Roch Kubatko

Orioles select two pitchers, lose two in Rule 5 draft (Snyder quote)

December 10, 2020, 7:30am

Orioles

The Orioles again made two selections in today's Rule 5 draft and they again focused on pitching. The fifth overall pick turned into right-hander Mac Sceroler, the nephew of former Orioles pitcher Ben McDonald. The Orioles took right-hander Tyler Wells in the second round to fill out their 40-man roster. Sceroler, 25, came from the Reds organization, where he posted a 3.69 ERA and a 1.111 WHIP in 26 games (20 starts) at high Single-A Daytona in 2019 and averaged 9.8 strikeouts per nine...

Tags:

Prepping for the Rule 5 draft

December 09, 2020, 3:32pm

Orioles

The Rule 5 draft begins at noon today and the Orioles, as usual, are going to participate. It's what they do. It should be named after them. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias appeared on "MASN All Access" on Monday afternoon and offered confirmation. "I would expect some activity in the first round of the Rule 5 draft," he said. That's good enough for me. But he doubled down in a Zoom conference call with the media. "If there are only four players that we feel are worth...

Tags:

alexander wells anthony santander brett cumberland cody sedlock isaac mattson mason mccoy michael baumann mike elias orioles rylan bannon yusniel diaz zac lowther zach pop featured_sidebar rule 5 draft winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

O's hire scout Quincy Boyd, Chris Davis talks about offseason

December 09, 2020, 12:04pm

Orioles

O's hire scout Quincy Boyd, Chris Davis talks about offseason

Today's virtual Winter Meetings activity for the Orioles on its third day impacts the scouting department, the kind of behind-the-scenes move that's common during the traditional in-person gatherings. According to an industry source, the Orioles are hiring Quincy Boyd as an area scout. Boyd has served as a national scouting supervisor with the Red Sox since February 2018. He was promoted to regional crosschecker in December 2012 after working as an area scout for North Carolina and South...

Tags:

chris davis hanser alberto jose iglesias oiroles quincy boyd rich morales ryan mountcastle trey mancini featured_sidebar winter meetings frontstory_orioles2

Thinking about the Boras scrums and more on trades

December 08, 2020, 3:34pm

Orioles

Thinking about the Boras scrums and more on trades

The absence of in-person Winter Meetings leaves us with one more burning question during hot stove season: Does agent Scott Boras make house calls? It still wouldn't replicate the circus atmosphere that unfolds in hotel lobbies. Or, in one instance, a hallway with Boras pressed against a gift shop glass window while a nervous security employee attempted to herd the group to a less-congested area. Good luck with that. The scene resembled the one that closed "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," with...

Tags:

alex cobb anthony santander chris davis jose iglesias mike elias orioles pedro severino scott boras featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Elias on virtual meetings, shortstop, starting pitching, more

December 08, 2020, 1:48pm

Orioles

Elias on virtual meetings, shortstop, starting pitching, more

The virtual Winter Meetings are making Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias yearn for the standard setup, which couldn't exist in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Elias couldn't meet with beat writers in his hotel suite this afternoon, instead dispersing the usual nuggets of information via a Zoom conference call. "It's not the same," Elias said. "I think all of us take the Winter Meetings for granted and we groan about some of the repetition of it, but I think...

Tags:

alex cobb austin hays bruce zimmernann cedric mullins dean kremer john means jose iglesias keegan akin mike elias orioles ryan mckenna sig mejdal yusniel diaz featured_sidebar winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Iglesias: "Baltimore was special for me"

December 08, 2020, 8:32am

Orioles

Iglesias: "Baltimore was special for me"

JosÃ© Iglesias didn't expect his phone to ring Wednesday night with news that would shake up the professional side of his life and spark emotions on the personal side. He didn't expect to hear from Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias or to be told that he was traded again. He fell in love with the Orioles and felt the sting of a sudden breakup. Elias informed Iglesias that the veteran shortstop was going to the Angels in exchange for minor league pitchers Garrett...

