masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTaking time this morning to ponder that the Auburn player that ran back that missed field goal to beat Alabama yesterday was named Chris Davis.

The baseball-playing Davis crushed baseballs while the football-playing Davis crushed the hopes of Alabama’s fan base.

In the last two weeks, the Orioles have added eight players to their 40-man roster with three coming from their own organization. Here is a recap:

* Nov. 18 – Orioles sign left-handed pitcher Kelvin De La Cruz to a one-year…Taking time this morning to ponder that the Auburn player that ran back that missed field goal to beat Alabama yesterday was named Chris Davis.

The baseball-playing Davis crushed baseballs while the football-playing Davis crushed the hopes of Alabama’s fan base.

In the last two weeks, the Orioles have added eight players to their 40-man roster with three coming from their own organization. Here is a recap:

* Nov. 18 – Orioles sign left-handed pitcher Kelvin De La Cruz to a one-year contract.

* Nov. 20 – Orioles sign right-hander Edgmer Escalona to a one-year contract. Also, the Orioles added catcher Michael Ohlman, lefty Tim Berry and righty Eddie Gamboa to their 40-man roster.

* Nov. 25 – The O’s acquired right-handed pitcher Brad Brach from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Devin Jones. Also that day, the club claimed infielder Cord Phelps off waivers from the Cleveland Indians.

* Nov. 30 – The Orioles acquired catcher Johnny Monell from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash considerations.

By the way, Gamboa pitched another strong game Friday in the Mexican winter league with six shutout innings of two-hit ball. Over his last five starts there, Gamboa has pitched 31 1/3 innings, allowing just 20 hits and two runs. In eight starts overall in Mexico, he is 3-2 with a 1.41 ERA.

Finally, it is probably no coincidence that the Orioles now have two left-handed hitting catchers on their 40-man roster in Steve Clevenger and Monell.

Here are Matt Wieters’ average and OPS the last three years against right-handed pitchers:

2011 – .237 and .665
2012 – 224 and .715
2013 – .214 and .628

Monell hit .281 with an OPS of .888 in Triple-A last year against right-handed pitching while Clevenger hit .276 with an OPS of .779 against right-handers in Triple-A.

Dan Duquette has proven to be someone that pays great attention to these split stats and here is the latest example.

Will pitching duo help Twins win?: I took a quick poll on Twitter last night and would love to get some comments here today on this question: Would O’s fans desperate for signing news by their club be happy with the pair of pitchers the Minnesota Twins agreed to terms with in Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes? How would O’s fans feel if their team had signed that pair?