2023 season for the Baltimore Orioles was an intriguing one. The squad earned numerous individual honors, finishing with the most victories in a season in the twenty-first century, and won the division for the first time since 2014. The Orioles managed to avoid a sweep throughout the regular season and haven’t experienced one since May 21, 2022, when Adley Rutschman made his debut in a regular season series.
Naturally, the focus here is on the regular season because the postseason was a very different tale, with the Orioles playing three games and falling to the Texas Rangers, who went on to win the World Series. Regarding the Orioles’ future, there is a great deal of ambiguity about what will happen to them on and off the field as well as which field they will play on. But there is
The Virtuous
When completely fit, Cedric Mullins has a unique talent. In Baltimore, he has emerged as a fan favorite. In 2021, he became well-known after becoming the first player in Orioles history to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. He was also selected as the starting center fielder for the American League All-Star squad.
He has remained a menace on the basepaths, in the field, and at the plate ever since. Over the previous three seasons at Birdland, he has also penned numerous memorable moments, such as several pivotal moments for the Orioles in 2023.
This season, Mullins’ finest single-game performance came on May 12th against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting first in the
The Unsatisfactory
I simply tried to win Cedric over with around a thousand words. Naturally, there were setbacks for the center fielder for the Orioles. Notably, he missed extended periods of time due to two different injuries, which also made it necessary for the O’s to sign Aaron Hicks after the Yankees released him. Mullins had without a doubt his poorest statistical season since 2020, and Orioles fans were disappointed by his slumps at some unlucky moments.
The final stats for Mullins were, to put it mildly, very “mid,” as the young people these days like to call it. His slash line was.233/.305/.416 with a 99 wRC+ and 101 OPS+. In 116 games, he did manage to knock 15 home runs and 41 extra base hits in addition to recording a career-best 9.5%
The Decision
Cedric Mullins is a unique talent in Baltimore who, in the end, had some unique experiences throughout an exceptional season for the Orioles. Regretfully, Cedric’s performance was somewhat undermined by the fact that he wasn’t particularly exceptional when the Orioles needed him most. Mullins was the definition of a league-average player, according to the metrics, but Orioles supporters anticipate more from him than average following his breakthrough 2021 year.
Regarding grades, a lot of teachers will tell you that a “C” represents an average grade and that a C is awarded for work that is ordinary. All things considered, Mullins had a mediocre season, but there are several reasons why a C also doesn’t seem right.
Firstly, the execution of