power from the other side of the plate too.
Griffin’s Three Up:
3. SS Gunnar Henderson
Ready for this to be the norm moving forward honestly, playing at an MVP-level and imagine he’ll continue to be a regular on these lists.
2. SP Cole Irvin
I mean, wow. Turned out to be a much needed start since the bullpen couldn’t hang on to the lead in the other two games from the weekend, Swirvin’ Irvin took matters into his own hands.
1. C Adley Rutschman
You’d blink and then Adley would have another hit, that’s just the way it went this week, and honestly how it’s been going all season. The powered allowed him to stick out even more this time around.
Glenn’s Three Down:
3. CF Cedric Mullins
Colton Cowser narrowly avoids my wrath because Cedric’s more of the veteran and his 2/23 week was particularly disappointing after it seemed like he had really gotten going over the two previous weeks.
2. SP Grayson Rodriguez
It’s not just that he got absolutely rocked by the Angels, it was how hard and loud all of the contact was against him. Nothing was cheap. It was a parade of really hard hit balls one after another.
1. RP Craig Kimbrel
It’s pretty clear that he’s not right physically and Brandon Hyde definitely deserves criticism for leaving him in when he couldn’t throw anything but his fastball. And yeah, Ryan McKenna needs to make that play Friday night. Still, the Orioles had the lead going into the 9th in all three games and lost the series. There’s no getting around it.
Griffin’s Three Down:
3. LF Colton Cowser
The outfield as a whole did not have a great week, but Cowser struck out 10 times, those numbers need to turn around.
2. SP Grayson Rodriguez
It was ugly in Anaheim, given how great he looked in the four starts prior, I expect this to be the low, but we have to call a spade, a spade.
1. Closer Craig Kimbrel
Boy did this week take a turn, from striking out Mike Trout Monday night to win the game to back-to-back blown saves against the Athletics. Not sure what happened, maybe that tag at the plate Friday night really messed him up, but need him back to 100% ASAP, this bullpen is far better with Craig Kimbrel than without.
Here’s a look at the season-long standings. scoring is simple: 3 points awarded to the top player in ‘Three Up’ each week, -3 points for the top player in ‘Three Down’ each week:
You can listen as Glenn and Griffin go ‘Three Up and Three Down’ by clicking play below:
Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Orioles
