Steve Melewski

Notes on reliever innings and more with Mike Elias

Orioles
Notes on reliever innings and more with Mike Elias
When bullpen lefty Paul Fry struggled on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, it was a rare outing this spring for an Orioles reliever. Not in the results, but in the fact Fry pitched 1 2/3 innings. Most of the relief outings this year by pitchers who are not being stretched out have been one inning. Fernando Abad has four outings of an inning or less each, Shawn Armstrong has two of those among three games. Eric Hanhold, whose good spring got wrecked yesterday, has thrown five outings of...
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Steve Melewski

A take on the Franco signing and some game notes

Orioles
A take on the Franco signing and some game notes
The Orioles made the signing of third baseman Maikel Franco official today. He passed his physical and signed a one-year deal for the 2021 season. The move could mean the Orioles have a mostly set infield for many games in the coming season with Trey Mancini at first, Yolmer Sánchez at second, Freddy Galvis at short and Franco at third. It would a clean slate in the Baltimore infield, as none of those four played a game for the team in 2020. MLB Network reported the deal is for $800,000,...
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Steve Melewski

Matt Harvey makes progress, then provides report on Maikel Franco

Orioles
Matt Harvey makes progress, then provides report on Maikel Franco
If the second half of the Grapefruit League schedule is about dialing it up and playing cleaner, better baseball, the Orioles got the memo on Monday at Ed Smith Stadium. They went 3-10-1 in the first half of the spring, but began the second-half 1-0 with their best game to this point under the Florida sun. There was a spring training-high 12 runs scored. They hit three homers after going eight games without one. There was some solid defense for the second game in a row. And some pitching...
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Steve Melewski

Harvey on his outing, offense breaks out in win over Bucs

Orioles
Harvey on his outing, offense breaks out in win over Bucs
The Orioles began the second half of their 28-game spring training schedule today. And they'll look to see if some of their starting pitchers begin to dial it up with some better outings than the first half of the games delivered. Right-hander Matt Harvey, the former Met who pitched to an 11.57 ERA over 11 2/3 innings with Kansas City last summer, had a mixed bag of an outing this afternoon. He allowed runs twice, but also put together a pair of 1-2-3 innings against Pittsburgh at Ed Smith...
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Steve Melewski

Birdland farm check-in: Single-A Delmarva GM Chris Bitters

Orioles
Birdland farm check-in: Single-A Delmarva GM Chris Bitters
Today we wrap up our look around Birdland with the four general managers of the Orioles' full-season minor league affiliates. Today I check in with Chris Bitters, the GM since November 2006 of the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. The Shorebirds begin their 120-game schedule in the 12-team Low-A East League on May 4 with the season running through Sept. 19. The recent announcement that sports facilities in Maryland can host fans at up to 50 percent of capacity was met with big enthusiasm by minor...
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Steve Melewski

Dean Kremer on rookie pitchers pushing each other (O's lose)

Orioles
Dean Kremer on rookie pitchers pushing each other (O's lose)
After giving up three runs in his first spring start, Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer has now put together back-to-back solid outings. He went three innings this afternoon against the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland. After his outing he talked about his day and how his friendship with another young pitcher is helping both of them. Kremer came into this game off a scoreless outing his last time out. On March 9 he gave up just one hit over three innings against Minnesota. Today he faced five batters...
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Steve Melewski

Bannon looks to show his stuff, plus other notes

Orioles
Bannon looks to show his stuff, plus other notes
Whether he has a legitimate chance to break north with the Orioles or not only the O's brass knows for sure, but infielder Rylan Bannon is at camp again this year, this time on the 40-man roster, looking to show his talents. Acquired by the club on July 18, 2018 in the Manny Machado trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bannon spent some time at the Bowie alternate site in 2020. When last seen in minor league games, during the 2019 season, he had put together a pretty good year. The right-handed...
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Steve Melewski

LeBlanc on outing and rotation competition (O's lose to Jays)

Orioles
LeBlanc on outing and rotation competition (O's lose to Jays)
Left-hander Wade LeBlanc and right-hander Dean Kremer are the only Orioles starters to record scoreless outings to this point in spring training. Today in Dunedin, LeBlanc could not duplicate that, but he pitched out a jam in his third inning as the O's faced the Toronto Blue Jays. LeBlanc went two scoreless innings on one hit on March 3 against Atlanta and then worked on the back fields between that outing and today's game. He faced four batters and retired them all in a scoreless, 15-pitch...
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Steve Melewski

In crowded O's outfield, Ryan McKenna tries to make his mark

Orioles
In crowded O's outfield, Ryan McKenna tries to make his mark
He was a fixture at the top of the lineup and in center field for the 2019 Double-A Bowie Baysox team that played for the Eastern League championship. He was back at Bowie last year as part of the alternate site camp. But outfielder Ryan McKenna's first major league shot is getting closer. And his rise from high school fourth-round draft pick in 2015 to the big leagues is almost complete. For those Baysox in 2019, over 135 games, McKenna, 24, batted .232/.321/.365/.686 with 26 doubles, six...
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Steve Melewski

John Means sizes up strong outing (O's lose to Phils)

Orioles
John Means sizes up strong outing (O's lose to Phils)
It has been a bit of a rarity for the Orioles this spring - a solid starting pitching performance. But they got one today from the left-hander that is expected to be their opening day starter. John Means, making his third spring start, allowed just one run in four innings as the Orioles hosted the Philadelphia Phillies at Ed Smith Stadium. Means pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, getting a called strikeout and two flyball outs to start his day. He entered this outing having allowed eight hits and...
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Steve Melewski

