Roch Kubatko

Catching up on the Orioles' catching situation

October 20, 2019, 3:48pm

Orioles

The five questions that I posed about the Orioles last week were just a launching point. We can't stop at Chris Davis, the Rule 5 draft, protected players, non-tender candidates and the shortstop position. Let's move behind the plate. Without the risk of taking a foul ball off the groin. Do the Orioles bring in another veteran catcher? They signed JesÃºs Sucre as a free agent on Feb. 5, finally got him into camp after some work visa issues in Venezuela and brought him north. He didn't make...

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This, that and the other

October 19, 2019, 5:32pm

Orioles

While the Orioles were learning about pitcher Asher Wojciechowski over the summer, the right-hander was busy learning more about himself. Wojciechowski admitted that he began to feel fatigued later in the season as it extended beyond the usual point when he's done. He had to push through it, with manager Brandon Hyde providing some extra rest along the way. After completing his final start in Boston, where he tossed six scoreless innings, Wojciechowski said he'd devote the offseason to...

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Orioles expect the unexpected at spring training

October 18, 2019, 4:31pm

Orioles

One of the rules that the Orioles need to implement by spring training goes something like this: No surprises. Hard-throwing reliever Zach Pop, a favorite of the previous regime, experienced such a pronounced loss of velocity that the Orioles immediately shut him down after one appearance. Retiring all three batters, with one strikeout, didn't ease the concerns. Pop made eight appearances with Double-A Bowie, none of them after April 30, and allowed only one run with 11 strikeouts in 10 2/3...

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Stewart undergoes ankle surgery

October 18, 2019, 1:29pm

Orioles

The competition for outfield jobs with the Orioles next spring has taken an unexpected twist. The team announced that DJ Stewart underwent a "successful" microfracture procedure on his right ankle yesterday in Los Angeles. Dr. Kenneth Jung from the Kerlan-Jobe Institute performed the surgery. Stewart is expected to return to baseball activities toward the end of spring training, according to a tweet from the Orioles, which seemingly prevents him from heading north for opening day on March 26...

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Carroll relieved to be pitching again after lost 2019 season

October 17, 2019, 9:43am

Orioles

Carroll relieved to be pitching again after lost 2019 season

Cody Carroll notched his third spring training save on March 16, was told the following day that he'd been optioned to minor league camp and seemed to fall off the map. He must have landed on his back. An entire summer was spent getting Carroll back on his feet. Carroll didn't throw a single pitch with Triple-A Norfolk, undergoing disc surgery and rehabbing before making two appearances in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. The Orioles assigned him to the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona...

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Is Wojciechowski a lock for 2020 rotation?

October 16, 2019, 12:34pm

Orioles

Is Wojciechowski a lock for 2020 rotation?

Early projections on the Orioles opening day rotation can't be completed unless you ignore how they're likely to sign at least one cost-friendly veteran, similar to last year's additions of Nate Karns and Dan Straily. They'll just pray for better results. The top third is easy except for an exact order. Left-hander John Means and right-handers Dylan Bundy and Alex Cobb are expected to occupy those spots - barring any trades, of course. Has Asher Wojciechowski earned more than just...

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Can Kline contribute in 2020?

October 15, 2019, 4:52pm

Orioles

Whether Branden Kline becomes an integral part of the Orioles bullpen, or even an extra piece that can be tossed on the Triple-A shuttle, is going to be determined much later. No one can make a declaration in October. Don't even attempt it. There's no way to construct the unit on such an early date in the offseason. Not that it ever stops us from trying. We don't know whether Mychal Givens, Richard Bleier and Miguel Castro, all of them eligible for arbitration and due raises, are going to...

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Splitting up the Orioles bullpen

October 14, 2019, 11:00am

Orioles

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn't know which relievers to trust this season. Who could get the big outs in the middle and late innings. Who could stay on a roll instead of reverting. Some of the splits increased the degree of difficulty for Hyde as he tried to match up. For example: * Left-handers batted .222/250/.303 with one home run in 104 plate appearances against southpaw Richard Bleier this season, but right-handers hit .355/.392/.612 with five home runs in 131 plate...

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A few Orioles questions that must be addressed later

October 14, 2019, 7:49am

Orioles

As the Orioles' offseason moves into a new week, there are lingering questions surrounding the club that won't immediately be resolved. There's no real rush. Hires need to be made on the coaching staff and the minor league side has to be completed - with new titles part of the process - before the roster becomes more of a priority. However, my patience wears thin - like today's glitch in our system that deleted my morning entry and had me starting over - and I'm sharing a few of my...

More on Santander's season and how he's set for 2020

October 12, 2019, 12:34pm

Orioles

More on Santander's season and how he's set for 2020

While Anthony Santander passed his summer audition with the Orioles and made himself a piece of the rebuilding process moving forward, he certainly has more work to do over the winter and in spring training. There's room for improvement. It had to come up in his exit interview. Santander had 20 doubles and 20 home runs over 93 games and gained manager Brandon Hyde's trust in the outfield. He was comfortable going back for the ball and making catches against the fence and led the club with...

