Trey Mancini backing Aaron Judge with Camden Yards comments is true theater

On top of erroneously comparing the New York Yankees‘ players and fans’ complaints about the park alterations at Camden Yards to opponents putting down Yankee Stadium’s Short Porch, the critics perhaps didn’t consider the Baltimore Orioles’ players’ feelings on the matter.

And if their longest-tenured veteran has anything to say about it, there’s a universal dislike for the fence being moved back in left field (as well as the bizarre configuration it’s created in left-center).

Following Judge calling Camden Yards a “Create-a-Park” after the Yankees’ win on Tuesday (in addition to Aaron Boone saying the “Build Your Own Park” took a homer away from Judge), O’s outfielder Trey Mancini backed the Yankees’ displeasure.

Perhaps the Orioles can kiss that $10 million mutual option for the 2023 season goodbye, because it’s not everyday a nine-year veteran of the organization (he was drafted in 2013 and debuted in 2016) adds fuel to the fire like this.

Mancini, despite missing all of 2020 after battling stage 3 colon cancer only to return in 2021, put up a solid campaign, and finish second in the Home Run Derby, oddly wasn’t rewarded with a contract outside of his final year of arbitration in 2022.

And Talkin’ Baseball is right — it seems like the O’s didn’t consult their team leader when it came to this controversial decision.

Orioles’ Trey Mancini backs the Yankees’ criticism of Camden Yards changes

Need any more proof that the Orioles are a mess? They have been enduring one of the least successful tank jobs you’ll ever see (going on Year 5 now) and have one of their most important players calling them out in the media.

And of all ways to do so, Mancini backed the universally-hated Yankees on this topic, which just further goes to show Baltimore has arguably screwed things up beyond repair in just about every facet of the game; from player development to front office decision making to cultivating a culture to appealing to general baseball fans.

This isn’t an argument of a competitive disadvantage, either. Moving a fence back to turn home runs into singles because you don’t want to pay better pitchers is an objectively cowardly decision. Instead of simply “getting better,” the Orioles turned a piece of history into a poorly-designed playground.

Baltimore has the lowest payroll in the sport ($45.78 million), which is less than what Gerrit Cole and Aaron Hicks will make combined in 2022. They signed no notable free agents to help supplement what young (and soon-to-be disillusioned) talent they have left in Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle. They’re not committed to winning or really doing anything right.

Mancini’s comments further echo that sentiment, indicating that the Orioles’ potential and outlook in the foreseeable future probably won’t exceed that 384-foot mark in left field.

Yankees’ Aaron Judge, Aaron Boone bash Orioles’ changes to Camden Yards

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and manager Aaron Boone bashed Camden Yards and the left-field wall the Orioles built to ruin offense.