Roch Kubatko

This, that and the other

April 10, 2020, 9:25am

Orioles

Part of my spring training routine that disappeared after March 11 was receiving and passing along the list of Orioles extras brought over from the minor league complex. Some high draft picks and some minor league free agents. Pitcher Isaac Mattson fell into a different category. The Orioles didn't draft or sign him. They acquired him from the Angels as part of the four-pitcher package for Dylan Bundy. Mattson appeared in two exhibition games and totaled one inning, but he warranted our...

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Memorabilia and memorable moments

April 10, 2020, 5:45am

Orioles

The absence of games during the sports shutdown has made it necessary for me to tap into my many years on the Orioles beat and my memories as a kid rooting for the team to keep the blog humming. There are only so many roster decisions and stalled competitions to dissect. Only so much speculation about the 2020 season to rekindle and douse. Let's find out a little more about you. With a heavy dose of me, of course. What is your most random or bizarre piece of sports memorabilia? I own a hockey...

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Some unforgettable moments covering the Orioles in New York

April 09, 2020, 8:56am

Orioles

A regular season allowed to play out as intended would have brought the Orioles back home tonight after a four-game series in the Bronx. Gary SÃ¡nchez probably would have hit five or six home runs. And Gleyber Torres would have said, "Hold my protein shake." The Orioles were supposed to host the Pirates in a three-game weekend series and we could have rehashed the 1971 and 1979 World Series. Better to reminisce about the 2017 regular season and a two-game sweep for the Orioles at Camden...

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Because You Asked - The Island of Lost Dreams

April 08, 2020, 10:54am

Orioles

Because You Asked - The Island of Lost Dreams

I'm wearing rubber gloves today while sorting through my mailbag. All of my clothes are made out of Glad trash bags. Safety first. Don't use the scented brand. They'll give you a headache. I'd keep a six-foot distance from the mail, but my vision is pretty bad. Also, my arms wouldn't reach it. You know what's also a reach? Trying to convince anyone that there's an actual bag. But treat it as you would "Rocky IV" and suspend disbelief. (The Soviet crowd chanting his name at the end?...

Leftovers from Ripken Q&A

April 07, 2020, 1:54pm

Orioles

The Orioles intend to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr.'s record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game. Their promotional schedule includes the distribution of bobbleheads on Sept. 6, and other plans to honor him were under discussion prior to the shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The schedule was released in early February. So much has changed. ESPN aired 2,131 last night and Ripken watched it for the first time from start to finish. He told me yesterday that he'd stumble...

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Ripken on Twitter, Strike Out Hunger campaign and more

April 07, 2020, 8:42am

Orioles

Ripken on Twitter, Strike Out Hunger campaign and more

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. has been intrigued with the idea of opening a Twitter account. He just needed a reason to do it beyond the interaction with fans, something he did tirelessly in person during a 21-year major league career. Most notably in 1995 as he closed in on Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played. Ripken found his excuse and, as usual, it tied into his desire to help other people. Using his new account (@CalRipkenJr.), which already was approaching 3,000...

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Remembering Orioles who started strong and didn't sustain

April 06, 2020, 6:16am

Orioles

My mind keeps spinning back to past Orioles teams that I've covered as an adult or watched as a kid. Anything to limit my screen time during this shutdown. Let me pose a question this morning while we resist the urge to panic shop. (Don't be that person. You don't need 12 dozen eggs and all the toilet paper and liquid hand soap.) Which homegrown Orioles started out good, fooling you into thinking that they'd become future All-Stars or at least longtime contributors, and then fizzled? Got...

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Armstrong's strong spring and a deeper dive into Orioles bullpen

April 04, 2020, 7:37am

Orioles

The magic of video is enabling the Orioles to stay connected while spread all over the country. I've heard that reliever Shawn Armstrong was able to share a bullpen session with one of his teammates that included a fastball clocked at 97 mph. Armstrong's fastball averaged 93.9 mph last season, per BrooksBaseball.net. There is no data available on his home workouts. An expansion of rosters from 26 to 29 players for the first month enables the Orioles to carry at least a few extra relievers to...

Baseball's shutdown impacting minor league preparation

April 03, 2020, 6:42am

Orioles

Baseball's shutdown impacting minor league preparation

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic in professional baseball reaches down to the minor league level. To players with salary concerns and the managers and coaches who are trying to develop them and prepare for an abbreviated season. Triple-A Norfolk's Gary Kendall is back home in the Salisbury area, doing yardwork and engaging in video conference calls to collect and share information that no longer could be dispensed in Sarasota. The six-foot rule turned into complete isolation. The calls...

