When the Baltimore Orioles called up Chris Parmelee from Triple-A less than two weeks ago, they didn’t really know what to expect. Parmelee is definitely a top-shelf talent and, at just 27 years old, is expected to be a big part of the Orioles’ future.
Little did the Orioles know Parmelee would have a greater impact than they ever could’ve imagined. In his previous stints in the majors, Parmelee was good, but not great. His career batting average was .256 and he had hit 27 home runs in 851 at-bats.
Parmelee has changed everything over the last two weeks. He has been a mainstay in Baltimore’s lineup and has continued to produce regularly. In the second game of Sunday’s day-night doubleheader sweep over the Cleveland Indians, Parmelee was at it again. He hit his fourth homer of the season, driving in a pair of runs as Baltimore topped Cleveland 8-0. Parmelee now has a batting average of .302 on the season, with an on-base percentage of .348 and a slugging percentage of .721.
The Orioles are in the thick of the race in the American League East, as Baltimore, the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees are all within one game of each other after Sunday’s action. Manager Buck Showalter and the Orioles’ front office hope that Parmelee can continue his strong play and remain a key player in one of the better offenses in the American League.
Sometimes, a surprise can be a good thing. The Baltimore Orioles and Chris Parmelee hope that this fairy tale ride can continue.
Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.