Colton Cowser may require a video forensics unit to figure out who was on the mound back then. The home videos, taken by the Orioles outfielder’s mom when Cowser was around 10, show a game between the Crawdads and Wranglers.

Was Shane Baz pitching?

That is the central question no one can answer. Baz, the new Orioles right-hander, was certainly on the field for the Wranglers, the travel ball team for which he played. Baz and Cowser grew up in the same area. They played each other nearly every tournament from ages 8-12. They are teammates now, but bragging rights remain whether it’s friendly fire or not.

“It’s hilarious because he brings it up all the time,” Baz said. “He swears he hit a double off me. And I don’t believe him.”

Cowser isn’t even really sure, but it makes for funny banter, so it’s part of his ribbing.

“I know I have three videos from when we played,” Cowser said. “One was a bunt single, one was a hit by pitch and one was a double. He probably hit me. That’s probably what it was. But it was back when we were, like, 9.”

The years between then and now haven’t stopped it from being a topic of conversation for the two Houston-area natives. During the news conference announcing Baz’s five-year, $68 million contract extension with the Orioles, Baz named former teammates on the Tampa Bay Rays, such as Zach Eflin and Andrew Kittredge.

Then Cowser waved from the audience, reminding Baz of their shared history, even if it came as opponents.

Back then — Baz and Cowser said it as if that was the dark ages, but they’re only 26 — there were only a handful of travel teams in the Cypress Ranch, Texas, area for kids their age. That has changed. There are more teams all the time, they said. But, when they played, Cowser’s Crawdads (and later, the Barracudas) faced Baz’s Wranglers frequently.

As they recalled these matchups in the clubhouse this week, they fact-checked each other in real time.

“You’ve got to try to find all those old videos,” Baz said.

“I have all the videos,” Cowser said. “Did you catch on that team?”

“I played everywhere,” Baz replied.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“I was utility. I bet you never ran on me.”

“Yeahhh, right …”

Off they go, as they do.

They were aware of each other throughout their childhood and onward, and they even hung out once at Baz’s house because their moms played on the same adult softball team through their church.

“I know exactly where his house was, right now in my brain,” Cowser said. It was only 10 minutes or so from Cowser’s home.

But, rather than becoming competitors in high school, Cowser attended Cypress Ranch and Baz moved to Concordia Lutheran. Their paths diverged until they reconnected as major leaguers.

A few days before the Orioles traded for Baz over the winter, they saw each other at a restaurant in Houston. When the deal transpired, Cowser quickly messaged Baz and welcomed him to Baltimore. Then they set up a tee time to build their relationship on the golf course.

That round began with: Remember that double I hit off you?

“He brought it up immediately,” Baz said. “If he has bragging rights on you, he will let you know.”

The issue, of course, is that Baz seriously doubts the authenticity of that double.

“Back then, I didn’t give up a lot of doubles,” Baz said. “If I gave up a double, it was like giving up a grand slam. I feel like I would remember it. But he might have. He’s a good player. So he might have. We’ll see. He hasn’t shown me any of these videos, either. Maybe he knows it’s not me pitching.”

“I don’t think we could ever figure it out,” Cowser said. “It’s such a long shot.”

That won’t stop the jokes, though. Nothing will.