Thursday’s news that there would be 16 playoff teams in 2020 instead of the customary 10 came so late that Orioles first baseman Chris Davis said the team didn’t have the chance to discuss what it meant for the season that began Friday.
While discussing what the season meant to him in a pregame Zoom call with local reporters, Davis spoke of how normal things felt on the field and how grateful he and his teammates were for the opportunity to play 60 games, or possibly more.
But whether it’s a veteran like Davis or a rookie like leadoff man Austin Hays, the rebuilding Orioles know that whatever success they come by won’t be built off chasing numbers, but by focusing on process and the simple things.