Steve Melewski

The ramp-up back to baseball could be quick

March 20, 2020, 1:12pm

Orioles

The ramp-up back to baseball could be quick

If and when we get back to a point where baseball players can take the field, how long will it take before regular season games can be played? That's a good question that can only be answered when we know the start date. But a shortened second spring training of at least two weeks seems likely. Would two weeks be enough? Probably not, but the clock will be ticking fast once the game returns and I would not expect Major League Baseball officials to tell us they need four weeks to get ready. The...

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How it might look in 2020: The O's rotation

March 19, 2020, 6:08pm

Orioles

How it might look in 2020: The O's rotation

Over the next few weeks, let's take a look at some aspects of the Orioles and how they were shaping up at the time that spring training was halted. Today, a look at the rotation. To me the rotation was setting up this way: No. 1 - John Means: He was slated to be the opening day starter if the opener was going to be on March 26. Everything was pointing to that and Means was on schedule for that start. It just had not been announced yet. Means had a solid spring and looked confident and ready to...

A look at Orioles off the field during shutdown

March 19, 2020, 3:13pm

Orioles

The Orioles held a conference call today with both executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and senior vice president of community development and communications Jennifer Grondahl to discuss the current shutdown of baseball. Check Roch Kubatko's blog for Elias' updates on baseball operations and I will post Grondahl's comments on the business side for the club here. Grondahl's opening comments to reporters: "We're taking this situation one day at a time. As Mike (Elias)...

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Season is delayed, but what about the amateur draft?

March 18, 2020, 3:34pm

Orioles

Season is delayed, but what about the amateur draft?

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is scheduled for June 10-12. The Orioles will hold the No. 2 overall pick for the first time. They've now picked No. 1 overall twice, but never have had the second pick. The Detroit Tigers, who went 47-114 in 2019, have the No. 1 pick for the second time in three years. They selected Auburn right-hander Casey Mize 1/1 overall in 2018. The Orioles, who went 54-108, will select after Detroit. But with opening day on hold and the season canceled...

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For me No. 5 is No. 1 - how about you?

March 17, 2020, 3:10pm

Orioles

Keeping an ongoing dialogue with fans and readers during the shutdown of baseball is important to me. Along those lines, today I have a few questions for you. We shall start with a pretty simple one but I look forward to getting the responses. Which player is your favorite all-time Oriole and why? Mine is Brooks Robinson. He was a star player for the Orioles in their great run from 1966 through 1971, when they played in four World Series over a six-year period. He was a star longer than that,...

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Right-hander Zach Pop on his recovery from Tommy John surgery

March 16, 2020, 4:24pm

Orioles

Right-hander Zach Pop on his recovery from Tommy John surgery

He was a key player the Orioles acquired in mid-2018 in the trade of Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now Orioles minor league right-hander Zach Pop is going through the process of getting back to pitching after Tommy John surgery of last May. He is progressing well, but finding out some of the challenges of a process that can take a pitcher 12 to 18 months to get back to the mound in a game. "Definitely the mental battle is tough," he said recently during an interview at Twin Lakes...

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Monday morning Orioles Q&A

March 15, 2020, 3:53pm

Orioles

No Sarasota dateline on this story. No spring competitions to track. No games to be played. The baseball industry is shut down for now and we all wait to find out when it will be back. Yes, it's possible, I guess, that the season could be shut down. I see no reason to be too concerned about that just yet. For now, as we await the next move and/or news, let's do another Orioles Q&A. Per usual, in the comments section, ask a question or make any comment on the team. Anything about the...

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We're waiting and wondering: What comes next for MLB?

March 14, 2020, 4:41pm

Orioles

We're waiting and wondering: What comes next for MLB?

So now what do we do? Everyone in baseball is asking that question today. From team officials and players, coaches and managers to fans and reporters. How do we go forward and what will we be writing about, wonder writers, reporters and columnists that cover the game. Here at this website, the offseason is actually pretty active for us. Roch Kubatko and I write stories pretty much every day and readers keep the blogs active with comments and questions. Will the next few weeks be just like an...

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Shortened spring training schedule had noteworthy moments

March 13, 2020, 2:22pm

Orioles

Shortened spring training schedule had noteworthy moments

SARASOTA, Fla. - So the Orioles' spring training schedule came to an end when Major League Baseball made its announcements on Thursday afternoon. They finished with a Grapefruit League record of 9-7-3. They got in 19 games and had 15 more remaining, including the now canceled game at the Naval Academy. The Orioles produced a winning spring training record for the third time in the last four years and fifth time in the past eight. In 2019, they were 12-17-3 in the spring. Here is a look back at...

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Hanhold clicks with new coaches, makes run at bullpen spot

March 12, 2020, 5:58pm

Orioles

Hanhold clicks with new coaches, makes run at bullpen spot

SARASOTA, Fla. - His spring training run of scoreless innings ended on an 0-2 changeup against a career minor leaguer with six big league at-bats in 2016. But Toronto's Andy Burns hit it good in the sixth inning Wednesday at Dunedin, and O's right-hander Eric Hanhold was finally scored on. He was an out away from six appearances and six scoreless innings when Burns hit one out to left. "I would have liked to bury that one. But it was one pitch. Get it out now (rather) than during the...

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No game today, but it was an eventful day for the Orioles and MLB

March 12, 2020, 2:29pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - For at least one day, rotation battles, utility roster spots and bullpen competitions took a back seat. One that was way, way in the back. Today was eventful and even emotional, filled with uncertainty and producing some answers but also even more questions. Today was a day we found out much more about Trey Mancini's medical situation. That news came less than three hours after we found out that Major League Baseball canceled the remaining spring training games and would start...

