Steve Melewski

Cedric Mullins is adding to his basestealing ability, plus other notes

March 01, 2019, 5:41pm

Orioles

Cedric Mullins is adding to his basestealing ability, plus other notes

SARASOTA, Fla. - In an Orioles spring camp where veterans seem to be making themselves readily available however needed for young players, outfielder Cedric Mullins is ready to soak up help like a sponge. And that is in all aspects of the game. But when it comes to one aspect specifically, Mullins has help in infielder Jonathan Villar and outfielder Eric Young Jr. And that is with stealing bases. The Orioles' 2018 minor league Player of the Year, Mullins made his big league debut late last...

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Austin Wynns on catching Hunter Harvey, who pitches today

March 01, 2019, 7:56am

Orioles

Austin Wynns on catching Hunter Harvey, who pitches today

SARASOTA, Fla. - Among today's pitchers for the Orioles' split-squad afternoon game versus the Tampa Bay Rays will be right-hander Hunter Harvey, the club's 2013 first-round pick. It will be another much anticipated outing after Harvey's spring debut Monday in Fort Myers versus the Twins, when his fastball was touching 97-98 mph on the radar gun. Plus Harvey is now throwing a splitter as his changeup and O's hitters that faced him in live batting practice sessions are raving about him and...

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Alex Cobb: "We are building the foundation for this organization to grow"

February 28, 2019, 4:55pm

Orioles

Alex Cobb: "We are building the foundation for this organization to grow"

SARASOTA, Fla. - No matter what happens today when right-hander Alex Cobb makes his first spring start for the Orioles, he's well ahead of where he was at this time last year. This time last year he was a free agent looking for a team. On March 21 he was signed to a four-year deal by the Orioles. The late signing led to a late start to his season, a rushed attempt to get him ready. He pitched in his first game for the Orioles April 14 at Boston. He allowed 15 runs in seven innings his first...

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Sisco hits two more homers (plus O's fans worldwide check in)

February 27, 2019, 5:09pm

Orioles

Sisco hits two more homers (plus O's fans worldwide check in)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Take the combination of a player who gave his confidence a reboot over the winter and a first-year manager who quickly has established a relaxed spring camp and you get a player who struggled last year but now has three homers in six spring at-bats this year. Chance Sisco, go ahead and put 2018 behind you and welcome to a new year with a new staff and a fresh start. Sisco hit a three-run homer in his first spring at-bat Saturday (on his first swing) in Sarasota, and yesterday...

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DJ Stewart on vibe in camp and competing with other young players

February 26, 2019, 4:37pm

Orioles

DJ Stewart on vibe in camp and competing with other young players

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfield is an area where the Orioles feature some young, up-and-coming talent, led by Yusniel Diaz, who is ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect and is in the top 100 list of several national outlets. It's a position to watch in camp to see Diaz, along with Austin Hays, Ryan McKenna, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, Mike Yastrzemski and DJ Stewart, to name a few. Most of these guys have played together at some point on the farm, some for several seasons together. Now in this...

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Carlos PÃ©rez looking to stand out among crowded catcher competition

February 26, 2019, 4:24am

Orioles

Carlos PÃ©rez looking to stand out among crowded catcher competition

SARASOTA, Fla. - With six catchers in the Orioles' spring camp, it can be hard to stand out among the group this early. But veteran Carlos PÃ©rez took advantage of the one chance he's gotten so far here on Sunday afternoon. He batted in the last of the fourth against Toronto with the Orioles down 5-4. He hit a booming two-run double to center for the lead and the Orioles never trailed again in a 9-8 win over the Blue Jays. That provided them a 2-0 start before Monday's loss to...

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A look at Martin Cervenka's journey to pro ball and the Orioles

February 25, 2019, 5:34pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - He's a professional baseball player, but where he is from, he's not well known by sports fans. In his second year in the Orioles organization, 26-year-old catcher Martin Cervenka is from Prague, Czech Republic. He's an interesting guy that speaks four languages, is sound defensively, and is trying to emerge from a crowded catching competition in camp and pull off a big upset by making the opening day roster. He's probably a long shot, but Cervenka just being in this camp is...

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Even after big second half, Alex Cobb looking for more, plus other notes

February 24, 2019, 3:54pm

Orioles

Even after big second half, Alex Cobb looking for more, plus other notes

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb was one of the best pitchers in the American League in the second half last year. In 11 starts after the All-Star break, he went 3-3 with a 2.56 ERA, .232 batting average against and 1.156 WHIP. His ERA was fifth in the AL among pitchers that made at least 10 starts after the break. And while Cobb liked the strong results to wrap up a season where he went 5-15 with a 4.90 ERA, he explained yesterday that he had certain reasons for seeking a better...

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Right-hander David Hess on his spring debut

February 24, 2019, 9:46am

Orioles

Right-hander David Hess on his spring debut

SARASOTA, Fla. - In his first spring training chance to state his case for a 2019 rotation spot, right-hander David Hess was pleased with his results today versus Toronto at Ed Smith Stadium. In the second spring game for the Orioles, Hess went the first two innings, allowing three hits and one run on a solo homer. He didn't walk or strike out a batter and threw 27 pitches, 18 for strikes. Hess allowed back-to-back singles to start his day but got out of that first-inning jam, getting the...

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Ryan Mountcastle talks about his stint at first base yesterday

February 24, 2019, 6:27am

Orioles

Ryan Mountcastle talks about his stint at first base yesterday

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle has made the point a few times: He'll play on defense wherever the team needs him to and is up for anything. In recent days, first base has been added to his resume. Before yesterday, he had never played the position in the pro ranks, just shortstop and third base since the Orioles drafted him No. 36 overall in 2015. But here on Saturday, after Mountcastle pinch-hit in the last of the fifth, he went out to first base and got in four innings at...

