Orioles CEO has curious comment about team’s success

Jul 26, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) stand son the field during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles were one of the pleasant surprises of the 2022 MLB season, but the team’s chairman and CEO does not necessarily sound optimistic about it proving sustainable.

Orioles CEO John Angelos said Sunday that it is possible for the team’s payroll to surpass $100 million eventually, but that will not be the case in 2023. Angelos cited the idea that the team “overachieved and overperformed” in 2022, and that now is not the right time to go all-in and spend heavily on new players.

More on payroll: "We have a very young team that's overachieved and overperformed because of the great work of our baseball folks. It's not my job to predict payroll. My job is to make sure that the community partnerships are sustained, and I think all of that comes after that."

— Nathan Ruiz (@NathanSRuiz) February 19, 2023

This probably is not what Orioles fans want to hear. Angelos may be correct that there was some overachievement in the 2022 team, and that prematurely spending on the wrong fits would set the organization back. Even if you buy that argument, there is probably a more diplomatic way of expressing it.

Baltimore is coming off an 83-79 season built partly on a dominant bullpen and the arrival of young prospects such as Adley Rutschman. In spite of that, the team kept its payroll near $50 million for the 2023 campaign, the second-lowest in all of baseball.

For better or worse, the Orioles have been sticking to the plan when it comes to building their organization. Their GM had to account for some unpopular moves at last year’s trade deadline as well.