Almost every night, a few minutes before first pitch, Orioles general manager Mike Elias leaves his office in the warehouse and makes his way to the concourse, usually with a carbonated beverage in his hand. Diet Coke and Bubly Sparking Water are common picks.
“I can’t watch the team the way I want to watch it without sitting back there, and I can’t experience the Camden Yards experience without being down in the seating bowl.”
Mike Elias
Elias waves to fans, shakes hands and poses for the occasional selfie as he travels across the stadium. When he gets to home plate, he pivots and heads down to sit with the scouts.
Many in Elias’ position prefer to watch games from a suite or on television from their offices. But Elias, who was a scout for a decade before becoming general manager of the Orioles in 2018, knows only one place to properly view a baseball game.
“It’s a must for me to have those seats and to sit down there,” he said. “I can’t watch the team the way I want to watch it without sitting back there, and I can’t experience the Camden Yards experience without being down in the seating bowl.”
He does this for multiple reasons. First, it’s the best way, he said, to evaluate players. He can analyze pitch quality, delivery and location from that spot in a way he just can’t if he’s viewing it on television or from a different angle. With hitters, he can see the tension in their shoulders and face, in addition to how they react to scenarios.
“There’s a whole other game that opens up to you when you are sitting right behind home plate,” Elias said. “It’s the way the catcher sees the game, and the catcher sees more than any other player.”
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Elias still thinks like a scout — something that has helped him find talent for cheap, including Ryan O’Hearn, whom the Orioles acquired for cash considerations, or more recently Burch Smith, who signed a minor league deal after he was released by the Marlins.
Sitting behind home plate, Elias can talk with the scouts every night, maintaining his contacts and giving him the chance to ask about opposing players and what the scouts think of them.
“I get some information sometimes, have some incidental conversations about what’s going on in their organizations or what’s going on in the baseball world,” Elias said.
There’s an added benefit outside of business. Being a general manager is taxing, and the job takes up most of his time. But, during games, Elias often sits with his family or friends in the stands, allowing him to keep an eye on the team while spending time with his loved ones.
“I really enjoy it,” Elias said. “My family really enjoys it. It’s the best way to experience this team and this stadium.”