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Bruce Zimmermann pushing for current, future O's rotations

March 11, 2020, 3:18pm

Orioles

Bruce Zimmermann pushing for current, future O's rotations

SARASOTA, Fla. - Some of the minor league pitchers he played with last year have long since been sent back over to the Orioles' minor league camp. But Ellicott City native Bruce Zimmermann is still in the O's big league camp and seems to be building some momentum with each outing. The lefty's ERA is 4.70 over three spring games, but he threw three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit in Port Charlotte, Fla., against the Rays last Saturday. He fanned three and retired the last seven...

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DL Hall on his 2019: "It was really big for development"

March 10, 2020, 4:13pm

Orioles

DL Hall on his 2019: "It was really big for development"

SARASOTA, Fla. - If you look at the first two full seasons for young left-handed pitching prospect DL Hall, you can see better stats in 2018 at Single-A Delmarva than in 2019 at Single-A Frederick. But in Frederick, as he faced better hitters he also was challenged to do things he had not before, and he might have gained a lot to benefit his future even as his ERA and walk rate spiked up. Hall had a 2.10 ERA with Delmarva and a walk rate of 4.00. With Frederick his ERA was 3.46 and the walk...

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Lefty Keegan Akin on his outing against Braves

March 10, 2020, 3:49pm

Orioles

Lefty Keegan Akin on his outing against Braves

SARASOTA, Fla. - Making his fourth spring appearance tonight, Orioles lefty pitching prospect Keegan Akin fanned four - and threw one pitch he'd like to have back. An 0-1 fastball with two men on to the Braves' top prospect went a long way. Center fielder Cristian Pache belted the blast to put Atlanta ahead 3-0 on Akin and the Orioles in the second inning at Ed Smith Stadium. One bad pitch marred his pitching line tonight. Over three innings, Akin gave up four hits and three runs with one...

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Richie Martin on strong spring, learning from JosÃ© Iglesias

March 10, 2020, 10:54am

Orioles

Richie Martin on strong spring, learning from JosÃ© Iglesias

SARASOTA, Fla. - He can be optioned this spring, as the Rule 5 restrictions no longer apply when it comes to infielder Richie Martin. It's just that so far in camp, he's doing all he can to keep that from happening. He made more starts at shortstop last season than anyone on the Orioles, but the club has since acquired JosÃ© Iglesias to play there. Martin could stick as a second baseman and/or utility candidate. The end of camp numbers game might get him and he might be sent to Triple-A - a...

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A look at some non-roster invitees pushing for spots

March 09, 2020, 5:22pm

Orioles

A look at some non-roster invitees pushing for spots

SARASOTA, Fla. - After Monday's off day, the Orioles resume spring training games tonight when they host Atlanta at 6:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium. They have played 17 games, going 8-6-3, and they have 16 left in Florida, plus the exhibition game at the Naval Academy against the New York Mets on March 24. Opening day is March 26 in Baltimore versus the New York Yankees. At this point, several non-roster players are posting good stats and making solid impressions. They are pushing for roster...

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Wade LeBlanc has made solid case for rotation spot

March 08, 2020, 7:02pm

Orioles

Wade LeBlanc has made solid case for rotation spot

SARASOTA, Fla. - At 35, left-hander Wade LeBlanc is the oldest player in Orioles camp. But just like some pitchers much younger, he is simply just trying to make the team. There is a track record and resume there. One that saw him pitch to an ERA of 3.91 over a three-year run from 2016 through 2018. But in 26 games last season with Seattle, he went 6-7 with a 5.71 ERA. He's pitched well in his first two spring games as he tries to win a rotation spot. Over five innings, he has allowed two hits...

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A few notes from Twin Lakes Park

March 07, 2020, 1:56pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-handed pitching prospect DL Hall, who ended last year on the injured list, begins this season fully healthy. The 21-year-old Hall didn't pitch in 2019 after Aug. 8 due to a lat strain. In 19 games for Single-A Frederick, the club's 2017 top draft pick went 4-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 80 2/3 innings. Hall said it didn't take too long to fully recover from that issue. "About a month and a half, two months," he said Saturday at the Buck O'Neil Complex at Twin Lakes...

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After anxious free agent moments, Kohl Stewart ready for O's debut

March 06, 2020, 7:12pm

Orioles

After anxious free agent moments, Kohl Stewart ready for O's debut

SARASOTA, Fla. - Baseball free agency is not great for all. The players that will not be getting big-dollar contracts sometimes have to sweat out the process, not sure where their next opportunity will come or if that opportunity will be a good one. Right-hander Kohl Stewart, signed by the Orioles on Dec. 29, admits he had some anxious moments . The Minnesota Twins outrighted him off their 40-man roster Nov. 4 and he elected free agency. Then came a few weeks when he weighed his options before...

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Thomas Eshelman on solid outing against Yankees (O's win 5-1)

March 06, 2020, 3:22pm

Orioles

Thomas Eshelman on solid outing against Yankees (O's win 5-1)

TAMPA - Right-hander Thomas Eshelman had a third straight solid outing for the club tonight as the Orioles built an early lead on the New York Yankees. Eshelman went three innings, allowing two hits and one run with one walk and two strikeouts. He threw 43 pitches, 30 for strikes. He's allowed two runs and four hits over eight spring innings. He might be considered a fringe rotation candidate, but the O's keep giving him the ball and he keeps putting up solid results. Although he said he's...