Dan Connolly

Myriad O’ thoughts (Reimold’s surge, big DP, Wright’s stuff)

By now we all know the Nolan Reimold story.

Former high pick and top prospect in the organization that showed so much promise, but continually ended up on the disabled list and nearly lost his career due to two neck surgeries.

Yet he kept coming back, battling. And whenever he has been healthy, he has contributed.

Right now, Reimold is healthy.

Last night’s three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh was the difference-maker in the Orioles’ 6-3 victory against the Chicago White Sox.

But he has done more than just provide one key homer. Reimold is batting .355 with three homers in 31 at-bats. He’s been steady defensively and hustles continually.

The 32-year-old is playing like the Orioles always envisioned he would.

“It’s a good start. Long year, obviously,” Reimold said. “I try to keep it up, do the little things to keep at it and keep some momentum when I get out there.”

Yes, he’s been injured for much of his career, but I always cringe when people say Reimold isn’t tough. Most people would have given up long ago with the injuries he’s faced. Who knows what will happen as the season goes on? But Reimold and his manager are enjoying the ride. The fans should be, too.

“He’s been a real contributor. It’s the first time, I don’t want to say completely healthy, but healthy (enough) to show what he’s capable of doing and remind everybody,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I’m real happy for him because he’s been down a rough road. It’s a real tribute to him to persevere through this. And (I’m) quite proud of the organization for sticking with him. He’s dialed up a lot of things that we’ve needed.”

Jones-Wieters’ DP was play of the night

Dan Connolly

Dan Connolly has spent more than two decades as a print journalist in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Baltimore native and Calvert Hall graduate first covered the Orioles as a beat writer for the York (Pennsylvania) Daily Record in 2001 before becoming The Baltimore Sun’s national baseball writer/Orioles reporter in 2005. He has won multiple state and national writing awards, including several from the Associated Press Sports Editors. In 2013 he was named Maryland Co-Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. And in 2015, he authored his first book, "100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." He lives in York, with his wife, Karen, and three children, Alex, Annie, and Grace.

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twomooks says:

April 30, 2016 at 11:42 am

I cringe too when I hear comments that Reimold is not tough. That guy is a battler and I have a ton of respect for him and his tough as nails approach. Kudos to him on persevering and kudos to the organization for persevering too.