Roch Kubatko

Machado denied a third Gold Glove Award (updated)

November 07, 2017, 4:15pm

Orioles

Machado denied a third Gold Glove Award (updated)

A dip in defensive metrics may have denied Manny Machado a third Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Machado lost out to the Rays' Evan Longoria tonight among American League third basemen, with the announcement coming via ESPN. The Indians' JosÃ© RamÃrez also was a finalist. Gold Gloves were delivered to Machado in 2013 - the same year that he won the Platinum Glove as best overall defensive player - and 2015. The pattern of winning every other year, as brief as it was, ended tonight. Machado...

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Because You Asked - "The Secret of the Ooze"

November 07, 2017, 2:34pm

Orioles

Because You Asked - "The Secret of the Ooze"

With a break in the awards shows - the Silver Sluggers are announced on Thursday and the Wilson Defensive Players of the Year on Friday - it's a convenient time to rummage through the ol' mailbag again and delve into the duplicates. You ask and I answer. Someone else asks and I answer again. And the dance continues until my feet swell. I skipped the ones asking, "Who exactly will the Orioles sign this winter?" I already feel pretty useless. Let's not crush my spirit completely. Otherwise,...

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Interest in Cashner and Vargas, Wynns, Gold Gloves and more

November 06, 2017, 2:17pm

Orioles

Interest in Cashner and Vargas, Wynns, Gold Gloves and more

Though the Orioles aren't offering up names of pitchers who are targeted in free agency, there's definite interest in Andrew Cashner and left-hander Jason Vargas to plug holes in a rotation with only two returning starters. MLBTradeRumors.com predicted that Cashner will receive a two-year, $20 million contract from the Athletics. Past injuries and a decrease in fastball velocity are marks against him, and he's a pitch-to-contact guy, while the Orioles could use the strikeouts. He averaged...

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Trey Mancini a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year (updated)

November 06, 2017, 1:08pm

Orioles

Trey Mancini a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year (updated)

With Aaron Judge a lock to be named American League Rookie of the Year, cracking the top three finalists can be viewed as a nice consolation prize. Trey Mancini will take it. Mancini, Judge and Red Sox's outfielder Andrew Benintendi were revealed as finalists tonight on MLB Network. The winner will be announced on Nov. 13. Judge, the Yankees' baseball-crushing right fielder, should gather all of the first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Benintendi...

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Award finalists revealed tonight

November 05, 2017, 5:37pm

Orioles

The Orioles are supposed to find out by 5 p.m. today whether catcher Welington Castillo will exercise or decline his $7 million option for next season. I checked around yesterday and no one had received official word. The expectation remains that Castillo will enter the free agent market. Meanwhile, the hype machine gets revved up tonight as we enter the awards portion of our offseason. Finalists will be revealed on MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. for Most Valuable Player, Cy Young Award,...

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Thoughts on coaches returning in 2018

November 04, 2017, 5:35pm

Orioles

Left-hander Tanner Scott allowed one hit and struck out four batters last night over two scoreless innings in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game. Ryan Mountcastle, batting third and playing third base, doubled and drove in a run. Meanwhile, the news that the Orioles were inviting back all of their coaches for the 2018 season drew mixed reactions on this blog and Twitter, which is exactly what should be expected. You can't get everyone on the same page. That would be boring - and a...

Castillo declines option for 2018 (updated with quote)

November 04, 2017, 9:57am

Orioles

Castillo declines option for 2018 (updated with quote)

Catcher Welington Castillo severed his ties to the Orioles today, as expected, by declining the $7 million player option on his contract. They could reconnect later this winter, with both sides leaving the door open, but it's unlikely to happen. Today was the deadline for Castillo to inform the club, which I'm told he still hadn't done this morning. It seemed to be a formality. Castillo immediately becomes one of the top catchers on the free agent market, rivaled only by Jonathan Lucroy and...

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Werthan walks, my case for Cain and more

November 03, 2017, 5:03pm

Orioles

Werthan walks, my case for Cain and more

The Phillies keep dipping into the Orioles' baseball operations department, mining for talent that again leaves a sizeable void back in Baltimore. Ben Werthan won't return in 2018 as the Orioles' advance scouting coordinator, accepting a job yesterday as Phillies minor league player information coordinator. He held his position in Baltimore for the past six years. Werthan, 31, reported directly to manager Buck Showalter and led the team's advance scouting process. Showalter often raved...

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Orioles decline options on Hardy and Miley

November 03, 2017, 1:54pm

Orioles

The Orioles have officially parted ways with shortstop J.J. Hardy and left-hander Wade Miley, declining to exercise their respective options for the 2018 season and allowing them to become free agents. It feels like the end of an era with Hardy, who spent the last seven years in Baltimore and won Gold Gloves from 2012-2014. He goes down as one of former executive Andy MacPhail's top acquisitions with the Orioles, and one of the most important in franchise history. MacPhail sent minor league...

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Notes on Castillo, free agent predictions and more

November 02, 2017, 12:28pm

Orioles

Notes on Castillo, free agent predictions and more

The Orioles are one more day away, at the most, from receiving official word that catcher Welington Castillo is declining his $7 million option for 2018 and entering the free agent market. Nothing has happened over the last month that leads them to believe in a different outcome. There's always the chance that everyone is floored by a reversal. Never say never. But it would be a huge shocker. Castillo was more likely to return after batting .175/.230/.386 in June and .258/.298/.412 in the...