Tags:

garrett stallings jean pinto jose iglesias mike elias orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Orioles select Goudeau off waivers and outright Wynns

December 07, 2020, 9:52am

Orioles

The Orioles made their first virtual Winter Meetings move this afternoon by claiming right-hander Ashton Goudeau off waivers from the Pirates and outrighting catcher Austin Wynns to Triple-A Norfolk. The 40-man roster still holds 38 players heading into Thursday's Rule 5 draft. Goudeau, 28, made his major league debut this summer with the Rockies. He allowed seven runs and 15 hits in four relief appearances covering 8 1/3 innings. The Royals selected Goudeau in the 27th round of the 2012...

Tags:

ashton goudeau austin wynns bryan holaday chance sisco martin cervenka orioles pedro severino featured_sidebar winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Remembering how the Orioles landed a shortstop in 2010

December 07, 2020, 5:00am

Orioles

The Orioles aren't expected to be nearly as busy retooling the roster this week, which has been advertised as some sort of virtual Winter Meetings, as they were in 2010. Still a tough act to follow. They're in a different place, and I don't just mean home compared to Lake Buena Vista, Fla. They needed a shortstop, as they do now, and traded for J.J. Hardy after almost finalizing a deal for Jason Bartlett - one of the best decisions in franchise history. They also were linked to Cardinals...

Tags:

brady anderson j.j. hardy jose iglesias mike elias nolan reimold orioles winter meetings featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Adjusting to home version of Winter Meetings

December 06, 2020, 7:27am

Orioles

Adjusting to home version of Winter Meetings

The elimination of in-person Winter Meetings reduces one longstanding debate. Do they technically begin on Sunday or Monday? This isn't a heated discussion and it's more likely to be confined to my own head. I considered Sunday to be a travel day, though news could break - such as the Blue Jays targeting executive Dan Duquette for their president position, which we learned while on the same flight, or the Orioles nearing an agreement with veteran reliever Darren O'Day - and on occasion the...

Tags:

brandon hyde chris davis marcos diplan orioles rio ruiz featured_sidebar winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Because You Asked - Final Cut

December 03, 2020, 11:06am

Orioles

The mailbag is getting full again, which sends me scurrying to find answers and a new sequel title. You know the drill. You ask, I respond, you ask again, I respond again and our relationship grows stronger. Curiosity killed the cat, but it keeps this blog alive through the dog days of winter. Any surprises at the non-tender deadline? Such a negative person. You could have referred to it as the "tender deadline." Anyway, catcher Pedro Severino went from vulnerable to recipient of a $1.825...

How will the Orioles fill in their infield?

December 03, 2020, 10:33am

Orioles

Who's on first. What's on second. I don't know is on third. The Orioles can round out their infield by making us wonder who or what is at shortstop. I don't know. They don't know. We've come a long way from the days of Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy, Jonathan Schoop and Chris Davis - with Ryan Flaherty the primary backup. JosÃ© Iglesias won't be the shortstop in 2021 because the Orioles traded him and the $3.5 million on his contract to the Angels for two minor league pitchers. They're...

Tags:

chris davis hanser alberto jose iglesias orioles pat valaika rio ruiz ryan mountcastle trey mancini yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Eshelman elects free agency

December 03, 2020, 7:44am

Orioles

The free-agent market has gained a former Orioles starter. Thomas Eshelman cleared waivers yesterday and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles announced this morning that he elected free agency rather than remain in their system. Eshelman, 26, has a previous outright assignment, which gives him veto power. The Orioles designated him for assignment on Sept. 2, 2019 while activating Mark Trumbo from the 60-day injured list. The willingness of the Orioles to part with Eshelman this week...

Tags:

alexander wells bruce zimmermann chris shaw dean kremer jorge lopez keegan akin michael baumann orioles thomas eshelman zac lowther featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

This, that and the other (with salary update)

December 02, 2020, 5:30pm

Orioles

This, that and the other (with salary update)

Last night's trade of shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias was the shocker among a series of moves made by the Orioles. The one transaction that dropped jaws after they picked up his $3.5 million option a month ago. Hanser Alberto was a strong non-tender candidate and the Orioles sent him into the free agent market. They were more inclined to hold onto infielders Yolmer SÃ¡nchez and Pat Valaika and reliever Shawn Armstrong. They had no intention of non-tendering outfielders Trey Mancini and Anthony...

