Even as he has leveled off offensively, the Orioles are starting to get some of the defense that drew them to rookie outfielder Joey Rickard in the first place. Rickard made two highlight-reel catches in right field Tuesday, and over the Orioles' extensive stretch of home games this season his outfield defense has drastically improved.
Manager Buck Showalter said after the catches Tuesday that it had a lot to do with his familiarity with the stadiums, and Rickard agreed.
"Definitely just checking out the new stadiums, I'm used to the higher decks and stuff like that, seeing the ball a little better," Rickard said. "A lot of it's just being in the right spots, looking at the scouting reports and just kind of being in that general area."
Starting out in better spots has allowed him to track some balls that would otherwise be out of his zone, as Tuesday's long runs proved. On both, he tracked balls into the tricky right-field corner at Camden Yards to record outs.
"Tremendous," outfielder Mark Trumbo said. "Absolutely tremendous. He's basically a center fielder who's playing the corners. You see that a lot throughout the game, the premium placed on outfield defense and the ability to save runs. The plays he's made, this one and a number of the other diving catches, just the overall athleticism he brings is exactly what we need."
Even with the improvements, he's still not seeing any of his defensive metrics rise, though that could come soon. Showalter said the Orioles will continue to see Rickard progress defensively.
"Little by little, you can tell his breaks are more confident, knowing where things are," he said.
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