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austin wynns caleb joseph chance sisco chris tillman dylan bundy orioles welington castillo featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Seven Orioles officially hit free agency

November 02, 2017, 9:47am

Orioles

The conclusion of the World Series last night ignited the start of free agency, beginning with 149 players hitting the market earlier this afternoon. The list, made available by the Major League Baseball Players Association, includes Orioles pitchers Chris Tillman, Ubaldo JimÃ©nez and Jeremy Hellickson, designated hitter Pedro Ãlvarez, outfielders Seth Smith and Craig Gentry, and utility infielder Ryan Flaherty. Three more Orioles will join the group. Catcher Welington Castillo is expected...

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chris tillman craig gentry j.j. hardy jeremy hellickson orioles pedro alvarez ryan flaherty seth smith ubaldo jimenez wade miley welington castillo featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Questions regarding Machado, Brach, Wynns and Mountcastle

November 01, 2017, 1:41pm

Orioles

Questions regarding Machado, Brach, Wynns and Mountcastle

Let's take a look at four more questions confronting the Orioles as the offseason really kicks in following the World Series. Last-place teams have lots of them. Questions, not World Series. I've been picking and choosing which ones to highlight. The level of importance varies, but each topic is worth discussing. Should the Orioles push to negotiate a new deal for Manny Machado beyond spring training? There's an ice-breaker offer, the preliminary kind that the Orioles presented Chris Tillman...

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Orioles extend offers to entire coaching staff

October 31, 2017, 6:10pm

Orioles

The entire Orioles coaching staff has been invited to return for the 2018 season. Contracts were being sent out tonight, according to multiple sources. The deals are for one year. Orioles manager Buck Showalter had expressed a desire to keep the staff intact and the process unfolded today. The coaches have the freedom to decline the offers extended to them, but everyone is expected to come back. They just need to sign and return the contracts. Bench coach John Russell, hitting coach Scott...

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Orioles can sit out the qualifying offer process

October 31, 2017, 7:34am

Orioles

The offseason can provide various doses of drama as important dates drop off the calendar. For the Orioles, the qualifying offer process should be duller than an insurance seminar. Teams must decide whether to extend the offer to its free agents within five days after the World Series. The Orioles should have 11 players on the market and none of them are expected to receive it. Only five players in the past five seasons have accepted the offer, including former Orioles catcher Matt Wieters in...

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Notes on Britton, Fielding Bible Awards, spring games and more

October 30, 2017, 3:04pm

Orioles

Notes on Britton, Fielding Bible Awards, spring games and more

Someone needs to explain to me why the World Series managers would consider pulling their starting pitchers and turning to bullpens that insult Dumpster fires whenever comparisons are made. Justin Verlander could give up five runs in the first inning tonight and run his pitch count to 72, and I'd look the other way. Same with Rich Hill on the home side. He was removed in Game 2 after allowing one run, striking out seven batters and throwing 60 pitches in four innings, and the Astros rallied...

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Scott, Mountcastle named to AFL Fall Stars Game (FanFest note)

October 30, 2017, 10:23am

Orioles

Scott, Mountcastle named to AFL Fall Stars Game (FanFest note)

Two Orioles prospects have been chosen to participate in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, which airs Saturday night on MLB Network. Left-hander Tanner Scott and infielder Ryan Mountcastle are included on the East Team. They're playing for the Salt River Rafters in the AFL. Scott is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts with the Rafters. He's allowed six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits in seven innings, with six walks and five strikeouts. Mountcastle, playing third base as he...

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What's left for the Orioles among starter candidates?

October 29, 2017, 7:20pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter provided one of the early light-hearted moments at Saturday morning's KidsPeace Trick-or-Trot 5K/1-mile walk at Camden Yards. And I'm not referring to his humorous reaction to my Wonder Woman costume, which both amused and disturbed him. Taking the microphone to offer his appreciation and encouragement to the crowd, Showalter said, "We're looking for good runners, good costumes and left-handed starting pitching." Two out of three ain't bad. The pitching will...

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Minor update on major league coaches (and other notes)

October 28, 2017, 7:31pm

Orioles

Minor update on major league coaches (and other notes)

There's no real update on the Orioles coaching staff, but I can offer a little clarity on the situation. Not all of the contracts expire on Tuesday. The coaches who came up from the minor league system have deals that run through the end of the year. Third base coach Bobby Dickerson, bullpen coach Alan Mills and assistant hitting coach Howie Clark fall into the latter category. Dickerson was minor league infield coordinator before replacing DeMarlo Hale in December 2012. Mills was Double-A...

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Cobb figures to be too costly for Orioles

October 27, 2017, 4:53pm

Orioles

The Orioles must do more than tinker with their rotation. With the possible departures of four starters, it requires a complete overhaul before opening day. Ubaldo JimÃ©nez, Chris Tillman and Jeremy Hellickson are pending free agents and Wade Miley could join them, with the Orioles expected to decline his $12 million option. Tillman could be re-signed at a significantly reduced rate, but other holes must be plugged. I've heard that Miley would like a return to the National League, where he...

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Showalter moves up active list, Miller moves on to next career

October 26, 2017, 4:10pm

Orioles

Showalter moves up active list, Miller moves on to next career

The Red Sox, Yankees and Nationals made the playoffs this season and all three managers are out of work. It's a tough business. With Joe Girardi's removal yesterday as Yankees skipper, Buck Showalter moves up to fourth on the list of longest tenured managers behind the Angels' Mike Scioscia, the Giants' Bruce Bochy and the Royals' Ned Yost. Scioscia was hired after the 1999 season, Bochy after 2006 and Yost in May 2010. The Orioles hired Showalter on July 29, 2010 and he was in the dugout...