The impact of Boras on Britton

The impact of Boras on Britton
I'm not expecting much to happen this week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Not that our heads have been spinning from all the activity up to this point. We might get an announcement on the coaching staff, but how many times can I pull back the football and watch you flip in the air and land on your back before I start to feel the pangs of guilt? The Pirates reportedly will hire Ray Searage as their pitching coach, so the Orioles won't lose Rick Adair to them. The Mets named Terry...
Continue reading

Make-or-break for Mickolio?

Make-or-break for Mickolio?
It's a sleepy Sunday in the Kubatko household, mainly because I didn't get home from the Maryland-FSU game until 2 a.m. That tailgate traffic leaving the stadium is brutal, and I wasn't even tailgating. Maryland officials wouldn't let me fire up the grill in the press box. I'm not going to reveal my breakout spring training player at this early date, but you have to wonder whether Kam Mickolio is just teasing us with that 0.75 ERA in the Arizona Fall League, which he posted before...
Continue reading

O's in the AFL

O's in the AFL
The Scottsdale Scorpions defeated the Peoria Javelinas, 3-2, for the Arizona Fall League championship. Please don't overturn any cars. The Orioles didn't contribute much to the win. Kam Mickolio had the most value to Scottsdale with a scoreless fifth inning. He allowed one hit. Greg Miclat was a late replacement at second base and didn't bat. Caleb Joseph struck out in his only at-bat after moving behind the plate. Xavier Avery was a defensive replacement in center field and also went...
Continue reading
Tags:

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Before heading to the gym and, later, the Maryland-Florida State football game... It's become a yearly tradition that the Orioles consider pursuing free-agent pitcher Jon Garland. I think we're up to three straight where his name comes up and talks are held at the winter meetings. Garland priced himself out of Baltimore two winters ago. He went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA for San Diego this season and has logged 200 innings or more in six years. He also has totaled 196 2/3, 192 2/3 and 191 2/3 in...
Continue reading

Quick coaching update (and 40-man update)

Quick coaching update (and 40-man update)
There's a good chance that the Orioles will finalize their coaching staff by Monday or Tuesday. The club has four of the coaches under contract: Jim Presley, Mark Connor, Wayne Kirby and Rick Adair. John Russell is close. It's just a matter of completing some paperwork. It still hasn't been determined whether Russell will serve as bench coach or third base coach. Again, it depends on the last hire. I'm told that the Orioles are waiting on unspecified "deadlines" that the candidates...
Continue reading
Tags:

Addressing a few rumors

Addressing a few rumors
I'm typing this entry over the sound of my dishwasher, which seems to run for hours on the normal cycle. I can't imagine how long it would go on "heavy wash." I'm thinking days. The Orioles aren't likely to bid on Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, despite reports coming out of Japan. Don't believe everything you read - and that includes the translated stuff. Again, the Orioles aren't completely sold on Nishioka and don't think the cost will be worth it. At this time, there are...
Continue reading

Cleaning out my notebook

Cleaning out my notebook
Did I really take Miami - 1 ½ with Tyler Thigpen at quarterback? There must be a gas leak in my house. That could explain the chirping smoke detectors. I was hoping to clean out my notebook this morning, but there isn't much left that we haven't already discussed. I was told late Monday night that the coaching situation could be resolved by the end of this week. Well, today's Friday. The weekend is bearing down on us. I'm ready for the announcement. I'm wearing my...
Continue reading

Gabino, Hughes come off 40-man

Gabino, Hughes come off 40-man
Reliever Armando Gabino and first baseman Rhyne Hughes cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Gabino appeared in five games for the Orioles, allowing seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. He went 7-0 with a 2.37 ERA and two saves at Norfolk. Hughes hit .213 with four RBIs in 14 games with the Orioles, and .258 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 104 games with the Tides. The Orioles have 32 players on their 40-man roster as they attempt to make room for players who must be...
Continue reading
Tags:

An update and the 40-man

An update and the 40-man
At this hour, the Orioles still don't have a signed contract from John Russell, who would serve as bench coach or third base coach, but they don't anticipate any snags that would still leave two vacancies. This one should get done. Willie Randolph and Bobby Dickerson remain two of the strongest candidates to fill the final spot. The last I heard, Randolph was regarded as the favorite. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is flying back to Baltimore today after attending the GM...
Continue reading

Interest in De la Rosa and Beltre

Interest in De la Rosa and Beltre
These mornings roll around much too fast in my household. The Thanksgiving holiday can't come soon enough. School's are closed for the entire week. I shall rejoice. Reports keep surfacing that the Orioles are actively pursuing Rockies left-hander Jorge de la Rosa. Troy Renck uses the word "aggressive" in his tweet. I'm aggressively trying to avoid using the word "tweet," but it's unavoidable. As so often happens, I'm left to ponder how De la Rosa would fit on this club. Is he the...
Continue reading

