Roch Kubatko

Bordick talks about Angle and Machado

October 07, 2011, 11:13am

Orioles

The fall instructional league ended Saturday, along with Matt Angle's crash course on playing second base. Angle is a plus defender in the outfield, so the Orioles aren't looking to change his position. They just want to expand the ones he can handle. You know how it goes. Angle isn't projected as a regular in left field. His value increases if he can play multiple positions. And second base isn't exactly secured, considering that Brian Roberts still comes down with occasional headaches...

Tags:

This and that

October 06, 2011, 3:19pm

Orioles

I couldn't come up with an "other." My bad. For anyone who's still floating the theory that the Orioles are withholding confirmation on Andy MacPhail's status because teams can't make announcements during the playoffs, I point you toward the Chicago White Sox, who named Robin Ventura as their new manager yesterday afternoon. The Ventura news came after the Red Sox confirmed that Terry Francona wouldn't return as manager and the Angels cleaned out their front office. Other teams have...

Tags:

orioles andy macphail buck showalter matt wieters frontstory_orioles1

Quick AFL update

October 06, 2011, 2:46pm

Orioles

I still see "AFL" and think "American Football League," though I'm much too young to have followed the sport before the merger. Anyway ... Only one Orioles farmhand, Xavier Avery, had gotten into a game for the Mesa Solar Sox before today, but five of them can be found in this afternoon's boxscore. Steve Johnson, making his first AFL appearance, tossed three scoreless innings against Surprise, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out four. He threw 38 pitches, 25 for strikes. As...

Tags:

orioles

Should Jones stay or should he go?

October 05, 2011, 7:24pm

Orioles

I'm venturing into the great outdoors in a few hours to play tennis and take advantage of this weather before it turns cold and gray and depressing beyond words. I'm not a winter person. (By the way, "The Great Outdoors" is a pretty good flick. It's worth a rental. And so is "Summer Rental." Both with John Candy. But I digress ...) I'm going to keep it brief this morning, and I'm not going to mention Andy MacPhail or Buck Showalter. Well, I just did, but not anymore. Adam Jones...

Tags:

featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Your quick and annoying incremental update

October 05, 2011, 2:06pm

Orioles

Your quick and annoying incremental update

Terry Francona, in an interview earlier today on a Boston radio station, was asked whether he wanted to manage in 2012. "I don't know," he replied. "I don't want to try to manage in the wrong situation." For everyone asking me whether Francona could wind up in the Orioles' dugout if Buck Showalter relinquished his duties as manager, I ask you whether this job would qualify as "the wrong situation" for him. It's probably a moot point. I'm not promising or placing odds on anything,...

Tags:

buck showalter frontstory_orioles3

Fox and Patton going in opposite directions

October 04, 2011, 1:02pm

Orioles

Fox and Patton going in opposite directions

Double-A Bowie's Xavier Avery, playing left field and batting ninth yesterday for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, went 0-for-3 with a walk, run scored and two strikeouts in a 12-8 loss to Phoenix. He was the only Orioles farmhand to appear in the game. I won't make any promises, but we could find out today whether Andy MacPhail ... OK, I'll stop. No lame incremental updates that don't advance the story an inch. Oh sure, it's tempting, but I won't subject you to more of...

Tags:

orioles andy macphail jake fox troy patton frontfeatured_orioles

This, that and the other

October 03, 2011, 5:42pm

Orioles

I won't make any promises, but we could find out today whether Andy MacPhail is staying in the organization and being given a different set of responsibilities. Wait, where have I written that before? It's now apparent that MacPhail is deciding his next move, and perhaps there's more for him to consider than previously known. We had every indication that he wasn't going to remain as president of baseball operations, but not because he was being forced out. It just came down to whether he...

Tags:

featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Hardy named Orioles' nominee for Hank Aaron Award

October 03, 2011, 9:48am

Orioles

Shortstop J.J. Hardy has been selected as the Orioles' nominee for the 2011 Hank Aaron Award. Fan voting begins today on mlb.com and runs until Oct 9. A winner will be chosen from each league. The winners will be announced during the World Series. A panel of Hall of Famers, led by Aaron, will join fans in voting for the award, which has recognized the most outstanding offensive performer from each league since 1999. Joe Morgan and former Oriole Robert Alomar have joined the panel this...

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles2 j.j. hardy

A second look at second base

October 02, 2011, 8:28pm

Orioles

I won't make any promises, but we could find out today whether Andy MacPhail is staying in the organization and being given a different set of responsibilities. I've been led to believe that the first announcement would clear up MacPhail's status and the next one would reveal his replacement - whether that's Buck Showalter or someone else. But it's possible that the delay has something to do with combining both pieces of news and eliminating the ongoing speculation. I just want to get...

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Pitching is starting to look like a top priority

October 01, 2011, 6:04pm

Orioles

Pitching is starting to look like a top priority

In case you missed it, outfielder Felix Pie elected to become a free agent. He can sign with any team. I don't think the Orioles are near the top of the list. And speaking of lists, the Orioles rank starting pitching first among their priorities this winter. They need a bat in the middle of their lineup. They might need a left fielder, corner infielder, designated hitter and second baseman. They might need a late-inning reliever. But another arm for the rotation tops all of them. The...

