Steve Melewski

At O's camp, Adley Rutschman is learning and soaking up experience

July 13, 2020, 12:21pm

Orioles

At O's camp, Adley Rutschman is learning and soaking up experience

It was in a mostly empty stadium and it was merely an intrasquad game. There was not exactly a playoff intensity at hand. But in that environment Saturday night, Adley Rutschman was on the field at Camden Yards. On a diamond where future stardom is predicted for him, he took the field as a player for the first time. Rutschman, the club's second No. 1 overall draft pick in team history, walked against right-handers Kohl Stewart and Hunter Harvey and grounded out against righty Miguel Castro. He...

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Aiming for a mightier 'pen and other notes

July 12, 2020, 1:41pm

Orioles

Aiming for a mightier 'pen and other notes

The Orioles have certainly tried to build a better bullpen. Since the end of the 2019 season, they've added some new pitchers, and some holdovers have made changes that they hope will prove significant. Some talented young pitchers such as Hunter Harvey and Dillon Tate, who is injured currently, could be with the team for most of the 2020 season. O's pitching coach Doug Brocail presented Harvey as a closer option during a Zoom interview Sunday morning. No one is committing to the kid in that...

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Wade LeBlanc throws five scoreless in intrasquad action

July 11, 2020, 4:56pm

Orioles

Wade LeBlanc throws five scoreless in intrasquad action

Two starting pitchers in line to start the third game of the 2020 season matched up tonight during the Orioles' fourth intrasquad game at Camden Yards. Lefty Wade LeBlanc started for the home team wearing white while right-hander Kohl Stewart took the mound for the visitors in orange. LeBlanc threw a strong game with five scoreless innings and his squad won 3-0 in a six-inning game as Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer and DJ Stewart, who had two hits, added an RBI double. LeBlanc gave up three hits...

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Young O's hitters need to find right level of aggressiveness

July 11, 2020, 11:12am

Orioles

Young O's hitters need to find right level of aggressiveness

In Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle, the Orioles have two homegrown players with a lot of offensive talent. Hays was a finalist in 2017 for Baseball America's National Player of the Year in the minors. Mountcastle was the organization's Minor League Player of the Year last season when he was also the International League MVP. Besides having in common youth and an abundance of talent, they are both aggressive hitters that have lower walk rates. In Double-A in 2018, Hays' walk rate was 4.2...

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Some interesting names emerge as O's add to player pool

July 10, 2020, 1:53pm

Orioles

Some interesting names emerge as O's add to player pool

He was not even a non-roster invite to spring training in February, but the guy they call "Big Mike" could make his major league debut during the shortened season of 2020. Right-hander Michael Baumann, who has some of the best stuff on the Orioles farm, was added to the club's 60-man player pool on Friday. The O's list of additions also included their 2019 top draft pick, catcher Adley Rutschman, along with pitchers Keegan Akin and Isaac Mattson, catcher Taylor Davis and outfielder Cedric...

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NÃºÃ±ez on his 2019 production, Cobb on labor talks

July 09, 2020, 6:25pm

Orioles

NÃºÃ±ez on his 2019 production, Cobb on labor talks

He may have entered pro baseball as a big bonus kid from Venezuela, but it took Renato NÃºÃ±ez quite some time to get an extended big league chance. It happened in his third season with his third team. And it was with the Orioles, who acquired him on waivers from Texas on May 13, 2018. Later that summer he got a chance to play every day. Then last year he got to play almost every day for a full major league season. The 26-year-old NÃºÃ±ez made 109 starts as the DH and 29 as a corner...

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Even during short season, the search for MLB success goes on

July 08, 2020, 12:51pm

Orioles

Even during short season, the search for MLB success goes on

He had a very decorated minor league career. He was the Orioles' No. 1 prospect at the end of the 2016 season and twice was in Baseball America's top 100 nationally. He hit .340 while winning a batting title in the Single-A South Atlantic League and he's played twice in the All-Star Futures Game. But 25-year-old catcher Chance Sisco is still searching to find big league success. He hit .210/.333/.395 in 198 plate appearances last year. His bat was on fire last May at Triple-A Norfolk, where...

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A few notes on openers, testing and some draft math

July 07, 2020, 3:37pm

Orioles

A few notes on openers, testing and some draft math

There are a few ways the Orioles could go with their rotation come opening day on July 24. They could have the traditional five-man look or go with a six-man rotation. If pitchers are not built up enough yet, teams can even piggyback starters, where one pitches the first half of the game and another the rest. They could also go with an opener. If they do sometimes use a starter in that role - following a reliever and becoming the so-called bulk pitcher - they have two pitchers with a lot of...

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With international signing period extended, can O's take advantage?

July 06, 2020, 1:19pm

Orioles

With international signing period extended, can O's take advantage?

We recently learned a couple of things that could have a long-range benefit for the Orioles. Major League Baseball has pushed back the end of the current international amateur signing period to Oct. 15, 2020 and the Orioles have nearly $1.6 million remaining from their original pool of $6.48 million to sign players. This is not to be confused with the start of the next signing period. That has been pushed back from the usual July 2 to Jan. 15, 2021 and will run through Dec. 15, 2021. The period...

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Miguel Castro on first few days of camp and more

July 06, 2020, 10:59am

Orioles

Miguel Castro on first few days of camp and more

During his Zoom interview session with reporters today, Orioles right-handed reliever Miguel Castro was asked about the growing number of players opting out of playing this season around the sport. Among the latest today is Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis, a former Oriole. Did Castro have any concerns about reporting to the O's camp and playing this year? "It is very unfortunate what is really happening," Castro said through translator RamÃ³n AlarcÃ³n. "Right now, the best you...

