Roch Kubatko
Roch Kubatko

Is Nakajima staying in Japan?

Is Nakajima staying in Japan?
I'm not a big Twitter guy, as you might have figured out, but I signed up so I could check the tweets - ugh - on NPB Tracker. Here's one of the first tweets - dear Lord - that I stumbled upon: "Looks like Seibu is not going to post Nakajima" That's 28-year-old Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima, who has been heavily scouted by the Orioles. John Stockstill confirmed their interest last week. Here's a followup quote attributed to Seibu owner Goto: "If there's a hope we'll talk...
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Roch Kubatko

Deja vu all over again

Deja vu all over again
First it's June Cleaver, now Howard Cunningham. This hasn't been a good week for TV parents. If Rob Petrie dies, I'll stay curled up in a ball for weeks. A Yankee hits a long fly ball, the right fielder appears to be camped under it at the fence, and a fan reaches out and deflects it. Like that would ever happen in a playoff game. Did anyone else have flashbacks last night to the 1996 ALCS as Robinson Cano circled the bases and Nelson Cruz pointed into the first row of seats? Did you...
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Roch Kubatko

Today's flashback

Today's flashback
Baseball America's Matt Eddy released the latest list of minor league free agents, one of my favorite features from the publication. Eddy reported that the Orioles re-signed pitcher Raul Rivero, so everyone can relax. Actually, Rivero was 4-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 37 relief appearances - 22 with Single-A Frederick and 15 with Double-A Bowie. The Giants allowed pitcher Denny Bautista to become a free agent, which led to my quick stroll down memory lane. But I never know what to wear. I was...
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Roch Kubatko

Items and questions

Items and questions
So when is Cliff Lee going to start dialing it up for the postseason? On my list of dream jobs, I'm adding "Cliff Lee's agent." To make room, I'm removing "Aubrey Huff's towel boy." Again, we're onto something here: Name your ideal sports job, and one that you'd find least appealing. I no longer have any interest in airbrushing Brett Favre's photos. Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports that Zack Greinke has until after the World Series to notify the Royals about the...
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Roch Kubatko

Adams honored (w/AFL update)

Adams honored (w/AFL update)
Orioles infield prospect Ryan Adams and the Angels' Brandon Wood were named co-Players of the Week in the Arizona Fall League. Both third basemen collected at least one hit and an RBI in every game last week. Adams, the Orioles' second-round pick in the 2006 draft, batted .500 (6-for-12) with a one home run, seven RBIs and two runs scored. Adams hit .298 with 43 doubles, 15 home runs and 68 RBIs, with a .365 on-base percentage and .464 slugging percentage, at Double-A Bowie. In five...
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Roch Kubatko

Staff injections

Staff injections
There's a chill in the air this morning, which reminds me that winter is right around the corner. And my snow shovel is down in my laundry room, propped up against a wall and mocking me at every opportunity. I really need to buy gloves, but I'm not ready to concede that summer is over. I'll be playing tennis again and sitting outside with a grande skim latte. I just know it. I've officially grown tired of writing/talking/thinking about the Orioles' coaching staff, but the topic won't go...
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Roch Kubatko

Should the Orioles pursue Greinke?

Should the Orioles pursue Greinke?
Not much to say about the Orioles today, so let's talk about another team's player. Anybody want Zack Greinke? He's got two years and $27 million left on his contract and he's reportedly available - a status that seems to change daily. Here's the breakdown on his contract, courtesy of Cot's: Signed extension with Kansas City on 1/26/09 (avoided arbitration) 09:$3.75M, 10:$7.25M, 11:$13.5M, 12:$13.5M Limited no-trade protection in 2009, 2010 Award bonuses: $50,000 each for Gold Glove,...
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Roch Kubatko

A note of thanks from No. 22

A note of thanks from No. 22
It wasn't my birthday, but I received a nice surprise a few minutes ago. Jim Palmer submitted a comment to the blog that I wanted to post here, in case anyone missed it. As I always say, you never know who's reading. Roch, thanks for the kind words and birthday wishes. Please thank all your Oriole blogger fans for their gracious comments. Your blog and the fans response were a wonderful birthday present, even if my birthday made me the same age as the speed limit on the beltway! No...
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This, that & the other

This, that & the other
The Orioles were well-represented last night in the Arizona Fall League. Xavier Avery, leading off and playing center field, went 4-for-5 with a walk, stolen base and three runs scored in Scottsdale's 11-4 victory over Phoenix. I'm told that Avery is widely considered the fastest player in the AFL. Ryan Adams, starting again at third base, went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Catcher Caleb Joseph was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Oliver Drake got the win after allowing two runs and...
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Birthday Cakes

