Steve Melewski

Chris Holt with insights on two new 40-man roster pitchers

November 23, 2021, 2:13pm

Orioles

Chris Holt with insights on two new 40-man roster pitchers

When the Orioles made their 40-man roster additions last week, ahead of the scheduled Rule 5 draft next month, they added two hard-throwing relievers. Both flew under the radar during the 2021 season, but the team was clearly watching. And the team was seeing the potential in right-handers FÃ©lix Bautista, 26, and Logan Gillaspie, 24. Both may not yet be well-known to Orioles fans, but that could change over the next few seasons. Both could play roles in future O's bullpens. During an...

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One-time O's signee and trade chip cashes in via free agency

November 22, 2021, 1:56pm

Orioles

One-time O's signee and trade chip cashes in via free agency

It all made sense at the time of the trade on July 31, 2014. The Orioles had a chance to win the American League East for the first time since 1997. At the time of that deal, the Orioles had not reached as far as the AL Championship Series since 1997. But after the deal, they would both win the AL East and advance to the ALCS. The price was steep, though, to get lefty reliever Andrew Miller. The Orioles had to part with their No. 3 prospect and a top 100 pitcher who was then at Double-A Bowie,...

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Looking at a few free agent options for back end of rotation

November 21, 2021, 12:21pm

Orioles

Looking at a few free agent options for back end of rotation

Time to take a look at a few more free agent starting pitchers. No, we are not looking at the very best, not even close, but diving into the much more shallow end of the pool. It's an attempt to be realistic here and not get too far ahead of ourselves. Will there be a day when the Orioles look to sign or trade for a top starting pitcher? We sure hope so, but we're not there yet. In recent posts here and here, we looked at six pitchers that MLBTradeRumors.com listed in the category of older...

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Big win total not necessary for Cy Young winners

November 20, 2021, 11:23am

Orioles

Big win total not necessary for Cy Young winners

One thing that was somewhat noticeable this week when the Cy Young Award winners were announced was that neither pitcher that won had a lot of pitching wins for 2021. Wins for pitchers don't seem to have nearly the value they once did. The American League winner was Toronto's Robbie Ray. He went 13-7 with a 2.84 ERA that ranked first in the league over 193 1/3 innings with a 1.04 WHIP and .210 batting average against. The National League winner was Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes, who was 11-5...

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After 40-man addition, does Bradish help rotation next year?

November 19, 2021, 4:31pm

Orioles

After 40-man addition, does Bradish help rotation next year?

The Orioles' 40-man roster filled up pretty fast. In a span of a few hours it went from 32 to 39 as the club acquired a player on waivers Friday and later added six of its own from the farm. The Orioles added infielder Lucius Fox on waivers from Kansas City. And then early last night the club announced the addition of six players from its farm system to the 40-man. This ensures those players cannot be taken in next month's Rule 5 draft. The club added five pitchers in DL Hall, Kyle Bradish,...

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More gains for minor league players, plus other notes

November 18, 2021, 1:05pm

Orioles

More gains for minor league players, plus other notes

As the second year of play since the restructuring of the minor leagues is set to begin in 2022, there will be a first coming for the players. The big league teams will be responsible for housing the minor league players and covering utilities. Major League Baseball issued a press release on Thursday announcing these plans. One big headache and expense is now off the plates of the minor leaguers. Coupled with the modest salary increases that began in 2021, the players are making some financial...

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Can new hitting coaches help O's lagging OBP stats?

November 17, 2021, 2:24pm

Orioles

Can new hitting coaches help O's lagging OBP stats?

The Orioles seemingly always rank near the bottom of the American League in on-base percentage. It's an important stat and this year in the American League the average team OBP was .316. The Orioles ranked 12th among the 15 clubs in the AL at .304. Since they won the AL East in 2014, the Orioles have ranked 12th or lower in the league in team OBP five times in eight seasons. Their best mark was when they were eighth in 2020. When it comes to walk rate (the percentage of times a hitter walks...

Will a 100 mph fastball get this pitcher on the 40-man roster?

November 16, 2021, 12:20pm

Orioles

Will a 100 mph fastball get this pitcher on the 40-man roster?

When it comes to some of the best bullpens in baseball, they seem to be filled with flame-throwing pitchers that can throws fastballs in the high 90s and maybe even touch 100 mph. Of course, velocity is not everything, but it sure has some importance, and teams keep rolling out those throwing some serious heat in the middle to late innings. As the Orioles decide which players to add to their 40-man roster this week, and thus protect those players from being taken in the December Rule 5 draft,...

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After Bowie's solid year on offense, O's promote from within

November 15, 2021, 2:33pm

Orioles

After Bowie's solid year on offense, O's promote from within

As I talked with and interviewed several hitters that were having big seasons on the Orioles farm during the 2021 season, it became clear that those players believed in the organization's hitting program. At times, we saw that program embrace the talent it drafted and acquired and turn their program into results. It was likely encouraging for Birdland to see this and yesterday it led to Double-A Bowie hitting coach Ryan Fuller getting promoted to the major league staff. Fuller joins Matt...

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One player that is looking for a bounceback 2022 season

November 14, 2021, 11:45am

Orioles

One player that is looking for a bounceback 2022 season

When it comes to players on the Orioles who could come up in trade talks this winter, outfielder Anthony Santander might be on that list - maybe near the top of it. The Orioles are building a nice surplus of young outfielders and the latest group, including players like Kyle Stowers and Robert Neustrom, are closing in on the majors. Their day could be coming and a spot might need to be opened for someone to slide into. Santander has value to other teams. They remember his big 2020 season, one...