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Opt-outs are increasing in MLB, but none so far in Baltimore

July 05, 2020, 12:51pm

Orioles

Opt-outs are increasing in MLB, but none so far in Baltimore

The number of major league players deciding not to play in the 2020 season is growing. In the last day, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Price and Atlanta right-hander FÃ©lix HernÃ¡ndez were added to the list. So were Braves coach Eric Young Sr. and Indians bench coach Brad Mills. Earlier, Ryan Zimmerman, Welington Castillo, Ian Desmond and Mike Leake were among the players that opted out. San Francisco Giants star catcher Buster Posey said he had some reservations about playing this year....

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O's individual work during baseball shutdown paying off now

July 04, 2020, 12:52pm

Orioles

O's individual work during baseball shutdown paying off now

There are a few things emerging after watching two days' worth of Zoom video interviews from Orioles camp at Oriole Park. The players certainly put their time to good use after spring training shut down in mid-March. And fthey seem determined to abide by the extensive health protocols in place to give this season every chance to both get going and to be played to completion. It was March 12 when spring training was halted by COVID-19 concerns and the second version of training began Friday in...

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Hyde on the big picture, Davis on clubhouse accountability

July 03, 2020, 2:55pm

Orioles

Hyde on the big picture, Davis on clubhouse accountability

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde understands that anything can happen in a short season of 60 games. It's a sprint, not a marathon. He'd love nothing better than for his team to surprise people and be contending deep into the summer. He also surely realizes that - short year or not - the odds of that are still long. And the Orioles still have a bigger picture in mind. That should include playing some prospects throughout the 60 games, although some are not yet in the Orioles' 60-man player pool,...

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Ryan Mountcastle had a big 2019, but is his time coming now?

July 02, 2020, 4:26pm

Orioles

Ryan Mountcastle had a big 2019, but is his time coming now?

While it should be fun to watch the Orioles play if Major League Baseball can indeed safely get the shortened 2020 season up and running, it could be even more fun with a certain outfield alignment. What if the Orioles had 23-year-old Ryan Mountcastle in left field, along with 24-year-old Austin Hays in center and 25-year-old Anthony Santander in right? Yep, that would be fun. Probably no reason we don't see that during the 2020 season, even if we don't see it on opening day. Mountcastle's...

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Will the 2020 season produce a legit World Series champion?

July 01, 2020, 2:07pm

Orioles

Will the 2020 season produce a legit World Series champion?

Even if the coming 60-game Major League Baseball season gets played to conclusion through the World Series, fans are going to look back at this season for years and see strange things. Like a home run champion that might hit, say, 21 homers. Or a pitcher leading the majors in wins with seven or eight. Or a saves leader with 16. Or a World Series champion crowned after a 60-game season. Will that World Series winner be legit? Well, legit is in the eye of the beholder. To me, that answer is yes....

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An expected announcement, but still a tough day on the farm

June 30, 2020, 5:35pm

Orioles

An expected announcement, but still a tough day on the farm

It was not exactly a secret that there would not be Minor League Baseball in 2020. But when the news became official on Tuesday afternoon, it was not any easier to take. The minors are hurting and it's a brutal time for owners, staff, players and fans on the farm. With all those teams, all those locations and all those players, there was going to be no way to safely play in the minors this summer. Some players will find their way onto a club's 60-man player pool; for some, maybe their chance...

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An Orioles Q&A, pre-camp edition

June 29, 2020, 3:55pm

Orioles

We haven't done this in months, so it's probably past time for another Orioles question-and-answer session here on the blog. Time for readers to throw out O's questions and/or comments - anything on the majors or minors, draft, whatever - and we'll take shots at providing some answers and responses. As always, readers responding to other readers provide interesting, well, reading. So dive in today and keep the questions coming. There should be plenty to discuss with a very unique season...

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Orioles' 2020 strength of schedule will be difficult

June 28, 2020, 2:50pm

Orioles

The new Major League Baseball schedule is not out yet and it may be a while before we see one. But for the Orioles, it is expected to include competition against only teams from the American League East and National League East. That will be a steady diet of good teams, 2019 playoff teams and 2020 contending teams. The Orioles are scheduled to play 40 games versus the AL East and 20 versus the NL East. Some reports indicated that would include playing each NL East team four times and other...

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An early mock draft, an opening night matchup and more

June 27, 2020, 2:20pm

Orioles

An early mock draft, an opening night matchup and more

Is it too soon to talk about the 2021 First-Year Player Draft? Probably so, but not at Baseball America. A day after the recent draft, Baseball America was already projecting the top picks (subscription required) for the next one. Never too soon, I guess. In fact, Baseball America has already put out a mock draft for June of next year and they have the Orioles picking first. Major League Baseball has not even announced how the draft order will work for that draft, but if they are going to crown...

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Looking at some prospects that could make O's player pool

June 26, 2020, 2:30pm

Orioles

Looking at some prospects that could make O's player pool

This Sunday at 4 p.m. ET is the expected deadline for teams to submit their player pool of 60 names for the 2020 season. It is from this group of 60 that 30 players will be active on opening day. The active roster will be reduced to 28 after two weeks and to 26 after four weeks. It's safe to assume that some teams will include several of their top prospects among the pool of 60 players, and that some will wind up on taxi squads when play begins. Teams will put some players on their taxi squads...