Ryan Ripken

I love what it is right now because every team is competitive now.

Every single one.

Even the Rays, where on paper right now, they would be the team that could be finishing last.

Ironically, that team last year, or the fourth place team in some places, was the Toronto Blue Jays, and they were

one uh play away from being world series champs last year right so uh i love the competitive spirit but what i also love is they ain't messing around this year and and you're right the off season it makes you feel good in the moment but it's going to be how you perform on the field but you do need to go out and make moves to improve your ball club so to start off with the orioles uh

2025 was a letdown.

That's an understatement.

They were banged up going in.

They didn't have enough pitching depth, and they got burned tremendously.

And one of the mottos I used last year was if they were going to be considered weak in the pitching department, their hitting and defense was going to have to be elite, and it wasn't.

And so you went as far as your young core was going to take you, and it didn't take that step that they wanted.

Um, and Mike Elias, people were burning Mike Elias, but I said, you know what?

Give him time.

See what he does now with ownership, having a full year now and a, and a full, fully comfortable year of understanding what they have with their team.

And you know what Mike Elias did?

He said, I ain't going to get burned twice.

They've been aggressive.

And I mean, the other name you didn't add there was Ryan Helsley.

And also Taylor Ward.

It's been so damn, it's been so many damn moves, but you know what?