masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWas it supposed to snow again?

Wasn’t I supposed to buy a shovel and gloves?

I hate winter.

The Orioles still need to fill a few more positions on their minor league staffs, but they’ve already made an interesting hire at Single-A Delmarva.

Former center fielder Mike Devereaux will serve as field coach for the Shorebirds in 2010, replacing former third baseman Ryan Minor, who has been promoted to manager.

It’s nice to have Devereaux in the organization again. I didn’t know he had any…Was it supposed to snow again?

Wasn’t I supposed to buy a shovel and gloves?

I hate winter.

The Orioles still need to fill a few more positions on their minor league staffs, but they’ve already made an interesting hire at Single-A Delmarva.

Former center fielder Mike Devereaux will serve as field coach for the Shorebirds in 2010, replacing former third baseman Ryan Minor, who has been promoted to manager.

It’s nice to have Devereaux in the organization again. I didn’t know he had any interest in coaching.

I guess we can eliminate him from consideration as a replacement for Buck Martinez on MASN.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was filing a story for The Sun on Minor’s role in Cal Ripken’s decision to end his consecutive-games streak. Minor replaced Ripken at third base on that historic night at Camden Yards, with twin brother Damon sitting in front of the press box.

I needed to send the story to my editors before the game ended, which meant I’d have to insert quotes from Ryan and manager Ray Miller after the final out. We had no idea that Ripken was staying on the bench until shortly before the first pitch, when the team announced a lineup change that had everyone scrambling to call their editors and rearrange their plans for the night. The clubhouse was closed to the media, so interviews would have to wait.

I moved down to the seat next to Damon and fired off a few questions, and his comments made the early edition of The Sun. That was pretty convenient – and a veteran move on my part.

Miller approached Ryan before the game with news that he’d be replacing Ripken in the lineup. Ryan responded: “Does he know?”

Classic.

I also remember Ryan jogging to third base and glancing back to the dugout, as if to make sure Ripken wasn’t following him. That would have been the all-time prank.