The O's top ten prospects

The O's top ten prospects
Baseball America has released its list of the Orioles current top ten prospects, with Manny Machado number one after playing only a handful of games. That's no surprise really, given the hype about his talents. O's minor league player of the year Joe Mahoney did not make the top ten - Maybe no surprise after the comments we got recently from Jim Callis when he said he felt Mahoney was not a top prospect. Here is the list. Feel free to add your comments. Please note that some of the...
Continue reading

Wondering about a few things

Wondering about a few things
Did you ever wonder...... *Why in baseball, when a fly ball hits that big yellow pole down the line, it's a home run even though it just hit the "foul" pole. *Why baseball doesn't have a stat for team error? When a pop that clearly should be caught, drops between two defenders, the batter should not get credit for that hit. That should be an example of a team error. *If baseball will play a weekday World Series game in the daytime ever again. *Why some fans are so quick to rush to...
Continue reading

The interesting case of Koji

The interesting case of Koji
Koji Uehara went 1-2, 2.86 this season with 13 saves in 15 chances and didn't walk a batter over his last 32 appearances. But to this point, it appears the Orioles haven't made much of an attempt to resign him and Uehara can soon become a Major League free agent. Makes you wonder if the O's are skeptical of Koji's late-season success and ability to handle the closer's role. Maybe they are scared off by all the time he spent on the DL in his two seasons with the club or the fact that...
Continue reading

The role of the coach

The role of the coach
With the news yesterday that Jim Presley is going to be named the new Orioles' hitting coach, I wonder what that means for Terry Crowley. The Crow will become an "offensive evaluator" for the organization, according to reports. Until we hear from Buck Showalter or Andy MacPhail when the new coaching staff is officially announced, I am not sure what his role will be exactly. Is this the club's way of phasing Crowley out or realizing that they need a new voice as hitting coach? Crowley...
Continue reading

A thought about moving Jim Johnson to the rotation

A thought about moving Jim Johnson to the rotation
The date was July 29, 2006. No, that was not the first day I dreamed of one day becoming a blogger. It was the date of Jim Johnson's one and still only Major League appearance as a starting pitcher. He lasted just three innings and gave up nine hits and eight runs in his big league debut. So in parts of five Major League seasons, just one of Johnson's 146 appearances came as a starter after he made 121 minor league starts. Late last season there was some speculation that Johnson wanted a...
Continue reading

Not much happening with the O's free agents

Not much happening with the O's free agents
The deadline has been moved up this year, and five days after the World Series teams can begin to sign free agents. Up until that time, teams can negotiate with and re-sign their own free agents. The Orioles have seven such players, but barring something unforeseen, they are not expected to sign any of them before that date. "I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't think we have anything in the offing," O's president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. "One of things the...
Continue reading

MacPhail talks about the club's organizational meetings

MacPhail talks about the club's organizational meetings
The Orioles are scheduled to hold organizational meetings next week in Arizona. They will hold meetings that begin on Wednesday and run through next Saturday. The assembled will also have some time to check out some Arizona Fall League games. "We'll review our season and our needs," O's president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. "Talk about how we can fill them internally and externally. Go through some housekeeping matters that pertain to the organization. Nothing too out...
Continue reading

When will Jeremy Guthrie get some respect?

When will Jeremy Guthrie get some respect?
I can still remember it now. I wrote a column last winter that got some readers very stirred up. It brought me what felt like an avalanche of criticism. Some questioned my sanity, not to mention my intelligence about baseball. The comment I made was pretty simple. I wrote that, at his best, Jeremy Guthrie is in John Lackey's class as a pitcher. I'd like to remind you that I wrote that about a pitcher coming off a season where he led the league in losses and had an ERA of 5.04. But I...
Continue reading

Mahoney takes Baseball America snub in stride

Mahoney takes Baseball America snub in stride
When I interviewed Joe Mahoney Sunday about his wrist injury that forced him to head home from Venezuela, the topic came up. I asked Mahoney, the O's minor league player of the year, his take on being left off Baseball America's top 20 prospects lists for the Carolina League and the Eastern League. "One of my buddies called and brought it up. We have a running joke that I never get on any of those things. "I'll treat it like other things I see that can be a disappointment, I'll use it...
Continue reading

The O's in winter ball: Not a long list

The O's in winter ball:  Not a long list
It's not a long list, and it's subject to change, but here is the current list of Orioles' players already playing or soon to be playing in winter ball leagues around the world. Puerto Rico: Pitcher Brandon Cooney with Carolina Venezuela: Pitcher Chad Thall with Zulia Mexico: Pitcher Eddie Gamboa with Mexicali Dominican Republic: IF-OF-C Jake Fox with Licey Australia: Pitcher Cole McCurry Pitcher Brett Jacobsen IF-OF Robbie Widlansky OF Ronnie Welty This group of four will soon arrive...
Continue reading