Elias discusses today's activity

December 02, 2020, 4:58pm

Orioles

The Orioles are interested in negotiating a new contract with infielder Hanser Alberto, who has been non-tendered and allowed to enter the free agent market. The cost in arbitration was too rich for the club, but they'd like to bring him back on a friendlier deal and expect to maintain contact with his agent. They're also going to be busy finding a replacement for JosÃ© Iglesias, who was traded tonight to the Angels for minor league pitchers Garrett Stallings and Jean Pinto. Executive vice...

Tags:

anthony santander garrett stallings hanser alberto jean pinto jose iglesias mike elias orioles pat valaika pedro severino shawn armstrong trey mancini yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles trade Iglesias to Angels (updated again)

December 02, 2020, 2:40pm

Orioles

The Orioles did more today than decide the contract status of their remaining arbitration-eligible players. They also traded shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias to the Angels after picking up the $3.5 million option on his contract a month ago. An industry source confirmed the trade. The return for Iglesias is unknown, but it marks the second deal between the teams around the non-tender deadline. The Orioles sent pitcher Dylan Bundy to the Angels a year ago for four minor league pitchers, including...

Tags:

anthony santander dylan bundy hanser alberto isaac mattson jose iglesias mike eliias orioles pat valaika ramon urias richie martin shawn armstrong trey mancini yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles1

Orioles sign SÃ¡nchez

December 02, 2020, 7:11am

Orioles

The Orioles whittled their list of unsigned arbitration-eligible players to five this morning by reaching agreement with infielder Yolmer SÃ¡nchez on a 2021 contract, according to an industry source. SÃ¡nchez is signed for $1 million and waiting to learn whether he's a candidate to start at second or third base. He could land in the utility mix, with his arrival perhaps having a domino effect on the roster. Hanser Alberto could be impacted. Pat Valaika could be impacted. They're also...

Tags:

anthony santander hanser alberto orioles pat vailaika pedro severino shawn armstrong trey mancini yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Wells wondered whether O's would put him on 40-man roster

December 01, 2020, 1:10pm

Orioles

Wells wondered whether O's would put him on 40-man roster

The Orioles didn't need to remove pitcher Alexander Wells from his home in Australia and dump him into the 60-man player pool over the summer. They were fine with excluding him from the fall instructional league. As executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said a few weeks ago, Wells had "a really good setup" that enabled the team to avoid the hassles of international travel during a pandemic. Wells, a native of Newcastle, was placed on the 40-man roster to protect him from the...

Tags:

alexander wells mike elias orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Latest review of arbitration-eligible O's (Severino update)

November 30, 2020, 9:02am

Orioles

Latest review of arbitration-eligible O's (Severino update)

The baseball offseason wouldn't feel complete unless the names of arbitration-eligible players and projected raises were recited weekly until the deadline, which mercifully is arriving on Wednesday. There were seven Orioles on the original list. Yolmer SÃ¡nchez increased it to eight, but Renato NÃºÃ±ez came off after being designated for assignment and granted his release. Trades are possible in the coming days, just as the Orioles dealt infielder Jonathan Villar and starter Dylan Bundy...

Tags:

anthony santander hanser alberto isaac mattson orioles pat valaika pedro severino renato nunez shawn armstrong trey mancini yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Sharing some questions and curiosities

November 30, 2020, 6:16am

Orioles

I have questions. The issue is how none of them can be answered and I'm not known for my patience. Pitchers and catchers are supposed to report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Feb. 16, but booking travel now seems like wasted energy with the possibility of a COVID-related delay. Not only am I unsure about the chances of spring training starting on the time, I have no idea whether media will be granted access. The whole production could be done again over Zoom. If allowed inside the gates,...

Tags:

adley rutschman alex cobb dean kremer hanser alberto john means jose iglesias keegan akin orioles pat valaika pedro severino ryan mountcastle shawn armstrong yolmer sanchez featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Sorting through some super-utility candidates

November 28, 2020, 10:58am

Orioles

Sorting through some super-utility candidates

Utility competitions in spring training usually elicit as much excitement as a Perry Como concert. There's a better chance of finding an olive pit than a mosh pit. (We interrupt this blog entry to bring you a link to one of the funniest skits of all time from the '80s. Eugene Levy at his finest. You'll thank me later.) The importance of having versatile players shouldn't be minimized. Guys who can handle assignments at multiple positions in the infield and outfield are increasing in value,...