Steve Melewski

Austin Hays looks to regain top form in 2019

December 13, 2018, 10:53am

Orioles

Austin Hays looks to regain top form in 2019

After a frustrating year where he missed many games and ended it undergoing ankle surgery, Orioles outfield prospect Austin Hays is heading into 2019 with a positive outlook and a right ankle that is returning to full health. Hays had surgery Sept. 13 to repair cartilage damage that led to several other issues with that ankle during the season. But after a two- to three-month recovery, he should be fine for spring training, where he can make a run at a 2019 roster spot. The injury limited Hays...

Tags:

Post Winter Meetings edition: "10 questions for O's fans"

December 13, 2018, 10:48am

Orioles

Post Winter Meetings edition: "10 questions for O's fans"

It's that time again: time for me to ask you some questions and get your responses. Answer one question or all 10. Provide short answers or long. Respond to answers by other readers. It's all welcome. It's all good. So on to the questions. 1. Will the Orioles trade Alex Cobb and/or Andrew Cashner this winter? 2. Who will be the 2019 opening day starter? 3. New GM Mike Elias takes over a 115-loss team. How soon can he have the Orioles playing at least .500 baseball? 4. Over the next five...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Some of the best quotes and takes from Las Vegas

December 13, 2018, 10:39am

Orioles

Some of the best quotes and takes from Las Vegas

We covered a lot of topics and got the opinions and thoughts of a few national reporters and analysts over four days of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Today, we'll take a look back at some of the most interesting and pertinent quotes of the week. ESPN's Keith Law provided a take on new GM Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal: "I think this is exactly what they needed. The fact that these guys have worked together for a while now and had so much success in Houston points to this being a great hire. I...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski brandon hyde brian kenny featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2 harold reynolds jj cooper jonathan mayo keith law winter meetings

Up next for the Orioles: Hire the skipper as the rebuild moves on

December 13, 2018, 10:29am

Orioles

LAS VEGAS - As expected, the Orioles were not very active in player acquisitions at the Winter Meetings, but the process of hiring a new manager moved near completion and the business of rebuilding the team is fully underway for new general manager Mike Elias. It was a chance for beat reporters to get a few opportunities to meet with the new GM and get his thoughts on a variety of topics over a few days in Las Vegas. At some point in the next few days the Orioles should make official the hiring...

Tags:

mike elias orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

A few post-Rule 5 draft quotes on the new Orioles

December 13, 2018, 9:03am

Orioles

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles are a bit short on middle infielders and they added two today via the Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings. They selected Oakland shortstop Richie Martin with the No. 1 pick in the draft. After the draft, it was announced they had acquired infielder Drew Jackson, who been selected by Philadelphia from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Orioles sent international bonus money to the Phillies for Jackson. In the Triple-A phase of the draft, the Orioles selected right-handed...

Tags:

drew jackson orioles richie martin steve melewski taylor grover featured_sidebar kent qualls rule 5 draft trip norton winter meetings

Can O's use "secret sauce" to get more strikeouts from farm pitchers?

December 12, 2018, 5:12pm

Orioles

Can O's use "secret sauce" to get more strikeouts from farm pitchers?

LAS VEGAS - If new O's general manager Mike Elias can get Orioles minor league clubs to play as well as the minor league clubs of the Houston Astros system played in 2018, then fans of O's affiliates might be quite pleased. And the Orioles may be developing some talented young pitchers. Houston's Triple-A Fresno team finished in first place in 2018, going 82-57. The team ERA ranked sixth in the Pacific Coast League at 4.27 and Fresno pitchers led that league in strikeouts. Double-A Corpus...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski anthony santander d.j. snelten diogenes almengo joey rickard pedro araujo rule 5 draft winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Will the Houston model work in Baltimore? MLB Network's Brian Kenny weighs in

December 12, 2018, 1:59pm

Orioles

Will the Houston model work in Baltimore? MLB Network's Brian Kenny weighs in

LAS VEGAS - MLB Network host Brian Kenny was a fan of the Houston Astros front office at a time when they were losing 106 games in 2011, 107 in 2012 and 111 in 2013. He saw the data-driven approach they were taking with general manager Jeff Luhnow - and also with Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal. Luhnow was hired after that 2011 season and a teardown that led to a successful rebuild was beginning. The Astros' success culminated with a World Series title in 2017. Kenny joined me today for an interview...