Mahoney headed to Baltimore to have injured wrist checked

Mahoney headed to Baltimore to have injured wrist checked
O's minor league player of the year Joe Mahoney was really looking forward to the challenge of playing winter ball in Venezuela. He arrived there last weekend, just a few days after getting married and joined the Margarita Island team. But before the first game he played in was even over, he was injured. On the second pitch of his fourth at bat, Mahoney came up with a sprained right wrist. He was replaced immediately. "It happened on a swing. I swung through a pitch and felt, not really...
Continue reading

Checking in with some AFL stats & notes

Checking in with some AFL stats & notes
After another win on Saturday, the Arizona Fall League's Scottsdale Scorpions improved to 8-3 and they have the best record in the league. There are eight O's minor leaguers playing on that Scorpions team. Here are the up-to-date stats on all eight. The hitters: Ryan Adams: .333-1-8.......7 games.....9-27 AB. Xavier Avery: .259-0-1.......7 games.....7-27 AB. Caleb Joseph: .417-0-0......4 games....5-12 AB. Greg Miclat: .333-0-1........7 games......9-27 AB. Adams went 0 for 4 on...
Continue reading

Texas takes down the AL East on its way to the Series

Texas takes down the AL East on its way to the Series
Ballgame over. Season over. Yankees lose. Theeeeeeee Yankees lose!!! Of course, I had to go there. Jeffrey Maier II could not even save them. When you flaunt winning like they do, like their fans do, like even their play-by-play announcer does, you have to expect some fans to revel in it when you lose. To some, the Yankees represent excellence - To others, all that is wrong with baseball. Checkbook baseball. Right after they lost Friday night, my first thought was this: If they...
Continue reading

Building the model franchise

Building the model franchise
Here is an interesting question. Is there a model franchise in baseball - one that all others could learn from and should emulate? In this article, a Texas Rangers' executive feels the Red Sox, Angels and Phillies are great franchises for others to emulate. What makes a good franchise? Is it one that produces a steady stream of talent through its farm system? Is it simply completely about wins, no matter what method you get them? Is about consistent winning or the ability to produce a...
Continue reading

Will there be a logjam at the upper levels on the farm?

Will there be a logjam at the upper levels on the farm?
In a recent post I mentioned the possibility of Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell starting next year back at Triple-A Norfolk. A lot can happen between now and next spring to change that, and the two players themselves could come to spring camp and force their way onto the Orioles roster next Opening Day. But if they don't and they start next April at Triple-A, those moves could have ramifications that impact some other good young players on the O's farm. If first and third base at Norfolk...
Continue reading

After surgery, Erbe looks for smoother, cleaner mechanics

After surgery, Erbe looks for smoother, cleaner mechanics
After surgery to repair a torn labrum on August 13th, O's pitching prospect Brandon Erbe is in the very early stages of his comeback and rehab. He hopes to begin some light throwing in December and report to spring training on time in February. It may take a while, though, before he is back to pitching at top form and he is quite aware of that. Erbe is also in the early stages of re-tooling his windup and mechanics. He would like to emerge with smoother, cleaner mechanics after the...
Continue reading

Luke Scott talks about his homer potential

Luke Scott talks about his homer potential
Earlier today in this space, I posted an article about Luke Scott's homer potential. He hit 27 homers this year and that ranked 14th best in the AL. But he was 6th in the AL in at bats per each home run. Scott is a player that has never gotten over 475 at bats in a single season. This year he had 447. With more at bats, could 35 to 40 homers be in reach for Scott? He wonders that as well. "The last three years, look at the power numbers. I hit 23, 25 and 27 homers in under 500 at...
Continue reading

Luke and the longball: How many homers can he hit?

Luke and the longball:  How many homers can he hit?
Here is a question I've been wondering about for a while: How many homers is Luke Scott capable of hitting if he were to get more at bats? Scott hit 27 homers this past season, which ranked 14th best in the American League. But he ranked 6th in the AL in at bats per homer. Here are the top six in at bats per home run this year in the AL: 10.54 - Jose Bautista, Tor 14.05 - Paul Konerko, CWS 14.42 - Miguel Cabrera, Det 16.19 - Josh Hamilton, Tex & David Ortiz, Bos 16.56 - Luke Scott,...
Continue reading

Monday quick takes

Monday quick takes
Checking in with a few thoughts and opinions while waiting for the next Cody Ross homer. Bell and Snyder: The Orioles are not saying it publicly, but it sure seems pretty certain that they are not planning to start either Josh Bell or Brandon Snyder in their infield to begin next season. There are two schools of thought here: You could just send them both out for the whole O's season in 2011, realize you are still most likely a ways from making the playoffs and let them sink or swim at the...
Continue reading

This just in: Tom Hicks says he was stupid

This just in:  Tom Hicks says he was stupid
When you list the men that have helped escalate salaries in baseball over the years like Marvin Miller, Don Fehr and Scott Boras, don't leave out the name Tom Hicks. He was the owner of the Texas Rangers who gave Alex Rodriguez a 10-year, $252 million dollar contract in December of 2000. Hicks now agrees that was a dumb move. Well, duh. Most of the baseball world knew it was a dumb move then. I don't remember every detail and won't try to rewrite history here. But, by my recollection,...
Continue reading