Roch Kubatko

Will stealing bases remain part of Orioles' approach in 2020?

November 04, 2019, 1:42pm

Orioles

As the Orioles became more transparent with their plans for the organization and specifically how they were going to proceed with a complete teardown and rebuild, which also could be termed a "redesign" given the new titles and responsibilities, I didn't recall hearing anyone declare that the team would steal more bases. It just sort of happened. When is the last time that the Orioles ranked sixth or higher in the American League in steals? They swiped 84 bags to put them 16 ahead of the Red...

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Means a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year award

November 04, 2019, 12:38pm

Orioles

Means a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year award

Orioles left-hander John Means keeps building on his list of accomplishments, a pitcher given little to no chance of making the opening day roster still raising his level of recognition. Means is a finalist for the American League's Rookie of the Year Award, with voting conducted by qualifying members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The finalists' names were announced tonight on MLB Network. The Astros' Yordan Ãlvarez and the Rays' Brandon Lowe join Means as finalists....

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Cobb reinstated from injured list and Ynoa becomes free agent

November 04, 2019, 12:18pm

Orioles

Cobb reinstated from injured list and Ynoa becomes free agent

The Orioles made two moves this afternoon that kept their 40-man roster at 36 players. Pitcher Alex Cobb has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list and pitcher Gabriel Ynoa became a free agent after clearing waivers. Cobb is recovering from hip and knee surgeries in Tennessee. He's expected to be ready for spring training. Unable to pitch on opening day due to a strained groin muscle, Cobb lasted only three starts during April before again landing on the injured list with a lumbar...

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Chris and Jill Davis make $3 million donation to UMCH

November 04, 2019, 7:01am

Orioles

Chris and Jill Davis make $3 million donation to UMCH

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis and his wife, Jill, are expanding their charitable endeavors by a huge margin, donating $3 million to the University of Maryland Children's Hospital at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The announcement was made this morning. The donation marks the largest gift to the center from a Baltimore sports figure. According to a press release, the funds are allocated for the construction of a state-of-the-art pediatric hybrid catheterization and operating...

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How does the Orioles offseason list compare to last year?

November 03, 2019, 4:21am

Orioles

The month of November allows baseball media and fans to keep compiling lists - whether on paper and laptop screens or in heads - of the offseason issues facing a particular team. We mostly talk about the Orioles here, so let's stick with them. Go back to the 2018 offseason and you'll find the same inquires surrounding Chris Davis. He's a top five subject. What are the Orioles going to do with Davis? Well, it's been made clear to us that he's reporting to spring training, three years left...

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Splitting up the Orioles bullpen

November 02, 2019, 6:12am

Orioles

Major League Baseball's plan to eliminate one-and-done relievers beginning next season can cause a person to rush for the splits. I almost pulled a hamstring running the 40-yard overreact. The idea is to make relievers face a minimum of three batters instead of just one, or pitch to the end of the half-inning in which they enter. Maybe to reduce mound visits and speed up a game that has proven too stubborn to pick up the pace, no matter how many new rules are implemented. It seems necessary...

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Did you know about Ynoa?

November 01, 2019, 10:39am

Orioles

In an Orioles season defined in large part by its abundance of oddities, right-hander Gabriel Ynoa offered his own contribution. Tell me if this makes any sense. Ynoa was 1-10 with a 5.61 ERA and 1.373 WHIP in 36 games and 0-9 in 13 starts. He averaged only 5.4 strikeouts per nine innings and surrendered 29 of the club's 305 home runs to tie Dylan Bundy for the team lead. None of this is going to knock the wind out of you, but I was surprised to find that Ynoa held cleanup hitters to a .186...

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Upcoming dates with lots of or little interest to Orioles

October 31, 2019, 5:41pm

Orioles

Another important offseason date that doesn't really impact the Orioles arrives on Monday. Teams no longer will have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents. Other executives can start courting them. The Orioles won't attempt to re-sign Mark Trumbo, so it doesn't matter to them. Monday also marks the deadline for teams to issue the $17.8 million qualifying offer to free agents. The Orioles obviously won't do it with Trumbo. And teams can exercise or decline options and...

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Williams declines outright assignment

October 31, 2019, 6:15am

Orioles

The Orioles are continuing to clear space on their 40-man roster for future moves. Outfielder Mason Williams was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk after clearing waivers and declined the assignment, electing free agency rather than staying in the organization. He could be re-signed later in the winter, but will explore other opportunities. Williams already was eligible to become a minor league free agent if he hadn't been placed on the 25-man roster. The outright assignment was listed yesterday...

Last game marks beginning of free agency

October 30, 2019, 1:12pm

Orioles

Last game marks beginning of free agency

The World Series is over and the 2019 season officially has been put to bed. Long past a reasonable hour. Players will begin hitting the free agent market instead of fastballs. It's one of the most important early developments of the offseason. The list of Orioles pending free agents usually has more meat on it. Mark Trumbo stands alone this year unless the club decides later to non-tender players who remain eligible for arbitration. The discussion over which free agents could be re-signed is...

