Roch Kubatko

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...

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Orioles non-tender Beckham and Joseph

November 30, 2018, 3:24pm

Orioles

The Orioles have decided to non-tender infielder Tim Beckham and catcher Caleb Joseph, releasing them into the free agent market and clearing two spots on the 40-man roster. Every other player on the 40-man roster was tendered a contract, including pitchers Dylan Bundy and Mychal Givens and infielder Jonathan Villar, who are eligible for arbitration. The Orioles will try to avoid hearings with the trio. Beckham didn't heat up at the plate until September, when he batted .297/.348/.484 with...

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Graham won't remain with Orioles in 2019 (with statement)

November 30, 2018, 5:22am

Orioles

The Orioles are continuing to make dramatic changes throughout the organization, removing director of player development Brian Graham this morning, according to a source. Graham returned to the organization in October 2007 after serving as the Pirates' interim general manager and was named director of player development six years later. He had been handling the GM duties for the Orioles on an interim basis after they decided to part ways with executive vice president Dan Duquette. During his...

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More on tonight's deadline and Elias' radio interview

November 29, 2018, 5:10pm

Orioles

More on tonight's deadline and Elias' radio interview

The latest deadline in baseball's offseason has arrived tonight with teams needing to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players by 8 p.m. I've hit this subject harder than a Chinese food buffet, but hey, let's review it anyway: The Orioles have three obvious decisions regarding Dylan Bundy, Mychal Givens and Jonathan Villar. They aren't candidates to be non-tendered and we'll find out later if executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias is willing to trade them...

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Elias addresses managerial search and other topics

November 29, 2018, 3:42pm

Orioles

Elias addresses managerial search and other topics

The search for a new Orioles manager remains the top priority for executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. No other task at the moment supersedes it. And while Elias is hesitant to offer too many specifics, he spoke tonight of progress made through the narrowing of his list. Elias, a call-in guest to the "Orioles Hot Stove" radio show on 105.7 The Fan, said the staff has sifted through an impressive number of possibilities. He noted the input from assistant Sig Mejdal and...

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Orioles ink Josh Lucas to minor league deal

November 28, 2018, 1:39pm

Orioles

Mike Elias has tapped into his Cardinals past to find pitching for the Orioles. The Orioles announced this evening that they've signed right-hander Josh Lucas to a minor league contract. The Cardinals drafted him in the 21st round in 2010 and he spent seven seasons in the organization. Elias, hired earlier this month as the Orioles' executive vice president and general manager, worked in the scouting department in St. Louis before joining the Astros in 2012. Lucas, 28, appeared in five game...

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Sig Mejdal talks about his arrival in Baltimore and work that awaits

November 28, 2018, 9:14am

Orioles

Sig Mejdal talks about his arrival in Baltimore and work that awaits

Sig Mejdal had no idea that he'd eventually be working in the Orioles front office when deciding to let his contract with the Astros run out in order to pursue other opportunities. It wasn't part of some grand scheme to get inside the B&O Warehouse. He can be described as a visionary of sorts, but not in this way. A perfect storm carried Mejdal to Baltimore. The organization surrendering to a full teardown and rebuild. The hiring of former Astros assistant Mike Elias as executive vice...

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Considering challenges of constructing a coaching staff

November 27, 2018, 3:46pm

Orioles

Considering challenges of constructing a coaching staff

The Orioles haven't laid out a time frame for hiring a new manager, with Mike Elias offering confirmation last week during his introduction as executive vice president and general manager. A process too important to be rushed. A list too long to be chopped in hasty fashion. To quote Elias: "It's not something to rush for the sake of meeting artificial dates in the wintertime." Meanwhile, contracts for the entire coaching staff expired on Oct. 31. No one has landed a new job, from what I can...

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Rajsich won't return to Orioles in 2019

November 27, 2018, 8:37am

Orioles

The sweeping changes within the Orioles organization have impacted director of scouting Gary Rajsich. Rajsich won't return to the Orioles next season, according to multiple sources. The decision was made before his contract expired on Friday. New executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias is in charge of making hires within each department, and scouting is undergoing a major overhaul. Former executive vice president Dan Duquette hired Rajsich in November 2011 as one of his first...

Orioles outright Vielma

November 27, 2018, 7:15am

Orioles

Elgelb Vielma might actually stick with one organization before spring training. The Orioles outrighted Vielma to Triple-A Norfolk this morning after designating him for assignment on Tuesday to create an opening for pitcher Dillon Tate on the 40-man roster. Tate's contract was purchased from Double-A Bowie to protect him in the Rule 5 draft that's going to be held on Dec. 13 at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Engelb cleared waivers, a departure from his odyssey last offseason. The Giants...

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Important offseasons for Ortiz, Harvey and Hays

November 26, 2018, 12:58pm

Orioles

Important offseasons for Ortiz, Harvey and Hays

The Winter Meetings in Las Vegas get underway in less than two weeks, which will give the local media a chance to begin forging a relationship with new executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. You can really get to know a person when congregating daily inside his suite and engaging in formal and casual conversations. Learn more about his tactics to construct a roster and his personality. The Orioles also could have a new manager, which is a top priority as we move closer to...