Tags:

brian kenny orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar mike elias sig mejdal winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Baseball America's J.J. Cooper weighs in on the No. 1 draft pick

December 12, 2018, 8:10am

Orioles

Baseball America's J.J. Cooper weighs in on the No. 1 draft pick

LAS VEGAS - The last catcher drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft was Joe Mauer, taken by the Minnesota Twins in 2001. There could be another catcher taken 1/1 in June and the Orioles hold that pick. Earlier, it seemed that many analysts favored Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. for that No. 1 pick. Now the sentiment seems to have strongly moved toward Oregon State's switch-hitting catcher, Adley Rutschman. And top draft analysts are reaching a consensus...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski adley rutschman bobby witt jr. featured_sidebar first-year player draft jj cooper winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Elias on his scouting background, Reynolds on Machado/Harper

December 11, 2018, 9:49pm

Orioles

Elias on his scouting background, Reynolds on Machado/Harper

LAS VEGAS - In sizing up the hire of new Orioles general manager Mike Elias, the point has been made that he brings a background of both scouting and analytics to the team. And while analytics will be huge moving forward for the Orioles, Elias knows about the old-fashioned eye test. He used to be the one doing the looking. He began what has been so far a 12-year baseball career in 2007 as an amateur scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. Elias spent five seasons with Jeff Luhnow in St. Louis. The...

Tags:

brandon hyde mike elias orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar harold reynolds winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Mike Elias on getting data and analytics to the players

December 11, 2018, 5:02pm

Orioles

Mike Elias on getting data and analytics to the players

LAS VEGAS - As the Orioles move heavily into the analytics age in baseball, they are going to be cognizant of how that information gets to their players in a manner that is helpful to them. Bombarding them with data that won't lead to a better performance doesn't accomplish much. New Orioles general manger Mike Elias knows how to get this job done. He was part of a front office that was on the cutting edge of doing this in Houston. In Baltimore, his front office and coaches will try to help...

Tags:

mike elias orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

MLB Network's Harold Reynolds talks Mike Elias, Manny Machado and more

December 11, 2018, 1:24pm

Orioles

MLB Network's Harold Reynolds talks Mike Elias, Manny Machado and more

LAS VEGAS - It seems every year at the Winter Meetings we have a chance to talk with MLB Network analyst and commentator Harold Reynolds. This year was no different. I interviewed Reynolds today at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and touched on several different baseball topics. Reynolds on the possibility of MLB limiting defensive shifts: "It is going to be a very controversial topic. The commissioner is kind of in a box right now because the offense has been down. Players have clearly not...

Tags:

harold reynolds orioles steve melewski manny machado mike elias winter meetings featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Will the O's look toward the Astros in the Rule 5 draft?

December 11, 2018, 10:44am

Orioles

Will the O's look toward the Astros in the Rule 5 draft?

LAS VEGAS - The Orioles have the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft, which is the last event of the Winter Meetings. It takes place 9 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Baseball America executive editor J.J. Cooper is as knowledgeable of that draft as anyone and has written on it and studied it for years. Here is his latest story previewing this year's draft. The Houston connection with the Orioles' Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal could come into play on...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski cy sneed featured_sidebar jj cooper jonathan arauz kean wong richie martin riley ferrell rule 5 draft frontstory_orioles3

MLBPipeline.com's Jonathan Mayo on Mike Elias and some O's prospects

December 11, 2018, 7:50am

Orioles

MLBPipeline.com's Jonathan Mayo on Mike Elias and some O's prospects

LAS VEGAS - It's probably no surprise that while Orioles fans seem excited with their new general manager Mike Elias, and national reporters echo some of their feelings. Two I talked with yesterday, ESPN's Keith Law and Jonathan Mayo of MLBPipeline.com, spoke highly of what Elias can do for the Orioles. "I think it's a great hire," said Mayo. "Obviously, you see the success the Astros have had in terms of what the Orioles now need to do in terms of rebuilding from within. That is in areas...

