masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgMore awards are coming tonight with the Louisville Silver Slugger Award winners announced on MLB Network.
No truth to the rumor that Neil Patrick Harris will perform a musical number between selections.
The Orioles set a club record with three winners in 2013, the last year that they were honored. Awards were given to first baseman Chris Davis, shortstop J.J. Hardy and center fielder Adam Jones.
The previous winner was designated hitter Aubrey Huff in 2008. Huff also played first base and third…

More awards are coming tonight with the Louisville Silver Slugger Award winners announced on MLB Network.

No truth to the rumor that Neil Patrick Harris will perform a musical number between selections.

The Orioles set a club record with three winners in 2013, the last year that they were honored. Awards were given to first baseman Chris Davis, shortstop J.J. Hardy and center fielder Adam Jones.

The previous winner was designated hitter Aubrey Huff in 2008. Huff also played first base and third base. Just not at the same time.

The Silver Slugger was created in 1980. Here’s the list of Orioles winners:

1983
Eddie Murray, first base
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1984
Eddie Murray, first base
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1985
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1986
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1989
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop
Mickey Tettleton, catcher

1991
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1993
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1994
Cal Ripken Jr., shortstop

1996
Roberto Alomar, second base

1998
Rafael Palmeiro, first base

2004
Miguel Tejada, shortstop
Melvin Mora, third base

2005
Miguel Tejada, shortstop

2008
Aubrey Huff, designated hitter

2013
Chris Davis, first base
J.J. Hardy, shortstop
Adam Jones, center field

The Wikipedia page on Orioles award winners didn’t mention Tettleton, so I added his name. No charge.

* Leading the majors with 47 home runs has earned Mark Trumbo two Comeback Player of the Year Awards in the American League.

Trumbo-Runs-Orange-Sidebar.jpgInterviewed last night on MLB Network after receiving the Players Choice Award, Trumbo credited his time in Seattle last season for improving his ability to square up on the fastball and drive it long distances.

“That was something that I put a lot of thought into, and I think midway through 2015 is when it really started to click,” he said.

“Watching teammates on the Mariners – both Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano – I saw that their timing was just better than mine and better than a lot of guys. By timing I mean on time for the fastball. That’s the pitch that pitchers rely on to get ahead of you, and as hitters if you’re up there and you’re either guessing a little bit or you’re not quite on it and you’re fouling it off, you’re at a disadvantage. You’re in the hole.

“Quite often you’re only going to get one good pitch to hit that at-bat, and I pretty much decided I can’t control some of the other things in the game, but what I can control is being on time with the fastball.”

His timing really is good. He’s a free agent this winter.

* Baseball America supplied a complete list of minor league free agents. Here are the players from the Orioles’ system:

RHP: Pedro Beato (AAA), Bobby Bundy (AAA), David Hale (AAA), Ivan Hernandez (AA), Genison Reyes (Hi A), David Richardson (AA), Janser Severino (Hi A), Jason Stoffel (AAA)

LHP: Jeff Beliveau (AA), Andy Oliver (AAA), Edgar Olmos (AAA)

C: Zach Booker (AAA), Wynston Sawyer (AA)

1B: Joey Terdoslavich (AA)

2B: Corban Joseph (AAA), Garabez Rosa (AA)

3B: Michael Almanzar (AAA), Ronarsy Ledesma (Lo A)

SS: Ozzie Martinez (AAA), Sharlon Schoop (AA), Sammie Starr (Lo A)

OF: Xavier Avery (AAA), Chris Dickerson (AA), L.J. Hoes (AAA), Zach Kapstein (Hi A), Quincy Latimore (AA)

Joseph is the younger brother of Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph. Schoop is the older brother of Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop.

Beato, 30, was 5-5 with a 2.65 ERA and four saves in 65 appearances at Triple-A Norfolk, but the Orioles never put him on the 40-man roster. In an odd twist, he also was 5-5 with a 2.65 ERA in two fewer appearances in 2015, when he registered 16 saves for the Tides.

Avery and Hoes never made a return trip to Baltimore. Hoes was a candidate for the outfield after the Orioles selected his contract from the Astros on Nov. 25, but the roster evolved, he was designated for assignment to make room for Efren Navarro and batted .242/.318/.331 in 102 games with Norfolk.

* The Orioles always have interest in adding a veteran left-hander to their bullpen and this offseason is no different.

Keep an eye on Boone Logan, 32, because they liked him at the non-waiver trade deadline. He stayed with the Rockies, where he posted a 3.69 ERA and 1.014 WHIP in 46 1/3 innings over 66 appearances. The 11-year veteran surrendered only four home runs and averaged 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Left-handers hit .142 against Logan this year and right-handers batted .211. Over his career, Logan has held lefties to a .233 average while right-handers have hit .294.

MLBTradeRumors.com projects that Logan will receive a two-year, $12 million contract in free agency. He earned $16.5 million over three years from the Rockies and disappointed in the first two seasons.

Logan profiles more as a specialist despite his success this year against left-handers. Do the Orioles need one after rookie Donnie Hart allowed five hits in 38 at-bats against lefties, striking out 11 of them?

Hart has made only 22 major league appearances since coming up from Double-A Bowie. The Orioles probably want veteran insurance.

They also may want a cheaper policy than Logan.

* Outfielder DJ Stewart hit his first home run yesterday in the Arizona Fall League, a two-run shot in the sixth inning.

Left-hander Tanner Scott allowed two runs and three hits in two innings, with one walk and three strikeouts, to leave his ERA at 7.82. He threw 43 pitches, 29 for strikes.

Scott has been scored upon in five of his six starts. He’s surrendered nine runs in his last three starts over 6 2/3 innings.

Stefan Crichton didn’t allow a run in his first eight appearances, but he’s permitted four (three earned) in his last two outings spanning 1 2/3 innings. He was credited with a blown save and the win yesterday.