Jonathan Schoop would have made that play last night. Just saying ...
It's way too early for Orioles fans to project starters at each position, with the free agent market still closed and lingering uncertainty over Chris Davis' status for the 2016 season. However, it's October and it's fairly quiet in Baltimore and why not?
Adam Jones will patrol center field, Manny Machado will handle the hot corner, J.J. Hardy will remain the leader of the infield at shortstop and Schoop will continue his...
Another Halloween is upon us and I'm still breaking out the same costume - sportswriter sitting on his front step handing out candy.
If something works, I stick with it.
I don't pass out candy corn, toothbrushes or pennies. I'm not that guy. I grab bags of fun-size candy bars from the shelves of my local grocery store and ponder exactly what makes them fun. Two bites, max, and they're gone.
The Orioles held another organizational meeting yesterday and the usual topics were addressed again,...
The Orioles are having a typical non-playoff October, with only trickles of news before the World Series ends and the free agency floodgates open.
Reliever Brian Matusz underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder. The Orioles released their spring training schedule. They claimed pitcher Vance Worley off waivers from the Pirates and lost reliever Jorge Rondon to a waiver claim by the Pirates. They re-signed all seven of their coaches, but are going to conduct interviews for an assistant...
Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has been named a finalist for the 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Winners will be announced on Nov. 10.
Machado is the lone representative for the Orioles. He's joined by the Rangers' Adrian Beltre and the Rays' Evan Longoria.
Machado won a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove in 2013, but fell out of contention last year while limited to 82 games due to his recovery from surgery on his left knee and an injury to the right.
Machado committed a career-high 21...
The Orioles used eight starting pitchers this season, including rookies Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson, who made their major league debuts, and veteran Bud Norris, who eventually was sent to the bullpen and designated for assignment.
Wei-Yin Chen was the lone left-hander of the group and he may leave as a free agent this winter.
Should the Orioles replace him with another southpaw? Can they afford to be left with only righties next year?
They still are reluctant to return Brian Matusz to the...
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been named to the Sporting News 2015 American League All-Star team. Davis and the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera were co-winners at the position.
Executives voted for players in each league.
Davis, who received the same honor in 2013, batted .262/.361/.562 with 31 doubles, 47 home runs and 117 RBIs in 160 games. He led the majors in homers and strikeouts (208).
Davis, a pending free agent, is the lone Oriole on the team. Third baseman Manny Machado and closer Zach...
The list of free agents has increased by one after former Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown refused an outright assignment.
Seconds after news broke that the Phillies designated Brown for assignment, Orioles fans anticipated that executive vice president Dan Duquette would make a run at him. A former No. 1 prospect who was an All-Star in 2013. Who desperately needs a bounceback season. Who is under team control until 2018. Who won't break the bank.
Don't bank on it.
I checked around and...
The Orioles are playing the local angle again, signing left-hander Adam Kolarek to a minor league contract, according to Baseball America's transactions page.
Kolarek, 26, was born in Baltimore and attended Catonsville High School, and the Mets selected him in the 11th round of the 2010 draft out of the University of Maryland. He was released on Oct. 5.
You can't get much more local than that.
Kolarek went 2-4 with a 4.43 ERA and 1.299 WHIP in 67 innings at Double-A Binghamton. He made 51...
The Pirates claimed reliever Jorge Rondon off waivers yesterday, according to Major League Baseball's transactions page. The Orioles haven't confirmed it.
It basically works out as a swap of pitchers. The Orioles designated Rondon for assignment last week after claiming Vance Worley off waivers from the Pirates.
Rondon allowed 11 earned runs (15 total) and 20 hits in 13 1/3 innings with the Orioles. He walked six batters and struck out eight.
* The question remains whether the Orioles should...
Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who returned from another knee surgery to play in all 162 games this season, finished fourth in voting for the Sporting News' American League Comeback Player of the Year award.
The Rangers' Prince Fielder was first with 112 votes, followed by the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez with 14 and the Indians' Jason Kipnis with 12. Machado received six votes.
The Royals' Kendrys Morales and Ryan Madson, and the Twins' Mike Pelfrey tied for fifth with two...