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Orioles claim Valaika off waivers and outright four

October 30, 2019, 11:57am

Orioles

The Orioles have reduced their 40-man roster to 38 players while making a waiver claim and outrighting four pitchers to Triple-A Norfolk. Much more activity will follow as the season concludes tonight with Game 7 of the World Series. Infielder Pat Valaika has been selected from the Rockies, who chose him in the ninth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA. He plays every infield position, mostly in the middle, and has some experience in left field. Right-handers Luis Ortiz, Ryan...

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Random Orioles facts and figures

October 29, 2019, 12:42pm

Orioles

Batting average no longer isn't valued in the same manner as baseball moves into the analytics-driven era, as anyone under 30 will tell you. So what do we make of Hanser Alberto hitting .305 this season? Average doesn't matter, but I certainly read plenty about his positioning in the race for the American League batting title. So it isn't important until it is. Or vice-versa. Anyway, it was the 44th time in Orioles history that a player finished the season with a .300 average or better among...

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How Stewart's surgery impacts the outfield competition

October 28, 2019, 10:51am

Orioles

How Stewart's surgery impacts the outfield competition

Whether DJ Stewart is able to compete for a spot on the Orioles opening day roster is a closed matter. The microfracture procedure on his right ankle on Oct. 17 likely prevents him from returning to baseball activities until late in spring training and eliminates him from consideration. A closed matter that opens a door. No one roots for a teammate to sustain an injury or undergo surgery, but Stewart's absence from camp drills and at least the early games increases someone else's odds of...

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Who's storming through the door to enter Orioles rotation?

October 27, 2019, 3:07pm

Orioles

An important part of the Orioles' pitching fantasies involves the pounding of the door that leads to the major league staff. A two-fisted beating. Maybe a swift kick or two to bust it off its hinges. There wasn't much more this summer than a light tapping. Eighteen pitchers made starts for the Orioles in 2019. Luis Ortiz was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on June 14 to start against the Red Sox, replacing Andrew Cashner, and the club had to ignore his 7.01 ERA and 1.65 WHIP while executing...

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This, that and the other

October 26, 2019, 5:53pm

Orioles

The Padres' decision to hire Jayce Tingler as their next manager had a ripple effect that nudged Buck Britton into a new set of responsibilities. Britton, who spent the 2019 season managing Double-A Bowie, has replaced Tingler as manager of Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League. Tingler was working for the Rangers as major league player development field coordinator. Britton was expecting to serve in a coaching capacity with Escogido. Gilbert GÃ³mez become quality control coach...

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Orioles trying to spin the rotation disadvantage

October 25, 2019, 10:38am

Orioles

The Nationals are going to win the World Series with a rotation that includes Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez. Or the Astros are going to mount an amazing comeback and win the World Series with a rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke. (And pigs will fly non-stop as alternatives to Southwest flights.) Having money to spend or minor league assets to swing premium trades puts these clubs and others at a distinct...

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More on Orioles' minor league hires

October 24, 2019, 5:35pm

Orioles

The Orioles remain in the process of interviewing candidates to fill the vacant positions on their major league coaching staff and piecing together the minor league side. The team has to replace first base coach/outfield instructor Arnie Beyeler, assistant hitting coach Howie Clark and bullpen coach John Wasdin. Everyone else has been invited back for the 2020 season. There doesn't appear to be anything imminent on that front. I'm not expecting any announcements in the near future. Meanwhile,...

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Is bullpen best for Brooks?

October 23, 2019, 3:39pm

Orioles

Let's take another shot this morning at addressing one of the litany of questions facing the Orioles before opening day 2020. Funny how so many of them lead to the pitching staff, whether it's the rotation or bullpen. What should the Orioles do with Aaron Brooks? The numbers make the decision appear to be simple. He's been much more effective as a reliever than as a starter, and the Orioles need to improve in both areas. The Orioles claimed Brooks off waivers from the Athletics on July 6,...

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Gilmartin, Peterson and Sucre enter free agency

October 22, 2019, 12:49pm

Orioles

Gilmartin, Peterson and Sucre enter free agency

The offseason is moving through the period when players who have been outrighted off the 40-man roster can elect free agency. Players with a previous outright or who built up three years of service time in the majors. The market is open and the list of Orioles to enter it includes pitcher Sean Gilmartin, infielder Jace Peterson and catcher JesÃºs Sucre. The list of surprises is empty. The Orioles designated Gilmartin on June 25, claimed pitcher Tayler Scott off waivers from the Mariners and...

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A closer look at Castro

October 21, 2019, 11:55am

Orioles

Among the assortment of bullpen decisions for the Orioles is what to do about Miguel Castro. The arm can be electric, the outages frustrating and troublesome. At various junctures of Castro's tenure with the Orioles, he's been viewed as a possible starter, middle reliever and closer leading up to the new regime's commitment to keep him in the bullpen without a defined role. Does anyone really have one beyond high-leverage options? And speaking of options, Castro ran out of them and can't be...