Steve Melewski

O's end K.C. series on high note and Elias on the draft

July 18, 2021, 3:14pm

Orioles

O's end K.C. series on high note and Elias on the draft

For an Orioles team that had given up nine runs on Friday night and allowed 27 runs in three games against the Chicago White Sox before the break, Sunday was needed and a very nice change. Right-hander Matt Harvey had pitched to an ERA of 11.20 over his previous 11 starts with an OPS against of 1.035 in that span, but he and four relievers teamed on a shutout. The 5-0 win over Kansas City lifted the O's record to 30-62 and they ended this series with 13 consecutive scoreless innings. It was...

Tags:

Matt Harvey was dealing as O's beat Royals

July 18, 2021, 1:02pm

Orioles

Matt Harvey was dealing as O's beat Royals

Maybe the All-Star break was a nice reset for Matt Harvey. Maybe pitching on 10 days' rest meant his arm was fresh and ready to go. Who knows exactly the reason why the Orioles right-hander threw well today, but he pitched six scoreless innings today. The O's beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 to win the last two games and take this series as their road tripnow heads to St. Petersburg, Fla. to face Tampa Bay. It was badly needed and very welcome for a rotation that began today with an ERA of...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2 matt harvey ramon urias

O's game blog: Looking for a series win in K.C.

July 18, 2021, 9:08am

Orioles

O's game blog: Looking for a series win in K.C.

The Orioles picked up their first post-All-Star Game win when they recorded an 8-4 victory at Kansas City last night. The Orioles evened this three-game series at a win each with their first victory since July 6 at Camden Yards versus Toronto. Four Orioles had multi-hit games, Cedric Mullins doubled twice and is batting .318, while Ryan Mountcastle and RamÃ³n UrÃas drove in two runs each. The Orioles had scored just 13 runs over the previous five games, going 5-for-42 with runners in...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski cedric mullins dj stewart frontstory_orioles2 matt harvey ramon urias ryan mountcastle trey mancini

Will the trade deadline be quiet in Birdland?

July 17, 2021, 7:27pm

Orioles

Will the trade deadline be quiet in Birdland?

It could be a quiet trade deadline this year in Birdland. Some players that might have attracted at least modest interest, such as shortstop Freddy Galvis and third baseman Maikel Franco, have gotten hurt, while right-hander Matt Harvey has an ERA of 7.70. The Orioles would certainly find interest if they wanted to trade a talent with a lot of team control remaining, like Cedric Mullins, Ryan Mountcastle, John Means or Austin Hays. But aren't they players they should be building around for the...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar freddy galvis frontstory_orioles2 jorge lopez maikel franco trade deadline trey mancini

O's game blog: Jorge LÃ³pez faces his former team

July 17, 2021, 10:21am

Orioles

O's game blog: Jorge LÃ³pez faces his former team

Looking for their first win since July 6, the Orioles take the field at Kauffman Stadium tonight for the second game of a three-game series with Kansas City. The Royals tied their season high with 15 hits last night in a 9-2 win over Baltimore. Shortstop Nicky Lopez drove in a career-high four runs. The Royals (37-53) ended a four-game losing streak. They were 3-15 in their last 18 games before the series opener. They recorded their first win without hitting a home run since May 14. They had...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski

What could the second half hold for the rotation?

July 16, 2021, 8:42pm

Orioles

What could the second half hold for the rotation?

Talk about a balancing act for the Orioles. Look at their starting rotation. They expect to get left-hander John Means back for their next series, and maybe Bruce Zimmermann not long after that. But that rotation began play last night ranked last in the league in both team ERA (6.11) and in fewest innings pitched by starters (400 1/3 innings). And then those numbers got worse as Keegan Akin allowed eight hits and six runs over three innings in a 9-2 loss at Kansas City. So how do they try to...