If the Orioles aren't willing to enter a bidding war for first baseman Chris Davis, they'll need to figure out whether his replacement is inside the organization, or if they need to come up with a cheaper alternative from another team or the free agent market.
Where does Christian Walker fit into this puzzle?
My guess is Walker begins the 2016 season at Triple-A Norfolk, but he's going to fight for a roster spot in spring training. There's been lots of attention directed toward Double-A...
While the Orioles have all seven coaches under contract for the 2016 season, they're still in the early stages of deciding on a new assistant hitting coach.
Names are being collected from inside and outside the organization, but the process is delayed while the Royals and Mets play in the World Series. Potential candidates may want to interview for jobs in other organizations.
The Rangers parted ways with hitting coach Dave Magadan, and Orioles minor league hitting coordinator Jeff Manto is...
While the Nationals continue their search for a new manager, I'll point out that Cal Ripken Jr. still hasn't been contacted about interviewing for the job and he isn't sitting by the phone waiting for a call.
The Nats seem to bring in a new candidate every day, but I've heard that Ripken doesn't expect to join them. If his name is linked to the team, it's nothing more than speculation by fans and media, or maybe just wishful thinking.
Nothing against a good rumor, but facts do tend to get...
I was chatting up a couple of Royals fans Wednesday who shared their roster concerns while also averting their eyes from the television that showed their team losing Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.
The current roster is fine. More than fine, actually, but it's never too early to fret over free agency.
I found it interesting that these guys deemed Ben Zobrist a higher priority than Alex Gordon, the four-time Gold Glove left fielder who's played in the last three All-Star...
The Orioles confirmed today that right-hander Dylan Bundy will pitch in the Arizona Fall League. He's going to join Peoria's roster "soon," according to a team official.
Bundy is taking pitcher Jon Keller's spot on Peoria's roster. Keller has a sore oblique muscle.
Bundy is throwing all of his pitches in bullpen sessions down in Sarasota and has been deemed ready to face hitters. The Orioles also discussed whether he should pitch winter ball.
Dr. James Andrews cleared Bundy last month to...
The Orioles have marked an important item off their check list by reaching agreement with their entire coaching staff on contracts for 2016.
Manager Buck Showalter wanted to keep the group intact and it's going to happen, despite interest from other organizations.
There were concerns that bullpen coach Dom Chiti might leave to accept a job as pitching coach, but he signed a new deal on Friday.
In case you missed it, the Phillies hired former Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz as bullpen...
The Orioles will bring back their entire coaching staff for the 2016 season.
Bench coach John Russell, pitching coach Dave Wallace, bullpen coach Dom Chiti, hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh, third base coach Bobby Dickerson, first base coach Wayne Kirby and assistant hitting coach Einar Diaz have signed contracts. An announcement should come later this week.
I reported on Friday that Russell agreed to terms last month on a two-year deal. The contracts of the other coaches expired after the final...
The Orioles have reached an agreement with first base coach Wayne Kirby on a contract for 2016, according to a source.
I've received confirmation on five of the coaches. Still no word on pitching coach Dave Wallace.
The Orioles were concerned that bullpen coach Dom Chiti might leave if he received a chance to become pitching coach in another organization, but he signed a new contract for 2016.
I'm sure it won't quiet all the skeptics, but I'd like to state that Vance Worley has no shot at...
The Orioles have claimed right-hander Vance Worley off waivers from the Pirates and designated reliever Jorge Rondon for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster.
Worley, 28, went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 23 games, including eight starts, with the Pirates in 2015. He posted a 2.83 ERA, allowing nine earned runs in 28 2/3 innings, and held opponents to a .236 average in his 15 relief appearances.
In 104 career games, including 81 starts, Worley has gone 31-28 with a 3.79 ERA in 508 2/3...
If you took a poll on the chances of the Orioles re-signing their six pending free agents, left-hander Wei-Yin Chen would set up permanent residence at the bottom of the list.
I put him there. Others in the media have put him there. At least a few members of the organization have put him there.
The reasons range from the price tag agent Scott Boras will attach to him, to the perception that the Orioles' decision to option Chen to Single-A Frederick for one start caused irreparable damage to...



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