Birthday Cakes
Jim Palmer is 65 today. How is this happening? If he's 65, that means we're all growing older, and that's not possible. I didn't sign any papers allowing it. I'll hire a Dream Team of lawyers and fight it in court. They can't do this to us. I'll always feel a certain connection to "Cakes" because he pitched in the first game I ever attended with my father at Memorial Stadium. Home games were rarely televised, so seeing the Orioles in their crisp white uniforms made my eyes bulge...
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Quick AFL update

Quick AFL update
Reliever Kam Mickolio allowed one hit, threw a wild pitch and struck out two batters in one inning for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. Twelve of his 16 pitches were strikes. The Scorpions are trailing the Phoenix Desert Dogs, 2-0, in the sixth inning. Xavier Avery and Greg Miclat are a combined 0-for-5. More important, I wonder what Phoenix's mascot would look like if the team was known as the Dessert Dogs. Mickolio was touted as a future closer back in spring...
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A little housekeeping

A little housekeeping
The most important item first: Longtime umpires attendant Ernie Tyler remains hospitalized at the University of Maryland Medical Center after undergoing successful surgery on Oct. 6 to remove a benign brain tumor, but a team official tells me that doctors are pleased with his progress. We still don't know when they'll allow Tyler to return home, but his continued improvement is encouraging news. According to Bodog, the odds of the Phillies winning the World Series stand at 5/4. The...
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Deciding which free agents to keep

Deciding which free agents to keep
When manager Buck Showalter was asked late in the season about his timetable for announcing which coaches would return in 2011, he said it would be "sooner rather than later." It's my fault for not getting a clear definition. This week would be considered "sooner," as opposed to after the World Series, which would fall into the "later" category. Showalter underwent the first of his two knee surgeries on Tuesday. He was supposed to return to Baltimore before the second procedure. Just...
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Quick AFL update (updated)

Quick AFL update (updated)
Since nothing else seems to be happening today... First baseman Tyler Townsend and third baseman Ryan Adams have two-run singles today for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. The Scorpions lead the Peoria Saguaros, 7-0, in the sixth inning. Townsend and Adams singled off right-hander Jeremy Hall, who went 6-9 with a 3.52 ERA in 27 starts for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits - yes, I want to see the mascot - of the Southern League. The Biscuits are a Tampa Bay...
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Orioles are interested in Nakajima

Orioles are interested in Nakajima
I was fully prepared to drop an Office Space line on you and call this entry "Naka...Naka...Not gonna play in Baltimore." But I won't go quite that far. Plus, I'm not sure how many of you would get the reference. If you do, you earn some serious cool points. We'll hang out. A few readers asked about the Orioles' potential interest in Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima, 28, who could be posted, as they say, by the Seibu Lions. Here's what I know: The Orioles have interest in him,...
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A second look at second base

A second look at second base
The Rays managed to bring the Division Series back to Tropicana Field tonight for Game 5 after falling behind, 0-2, to the Rangers. That's the good news. David Price is 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers, allowing 16 runs and 17 hits, and walking 15, in 19 1/3 innings. That would be the bad news. Cliff Lee has a 2.87 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rays. Yeah, you guessed it. They don't play the games on paper - though they've been known to play them...
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MacPhail: "It's truly in Buck's hands..."

MacPhail: "It's truly in Buck's hands..."
President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail doesn't believe that an announcement on the coaching staff is "on the horizon," but he adds that it's "truly in Buck's hands, what he does and the circumstances." We're waiting for the Orioles to soon reveal which coaches are returning, without naming replacements for the departed. "There are so many managerial positions to be filled that it has a ripple effect on the staff," MacPhail said. Hitting coach Terry Crowley will return,...
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Roch Kubatko

A scout's take - Part III

A scout's take - Part III
So, does anyone want to trade places with Brooks Conrad? The Atlanta second baseman committed three errors yesterday, the final one allowing the go-ahead run to score in the ninth inning and putting the Braves within a game of elimination. "I wish I could just dig a hole," Conrad said, "and sleep in it." I'm sure a few of his teammates would bring the shovel. Maybe I just expect too much in the postseason from a player named Brooks. Aubrey Huff delivered a huge hit in the ninth, tying...
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A scout's take - Part II

A scout's take - Part II
A scout from outside the organization who ventured inside Camden Yards over the final weeks of the season made the following observation about Adam Jones, including differences in the center fielder since manager Buck Showalter took control of the club: "I think the biggest guy that I've seen impacted is Jones. I thought in the middle of the season that he was at a crossroads for me, whether he was going to go one way or the other. I think he's really stepped up. "He's got the most...
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A scout's take

A scout's take
I'll be heading to M&T Bank Stadium in a few minutes to shed my sportswriter inhibitions and behave like a fan. That means sitting in the stands, yelling my lungs out and hitting the concessions. And yes, standing in line at the urinals, rocking back and forth from one foot to the other, wishing the guy in front of me hadn't downed 12 beers before deciding to break the seal. It isn't all fun and games. I'll check the blog later, of course, but you'll have to forgive me for straying...
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