Friday, July 04

Welcome to another edition of the Orioles Beat newsletter. The O’s will play two more vs. the Rangers in Arlington before heading to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves.

BALTIMORE -- No matter the weather or conditions, Coby Mayo isn’t missing any days of pregame work at first base. Not even last week, when the Orioles played two home games with first-pitch temperatures of 100 degrees and “feels like” numbers even higher.

The O’s are giving Mayo an extended run as the right-handed-hitting portion of their platoon at first alongside Ryan O’Hearn, with Ryan Mountcastle (right hamstring strain) on the 60-day injured list. Mayo is putting in maximum effort to take advantage of the opportunity.

Before every game, Mayo (primarily a third baseman in the Minors) is on the field alongside several coaches with vast infield knowledge -- interim manager Tony Mansolino and interim third-base/infield coach Buck Britton, as well as John Mabry, a senior adviser to the staff -- putting in extra time.

MLB.com recently took a deep dive with Mayo into his work at first.

MLB.com: You joked last month that you “probably lead the league” in pregame grounders fielded. How’s that been going?

Mayo: I feel good over there. Doing a lot of work, obviously, and I think some of it’s starting to show in the games. And I’m just enjoying the progression I’ve seen over there personally. It’s a different position. I think I’ve gotten used to it over the last year or so. And now that I’m getting the everyday opportunities over there, even in practice or in games, it’s been nice.

MLB.com: How beneficial is it to work with multiple infield gurus?

Mayo: It’s a very supportive but hardworking staff. They want me to work hard and do as much as I can. But also, they want to have fun with it. It’s not just go out there and take a billion ground balls and sweat all day and just be exhausted. It’s, "Get your good work in, and we’re going to have fun doing it."

Mabry’s out there with me every day, and he’s literally right by my side while I’m taking ground balls, doing my picks, doing everything. We’ve kind of got into a routine, too, with some hand drills. We do that every day before we start our ground balls. We throw together, and then we start our ground balls.

MLB.com: Is such a strenuous pregame routine new to you?

Mayo: It’s new. Obviously, I was doing something similar at third, kind of just taking ground balls off to the side and doing some individual work at third. But now that it’s first, it’s a little different. You’re doing more double-play balls, balls off the bags and picks. It’s unique at first, obviously. At third, you’re not doing any picks, you’re not doing any of that kind of stuff.

MLB.com: What is the key to making good picks?

Mayo: You just have to know when a good time is to go get it. There was one last week at home maybe -- I don’t really remember -- where I think I went out there a little too early. It was a ball that [shortstop] Gunnar [Henderson] threw, made a really good play in the hole, and I think I went out to get it a little early. I think that’s one of the balls I could have waited back on and kind of fielded it off the long hop. 

But those are the things you learn through mistakes. You learn them and you go out and practice and you keep working on it.

MLB.com: What tips are you picking up from Mabry?

Mayo: It’s a lot of footwork, making sure my feet are in a good place, making sure my feet are pointed at the bag. On the throws to second, sometimes I was not getting fully turned toward second and my shoulders were wide open and my feet were wide open and I’d airmail a ball or I’d spike a ball to the left, and he’s on me about, “Make sure your feet are there. Make sure your feet are pointed.” ... 

That play [on June 23] to [third baseman Ramón Urías] to end the game, that’s the play at home I kind of asked a question about, “Do I put my left foot on the bag and stretch with my right foot, or do I switch my feet?” And that was a ball [that] night where I was able to get out there with some leverage, obviously, and get extended and pick that ball. So just footwork off the bag kind of stuff, little things with my hands. He’s done a lot for me, it’s been a big help.

MLB.com: Could you envision a long-term future at first?

Mayo: I’ll play anywhere. I think I’ve done a good job at first. I’m comfortable over there. I obviously haven’t taken any ground balls at third recently. I wouldn’t say I’m not too worried, but I don’t have any long-term, “I want to play third. I want to play first.” Wherever the situation comes up and they need me -- if they need me at third, it’s going to be third. If they need me at first, it’s going to be first. 

But I’m honestly feeling good at first, and I think that’s the opportunity that I have right now and there’s a little bit of an opening there. So it’s going to be first right now, and we’ll see where things go.

The Orioles return home next week for three-game series vs. the Mets and Marlins to close out the first half. Here are the scheduled promotions:

Tuesday, July 8 vs. Mets: Birdland Hawaiian shirt (first 15,000 fans)

Thursday, July 10 vs. Mets: Yacht Rock cap (first 10,000 fans)

Saturday, July 12 vs. Marlins: Birdland Hawaiian shirt (first 20,000 fans)

Tickets are available for purchase at Orioles.com/tickets. 

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