Roch Kubatko

Heading to the Winter Meetings

December 03, 2016, 7:07pm

Orioles

The day has arrived. There's no turning back. I couldn't find anyone to lock me out, so it's impossible to avoid the madness of the annual Winter Meetings. At least I can drive to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. - technically Oxon Hill, but let's not quibble - rather than hop on a flight. You'll hear my tires screech about 20 minutes after Thursday morning's Rule 5 draft. I'm packing an extra pair of sneakers for all of the rumor chasing. It's...

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More from Showalter and another look at new labor agreement

December 02, 2016, 12:19pm

Orioles

More from Showalter and another look at new labor agreement

The Orioles will attempt to improve their pitching depth before opening day, no matter how long it takes. The rotation and the bullpen. They're always interested in arms. In the meantime, manager Buck Showalter likes his much-maligned rotation and expects other teams to exhibit interest in his starters. And he doesn't care if the folks doing the projections disagree with him. "Very quietly, I think our pitching actually is in a lot better shape than people think, especially our bullpen,"...

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Orioles non-tender Vance Worley (with Duquette quote)

December 02, 2016, 11:50am

Orioles

Though Vance Worley is valued for his contributions in a variety of roles, he won't be tendered a contract for the 2017 season. The Orioles decided to non-tender Worley, a much-anticipated move given his projected bump in salary and Wednesday's acquisition of pitcher Logan Verrett from the Mets. Infielder Ryan Flaherty and left-hander T.J. McFarland were tendered contracts - they were on the bubble - leaving the Orioles with 36 players on their 40-man roster. Worley posted a 3.53 ERA in 35...

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Orioles claim outfielder Adam Walker off waivers

December 02, 2016, 9:36am

Orioles

The Orioles exhibited their love of power again today, claiming minor league corner outfielder Adam Walker off waivers from the Brewers. Lots of power and contact issues. Walker, a 25-year-old right-handed hitter, led the minors this year with 202 strikeouts in 531 plate appearances with Triple-A Rochester in the Twins organization. He also had 22 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs and 75 RBIs to go with a .243/.305/.479 slash line in 132 games. Walker totaled 31 doubles, seven triples, 27...

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Hearing from Duquette and Showalter leading into Winter Meetings

December 01, 2016, 5:15pm

Orioles

Hearing from Duquette and Showalter leading into Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings officially start on Monday, though everyone rolls into town the previous day to get settled and soak up the atmosphere. And I'm bringing the sarcasm hard on that last part. I sat down yesterday with Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette to touch on a few topics, including tonight's 8 p.m. deadline to tender contracts to the 10 arbitration-eligible players. "We've got a good idea what we're going to do," Duquette said. "I think last year we went down to the...

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Spring training report dates and other notes

December 01, 2016, 12:43pm

Orioles

Spring training report dates and other notes

The Orioles have announced their report dates for 2017 spring training in Sarasota. Pitchers and catchers will report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Feb. 13, with the first workout held the following day. Position players will gather on Feb. 16, with the first full-squad workout the following day. If past years are any indication, the vast majority of Orioles will be in Sarasota before position players are due. Many of them work out in January. Center fielder Adam Jones, third baseman Manny...

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Orioles sign outfielder Logan Schafer (plus other notes)

December 01, 2016, 6:39am

Orioles

The Orioles acquired a left-handed hitting outfielder today as the Winter Meetings approach, though it involves a minor league deal. The club announced that it signed Logan Schafer, 30, to a minor league contract. He will receive an invitation to spring training. Schafer is a career .214/.292/.318 hitter in 318 games over parts of six major league seasons, the first five spent with the Brewers. He batted .238/.342/.317 this year in 26 games with the Twins. A former third-round pick, Schafer...

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Non-tender candidates, no increase in ticket prices and more

November 30, 2016, 2:17pm

Orioles

Non-tender candidates, no increase in ticket prices and more

We may have finally reached the end of the awards season in Major League Baseball, unless it sneaks another one past me, but the next big date is almost upon us. The deadline for teams to offer contracts to their arbitration-eligible players arrives on Friday. The Orioles have 10 of them. Perhaps you don't have the list memorized. Let me offer my assistance, complete with MLBTradeRumors.com's projected salaries: Chris Tillman - $10.6MM Ryan Flaherty - $1.7MM Zach Britton - $11.4MM Vance...

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Orioles acquire Logan Verrett from Mets

November 30, 2016, 8:51am

Orioles

The Orioles are bringing back one of their former Rule 5 picks. The club announced this afternoon that it acquired right-hander Logan Verrett from the Mets in exchange for cash considerations. Verrett, 26, was chosen from the Mets at the 2014 Winter Meetings, exposed to waivers in spring training and claimed by the Rangers, who later returned him to his original organization. The Orioles kept their other Rule 5 acquisition, right-hander Jason Garcia, regarded as less polished but having a...

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The Thames deal and wondering if Carter may impact Trumbo

November 29, 2016, 5:07pm

Orioles

The Thames deal and wondering if Carter may impact Trumbo

The Orioles are known to check the Korean Baseball Organization for potential fits on their pitching staff and in their lineup, but they passed on outfielder Eric Thames, who signed a three-year deal with the Brewers. Let's go over this again. Eric Thames received a three-year deal from a major league team that includes an option for a fourth season and reportedly is worth $16 million guaranteed after posting a .250/.296/.431 slash line in 181 career games with the Blue Jays and Mariners. The...