Experimental rules coming to the farm during 2021 season

Orioles
Experimental rules coming to the farm during 2021 season
When minor league baseball begins in May, there will be some changes with new rules. It's Major League Baseball's attempt to look at new rules on the farm to see if they want to bring them to the big leagues. MLB said it would "closely monitor and analyze the impact of each rule change throughout the 2021 season and report to clubs on their effects for further analysis. Consistent with the preferences of our fans, the rule changes being tested are designed to increase action on the...
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Steve Melewski

Félix Hernández on his outing (O's lose 7-5)

Orioles
Félix Hernández on his outing (O's lose 7-5)
It was another day when the Orioles did not get a strong outing from their starting pitcher. Right-hander Félix Hernández, a six-time All-Star and the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner, again had a shaky outing as the Orioles faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Hernández did not express concern over either the stat sheet or that his fastball again was mostly in the mid-80s. He'll no doubt get more chances to show he can be effective but his ERA is 9.64 after two spring...
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Steve Melewski

Will the Rule 5 pitchers get a long look? (plus other notes)

Orioles
Will the Rule 5 pitchers get a long look? (plus other notes)
In terms of the date on the calendar, the Orioles' two Rule 5 pick pitchers currently on the team made it farther than the two pitchers the club took a look at last spring. Then, right-hander Michael Rucker was returned to the Cubs and right-hander Brandon Bailey to the Astros on March 6. Yesterday, March 10, the current Rule 5 pitchers made their third outings and combined for three scoreless innings. In their previous appearances, right-hander Mac Sceroler allowed five runs in 1/3 of an...
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Steve Melewski

Keegan Akin on early control issues (O's beat Blue Jays)

Orioles
Keegan Akin on early control issues (O's beat Blue Jays)
After he struggled for a second outing in a row in the Grapefruit League, Orioles left-hander Keegan Akin was not happy to just get his work in. He said the results matter and today he allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings at Ed Smith Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays. Making his first start and second appearance, Akin got into immediate trouble in the first inning. He walked leadoff batter Jonathan Davis, but then got two straight outs. He could not close out the inning, however, walking Rowdy...
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Steve Melewski

O's notes on Valaika, Mullins, the young pitchers and more

Orioles
O's notes on Valaika, Mullins, the young pitchers and more
Pat Valaika was on the Orioles' opening day roster in 2020, his second opening day roster in the majors. Now he's shooting for three and his chances may be pretty good. He showed versatility starting at five positions last year for the Orioles and had a strong finish with his bat. He played in 52 of 60 games, which tied for the third-most on the team. Not considered an everyday player, he still tied for seventh on the club in plate appearances and only three Orioles hit more than his eight...
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Steve Melewski

Dean Kremer on his strong outing (Twins win 1-0)

Orioles
Dean Kremer on his strong outing (Twins win 1-0)
They both took place under the Florida sun. But the difference between right-hander Dean Kremer's first spring outing and what he showed this afternoon in Fort Myers was like the difference between night and day. Today he threw three scoreless innings on one hit, facing one batter over the minimum as the Orioles faced the Minnesota Twins. Showing a fastball that on one pitch to his last batter registered 97.5 mph on Statcast and a cutter that got swings and misses, Kremer walked one and fanned...
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Steve Melewski

Birdland farm check-in: High-A Aberdeen GM Jack Graham

Orioles
Birdland farm check-in: High-A Aberdeen GM Jack Graham
Today, we are continuing our series with another Birdland check-in and we're headed for Aberdeen. Since 2002, the IronBirds, owned by the Ripken family, were an Orioles affiliate in the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League. In 2021 they will play for the first time as a full-season Single-A club. They are in the restructured High-A East. Aberdeen will play 120 games, beginning with a pair of six-game series on the road before their home opener on May 18 versus Wilmington. The club will...
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Steve Melewski

O's new third base coach looks to find right level of agressiveness

Orioles
O's new third base coach looks to find right level of agressiveness
Just like an umpire that is sometimes not noticed until a missed call, a third base coach can be lost in the background. Until something goes wrong on the bases, like a runner being cut down at the plate. The Orioles have a new third base coach this year. Tony Mansolino, 38, is the youngest member of the Baltimore coaching staff and he doubles as infield instructor. He comes to the club after spending 10 years in the Cleveland organization. He spent the first five seasons with the Indians, from...
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Steve Melewski

John Means on outing against Pittsburgh (O's lose to Bucs)

Orioles
John Means on outing against Pittsburgh (O's lose to Bucs)
After his second spring training start, Orioles lefty John Means said his inability to put hitters away when he got to two-strike counts was an issue for him today. He allowed four runs in two innings plus against the Pirates in Bradenton. After working around a one-out double during a scoreless 14-pitch last of the first today, Means allowed three runs in the Pittsburgh second inning. Kevin Newman singled to right with one out and Dustin Fowler was hit by a fastball that bore in on his hands....
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Steve Melewski

How to get the outfielders on the field, and other notes

Orioles
How to get the outfielders on the field, and other notes
It will not be a problem for the Orioles - well, maybe a good one - if both Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins play well throughout the spring. There are easy ways, with the DH spot, to get both of them in the same lineup. The Orioles could, for instance, start Hays in left and Mullins in center with Anthony Santander in right and Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle at first and DH. You would have to think that many days the leadoff hitter could be followed by Mancini, Mountcastle or Santander. But...
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