Midday Mailbag: Cowser for Rookie of the Year?

Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.

Question: What are your thoughts on Colton Cowser and Jackson Holliday finishing 1-2 for Rookie of the Year, and who do you think is their competition? From: Dan McConnell

Answer: Dan, it’s very early to be talking about the Rookie of the Year voting, but if the award was given for the first 18 games, Colton Cowser would have an excellent shot at winning it. As for Jackson Holliday finishing second, the obvious answer is that once his numbers pick up, then we could have that discussion. We can’t do that now.

It’s also too early to examine the competition, but at the beginning of the season, Texas outfielders Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford were getting a lot of early hype for the award. Oakland closer Mason Miller seems to be an interesting candidate but check back in August for a better answer.

Question: Brandon Hyde appears to be using Dillon Tate sporadically. In the last two weeks, Tate has only pitched three times. Any insight into whether this is just a precaution by Hyde early in the season, or whether there is something else that explains his limited usage? From: Dave Bernstein

Answer: Dave, a lot of us have been mystified by Tate’s lack of use. We’ve questioned Hyde about it, but he says Tate is fine. He’s allowed one earned run in seven innings, but he’s walked four and struck out four. This is a trend to monitor in the next few weeks.