Roch Kubatko

Coolbaugh hired as Dodgers' Triple-A hitting coach

December 11, 2018, 2:22pm

Orioles

Coolbaugh hired as Dodgers' Triple-A hitting coach

LAS VEGAS - Former Orioles hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh has been hired as hitting coach with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. Coolbaugh accepted the offer this week and signed his contract earlier today. Coolbaugh replaced Jim Presley as hitting coach prior to the 2015 season. His contract ran out on Oct. 31 and he wasn't expected to return under a new manager, who's expected to be hired later this month from a field of six candidates. I've heard that Coolbaugh also...

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Grenier enjoys Winter Meetings and reflects on first pro season

December 11, 2018, 12:15pm

Orioles

Grenier enjoys Winter Meetings and reflects on first pro season

LAS VEGAS - Orioles shortstop prospect Cadyn Grenier lives 10 minutes from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. He never had a reason to show up at the Winter Meetings until today. Grenier conducted a few interviews with local media and hoped to meet later with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. Make a full day of it. "It works out well for me that I live here, that they're coming in," he said. "And with Mike being the new GM and everything, to be able to be in the same...

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Notes on Cobb interest and Villar's position

December 11, 2018, 7:57am

Orioles

Notes on Cobb interest and Villar's position

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles aren't expected to shop Dylan Bundy at the Winter Meetings, with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias referencing the right-hander in a letter sent out to season ticket holders. However, some of the executives who have gathered at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino are curious about the availability of Alex Cobb, who has three years and $43 million remaining on the deal he signed in spring training. I spoke with one executive yesterday who thought the...

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Notes on managerial hire, Ruiz claim and more

December 10, 2018, 7:27pm

Orioles

Notes on managerial hire, Ruiz claim and more

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles will choose a manager from among six candidates, according to executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. However, it's possible for two hires to come out of the process. Elias seems to be leaning more toward experience, preferring someone who's managed in the majors, but he also could hire Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Bell in a coaching capacity. Bell, 44, could serve as bench coach or third base coach under Chip Hale, Brandon Hyde or...

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Elias on manager search, the front office, goals and more

December 10, 2018, 5:12pm

Orioles

Elias on manager search, the front office, goals and more

LAS VEGAS - Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias arrived at the Winter Meetings this morning with his focus primarily on the hiring of a new manager, which would lead to the completion of the coaching staff. The roster isn't being ignored, but there are more pressing matters, including replacements for director of player development Brian Graham and director of scouting Gary Rajsich. Elias praised the work done by assistant Sig Mejdal, director of baseball operations...

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O's will choose manager from six candidates (and other notes)

December 10, 2018, 4:03pm

Orioles

O's will choose manager from six candidates (and other notes)

LAS VEGAS - Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias confirmed this afternoon that he's conducted six in-person interviews for the managerial position and hopes to name a replacement for Buck Showalter later this month. Elias, meeting with the media for about 20 minutes inside his suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, said the process is "pretty far" along and there won't be a second round of interviews. He has all of the information that he needs. Though Elias...

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Orioles claim Rio Ruiz off waivers (and other notes)

December 10, 2018, 10:08am

Orioles

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles subtracted Maryland native Ryan Meisinger from their 40-man roster today and claimed infielder Rio Ruiz off waivers from the Braves. The Cardinals claimed Meisinger before he could clear, ending the feel-good story of the local kid pitching for his favorite team. Meisinger attended Northern High School in Calvert County and made his major league debut on June 29 at Camden Yards. Ruiz, 24, is a left-handed hitting third baseman taken by the Astros in the fourth round of...

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Lunch with Mancini and Givens included in MLB auction experience

December 10, 2018, 7:42am

Orioles

Lunch with Mancini and Givens included in MLB auction experience

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles are providing fans with an opportunity to have lunch with two of their players next year, assist the grounds crew and enjoy a behind-the-scenes experience at Camden Yards. It's also for a good cause, a win-win situation before the first pitch has been thrown. Major League Baseball revealed this morning that its annual charity auction at the Winter Meetings will benefit The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. And the Orioles are offering...

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Day One of the Winter Meetings

December 09, 2018, 6:00pm

Orioles

LAS VEGAS - The first official day of baseball's annual Winter Meetings finally has arrived, though the lobby of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino began to fill up yesterday. The chatter surrounding the Orioles, and there hasn't been much of it, centers on the unique circumstances of team representatives arriving without a manager in tow. The expectation is that they will leave in the same manner, but could draw closer to making a decision. No manager for the media sessions or Wednesday's...

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Former Orioles Harold Baines and Lee Smith headed to Cooperstown

December 09, 2018, 3:28pm

Orioles

LAS VEGAS - The first nugget of news has rolled through baseball's Winter Meetings this afternoon at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. And it picked up a couple of former Orioles. Longtime outfielder/designated hitter Harold Baines and reliever Lee Smith have been chosen for induction in the Hall of Fame by the Today's Game Era Committee. The announcement was made a few minutes ago on MLB Network. Six former major league players, three managers and one executive comprised the list of...