Tags:

colton cowser orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

O's game blog: The season resumes in Kansas City

July 16, 2021, 2:27pm

Orioles

O's game blog: The season resumes in Kansas City

After the All-Star break the Orioles resume their 2021 regular season tonight with the start of a three-game series at Kansas City. They will play six in a row on the road to start the so-called second half, although they have already played 89 games and have 73 remaining. The Orioles (28-61) were swept three in a row by the Chicago White Sox before the break, losing 7-5 in 10 innings on Sunday in Baltimore. They have lost four in a row and seven of eight. They were swept 7-0 in the season...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski

Trey Mancini on the derby, second half, trade talk and more

July 16, 2021, 1:18pm

Orioles

Trey Mancini on the derby, second half, trade talk and more

He was taking big swings and mashing homers on the big stage Monday night in Denver. Trey Mancini advanced to the final round of the Home Run Derby competition at the All-Star Game. But now all the attention and interviews give way to the rest of his regular season with the Orioles. And the rest of the year begins tonight with the start of a three-game series at Kansas City. "I enjoyed it so much and it was one of the most fun times I've ever had, but it was also a lot," Mancini said this...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski trey mancini featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

A productive Bowie player that can fly under the radar

July 15, 2021, 1:30pm

Orioles

A productive Bowie player that can fly under the radar

He bats in the middle of the order for the Bowie Baysox and ranks second in the Double-A Northeast with 48 RBIs. No, we are not talking about highly ranked catching prospect Adley Rutschman, but a player not among the Orioles' top 30 prospects. He is 24-year-old lefty-hitting outfielder Robert Neustrom. He was drafted in 2018, the year the O's selected right-hander Grayson Rodriguez with their top pick, out of the University of Iowa in the fifth round. After posting modest stats in 2019,...

Tags:

orioles robert neustrom steve melewski orioles farm report

The O's '21 draft class of pitchers looks a lot like 2019

July 14, 2021, 2:29pm

Orioles

The O's '21 draft class of pitchers looks a lot like 2019

We now have the facts as they relate to pitchers and the Orioles in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft. We do know they drafted just one pitcher in the first 10 rounds and then took eight from rounds 11 through 19. A run broken up only when they selected Florida Southern first baseman Jacob Teter in round 13. Over time we will find out if waiting to draft all those pitchers was a wise move by the Orioles. If Kumar Rocker wins a couple of Cy Young Awards - OK, if he is even a plus starting pitcher...

Wrapping up the draft, possibly eliminating shifts and more

July 13, 2021, 4:47pm

Orioles

Wrapping up the draft, possibly eliminating shifts and more

Under former Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail, the motto "Grow the arms, buy the bats," was popular. Under current exec Mike Elias, the motto could be, "Take elite college bats with good contact skills and draft pitchers later on that you are confident you can develop." OK, that might be way too many words for a T-shirt. But in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles selected 21 players with just one from the high school ranks. They drafted nine pitchers, but just one in the...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski all-star game brad ciolek cedric mullins collin burns featured_sidebar first-year player draft jake prizina john rhodes rob manfred shifts frontstory_orioles3

O's select righty Dylan Heid in Round 11 of draft (updated)

July 13, 2021, 8:22am

Orioles

O's select righty Dylan Heid in Round 11 of draft (updated)

The Orioles started the final day of the First-Year Player Draft by selecting senior right-handed pitcher Dylan Heid from Division II Pitt-Johnstown after he posted some eye-popping stats during the 2021 season. Taken No. 317 overall in round 11, Heid went 7-2 with an ERA of 1.37 in nine starts with four shutouts and six complete games. He allowed 25 hits in 59 1/3 innings with 15 walks and 105 strikeouts. He posted a WHIP of 0.67 and allowed a batting average against of just .126. He was a...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski draft dylan heid featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Day two draft recap with Brad Ciolek and a thrilling derby

July 12, 2021, 7:07pm

Orioles

Day two draft recap with Brad Ciolek and a thrilling derby

As fans around Birdland noted yesterday that the Orioles have taken just one pitcher so far in this draft, I will take a moment to point out a few things to consider. For one, the Orioles do have several pitchers in the minor league pipeline they like, to include several among their top 30 prospects list and two in overall top 100 lists in Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall. Also - and we have heard this so many times over so many drafts - you don't select for current need in the First-Year Player...

Tags:

brad ciolek carlos tavera collin burns creed willems draft featured_sidebar reed trimble steve melewski trey mancini frontstory_orioles2

O's add East Carolina second baseman in second round (multiple updates)

July 12, 2021, 9:33am

Orioles

O's add East Carolina second baseman in second round (multiple updates)

The First-Year Player Draft resumed this afternoon and the Orioles selected East Carolina second baseman Connor Norby with their second-round pick, No. 41 overall. Norby led the nation with 102 hits this year as he batted .415/.484/.659 with 15 doubles, 15 homers, 18 steals, 64 runs and 51 RBIs. He finished eight in the nation in batting average. He was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Norby was ranked as the No. 25 prospect for this draft by FanGraphs.com, No. 44 by...