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Orioles finding ways to cope and assist during pandemic

April 02, 2020, 9:27am

Orioles

The Orioles aren't able to start their season due to the coronavirus and they have no idea whether it's going to unfold. In the meantime, players are working to stay in shape, just in case, and finding ways to assist people in need and to ease the strain on their lives. First baseman Chris Davis and his wife, Jill, donated breakfast to the staff at the University of Maryland Children's Hospital on the morning of March 26, which would have been opening day. The couple made a $3 million...

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Can Phillips avoid the injured list?

April 02, 2020, 5:01am

Orioles

The medical update from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and a brief interview with the injured reliever at his spring training locker made for an easy jump to a roster conclusion. It felt like more of a hop. Evan Phillips wasn't able to pitch because of a sore elbow and headed to Los Angeles for a second opinion. A month or more could pass before he'd be allowed to pick up a ball. My headline on a March 6 article stated: "Phillips to start season on injured list" The third paragraph read:...

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Phillips keeping his spring roommates and new routine

April 01, 2020, 9:43am

Orioles

Phillips keeping his spring roommates and new routine

Baseball players are creatures of habit, a trait that seems to be part of their DNA. Or maybe it develops over time, creating a chicken or the egg parallel. What comes first? No matter the order, being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic has brought a major disruption in their routines - though also kept in its proper perspective given the loss of lives throughout the world. Being unable to complete spring training or start a season is much more of an inconvenience than a...

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Chris Davis: "This is very abnormal, very unusual"

March 31, 2020, 2:14pm

Orioles

Chris Davis: "This is very abnormal, very unusual"

Chris Davis is safe at home, feeling blessed that the coronavirus hasn't touched his family. His wife and three young daughters, including 2-year-old twins, are fine. His friends are healthy. He's making many of the same adjustments as everyone else in his everyday life while unsure when he's going to be able to go back to work. Or if he'll be working in 2020. As the player representative with the Orioles, Davis has been gathering information on every conference call and sharing it with his...

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Another spring training memory from the Orioles beat

March 30, 2020, 12:34pm

Orioles

The regular season for the Orioles should be four games old. A home series against the Yankees completed and the middle game pending in a home series against the Red Sox. The first trip to St. Louis since 2003 was supposed to happen over the weekend, followed by a four-game series in the Bronx. Instead, the coronavirus pandemic has left us wondering if there will be a 2020 season and whether the Orioles will return to Sarasota for a second version of spring training. The Ed Smith Stadium...

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Wondering who's impacted by expansion to 29-man roster

March 29, 2020, 11:38am

Orioles

Wondering who's impacted by expansion to 29-man roster

The competitions for roster spots with the Orioles remain on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Players are working out at home, a few of them posting clever videos on social media. Small children and pets are coming in handy as alternatives to gym weights. Ever done squats with a German Shepherd draped over your shoulders? These are the dog days of spring. One of the likely adjustments to baseball's season, if it happens in 2020, is inflating the active roster from 26 to 29 players for the...

Updates on season status and another childhood heartbreak

March 27, 2020, 12:05pm

Orioles

Updates on season status and another childhood heartbreak

The constant speculation over Major League Baseball's return and in what form is doing little besides confusing fans and spreading rumors. Separating truth from fiction is requiring a lot more muscle these days. Implement it into your workouts while gyms are closed. We don't know if or when baseball will be played. We don't know how long spring training 2.0 will last and whether teams would head back to Florida and Arizona. We don't know if the schedule will be packed with doubleheaders. We...

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Memories of some media missteps

March 27, 2020, 9:54am

Orioles

Anyone who's stepped inside a major league clubhouse and posed a question during a pregame or postgame media scrum has probably committed an embarrassing gaffe. The odds increase the longer you've worked the beat. Colleagues can sympathize, but it doesn't prevent us from teasing the guilty party. Boxers don't land as many jabs as we do. The shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic is intended to keep people safe. It's also protecting the media from doing something stupid. Many of the...

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Remembering my biggest Orioles heartbreaks as a fan

March 26, 2020, 1:07pm

Orioles

The sports shutdown has led fans and media to come up with all sorts of lists to provide entertainment and kill a few hours. Twitter is filled with them. You can't swing a dead opening day article without hitting one. I'm more of a lurker than a participant, but I did name the Colts leaving Baltimore as my most heartbreaking sports moment. No team can replace them in my heart. No offense to the Ravens, but the 1970s Colts will always be my sports love. The improbable run to the playoffs in...

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Remembering past opening days while 2020 stays in shutdown mode

March 25, 2020, 8:54am

Orioles

Remembering past opening days while 2020 stays in shutdown mode

The Orioles have made executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde available on separate conference calls during the shutdown. What they can't do is invent answers. Major League Baseball is pushing back the start of the season. No date has been set for opening day. No assurances have been given that it's going to happen. No one in the organization can offer a prediction. They aren't keeping it a secret. They just don't know. Fans should have been filing into...