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Wilkerson prepared to work with new outfield instructor

October 11, 2019, 11:03am

Orioles

Wilkerson prepared to work with new outfield instructor

Removing Arnie Beyeler as first base coach earlier this month also requires the Orioles to find a new outfield instructor. It's a two-pronged search. Beyeler handled those duties as Wayne Kirby did under former manager Buck Showalter. Has anyone been more challenged in the role than Beyeler? He had to teach Stevie Wilkerson to play center field, a brand new position for the utility infielder. He needed Wilkerson to grow more comfortable in left and right, where the results also were...

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Orioles promote Chris Holt to director-of-pitching role

October 10, 2019, 4:04pm

Orioles

The Orioles remain in the process of building their minor league staffs, including the implementation of an extra coach with each affiliate. In the meantime, they've elevated minor league pitching coordinator Chris Holt to a position that more closely connects him to the major league team. Holt has been promoted to a director-of-pitching position that extends his reach from the minor league side and more easily allows him to join Orioles pitching coach Doug Brocail in utilizing the technology...

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Checking on Villar comparisons to Schoop

October 09, 2019, 10:39am

Orioles

Checking on Villar comparisons to Schoop

Former Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop got a late start on his offseason, but he's able to head back home with the Twins swept in the American League Division Series. Schoop is a free agent again after signing a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Twins last winter. He slashed .256/.304/.473 with 23 doubles, a triple, 23 home runs and 59 RBIs in 121 games and he struck out in both plate appearances in the ALDS. The Orioles didn't attempt to re-sign Schoop and won't make an effort...

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Because You Asked - I Want to Believe

October 09, 2019, 4:22am

Orioles

As I check out the playoff games that hold my attention for one or two innings, my thumb pressed on the remote at all times with the exception of bathroom breaks, I never lose focus on my responsibilities on the Orioles beat. The mailbag fills up and it's my duty to sort through it, count the duplicate questions and wonder what else I could have done to close the topics. This is another sequel, which also makes me wonder how much longer I can come up with new names. Can't top "Electric...

More on Means and the Orioles rotation

October 07, 2019, 10:40am

Orioles

The final game of the season hadn't reached its strange conclusion - a bouncing single into right field at Fenway Park allowing a runner to score from first base because ... you had to be there - and a topic already came up among some writers regarding opening day 2020. Who's the top candidate to start? Of course, we knew that it was much too early to collect the votes. We also knew that the dozens of Dunkin' Donuts boxes behind the press box weren't going to lower our blood sugar counts,...

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Digging into Orioles' past

October 06, 2019, 5:07pm

Orioles

Has any team with 100-plus losses tied or set more positive records than the 2019 Orioles? The season will go down as one of the oddest in franchise history. It was many things - boring not among them. Here's one of the nuggets that left me shaking my head: Ten players hit 10 or more home runs to tie the record shared by the 1998 and 2000 teams. Maybe you would have expected Trey Mancini, Renato NÃºÃ±ez and Jonathan Villar to do it. Perhaps you were bold enough to project that Anthony...

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Alberto in arbitration adds to his story

October 05, 2019, 3:52pm

Orioles

Alberto in arbitration adds to his story

The bizarre and unexpected story of Orioles infielder Hanser Alberto includes how he's first-time eligible for arbitration. And how that's actually an interesting development. Alberto made $578,000 this season and you can say he earned it. Lost and reclaimed via waivers in spring training, Alberto appeared in 139 games with the Orioles and that alone is a stunner. He wasn't supposed to beat out veteran Alcides Escobar for a utility infield job until he did. Jack Reinheimer and Zach Vincej...

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Is Mallee a candidate to join Orioles?

October 04, 2019, 11:34am

Orioles

The Orioles handled the task this week of notifying three coaches that they wouldn't have their contracts renewed for the 2020 season. The first steps toward making changes. Steps that were bound to happen, though the challenge was identifying the impacted members of the staff. Up next are interviews with candidates that should begin in a couple of days. A procedure that's keeping manager Brandon Hyde in Baltimore. What's known at the present time is that first base coach/outfield instructor...

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Orioles decline to renew contract of bullpen coach John Wasdin

October 04, 2019, 9:54am

Orioles

The Orioles made a third and perhaps final change to their coaching staff this afternoon. Bullpen coach John Wasdin has been notified that he won't be invited back in 2020, according to a source. Wasdin, 47, joins first base coach/outfield instructor Arnie Beyeler and assistant hitting coach Howie Clark, who learned yesterday that their contracts wouldn't be renewed. All three coaches were working on one-year deals after the Orioles hired Brandon Hyde as manager in December. Adjustments to...

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Beyeler and Clark won't return to Orioles coaching staff in 2020

October 03, 2019, 3:25pm

Orioles

The Orioles started to make changes to their coaching staff this afternoon. First base coach Arnie Beyeler and assistant hitting coach Howie Clark won't be retained in 2020, according to multiple industry sources. They were working on one-year contracts that won't be renewed next season. Beyeler also served as the outfield instructor, handling two tasks that belonged to Wayne Kirby under previous manager Buck Showalter. Kirby has been hired by the Braves as minor league outfield...