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The player that is paying it forward, plus other notes

February 23, 2019, 5:18pm

Orioles

The player that is paying it forward, plus other notes

SARASOTA, Fla. - New Orioles outfielder Eric Young Jr. is ready for some double duty in spring camp. He is trying to win a job and roster spot for his new team while at the same time very ready to help any young players that need advice - including some who might win a roster spot that keeps him off the team. It's kind of the definition of unselfish and being a real pro. After 10 seasons and 651 games in the majors, Young is ready for others to benefit from the experience he gained in time...

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Hunter Harvey shows his potential plus other notes

February 22, 2019, 10:56am

Orioles

Hunter Harvey shows his potential plus other notes

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's been said more than a few times about Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey: The talent is clearly there, he just needs to finally stay healthy. We were reminded of that this week. Harvey dazzled during a live batting practice session on Thursday at Ed Smith Stadium. I know this even though I didn't arrive here until yesterday as I checked out this entry. Among those he faced was Trey Mancini. Harvey has apparently added a split-finger fastball to his repertoire and it...

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Steve Wilkerson's hitting help, AL East odds, Eastern League change

February 21, 2019, 1:58pm

Orioles

Steve Wilkerson's hitting help, AL East odds, Eastern League change

When he began to prepare for the 2019 season, Orioles infielder and utility candidate Steve Wilkerson went beyond just working out and getting in some swings and throws. He went to a swing coach who has a strong reputation. Wilkerson spent some time in Santa Clarita, Calif., with Craig Wallenbrock, who has worked with several major leaguers. A coach some feel turned around the career of J.D. Martinez. Wilkerson, an eighth-round draft pick in 2014 out of Clemson, was not looking for anything...

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Can Cobb, Cashner and Bundy lead the rotation to better days?

February 20, 2019, 4:33pm

Orioles

Can Cobb, Cashner and Bundy lead the rotation to better days?

Among many areas where the Orioles can show improvement in 2019 is their starting rotation. Their 2017 rotation ranked last in the American League with a 5.70 ERA and .837 OPS against. Their 2018 starters ranked last with a 5.48 ERA and .850 OPS against. Plenty of room to get better. The Orioles did produce 64 quality starts to rank seventh in the AL and 18th in the majors. Also, O's starters received 352 runs of support, which ranked second-fewest in the majors. Overall, O's pitchers...

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Machado gets his money and moves west, Mountcastle adds a position

February 19, 2019, 2:29pm

Orioles

Machado gets his money and moves west, Mountcastle adds a position

In the end, Manny Machado got what he likely wanted most - a massive contract in length and dollars. He's expected to sign with the San Diego Padres for 10 years and $300 million. Pending what happens with Bryce Harper, it's the richest contract ever signed by a baseball free agent. Giancarlo Stanton signed a 13-year deal for $325 million, but that was an extension with the Marlins and not a free agent signing. Machado got his money even when it looked like he might not get a deal this big,...

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A look at an O's top 30 list and some minor league pitchers

February 18, 2019, 4:52pm

Orioles

A look at an O's top 30 list and some minor league pitchers

MLBPipeline.com released its new list of top 30 Orioles prospects yesterday, featuring outfielder Yusniel DÃaz ranked No. 1 and six pitchers among their top 10. There are 16 pitchers listed in the top 30. Click here for that list. The top 10 features DÃaz followed in order by infielder Ryan Mountcastle, pitcher DL Hall, outfielder Austin Hays, pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Keegan Akin, outfielder Ryan McKenna, and pitchers Zac Lowther, Dean Kremer and Blaine Knight. Let's take a look at...

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Some middle infield and Adley Rutschman talk

February 17, 2019, 3:54pm

Orioles

Some middle infield and Adley Rutschman talk

If the goal was to create competition for playing time and jobs, the Orioles have more than done that in their infield, especially up the middle. Over the weekend, the club signed 32-year-old Alcides Escobar to a minor league deal. He's an 11-year major league veteran who played in the 2015 All-Star Game and also won a Gold Glove that year with Kansas City. Escobar was exclusively a shortstop in his big league career until adding to that last season with the Royals. He made 104 starts at...

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Trying to figure out the measure of success for this season

February 16, 2019, 5:17pm

Orioles

Trying to figure out the measure of success for this season

It is a topic that has come up a few times over the winter, and it's a question I've been asked a few times in the last week or so: What will make for a successful season for the Orioles? As always, I'm going to seek your input on this one as well. Well, since the won-loss record is expected to be poor again, and since most fans seem accepting of that as the rebuild truly begins, what are we looking for here? For one, the building of what Mike Elias has called the "elite talent pipeline."...

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This spring Davis will battle his critics and opposing pitchers

February 15, 2019, 5:05pm

Orioles

This spring Davis will battle his critics and opposing pitchers

So Chris Davis reported to the Orioles spring training camp yesterday. He had arrived in town earlier, but an illness kept him from the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Davis yet again granted Orioles reporters an interview, taking time to answer many questions. You can read some of his quotes here. He reiterated that he spent some time this winter working with people from his baseball past who may have provided him some new thoughts. He said again he's willing to make some batting changes. He's...

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After 19 years in the booth, Joe Angel had a classy goodbye for O's fans

February 14, 2019, 4:52pm

Orioles

After 19 years in the booth, Joe Angel had a classy goodbye for O's fans

After a 42-year broadcasting career and 19 seasons in the Orioles radio booth, Joe Angel announced his retirement last night. He appeared on the "Orioles Hot Stove" radio show on flagship station 105.7 FM The Fan. He had a quite a career broadcasting Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Florida Marlins in addition to the Orioles. He was at the mic for seven no-hitters and 44 postseason games, including the Marlins'...