Tags:

mike elias orioles ryan mountcastle steve melewski dean kremer dl hall jonathan mayo winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Mike Elias on building the talent pipeline, Keith Law on analytics

December 10, 2018, 9:04pm

Orioles

Mike Elias on building the talent pipeline, Keith Law on analytics

LAS VEGAS - Hiring the next manager for the Orioles is an important priority in the short term for new executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. He will pick one of six candidates he's interviewed for the job. Though Elias wouldn't confirm any of the reported names, the six candidates are known to be Nationals bench coach Chip Hale, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, Royals quality control/catching coach Pedro Grifol, Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Bell, Rockies...

Tags:

keith law mike elias orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar winter meetings

ESPN's Keith Law on the O's hire of Mike Elias and more

December 10, 2018, 2:09pm

Orioles

ESPN's Keith Law on the O's hire of Mike Elias and more

LAS VEGAS - Just as we can't expect their won-loss record to quickly improve as they rebuild, the Orioles' battle against other teams off the field in the front office could be lengthy as well. We're talking about how the club catches up to other teams in analytics and in making data-driven decisions. On Nov. 21, new Orioles general manager Mike Elias hired Sig Mejdal as the club's assistant general manager, analytics. He is tasked with building up the Orioles analytics department and...

Tags:

keith law mike elias orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar sig mejdal winter meetings frontstory_orioles3

Talking about the No. 1 draft pick at the Winter Meetings

December 10, 2018, 11:42am

Orioles

Talking about the No. 1 draft pick at the Winter Meetings

LAS VEGAS - It will obviously be a huge moment for new Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. But we are going to have to wait a few months for it. In June, the Orioles have the No. 1 pick in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft. For just the second time in team history, they select 1/1, the first pick in the first round. The Orioles took Ben McDonald out of LSU with that selection in 1989. Right now, there are two players that are getting the most buzz for...

Tags:

jonathan mayo orioles steve melewski adley rutschman bobby witt jr. featured_sidebar first-year player draft frontstory_orioles3

O's Ryan McKenna named to AFL Top Prospects Team

December 10, 2018, 7:38am

Orioles

O's Ryan McKenna named to AFL Top Prospects Team

LAS VEGAS - A nice honor today for Orioles outfield prospect Ryan McKenna. He was named to the 2018 Arizona Fall League Top Prospects Team. The team is selected by AFL managers and coaches to recognize players that excelled during the six-week season. In 17 games with Glendale, the 21-year-old McKenna hit .344/.474/.590. He scored 16 runs and produced six doubles, three triples, a homer and nine RBIs. He hit .383 against right-handed pitchers and finished second in the AFL with an OPS of 1.064....

Tags:

orioles ryan mckenna steve melewski afl orioles farm report frontstory_orioles2

Quick preview of the the Winter Meetings

December 09, 2018, 1:25pm

Orioles

Quick preview of the the Winter Meetings

LAS VEGAS - For years now, the Orioles have not been among the teams making major news at baseball's annual Winter Meetings. That didn't appear likely to change much this year as media and front office executives arrived at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for the meetings, which officially begin today. It seems like it has been years since the Orioles were involved in a transaction that led their key baseball operations decision-maker to the podium to hold an actual press conference for...

Tags:

mike elias orioles steve melewski alex cobb andrew cashner featured_sidebar mark trumbo frontstory_orioles3

Taking stock of the O's current catching situation

December 08, 2018, 10:32am

Orioles

Taking stock of the O's current catching situation

The Orioles have three catchers on their current 40-man roster after Caleb Joseph was recently non-tendered. They are Austin Wynns, Chance Sisco and Andrew Susac. What will the Orioles do at the catching position in 2019? Are they going to add a veteran catcher and/or does Joseph still have a shot to come back? Will Sisco have to go back to the farm next April to try to re-ignite his career? Here is the list of current free agent catchers: Drew Butera (35) A.J. Ellis (38) Yasmani Grandal (30)...

Tags:

austin wynns chance sisco martin cervenka orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Shifty business: Is MLB really going to limit or eliminate shifts?

December 07, 2018, 6:12pm

Orioles

Shifty business: Is MLB really going to limit or eliminate shifts?

What if a baseball game were played, but players in the field were not allowed to roam anywhere they want? What if defensive shifts were limited or eliminated completely? Would officials in Major League Baseball really take such action? This week, Jayson Stark of The Athletic wrote an excellent article examining this topic. "At last month's owners meetings, baseball's competition committee gave the commissioner 'strong' backing to try to 'put something in place' to limit shifts,...