Glenn and Griffin are bringing back our tradition we started last season for the 2025 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.
O’s open up the season going 2-2 in Toronto, so a mixed bag of results as we go over this week’s results, and without further adieu:
Glenn’s Three Up:
3. C Adley Rutschman
Not only was he on base seven times (with the two Opening Day home runs), he also completed two strike ’em out, throw ’em out double plays on Friday night. Strong start.
2. INF Jordan Westburg
When someone is OPS-ing 1.654, it is indeed fair to ask just how badly they needed an off day Sunday.
1. SP Zach Eflin
Remember in that episode of VEEP when Selina was flummoxed by how those Orioles could have more than one “starting” pitcher? She’d be far less confused by this year’s team (so far).
Griffin’s Three Up:
3. C Adley Rutschman
Was close with Cedric and Tyler O’Neill here, but that might’ve just been more from the Opening Day successes, but has to be Adley here. So many questions after last year’s second half, and with how much everyone was talking him up this offseason, we needed to see results and boy did he do it emphatically, in all facets of the game.
2. SP Zach Eflin
Might be a low bar for pitchers to make the list this season, we’ll see how it goes, but 6 IP, Opening Day win, very good stuff in the only good start of the weekend.
1. 2B/3B Jordan Westburg
That’s okay, he can be in the lineup everyday, actually… Jotted this down before the report that he was apparently dealing with illness Sunday, even still, as Mike Bordick said, I’ll take Jordan Westburg at 70%.
Glenn’s Three Down:
3. 1B Ryan Mountcastle
I’m sure the timing of Bob Nightengale reporting that the Orioles are looking to trade him isn’t impactful at all. Even the defense was…not Ryan Mountcastle level.
2. SP Dean Kremer
Give him credit for battling to get them a couple more outs and work into the sixth. Give him credit for no other things.
1. SP Charlie Morton
Give him credit for no things.
Griffin’s Three Down:
3. 1B Ryan Mountcastle
Yuck. Toronto is supposed to be his spot, we’re expecting better from him this year, the trade rumors, just a weird, unproductive opening series for Mounty unfortunately.
2. LF Colton Cowser
He plays good defense. But is not a leadoff hitter, sure the home run was good, that was about it, struck out six times, barely got on base. And was pressing enough by the end of the weekend he felt it was necessary to dive head first into first base and get sidelined for a month.
1. SP Charlie Morton
He was awful. Couldn’t get through the fourth inning, so much traffic every inning. It was ugly, and frankly, feels like a sign of things to come for this rotation.
Starting next week, we’ll show the running tally and season-long scores for our ‘Three Up and Three Down’, plus we’ll have a giveaway for anyone that participates with us on social media!
If you missed the segment live, give it a listen here as Glenn and Griffin explain their picks:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox