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Prepping for the Winter Meetings

December 08, 2018, 12:28pm

Orioles

The Orioles will leave the Winter Meetings with at least one selection in Thursday morning's Rule 5 draft. This is the only lock. They're holding the first overall pick and intend to use it. Only the names change. Of the players chosen and the executives in charge of making the decisions. Everything else that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias will invite the media into his suite each afternoon beginning on Monday. Dan Duquette used to...

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Bundy on importance of veteran catcher, Mancini on role and rebuild

December 07, 2018, 11:51am

Orioles

Bundy on importance of veteran catcher, Mancini on role and rebuild

Without a manager in place to offer an opinion, it really falls upon executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias to decide whether the Orioles should concentrate on finding a veteran catcher as the Winter Meetings commence in Las Vegas. They can continue negotiations with Caleb Joseph, who's attracting plenty of interest in free agency. Elias also can sit down with other executives to discuss trade proposals and representatives who are pitching their catching clients. Rookies...

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Bundy crunches some numbers

December 06, 2018, 4:59pm

Orioles

Dylan Bundy already knows the numbers. He's seen them or had them recited to him. I wasn't breaking news. Bundy, a call-in guest last night on the "Orioles Hot Stove" show on 105.7 The Fan, managed a chuckle as I cited his issues with the longball. The career-high 41 home runs allowed that led the majors. Let's start there and slowly work our way toward the positive. When I said that Bundy is likely to reflect on the home runs while examining areas that need improving, he replied,...

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Mills and Clark remain under contract with Orioles

December 05, 2018, 1:33pm

Orioles

As we move closer to the start of the Winter Meetings, we can rehash the items on the Orioles' shopping list that don't include a new manager and a coaching staff. The need for a middle infielder, with shortstop seemingly the preference. Veteran pitchers who could be plugged into the rotation or bullpen, because no team really has enough. A veteran catcher after Caleb Joseph was non-tendered. Negotiations with Joseph didn't die after the deadline passed. Do the Orioles need to find another...

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This, that and the other

December 04, 2018, 4:12pm

Orioles

Starter Dylan Bundy and left fielder Trey Mancini are calling into Thursday's "Orioles Hot Stove" show on 105.7 The Fan, which already has my mind racing to come up with the appropriate questions. The inappropriate ones are saved for later. OK, seriously, I'll want to know their feelings on the changes rippling throughout the organization. How Bundy feels about the possibility of a new pitching coach and Mancini a new hitting coach. Do they have a preference for manager? Do they know any...

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Yefry RamÃrez: "I'm just trying to improve overall"

December 03, 2018, 1:10pm

Orioles

Yefry RamÃrez: "I'm just trying to improve overall"

Yefry RamÃrez celebrated his 25th birthday last week in the Dominican Republic by making it a typical day in his offseason life. Lots of sweat. A sharpened focus on his conditioning. And all of it done with the same infectious smile. A hunk of cake, with its sugary temptations, came with a slice of guilt. Save the rose for someone else. RamÃrez dived into a new program as soon as he returned home following his rookie season with the Orioles, when he made 12 starts among his 17 appearances...

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This, that and the other

December 02, 2018, 4:01pm

Orioles

Less than a week before the Winter Meetings begin, if we're counting Sunday's flight to Las Vegas and scant opportunities for media access, and the Orioles seem to be in the phase of their managerial search where they compile a list of candidates to interview. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and his staff have conducted background searches and eliminated names that had grown to more than two dozen, he claimed Thursday night on the "Orioles Hot Stove" show on 105.7...

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Latest reports on Orioles managerial search

December 02, 2018, 10:58am

Orioles

While the Orioles attempt to keep another tight lid on their managerial search, more names are seeping through the cracks. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has confirmed that Nationals bench coach Chip Hale, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde and Royals quality control/catching coach Pedro Grifol are on the list of candidates. Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Bell, younger brother of new Reds manager David Bell, also will interview, according to MLB Network's Peter Gammons. The Orioles...

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More on Joseph's non-tender and his letter to fans

December 01, 2018, 12:45pm

Orioles

More on Joseph's non-tender and his letter to fans

Catcher Caleb Joseph, non-tendered Friday night by the Orioles and a free agent for the first time in his career, is drawing interest from a handful of teams. It didn't take long. Plenty of clubs are checking on available catchers, but the market is flooded, with MLBTradeRumors.com providing the latest update: Drew Butera Robinson Chirinos A.J. Ellis Yasmani Grandal Chris Herrmann Nick Hundley Caleb Joseph Jose Lobaton Jonathan Lucroy MartÃn Maldonado Devin Mesoraco James McCann ...

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More thoughts on Graham's departure from Orioles

November 30, 2018, 5:01pm

Orioles

I woke up yesterday morning feeling quite confident that Brian Graham was staying with the Orioles, whether as director of player development or with an adjusted title and set of duties. His knowledge of the organization, straight down through the farm system, was valued by new executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. He was doing the heavy lifting before Elias' arrival and continued to take on big responsibilities. Graham woke up yesterday with the same sense, given no...