Orioles recall Baumann, option Baker before third game of 4-game series with Rays; Hyde on team meetings

BALTIMORE–The Orioles recalled right-hander Mike Baumann from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned right-hander Bryan Baker to Norfolk before the third game of their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Baumann, who was 9-1 with a 3.82 earned-run average before he was optioned to Norfolk on August 23rd, will give the Orioles length, and a fresh arm, in the bullpen.

“I knew there was good reasoning behind it,” Baumann said about last month’s demotion. “I’ve been in that situation before, so I control what I can control.”

Manager Brandon Hyde said that “a big reason for him to go down there was to give him a break, a reset at the time. He got a few weeks, some scheduled outings, backed off a little bit because he’d thrown so much up here in his first full year in the bullpen in the big leagues. He’d done a really nice job.”

Baker, who had been recalled on Thursday, allowed Harold Ramirez’s three-run home run on Friday night. He pitched three innings in the 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay and wouldn’t have been available to pitch for several days. In 46 games, Baker is 4-3 with a 3.60 ERA.

“With Bake taking a big load last night, we needed Mike back here tonight,” Hyde said.

In addition to Friday night’s 7-1 loss on an evening when former centerfielder Adam Jones was honored after officially retiring as an Oriole, the team also lost Thursday night’s game, 4-3. In the past week, the Orioles have lost their four-game lead in the American League East and are now tied with the Rays.

“Very excited to be here. I’ve been watching the games on TV and it just looks like an awesome crowd at Camden [Yards],” Baumann said. “I’m very excited to be a part of it … Everyone’s been stepping up. It’s really great to see. There’s a lot of talent in the bullpen. There are some big arms that have been stepping up.”

The Orioles’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is three.

Injury updates: First baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who left Wednesday’s game with left shoulder discomfort, hasn’t played since.

“Hopefully get in there today and be a factor off the bench,” Hyde said.

Closer Félix Bautista played catch before the game for the second straight game.

Hyde lauds Rays’ bullpen: Tampa Bay’s bullpen has gone 34 innings without allowing an earned run, something that Hyde noted.

“Their bullpen hasn’t given up a run in three years,” Hyde said. “It’s a tough assignment. We just have to do a better job of getting on base.”

Hyde on talking to team: Hyde is not a fan of full team meetings.

“We do some things after we win series,” Hyde said. “We talk, but it’s not [as if] I’m reviewing a game and what we can do better. Those type of things happen mostly in advance meetings of a series, like an offensive hitters advance meetings and we’ll go over some things that we did well or didn’t do well for the series before, and there are times I speak up in that, and our other coaches do, as well.

“The majority of the stuff I do is one-on-one and I’ve had a few team meetings over the last few years, but not during the season … It’s got to get to a certain point to me for that. It’s usually about effort, if you don’t feel like the effort’s there. Everybody’s in there giving great effort. They have been all year. There’s nothing for me to alarm anybody.

“It’s me being supportive. If I feel like somebody’s got to come to my office, whether it’s positive or negative or something to get off my chest or their chest. I  want to be open for that. Those things happen regularly. Nobody sees.”

Note: First baseman Samuel Basallo doubled and tripled as Double-A Bowie lost to Harrisburg, 4-2.