masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOne of the offseason activities that is conducted every year and can’t be influenced by the status of the collective bargaining agreement involves minor league signings aimed at improving depth at the lower levels or just taking a low-risk chance on a player.
A favorable scouting report can lead to an opportunity. So can a team executive doing a favor for an agent that might pay dividends down the road with another client.
I’ve seen that one done more than once in the past, though not in…

One of the offseason activities that is conducted every year and can’t be influenced by the status of the collective bargaining agreement involves minor league signings aimed at improving depth at the lower levels or just taking a low-risk chance on a player.

A favorable scouting report can lead to an opportunity. So can a team executive doing a favor for an agent that might pay dividends down the road with another client.

I’ve seen that one done more than once in the past, though not in recent years.

A transaction earlier this week didn’t come with an explanation. It was confirmed yesterday by the Orioles.

Pitcher Matt Vogel has agreed to terms on a minor league contract that he hopes can get him back on the mound with an affiliated team for the first time since 2017.

Vogel is a 25th-round pick of the Rays in 2016 out of the University of South Carolina who turns 27 in July. He hasn’t risen above the high Single-A level, registering a 4.64 ERA and 1.313 WHIP in 34 relief appearances and allowing only 43 hits and two home runs in 64 innings.

He also walked 41 batters and struck out 75.

Vogel also surrendered only two home runs in his three seasons at South Carolina, but he again issued 41 walks in 38 1/3 innings.

The summer of 2018 was spent in the independent Canadian-American Association and Atlantic League, and he returned to New Jersey in the CAMA in 2019.

Vogel didn’t pitch in 2020 and spent this summer making a combined 39 relief appearances in the Frontier League – following the New Jersey Jackals to a new home – and Atlantic League.

My Google search a few days ago introduced me to Matt Vogel, the Sesame Street and Muppet puppeteer. Not the same guy.

Maybe the pitcher, whose agent might have pulled a few strings over the years, is sent to the minor league camp in Twin Lakes Park. I have no idea. But he’s in the organization and carrying an interesting story if able to do more than just send some media scrambling for information.

Bemboom-Tracks-Popup-Angels-Sidebar.jpg* The Orioles also announced yesterday that they signed catcher Anthony Bemboom to a minor league deal.

Bemboom, 31, was a 22nd-round pick of the Angels in 2012 and was selected by the Rockies in the 2016 Rule 5 draft. The Rays signed him as a free agent in 2018, the Angels purchased his contract in July 2019 and the Dodgers selected him off waivers in August 2021.

Bemboom has appeared in 54 major league games – 51 with the Angels, including eight this summer – and batted .178/.241/.287 in 144 plate appearances. He’s thrown out 14 of 35 (40 percent) runners attempting to steal.

The Angels used him twice in emergency relief and he allowed two runs in two innings.

A left-handed hitter with experience in left field and the corner infield, Bemboom has slashed .238/.317/.362 in 567 minor league games and thrown out 35 percent of runners attempting to steal.

Bemboom is the second catcher signed to a minor league deal, joining Jacob Nottingham.

* The Orioles have hired a replacement for minor league medical coordinator Dave Walker.

Westminster native Scott Stansbury is joining the organization and filling the role.

Stansbury spent 14 seasons as Notre Dame’s assistant athletic trainer before becoming Salisbury University’s head athletic trainer in July 2021. He was responsible for the healthcare of all 19 athletic teams, overseeing a staff of seven certified athletic trainers.

Past experience also includes an internship at Loyola University in Baltimore in 2004, where he mainly worked with the men’s lacrosse team, but also assisted with the medical care of other clubs, and four years as a medical trainer at Villanova University.

Walker was the Orioles’ minor league medical coordinator for the past 19 seasons, responsible for developing and implementing the rehabilitation programs for major and minor league players. He began as the athletic trainer for the Appalachian League’s Bluefield Orioles in 1994.

The Orioles honored Walker in 2016 by presenting him with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award, which usually goes to a manager or coach.

* Included in the Orioles’ announcements this week on their coaching and clubhouse staffs for 2022 was Fred Tyler’s move to home clubhouse and equipment manager after 37 seasons as visiting clubhouse manager. A really nice reward for a really nice guy and incredibly hard worker.

The Tyler family – non-uniform Baltimore baseball royalty – includes brother Jimmy, who moved from the home clubhouse to replace their father, Ernie, as umpires room attendant.

I also mentioned this week that Andrew Guinart will replace Fred as visiting clubhouse manager. It should be noted that Patrick Thomas has been promoted to assistant home clubhouse manager.

Now, we just need the media to regain access.

* The minor league staffs haven’t been announced, but the recent hires include Jake Witt as a pitching coach in the system.

Witt tweeted the news Wednesday.

Witt was a pitching intern at Driveline Baseball since March and earlier had a shared role as pitching coach at Bakersfield College in California.

As a follow-up, I’ve heard that Witt will be assigned to the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. The Orioles have two entries.

Dionis Pascual and Andy Sadoski served as DSL pitching coaches this year. The Orioles employed three in 2020: Pascual, Sadoski and Robert Pérez.