Tags:

connor norby orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar first-year player draft jim callis donta williams john rhodes reed trimble frontstory_orioles3

Colton Cowser: "It's a dream come true"

July 11, 2021, 7:50pm

Orioles

Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser said that when the Orioles invited him to Baltimore for a pre-draft workout, he knew they were serious about potentially making him the No. 5 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft. "It's a dream come true," he said late Sunday night in a Zoom interview. "I've dreamed about this and my family's invested a lot into me. You know they've sacrificed all the time. Just to be able to spend it with friends and family means the world to me." For...

Tags:

colton cowser orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar first-year player draft jim callis mike elias frontstory_orioles3

O's Adley Rutschman bats cleanup in Futures Game (O's lose)

July 11, 2021, 11:52am

Orioles

O's Adley Rutschman bats cleanup in Futures Game (O's lose)

Orioles top prospect Adley Rutschman had a prime spot in the batting order today in the All-Star Futures Game at Denver's Coors Field. Rutschman began the game as the catcher and batting fourth for the American League team. He is the No. 2 prospect in the sport, but the No. 1 player remaining on the farm with shortstop Wander Franco now in the majors with Tampa Bay. In his first at-bat, leading off the top of the second for the AL team, Rutschman flied out to short left field. He hit a 1-0...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski adley rutschman austin hays frontstory_orioles2 marcos diplan orioles farm report trey mancini

O's game blog: The final game before the All-Star break

July 11, 2021, 7:09am

Orioles

O's game blog: The final game before the All-Star break

It's the final game before the All-Star break this afternoon in Baltimore as the Orioles host the Chicago White Sox to wrap up a three-game series and a rain-shortened homestand of five games. The Orioles will be swept for the 11th time this season if they lose the series finale today. The White Sox won 12-1 Friday night and 8-3 on Saturday afternoon, making the Orioles 1-3 on this homestand. They've lost the last three games at Oriole Park by a combined 30-6 score. The Orioles have 25 hits...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2

Britton on Rutschman in Futures Game, plus it's draft day

July 10, 2021, 3:59pm

Orioles

Britton on Rutschman in Futures Game, plus it's draft day

BOWIE - Since he would be departing his team after Friday's doubleheader to head to Denver for the All-Star Futures Game, catcher Adley Rutschman may have wanted to leave his club on a high note. A go-ahead solo homer to left-center to break a 2-2 tie and lift Bowie to a 3-2 win in Game 2 on Friday was a nice parting gift to the Baysox players he would temporarily say goodbye to. His blast in the fifth inning helped the Baysox get a win for right-hander Mike Baumann. Rutschman is the Orioles'...

Tags:

adley rutschman orioles steve melewski bowie baysox buck britton first-year player draft frontstory_orioles2 orioles farm report

O's game blog: O's host White Sox at Camden Yards

July 10, 2021, 10:57am

Orioles

O's game blog: O's host White Sox at Camden Yards

The Orioles host the Chicago White Sox this afternoon in the next to last game before the All-Star break. The White Sox scored four runs in the sixth last night and added three each in the seventh and ninth to turn a 2-1 lead into a 12-1 rout in the series opener at Camden Yards. The Orioles (28-59) have lost by a combined 22-3 score the last two games. They have lost five of their last six games since completing a three-game sweep at Houston and are 5-7 over their past 12 games. They are 13-28...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski

In Bowie, Baumann on his strong night, Bishop on his strong year

July 09, 2021, 9:12pm

Orioles

In Bowie, Baumann on his strong night, Bishop on his strong year

BOWIE - On a night where Orioles lefty John Means made his second rehab start, maybe the most encouraging pitching sign of the night for the Double-A Bowie Baysox came in Game 2 of a doubleheader. Right-hander Mike Baumann put together a second straight solid start. And he got a tiebreaking solo homer from Adley Rutschman in the last of the fifth as Bowie beat Richmond 3-2 to split the doubleheader. In his 10th start this year, Baumann collected his first win. Baumann is trying to show the...