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Urrutia's tweet, Hall of Fame veterans and Ohlman's new team

November 28, 2016, 12:21pm

Orioles

Urrutia's tweet, Hall of Fame veterans and Ohlman's new team

Since I've been covering the Orioles fulltime in 1997, there haven't been many feel-good stories that can top Henry Urrutia's climb to the majors. His defection from Cuba after a failed attempt, the struggle to get from Haiti to Miami, his acclimation to life in the U.S. - including how he crashed through the language barrier - the walk-off home run against the Mets and the tears that followed as he talked about giving the ball to his infant son. Urrutia isn't feeling good these days. His...

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Orioles deciding on a leadoff hitter

November 27, 2016, 3:55pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't hesitate last month when asked whether he'd prefer someone else batting atop the order in 2017. He offered up his appreciation of Adam Jones and made it clear that he wanted to go in another direction. This was one of those instances where you didn't need to read between the lines. "Adam did well there for a while and I think to take better advantage of his skills, in a perfect world, he'd hit somewhere else in the order," Showalter said at the...

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This, that and the other

November 25, 2016, 12:31pm

Orioles

Life comes with few certainties beyond death, taxes and long lines for the men's room at football games. But you will be 100 percent correct if you predict that the Orioles will make at least one selection in the Rule 5 draft at next month's Winter Meetings. The final day is more predictable than the ending of a romantic comedy. Team meets minor leaguer, team falls in love and they wind up together. Roll the credits. The Orioles could try to stash a reliever in their bullpen, as they did with...

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Will the Orioles be left with Kim as the everyday left fielder?

November 24, 2016, 7:15am

Orioles

Under the heading of "obvious needs" for the Orioles, you're going to find references to the hole in right field and at designated hitter. You're going to hear about a veteran catcher, though standing pat isn't the worst idea, according to some folks in the industry. Same with the bullpen. The one that is less obvious involves left field and the possibility of a right-handed hitter to platoon with Hyun Soo Kim. Is it necessary? The question is aimed in two directions. Kim may have earned...

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Can Donnie Hart make the team and change a perception?

November 23, 2016, 9:40am

Orioles

Can Donnie Hart make the team and change a perception?

While still waiting for Aretha Franklin to finish her version of the anthem before the Vikings-Lions game ... It's been established that the Orioles are in the market for another reliever this winter. Maybe two. They'd take a left-hander or a right-hander. It's a call to more arms. Donnie Hart has no idea whether he's got a spot reserved in the bullpen, but he's making the assumption that he must earn it. That's been the pattern with Hart and he doesn't expect it to change overnight. The...

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Another chance to give thanks

November 23, 2016, 9:30am

Orioles

With the pitching coach and bullpen coach vacancies filled this week, and on the same day no less, the Orioles can turn their collective attention to replacing director of pitching development Rick Peterson. They also may want to replace the title. Minor league pitching coordinator is more to the point. Executive vice president Dan Duquette, vice president Brady Anderson and manager Buck Showalter again will be involved in the process, and director of player development Brian Graham figures to...

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Donnie Hart and Alan Mills reunited again

November 22, 2016, 1:27pm

Orioles

Donnie Hart and Alan Mills reunited again

In Donnie Hart's world, Alan Mills was destined to join the Orioles coaching staff next season. It couldn't happen any other way. Trace Hart's professional career and you'll run into Mills, his pitching coach every year, beginning with short-season Single-A Aberdeen in 2013. Hart moved up to low Single-A Delmarva in 2014 and Mills was waiting for him. He climbed to Double-A Bowie in 2015 and Mills was waiting for him. They were together for 40 games at Bowie this season before Hart received...

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McDowell on becoming Orioles pitching coach

November 22, 2016, 10:45am

Orioles

New Orioles pitching coach Roger McDowell anticipates a smooth transition for the staff he's inheriting because of his relationship with the man he's replacing. McDowell was close to Dave Wallace, who retired from major league coaching after the season and returned to the Braves organization. "I mentored under Dave Wallace and I also have a very good friendship with Dom Chiti," McDowell said this afternoon in a conference call with the local media. "I learned everything I know about being...

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Orioles add McDowell and Mills to coaching staff

November 22, 2016, 7:47am

Orioles

Bullpen teammates with the 1996 Orioles are reuniting in Baltimore. The Orioles announced today that they've hired Roger McDowell as pitching coach and Alan Mills as bullpen coach. McDowell replaces Dave Wallace, who will serve in an advisory/instructional role with the Braves. Mills replaces Dom Chiti, who will serve as Atlanta's senior director of pitching. McDowell, 55, spent 11 seasons as Braves pitching coach. He previously worked as pitching coach of the Single-A South Georgia Waves in...

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Leftovers for breakfast

November 21, 2016, 4:18pm

Orioles

Not only are the Orioles preparing pay increases for the arbitration-eligible players who will be tendered contracts for 2017, they also are considering contract extensions for part of the group. There's no time like the present. The Orioles failed in the past to reach agreement with pitcher Chris Tillman and third baseman Manny Machado, though talks never reached a point where deals were realistic. That's especially true with Tillman, who made headlines a few springs ago when word broke that...