Trevor Rogers received some well-deserved recognition last night with the unveiling of the American League Cy Young ballots.

I didn’t think I’d be solely responsible for it.

Rogers tied the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen for ninth place, with both pitchers receiving a fifth-place vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal is a back-to-back winner, followed by the Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet, the Astros’ Hunter Brown, the Yankees’ Max Fried and the Mariners’ Bryan Woo. Skubal received 26 first-place votes and Crochet the other four.

I put Skubal first, Crochet second, Brown third and Fried fourth, keeping me in line with the majority. The last spot came down to Rogers or Woo. I didn’t want to be viewed as a homer if I selected Rogers or a jerk if omitting him because I cover the team.

Woo, an All-Star, had the numbers, of course, with a 2.94 ERA, 0.927 WHIP and 4.2 bWAR, and the larger sample size with his 30 starts. Rogers made 18 but also posted a 1.81 ERA and 0.903 WHIP, and opponents batted .180/.240/.263. His 5.5 bWAR was the third highest by an Orioles left-hander in club history and ranked fourth among all AL pitchers this year and eighth in the majors.

Rogers was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for August after going 4-1 with a 1.29 ERA – six earned runs in 42 innings – across six starts.

I’ll keep going.

He made 10 consecutive starts with six-plus innings and two runs or fewer allowed, the longest streak in club history. It marked the longest stretch by a major league starters in a single season, omitting openers, since the Mariners’ Félix Hernández (17) in 2014. Rogers’ ERA was the lowest by an Orioles starter in a minimum 100 innings in team history.

The ERA was second-lowest among all major league pitchers in a minimum 100 innings behind the Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi (1.73, and his opponent average, slugging percentage and OPS ranked first.

A fifth-place vote wasn’t going to wreck the balloting. I feel good about it, and I also feel good that Woo got his own recognition.

Let’s dig into the mailbag again.

When will they announce Kevin Kiermaier as bench coach?
Was that a rumor? I know he’s a Blue Jays special assistant. I also know that the Orioles hired Donnie Ecker as bench coach. Sorry.

Will Buck Britton stay on the coaching staff?
I wrote yesterday that there was interest in bringing him back, possibly as third base coach and infield instructor, duties that he inherited after Tony Mansolino became interim manager. I got confirmation last night that Britton, pitching coach Drew French and pitching strategy coach Ryan Klimek are returning. Some roles are TBD. So to answer your question, yes, Britton is back, baby. He’s back.

Will the Orioles hire a general manager this winter?
They eventually should make a hire, but not that quickly, as Mike Elias confirmed to reporters last night in Las Vegas. It stays on the back burner.

How’s that shopping list? Still the same?
Mine usually includes almond milk and bananas for my whey protein shakes. If you’re talking about the Orioles, nothing has changed with them, either. They began the offseason wanting a starter for the upper part of the rotation, late-inning relief and a bat that ideally fit in the outfield. They also could check on utility infielders. Nothing has happened to suddenly make them pivot in another direction. No news here.

With the players union likely to recommend a strike after the season, do think the O's will pay long-term contracts (3-to-5 years) to acquire some new players or extend Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, etc. this offseason or during the 2026 season?
I don’t see where the possibility of another lockout or whatever would light a fire under the Orioles to spend more, if that’s what you’re asking. And I certainly do not expect it to increase the urgency to extend some of the core players. There are other motivations.

Who do you prefer we trade for from this group: Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan, Sonny Gray?
That order. Right there. Peralta would be a rental, which isn’t as appealing as Ryan in that regard, but I’d rank him first.

Didn't realize Cleveland released John Means. Any intrigue?
From me? Yes. I can’t speak for the organization. I just assumed, like everyone else, that he’d remain with the Guardians after they signed him for 2025 - knowing that he’d be rehabbing from another Tommy John surgery – and included a $6 million club option for 2026. Why pay him to not pitch except for seven rehab starts? He posted a 6.08 ERA in 26 2/3 innings, but results don’t usually matter that much. The rotation didn’t have room for him in September. I get it. The Guardians could try to bring him back on a lesser deal. Means went through another rigorous rehab process, mentally and physically taxing, and deserves to be rewarded with a major league job in 2026. He deserves some good fortune as one of the really good guys in baseball. Reward the man!