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3

What should Showalter do?

September 30, 2011, 8:21pm

Orioles

If you're looking for manager Buck Showalter today, he's attending the TCU-SMU football game. A promise he made to his kids. I'm not sure where president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is hanging out this weekend, but he won't be making any statements on his future in the organization. Things change quickly around here, but as I wrote yesterday, we probably won't learn of MacPhail's decision before Monday. He's not staying in his current role, but he could stick around as an...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2

Your incremental MacPhail update

September 30, 2011, 11:49am

Orioles

I always point out how I strongly dislike incremental updates that don't advance a story, but here I go again. The Orioles haven't made an announcement today regarding president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, and we probably won't hear anything until Monday at the earliest. Nothing has changed at this point. MacPhail will no longer serve as president of baseball operations unless there's a dramatic turn in events that nobody is anticipating. The question is whether he stays in the...

Tags:

orioles

MacPhail leaving organization

September 30, 2011, 11:15am

Orioles

A source confirmed tonight that Andy MacPhail no longer will serve as president of baseball operations and is leaving the organization This isn't a resignation or a firing, despite the wording in some national reports. MacPhail's contract ends on Oct. 31. MacPhail flew to Florida earlier this week to attend to a family matter. He couldn't be reached tonight for comment. Family obligations are a primary reason why MacPhail won't return, according to a source. It was known for much of the...

Tags:

andy macphail frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar

Showalter on Andino

September 29, 2011, 11:11am

Orioles

One of the lasting images from the 2011 season was provided last night by second baseman Robert Andino. Not just his game-winning hit, but the way he bounded around the bases, took a flying chest-bump from Adam Jones and landed on his back. And the way he disappeared under a pile of jubilant teammates. And the way he strutted back to the dugout on his way to the clubhouse, waving that right arm in the air. OK, that's four lasting images. I warned you about my math. Andino almost didn't...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Showalter speaks about "special" night

September 28, 2011, 9:00pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter couldn't return to his office after meeting with reporters until he returned to the field through the home plate entrance and waved to fans who refused to go home. Pitcher Tommy Hunter tossed baseballs into the stands. It felt like the final regular-season game in 1979, except this wasn't Memorial Staidum and the Orioles weren't heading to the playoffs. The Orioles rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Red Sox, 4-3. A few...

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

There's got to be a morning after ...

September 28, 2011, 7:47pm

Orioles

I might be confused, but I'm pretty sure what I eat this morning determines whether a Boston sportswriter has to skip breakfast. All of us in the press box who cover the Orioles were in agreement that last night's ending made up for a lot of the aggravation, frustration and heartache of a 14th consecutive losing season. The three straight two-out hits off Boston closer and face contortionist Jonathan Papelbon. The wild celebration between second and third, with Robert Andino leaping in the...

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles1

From tarp to targets (Andino wins it in ninth)

September 28, 2011, 7:05pm

Orioles

From tarp to targets (Andino wins it in ninth)

Play resumed at 10:58 p.m. after a 1 hour, 26 minute rain delay. Boston reliever Alfredo Aceves might need a few more warmup tosses. Aceves hit Mark Reynolds in the left ribcage with his first pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning. Chris Davis flied out, and Aceves drilled Nolan Reimold in the left shoulder. Reimold flipped his bat, walked toward first base and glared at Aceves. He wore an expression that said, "Are you kidding me?" Aceves isn't throwing at the Orioles with his team...

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles3

Game update and Reimold note (and attendance)

September 28, 2011, 4:53pm

Orioles

Game update and Reimold note (and attendance)

Alfredo Simon lasted only 4 1/3 innings tonight. Dustin Pedroia hit a tie-breaking home run in the top of the fifth, and Simon exited after David Ortiz singled off the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. Simon was charged with three runs and six hits, with three walks, two strikeouts and a balk. He threw 87 pitches, 53 for strikes. Simon also gave up three runs in his last start, but they were spread out over eight innings against the Tigers. In the start before that one, he allowed six...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Angle, Jones and more (score tied 2-2)

September 28, 2011, 4:00pm

Orioles

Alfredo Simon stranded a runner in the first inning and another one in the second, but the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third. No. 9 hitter Mike Aviles drew a leadoff walk, moved up on Jacoby Ellsbury's single and scored on Dustin Pedroia's single. Ellsbury extended his hitting streak against the Orioles to 36 games. Simon got a double play, issued an intentional walk and struck out Ryan Lavarnway, who homered twice last night. His pitch count is up to 52 through three innings. The...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Jones talks about MVO award

September 28, 2011, 2:02pm

Orioles

I'm hearing now that it's highly unlikely that the Orioles make an announcement tomorrow regarding president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. Something would have to change during the afternoon. Maybe on Friday. Center fielder Adam Jones beat out shortstop J.J. Hardy by one vote for Most Valuable Oriole. I expected a close count, but that's taking it to the extreme. "It's a tremendous honor," Jones said. "Played a hard season, a long season. There's a lot of deserving guys...