Roch Kubatko

Reimold: "I just want to prove them right for bringing me back"

February 09, 2015, 10:37am

Orioles

Reimold: "I just want to prove them right for bringing me back"

Nolan Reimold is planning to arrive in Sarasota next week for the start of spring training, well ahead of the Orioles' report date for position players. A minor league deal brought him back to the organization, and he's not wasting any time getting to work. "Obviously, I'm very happy to be back," Reimold said. "I never wanted to leave in the first place. But coming back to an organization like Baltimore that is and has become, doing great things, it's good to be back. And I want to be a...

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Orioles discussing exhibition game in Cuba

February 09, 2015, 8:00am

Orioles

An Orioles official confirmed today that the club is interested in playing an exhibition game in Cuba this spring. "The club is looking at the possibility," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "Peter (Angelos) has contacts there and it's something we're looking at." Duquette wouldn't qualify the chances of a game being held in Cuba this spring, though it may be more realistic in 2016 with pitchers and catchers reporting to the Sarasota complex next week. "It's something we've...

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Orioles announce Reimold deal (updated)

February 09, 2015, 6:50am

Orioles

The Orioles announced today that they've signed outfielder Nolan Reimold to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The process dragged along for a while, but the deal is official. The sides reached agreement last week after the Orioles included an opt-out clause later in the season. The Indians had the same deal on the table, though it's believed that the Orioles offered more money. There's not much more for me to add beyond what I've written in the past. You may...

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Orioles who need to get defensive

February 08, 2015, 6:13pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has issued warnings in the past about never overlooking an orchid while searching for a rose. It's one of his favorite phrases. During the Q&A forum at FanFest last weekend, Showalter was asked which orchids were being overlooked on the current roster. He immediately brought up second baseman Jonathan Schoop. "If you look back through the normal progression of young players, the thing that allowed us to stick with Jonathan Schoop last year when he was...

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This, that and the other

February 07, 2015, 12:52pm

Orioles

The Orioles re-signed outfielder Julio Borbon to a minor league deal after selecting him from the Cubs organization in the Triple-A phase of the 2013 Rule 5 draft. Borbon batted .288/.342/.356 with 9 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 44 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 124 games at Triple-A Norfolk. He never made it to Camden Yards. Former executive and current MLB Network Radio analyst Jim Duquette, appearing yesterday on "Wall to Wall Baseball" on MASN, said the Orioles kicked the tires...

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Latest look at the lineup

February 06, 2015, 8:22pm

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette told me yesterday that he's still working on the spring training roster with manager Buck Showalter. The club is expected to add at least one more player to a minor league deal before heading south. Former hitting coach Jim Presley remains under contract with the Orioles after being reassigned following the 2014 season, but it hasn't been determined whether he's going to work for them in some capacity. There were early talks of giving him a...

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Duquette on De Aza negotiations

February 06, 2015, 11:46am

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the club is headed to an arbitration hearing with outfielder Alejandro De Aza on Feb. 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The sides exchanged figures last month, at which point the Orioles decided to "file to go" rather than make a serious attempt to negotiate a settlement. De Aza submitted $5.65 million and the Orioles countered at $5 million. He made $4.25 million last season. I've heard that talks were limited despite a modest...

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Coolbaugh's potential influence on Jones and others

February 05, 2015, 12:13pm

Orioles

Coolbaugh's potential influence on Jones and others

The Orioles continue to piece together their camp roster, which apparently won't exceed 59 players. They've settled on their invites from inside the organization and may add someone else from outside. I'm told that the current head count includes outfielder Nolan Reimold, though he may not sign his contract until arriving in Sarasota. The more I check, the more I'm certain that the Orioles are headed to an arbitration hearing with outfielder Alejandro De Aza. I keep getting confirmation....

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Britton settles on contract for 2015

February 04, 2015, 1:27pm

Orioles

The Orioles have reached agreement on a 2015 contract with closer Zach Britton, according to a source, leaving them with only one unsigned player as spring training approaches. Britton will receive $3.2 million guaranteed and he could earn another $300,000 in incentives based on games finished. He submitted $4.2 million when the sides exchanged figures last month and the Orioles countered at $2.2 million. He made $521,500 last season. Notice how these things usually are resolved at the...

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Hearing from Wallace, Navarro and Joseph

February 04, 2015, 12:14pm

Orioles

Hearing from Wallace, Navarro and Joseph

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has stated on multiple occasions this winter that right-hander Dylan Bundy will be treated like everyone else at spring training. The top pitching prospect in the system won't be brought along slowly or placed in a separate group. He's completely healthy. The governor is off, as Showalter likes to say. Pitching coach Dave Wallace is eager to get a better look at Bundy, 22, who underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow on June 27, 2013. "I...