How do you feel about Southwest’s new seating policy?
Their slogan used to be, “We get you there on time,” which didn’t hold up. Now it’s become, “How else can we complicate your life?” They probably should have put that one up for a vote.

Is there a free agent on the market where you believe the O's would spend money and surrender a draft pick to get here? Framber Valdez at 4-5 years might be one possibility.
Surrendering draft picks appeals to the Orioles about as much as unrefrigerated clam dip. However, it isn’t a deal-breaker. The Orioles are vowing to be aggressive in their winter activity, which means the possibility of longer-term deals and not letting draft pick compensation stand in the way. Elias also talked about the latter at the GM meetings, telling reporters, “We will absolutely be in the free-agent market for qualified free agents this winter. So we'll fully prepared to sacrifice the draft pick." There ya go.

If you could trade your job for any other job in baseball, what would you do?
I really don’t think there are any other baseball jobs unless you’re counting a podcast, which would probably be the next move. Part-time babysitter of my granddaughter doesn’t involve baseball, though I sometimes choke up when I talk about her. I’ve always believed that Special Assistant to the General Manager seemed like a nice gig. They usually aren’t scapegoats when things go south. The pay’s gotta be good, too.

Any word on Grayson Rodriguez’s ramp-up and Heston Kjerstad’s health?
The Winter Meetings provide another opportunity to seek updates. The most recent batch had the Orioles expecting them to be ready for spring training. But Rodriguez must be handled with care because he hasn’t pitched since July 2024. The Orioles aren’t writing his name into the rotation in ink.

How come you don’t link to the first mailbag when you mention it? I’d be curious to re-experience the groundbreaking moment! Does that entry still exist within the smoking depths of the MASN data center? I assume the data retention policy is so to “keep forever” for litigation purposes. It’s probably archived on that old mainframe tucked away in the corner, and held together by baling wire and duct tape. Or “duck tape” as they say in Essex.
This seems like a good place to … keep going. I tried so hard to locate it and realized two things: I still can’t navigate anything on the internet, and the beloved original didn’t exist until April 17, 2009. Hat tip to “Moneyballz” for locating it. So, what the heck, let’s just run it here and marvel at subjects that seemed so important back in the day and be reminded why this team was so bad.

Because You Asked … and Asked

Instead of answering the same questions in the comments section - and I'm sensing that fewer people are scrolling through them - I decided to create a separate entry. It's like your favorite Greatest Hits album, but without the crackling sound.

Will the Orioles call up Troy Patton this summer?
If Patton stays healthy and keeps hanging zeros on the scoreboard, he should resurface in the majors later this summer. The Orioles aren't in a rush to bring him up, however, because he missed last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum. They'll take it slow with him and make sure he's fully recovered and able to handle a starter's workload.

Was Patton's velocity down last night?
Apparently not. Though the radar readings at Prince George's County Stadium had Patton's fastball at 85 mph, the Baysox disputed that number after the game. "They told me I was consistently throwing 86 to 89 mph, touching 91," Patton said. "It was good to get out there for six innings and not have my arm hanging afterwards like it used to."

Why don't the Orioles sign Pedro? Do you think the Orioles will sign Pedro? NOW do you think they'll sign Pedro? Vote for Pedro.
Pedro Martinez reportedly wants $5 million as a base salary, and enough money in incentives to almost match that amount. The Orioles aren't interested. Neither are the other teams in the majors, or he'd be off the market. This isn't the same Pedro who defeated Don Zimmer in Wrestlemania 12. You could argue that he'd be an upgrade over most of the starters currently in the Orioles' rotation, but how much? And at what cost? And would he sign with a team that isn't expected to contend? The decision doesn't rest entirely with the Orioles.