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A few more questions for O's fans

November 13, 2021, 11:45am

Orioles

Time for you, my very appreciated readers, to take a few minutes today and answer a few more questions I am throwing out and at you today. Not throwing at you like a beanball pitcher, but you get the point. With my (lack of) velocity, the pitch wouldn't hurt anyway. The World Series is over and the team with the fewest regular-season wins to make the playoffs won it. So hey, the Orioles' rebuilding could culminate in a playoff spot with just 88 wins? Yes, it is possible, but this year 88 wins...

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In 2021, this lefty elevated his game on O's farm

November 12, 2021, 1:06pm

Orioles

In 2021, this lefty elevated his game on O's farm

On the Orioles farm this season, this lefty had a Minor League Pitcher of the Year kind of season. He led the organization in wins and innings. He was among the best in ERA and had a low walk rate. He pitched well at two levels and ended the year on a roll, pitching well in the Double-A playoffs. But Grayson Rodriguez was better and any O's farm pitcher could have said that after the 2021 season. So, yes, that was a given, but for lefty Drew Rom, 21, it was a banner season. One that began at...

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Mullins on his Silver Slugger Award, plus other notes

November 11, 2021, 2:59pm

Orioles

Mullins on his Silver Slugger Award, plus other notes

Numerous Orioles have won Silver Sluggers since the award debuted in 1980. But before Cedric Mullins, not many - maybe any - came as far with their game as he did to go from the depths to such heights. In his first three seasons in the majors - from 2018 through 2020 - Mullins had a .632 OPS with seven homers in 418 career plate appearances. His OPS+ went from 72 in his career entering this year to 135 during a 2021 season when he became the first Oriole ever with 30 or more homers and steals...

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Cedric Mullins wins a Silver Slugger Award

November 11, 2021, 1:51pm

Orioles

Cedric Mullins wins a Silver Slugger Award

After producing a .878 OPS and the first 30-30 season in Orioles history, center fielder Cedric Mullins tonight has become the team's first Silver Slugger Award winner since 2016. Mullins began the night among eight finalists for three American League outfield Silver Slugger Awards and Mullins has been named a winner in the AL outfield along with Toronto's Teoscar HernÃ¡ndez and Aaron Judge of New York. The winners were announced in a live broadcast on MLB Network. Mark Trumbo, as a...

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Notes on free agent dollars, Vespi's Fall Stars nod and more

November 10, 2021, 2:50pm

Orioles

Notes on free agent dollars, Vespi's Fall Stars nod and more

If predictions prove to be mostly accurate, this winter's baseball free agent class will bring in some huge collective dollars in salary. Some big contracts could be signed. How this all plays out is pending the collective bargaining talks on a new labor contract, but there will come a time when the deals get done, and the contracts could be something. Last year via free agency, just three players signed total deals of $100 million or more. They were George Springer (six years, $150 million)...

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If Kjerstad produces as expected, O's have deep depth in the outfield

November 09, 2021, 12:29pm

Orioles

If Kjerstad produces as expected, O's have deep depth in the outfield

The recent news that young outfielder Heston Kjerstad is a full go at the Orioles' instructional league camp in Florida was encouraging and a nice move forward for the player selected No. 2 overall from the University of Arkansas in the 2020 draft. He was the third-highest player ever taken by the organization. But dealing with the effects of myocarditis has kept him off the field and created some uncertainty about his future. And while there are no guarantees going forward, the Orioles now...

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O's Ryan Mountcastle will not win Rookie of the Year

November 08, 2021, 1:08pm

Orioles

O's Ryan Mountcastle will not win Rookie of the Year

He may have ranked first among all American League qualifying rookies in homers this year and second in RBIs, but the Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle will not be the club's seventh Rookie of the Year winner in the AL. When the three finalists for the Baseball Writers' Association of America award, to be announced Monday, were announced last night, he was not among them. For me, that was surprising. So the one Orioles player who we thought had a chance to contend for or even win one of the major...

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Sometimes pitchers blossom late like this ex-Oriole did

November 07, 2021, 12:38pm

Orioles

Sometimes pitchers blossom late like this ex-Oriole did

It was on July 31, 2018 when the Atlanta Braves acquired right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Orioles in a six-player deadline-beating trade that also brought the Orioles international bonus money. The faltering Birds were headed into full-on rebuild mode and their top pick from 2012 (No. 4 overall in that draft) was heading out the door. Just over a year later - on Aug. 5, 2019 - the Braves waived Gausman after he had gone 3-7 with a 6.19 ERA that year. He was 28 and his career was trending in...

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With playoffs over, CBA talks now move to the forefront

November 06, 2021, 6:35pm

Orioles

With playoffs over, CBA talks now move to the forefront

Now that the baseball season is over, the baseball labor talks are on the clock. The sides are pursuing a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1. That date is coming fast. The players and owners have been talking on and off behind the scenes since around the All-Star break, or so they tell us. This is great. Keep it out of the media, out of Twitter, out of social media and headlines altogether. We simply cannot have a repeat of the back and forth in...

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Carter Baumler's rehab from surgery has been moving along well

November 05, 2021, 6:43am

Orioles

Carter Baumler's rehab from surgery has been moving along well

The Orioles have to be encouraged by the early returns on their six-player 2020 draft. They've seen Jordan Westburg, Hudson Haskin, Anthony Servideo and Coby Mayo do some nice things. Now they look to get Heston Kjerstad and Carter Baumler in the mix. Both Kjerstad, the No. 2 overall pick in that draft, and Baumler, the right-hander the Orioles drafted in round five (No. 133 overall), should be on the field in games when the 2022 season begins. Baumler has only pitched in one game since the...