Roch Kubatko

Clevenger looking to get back up as the backup

February 20, 2015, 6:14pm

Orioles

Clevenger looking to get back up as the backup

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are back on their normal schedule today with physicals no longer eating up valuable hours in the morning. They won't be taking the field at noon for the pre-workout stretch. We'll find out whether outfielder Alejandro De Aza won his arbitration hearing and will be paid $5.65 million this season or if he must settle for $5 million. He made $4.25 million last season. It's not the sexiest competition in camp, but the Orioles must settle on a backup to catcher Matt...

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Brault PTBNL in Snider deal

February 20, 2015, 12:39pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have completed last month's trade with the Pirates by sending them minor league left-hander Steven Brault as the player to be named later. Close the books on this one. The Pirates earlier had received minor league left-hander Stephen Tarpley in exchange for outfielder Travis Snider. Brault, 22, was an 11th-round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Regis University in Denver. He went 9-8 with a 3.05 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) with low Single-A...

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Showalter after the first workout (with pictures)

February 20, 2015, 11:21am

Orioles

Showalter after the first workout (with pictures)

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles concluded their first workout and manager Buck Showalter met with the media in the prep room. A photo of a pride of lions hangs on a wall above him with the caption: "Surround Yourself With Those On The Same Mission As You." Showalter was impressed that every player who took a physical was on the field today. "That's one of the rare times when we didn't get any 'hold this guy off the field' type of thing until we get something checked out," Showalter said....

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Notes on Steve Johnson and pace of game rules (plus photos and video)

February 20, 2015, 7:06am

Orioles

Notes on Steve Johnson and pace of game rules (plus photos and video)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Center fielder Adam Jones played catch and shagged fly balls on one of the practice fields this morning before heading back indoors. He was the only visible Oriole outside of the clubhouse at 11 a.m. The sound of batters taking their swings in the indoor cage echoed in the distance. Jones struck a pose for me as a parting shot, so to speak. Pitcher Steve Johnson said his right shoulder feels good following surgery in September to shave down a bone spur. "I told them when I...

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Wieters: "I've been looking forward to this spring more than any other spring"

February 20, 2015, 5:39am

Orioles

Wieters: "I've been looking forward to this spring more than any other spring"

SARASOTA, Fla. - Matt Wieters still can't provide any assurances that he's going to be behind the plate for the Orioles on opening day at Tropicana Field. What he can do is detail his throwing progression and continue to sound optimistic about his chances. That will have to do for now. Wieters threw from 120-plus feet on back-to-back days before resting today. That's progress. "Doing good," he said this morning. "Rehab's going. It's kind of just slowly progressing, and like I said,...

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The first workout, De Aza's hearing and Reimold's return

February 19, 2015, 4:51pm

Orioles

The first workout, De Aza's hearing and Reimold's return

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today marks the Orioles' first official workout of spring training at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. It's supposed to be pitchers and catchers, but the place is crawling with position players, too. It's such a common occurrence now, I didn't question why shortstop J.J. Hardy was chatting with reporters at his locker yesterday morning. Or why outfielders Adam Jones and Alex Hassan were getting dressed just a few lockers apart. Or why third baseman Manny Machado was...

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Showalter on Wieters, Janish, facility improvements and more

February 19, 2015, 10:20am

Orioles

Showalter on Wieters, Janish, facility improvements and more

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he may allow Matt Wieters to catch the intrasquad games on the first two days of March rather than restrict him to being the designated hitter. Wieters won't be cleared to throw with maximum effort behind the plate, but the Orioles can control the running game. That's not the case in the Grapefruit League. Wieters is slated to make his exhibition debut behind the plate on March 17, exactly nine months after his elbow surgery. In the...

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Hearing from Duquette

February 19, 2015, 8:41am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette met with reporters in the workroom for about eight minutes today and provided updates on Everth Cabrera and Paul Janish, among other topics. On Cabrera's pending deal: "I don't know that it's going to be done this week. There's a couple of issues that need to be resolved. We've had some discussions. There's not a lot that I can say about players while we're in the process. The rules don't allow it, but we've done a lot of...

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Janish undergoes elbow surgery, and notes on Cabrera and Parmelee

February 19, 2015, 7:08am

Orioles

Janish undergoes elbow surgery, and notes on Cabrera and Parmelee

SARASOTA, Fla. - Infielder Paul Janish, signed by the Orioles to a minor league deal in November, underwent surgery a few days ago to remove bone chips from his right elbow and is expected to miss six to eight weeks of camp. Janish was supposed to compete for a utility job. With Janish currently out of the mix, the Orioles signed another utility player, Jayson Nix, to a minor league deal and reached agreement with Everth Cabrera on a one-year deal. Executive vice president Dan Duquette said the...

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Morning notes from camp (updated)

February 19, 2015, 5:30am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The temperature at the Ed Smith Stadium complex won't climb above the low 50s this afternoon and players are dressed accordingly, with hooded sweatshirts the uniform of the day. There's no snow on the ground, but it still qualifies as cold in Florida. Shortstop J.J. Hardy, counted among the early arrivals, said he's taking batting practice indoors, but it's not entirely due to the weather. There's a long wait to step into the cage with so many players already in...

