The new guidelines went into effect March 10 — the ones that don’t allow reporters to have locker room access to players. And March 10 also marked the first time I have ever interviewed a manager in a pre-game presser where we couldn’t be within poking distance of the skipper. The new rules mean we reporters have to be a minimum of 6 feet away from Brandon Hyde.
It was weird for both sides. But for me, this is one of those things where I’d rather err on the side of caution than have anyone pay the price for not wanting to engage in awkwardness.
Hyde thinks his team’s added big-league experience will mean that when stuff comes up suddenly in the game, his players won’t have that “deer in the headlights” look and subsequently botch things like rundowns, pickoffs and cutoff throws.
Certainly, none of that works to keep a staff from throwing more than 300 homers, as the O’s staff did a year ago. But hey, progress is progress.
It’s not exactly a game-changer, and the skipper talks a good bit about liking what he sees out of catcher Chance Sisco, but Sisco is 2-for-14 and the manager really likes what he sees out of veteran Bryan Holaday.