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More on Orioles arbitration and minor league staff

February 03, 2015, 7:19pm

Orioles

Considering that the Orioles began the offseason with 11 players who were eligible for arbitration, they should view it as a victory that they've shaved the list to two. Only Zach Britton and Alejandro De Aza remain unsigned as spring training approaches. Everyone gets a raise, which is sort of like every kid getting a trophy. The Orioles' payroll has increased again this year despite the absence of a big-ticket item in their free agent shopping cart. Reliever Tommy Hunter got the ball...

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Gonzalez signs for 2015

February 03, 2015, 2:23pm

Orioles

The Orioles have gone from 11 unsigned arbitration-eligible players to only two. Miguel Gonzalez agreed to a $3.275 million deal tonight, according to sources, which leaves closer Zach Britton and outfielder Alejandro De Aza without contracts for the upcoming season. Gonzalez, 30, submitted $3.95 million when the sides exchanged figures last month and the Orioles countered at $2.5 million. He made $529,000 last season. Though he's often overlooked in discussions regarding the rotation,...

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Orioles trade Lombardozzi to Pirates

February 03, 2015, 1:20pm

Orioles

The Orioles are having a busy day. The club just announced that it traded minor league infielder Steve Lombardozzi, a graduate of Atholton High School, to the Pirates for cash considerations. Earlier today, the Orioles sent minor league catcher Michael Ohlman to the Cardinals in another cash transaction. Lombardozzi isn't the player to be named in the Travis Snider trade. This is a separate transaction with the Pirates. The PTBNL will be announced in spring training. Lombardozzi, 26,...

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Ohlman traded to Cardinals

February 03, 2015, 11:45am

Orioles

A week after being designated for assignment, catcher Michael Ohlman is changing organizations. The Orioles announced today that they traded Ohlman, 24, to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash considerations. They removed him from the 40-man roster on Jan. 27 to create room for outfielder Travis Snider. Ohlman batted .236/.310/.318 with two home runs and 33 RBIs in 113 games last season with Double-A Bowie. He won the Carolina League batting title in 2013 after hitting .313/.410/.524 with 29...

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A case of he said, he said

February 02, 2015, 6:14pm

Orioles

Over the past few days, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has singled out Logan Verrett when discussing the Rule 5 pitchers who will report to spring training later this month. Nothing against Jason Garcia. Duquette has tossed praise his way, as well. But he's been bringing up Verrett's name first, including last night on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan after I asked about the probability that at least one of the right-handers will make the club. Verrett, 24, is the more...

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Leftovers from O'Day at FanFest

February 02, 2015, 9:01am

Orioles

I'm a huge fan of sarcasm unless it's coming from my doctor, and Orioles reliever Darren O'Day brought it strong at Saturday's FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center. Meeting with the media behind the main stage, O'Day was asked what ran through his mind during the week that the Orioles lost free agents Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis and Andrew Miller to free agency and reports surfaced in early December that the Blue Jays were courting executive vice president Dan Duquette. "How are we...

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More from Davis at FanFest

February 01, 2015, 8:04am

Orioles

One of the lasting images for me at FanFest on Saturday was first baseman Chris Davis sporting his usual winter beard and a smile that hadn't been seen by reporters in almost five months. We also hadn't heard from him since the Game 4 loss to the Royals in the American League Championship Series, when he politely declined comment. He sat silently on a couch as we filed in, staring at one of the televisions, and later hugged a few teammates before heading for the exit. That was it. Davis was...

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Britton on his contract, last season and 2015

January 31, 2015, 5:04pm

Orioles

Britton on his contract, last season and 2015

We've flipped the page on the calendar and the Orioles need to pick up the pace and get closer Zach Britton signed for the 2015 season. A hearing will take place later this month if the sides don't reach agreement. Britton submitted at $4.2 million and the Orioles countered at $2.2 million. He made $521,500 last season. Asked at FanFest if he had any updates, Britton replied, "No. We're still in the negotiation process. We have some time up until the hearing. We're just in the process. Not...

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Hearing from Wieters and Young as another FanFest ends

January 31, 2015, 1:01pm

Orioles

Hearing from Wieters and Young as another FanFest ends

Fans are filing out of the Baltimore Convention Center, marking the end of another FanFest. The attendance exceeded 16,000 despite all the griping about how the Orioles aren't trying to improve following their division title and that they're likely to finish in last place. Maybe folks were just trying to get warm. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters remains optimistic that he'll be ready on opening day. So far so good. However, he won't really know until he starts playing in exhibition...

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Jones: "I still think we're going to have a very, very strong and formidable team"

January 31, 2015, 11:43am

Orioles

Jones: "I still think we're going to have a very, very strong and formidable team"

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones talked to reporters for about six minutes today, enough time to comment on predictions that the club will finish in last place, free agent losses and the Dan Duquette saga. Here's a sampling: On being picked to finish last: "Cool. Weren't we supposed to finish last the last 4-5 years? Keep it that way. I think we like that. It's not bothering me. I know we've had a slow offseason due to (Nick) Markakis' departure, (Nelson) Cruz's departure, (Andrew)...