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This, that and the other

February 18, 2015, 5:41pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - With Orioles pitchers and catchers officially reporting to spring training this morning, the clubhouse will open to the media for an hour beginning at 8 a.m. The report dates aren't as significant these days with so many players showing up early. It's not like in the past when I'd stand inside an empty clubhouse waiting for guys to start trickling in, only to find out later that many of them posted at night or just phoned a team official to confirm their arrival. The...

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Wrapping up the first day at the Ed Smith Stadium complex

February 18, 2015, 1:55pm

Orioles

Wrapping up the first day at the Ed Smith Stadium complex

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter couldn't comment today on the pending one-year deal with shortstop Everth Cabrera because it hadn't been finalized. Cabrera took his physical and the Orioles are waiting on the results. They were thorough, as usual, due to past hamstring and shoulder issues. Also, Cabrera was charged in November with resisting arrest after being stopped for suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana two months earlier. A trial is set for April, and...

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Showalter on Wieters' spring schedule

February 18, 2015, 7:58am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that catcher Matt Wieters will serve as the designated hitter in the first intrasquad game and "more than likely" the March 3 exhibition opener against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla. Wieters won't move behind the plate until March 17 as he continues his recovery from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. "I told him to break out his gray pants because he will make some road trips, as will Manny (Machado), which they...

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Orioles nearing deal with Everth Cabrera

February 18, 2015, 4:44am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are close to signing free agent shortstop Everth Cabrera to a one-year deal, according to sources. A few issues need to be resolved before it becomes official. Cabrera has taken his physical, but that's not the only holdup. Cabrera, a career .248/.319/.333 hitter in six seasons with the Padres before they non-tendered him, was charged in November with resisting arrest after being stopped for suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana two months earlier....

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Can Janish win utility job?

February 17, 2015, 6:41pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles should have enough utility infielders after yesterday's signing of veteran Jayson Nix to a Triple-A deal with an invitation to spring training. It's time to say "when." Nix, who can earn $750,000 if he makes the team, is a career .212/.282/.345 hitter in seven major league seasons with eight teams and a .259/.330/.415 hitter in 14 minor league seasons. He's a former first-round pick, which always brings a certain appeal to executive vice president Dan...

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O's sign Jayson Nix to minor league deal (plus Duquette quotes)

February 17, 2015, 12:14pm

Orioles

O's sign Jayson Nix to minor league deal (plus Duquette quotes)

Executive vice president Dan Duquette had been seeking another infielder to bring to Sarasota and added one this afternoon, signing Jayson Nix to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The Orioles now have 57 players coming to camp, including 16 non-roster invitees. Nix, 32, was selected in the first round by the Rockies in 2001, and has played seven major league seasons with eight different clubs and at seven different positions. He is primarily an infielder, having...

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Mills moves up to Bowie (plus full O's minor league staff)

February 17, 2015, 11:04am

Orioles

Mills moves up to Bowie (plus full O's minor league staff)

Former Orioles reliever Alan Mills has moved up two levels in the farm system to become pitching coach at Double-A Bowie. Mills continues a climb that began at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, where he spent two seasons. He served last summer as pitching coach at Single-A Delmarva. "It's just a job," said Mills, who pitched for the Orioles from 1992-98 and again in 2000-01. "Wherever I am, it's my job to help them make progress. I really don't focus too much on where I am or where I'm...

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Wondering about Wieters if he isn't ready to catch (with note)

February 16, 2015, 8:28pm

Orioles

Wondering about Wieters if he isn't ready to catch (with note)

Has it stopped snowing? My Southwest flight is listed as questionable. I may need a place to crash, so let me know if you've got a spare bedroom or an unoccupied couch. Whatever happened to the Orioles announcing their minor league staffs? I understand that it's not the kind of news that keeps fans awake a night, but I'm still waiting to cross it off my list. One of my goals in spring training is to find out whether the Orioles are willing to let Matt Wieters serve exclusively as the...

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Jeffrey Maier's infamous glove being auctioned

February 16, 2015, 12:25pm

Orioles

Jeffrey Maier's infamous glove being auctioned

Should Orioles fans start a collection to buy Jeffrey Maier's glove and burn it in a ceremony on opening day at Camden Yards? Just a thought. Maier's black leather Mizuno glove is up for auction, in case you missed the news. The current bidding is listed at $13,000. A small price to pay to watch it smolder. In case you've been living under a rock, Maier used the glove to deflect Derek Jeter's fly ball to right field in Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series at Yankee...

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orioles

Tillman leftovers for breakfast

February 15, 2015, 7:27pm

Orioles

If the Orioles are going to add another player to their camp roster before pitchers and catchers report, it's got to happen within the next few days. A reliever and utility infielder remained on executive vice president Dan Duquette's shopping list as he addressed the crowd at FanFest on Jan. 31. He wanted more depth in both areas. Time also is running out for me to get rid of any items in my refrigerator that will spoil while I'm gone. I've come home to a few unintended science...