Showalter shut out

Showalter shut out
Ron Gardenhire has been named the American League's Manager of the Year, finishing ahead of Ron Washington by 27 points. Buck Showalter didn't receive a single vote. He was a little late jumping into the pool. Here are the results: Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins 108 Ron Washington, Texas Rangers 81 Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays 44 Terry Francona, Boston Red Sox 13 Cito Gaston, Toronto Blue Jays 5 Joe Girardi, New York Yankees 1 Bud Black edged Dusty Baker by one point...
Continue reading

Showalter's chances in Manager of Year voting

Showalter's chances in Manager of Year voting
If you play Japanese Fantasy Baseball, former Orioles pitcher Hayden Penn remains eligible for your draft. He re-signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Penn was victimized by more bizarre physical setbacks than any player I've covered. Three immediately come to mind: Sprained ankle while carrying boxes down steps at spring training, appendectomy, impaled by piece of broken bat. He wasn't attacked by sharks on Fort Lauderdale Beach, so his luck occasionally changed for the better. Does...
Continue reading

Sarfate headed to Japan?

Sarfate headed to Japan?
Former Orioles reliever Dennis Sarfate is currently in negotiations with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League and could be taking his professional career in a new direction - one that leads outside the U.S. No deal has been reached, but he's considering a move to Japan and a fresh start. Sarfate became a minor league free agent and declined a chance to stay in the Orioles' organization after they failed to purchase his contract during the summer. He went 2-2...
Continue reading

Odds and ends

Odds and ends
Earlier today, Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay became the fifth pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in each league, and the 16th multiple winner. Here's the final voting: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies 224 Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals 122 Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies 90 Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves 39 Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins 34 Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros/Philadelphia Phillies 14 Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants 7 Heath Bell, San Diego Padres 4 Mat Latos, San...
Continue reading
Tags:

More on the coaching staff

More on the coaching staff
The National League's Cy Young winner will be announced this afternoon, so collect the rest of the money in your office pools and get ready. The AL and NL Managers of the Year will be announced tomorrow, followed by the AL Cy Young winner on Thursday, the NL Most Valuable Player on Monday and the AL MVP next Tuesday. Plan accordingly. Following up on yesterday's discussion about John Russell and Willie Randolph, I received a phone call late last night - and by "late," I mean that I was...
Continue reading

T-Bone joining Brewers

T-Bone joining Brewers
John "T-Bone" Shelby has joined the Milwaukee Brewers organization as an outfield instructor/eye in the sky, according to a team press release. You can read more right here. Shelby was the Orioles' first base and outfield coach for the last three seasons, but he'll be replaced by Wayne Kirby. Shelby won't be in uniform for games. The eye-in-the-sky title, similar to the one Brian Graham held with the Orioles under former manager Mike Hargrove, dictates that you sit in the press box or a...
Continue reading
Tags:

Is Randolph the final coaching piece?

Is Randolph the final coaching piece?
It looks like John Russell is the choice as bench coach, according to a few people I've contacted in the organization. But he hasn't signed a contract, so nothing is official at this point. That would be too simple. The Sun posted a report on its web site earlier this afternoon that manager Buck Showalter had selected Russell after meeting with him Friday at Camden Yards. Russell was a late entrant, so it must have been one heck of a meeting. Assuming that Russell sticks around and...
Continue reading
Tags:

Feliz top AL rookie

Feliz top AL rookie
Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was named the American League's Rookie of the year today in voting conducted by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Feliz saved 40 games for the Rangers, a major league record for a rookie. He received 20 first place votes, seven second and one third for a total of 122 points. Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson finished second, followed by Minnesota's Danny Valencia. Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz received three third-place votes to finish...
Continue reading

Will Matusz be the AL's top rookie?

Will Matusz be the AL's top rookie?
We'll find out later today whether left-hander Brian Matusz has been voted as the American League's Rookie of the Year. If baseball handed out second-half awards, he'd be a slam dunk. Matusz finished 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA and led AL rookies with 32 starts, 143 strikeouts and 175 2/3 innings. He ranked second in opponents' average at .255 and was tied for second in wins and third in ERA. Matusz went 7-1 with a 2.11 ERA in his last 11 starts covering 64 innings. That's how you leave an...
Continue reading

Burning your fingers on the hot corner

Burning your fingers on the hot corner
I'm packed and getting ready to head back home after a nice, relaxing, food-filled weekend in Ocean Pines. The general manager meetings - not to be confused with the organizational, owners and winter meetings - take place Tuesday and Wednesday in Orlando. They're regarded as a primer for the winter meetings. Parameters of deals are discussed and executives vow to resume talks next month. They also eat lunch. These meetings could be more important now than previous years because president of...
Continue reading