Who will the Orioles call up to start Tuesday's game against the White Sox?
You have to figure that it's going to be Brad Bergesen or Chris Waters. Bergesen pitched on Wednesday, so he'd be working on an extra days' rest. Waters tossed six scoreless innings last night in Charlotte to improve his chances, and his next turn just happens to fall on Tuesday. This is assuming, of course, that Mark Hendrickson still makes Monday's start in Boston.

Why are Hendrickson, Adam Eaton and Alfredo Simon in this rotation?
The original idea - and feel free to disagree with the wisdom behind it - was to sign a few veterans to eat up innings and spare the bullpen, while also allowing the young prospects to mature a little more in the minors. The Orioles didn't want a bunch of kids getting knocked out of games in the third inning and losing confidence. If Eaton was a disaster, they could cut him. The Phillies are paying most of his contract. If Simon was a bust, they could put him in the bullpen or release him. Turns out, he's injured. Hendrickson was signed to be a long reliever/swingman, but Rich Hill's sore elbow forced him into the rotation. He isn't likely to stay there.

So what's the latest on Hill?
He threw about 75 pitches in Tuesday's bullpen session in Texas. He's going back to Sarasota, where he'll pitch two innings, rest two days, and repeat the process. He'll have to go on an injury rehab assignment before the Orioles insert him into their rotation. Again, there's no firm date here. Hill will dictate when he's activated. You have to assume that we'll see him next month if he doesn't experience any setbacks.

When are the Orioles going to call up Matt Wieters?
Much sooner than they sign Pedro Martinez. Andy MacPhail doesn't have the date written on a piece of paper in his shirt pocket. Wieters hit his first home run last night. He's batting .261 with one RBI. He's tapping on the door, but he isn't kicking it down. It'll happen soon enough. Could be sometime next month, could be sometime in June. But the Orioles want to increase his number of minor league at-bats and allow him to gain a little more experience behind the plate before he starts calling pitches for Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara.

Are the Orioles waiting until later this summer to recall Brad Bergesen so his arbitration clock doesn't start this year?
That has nothing to do with it. No offense to Bergesen, who was the organization's minor league Pitcher of the Year in 2008 and one of the most impressive hurlers in camp this spring, but we shouldn't be talking about him like he's Greg Maddux. If we're playing dress-up, Wieters can be Johnny Bench. But Bergesen isn't the top pitching prospect in this organization, let alone baseball. He's not even in the Orioles' top three, though he's the closest to being major league ready. He's polished, he works quickly, he throws strikes, he fields his position. There's a lot to like about him. But arbitration clocks don't come into play here.

Speaking of clocks, is it "spring forward, fall back" or "fall forward, spring back?"
The first one.

What's your favorite Madden-ism?
He once described a running back as having great "pickaholeability." He could have spent another 30 years in the broadcast booth and he wouldn't have topped that one. I miss him already.

Who will move up to Triple-A Norfolk as replacements for Matt Albers and Radhames Liz?
The Tides are still short two pitchers. The Orioles could bump up Wilfrido Perez and Bobby Livingston from Double-A Bowie. Perez hasn't allowed a run as Bowie's closer, though he walked two last night before recording his third save. Livingston could slide into the Tides' rotation. Another possibility is Zach Clark, who is temporarily assigned to Single-A short-season Aberdeen. If the Orioles wait long enough, Liz and Albers could end up back with the Tides.

Who was the player-to-be-named in the Chad Bradford trade?
What are you, a wise guy?

Is Brian Bass a goner?
Let's just say he's on a very short leash - if you can actually put a leash on a Bass. You'll get a lot of stares at the dog park. The Orioles might be more confident now that Bass will pass through waivers if they try to option him. I doubt that he's in serious demand, though he might be an improvement over some other long relievers. I haven't studied every roster. But to go back to your original question, if I'm Bass, I'm going to start feeling a "twinge" in my elbow or shoulder or back or groin. A few hours in the trainers room, a few ice packs - though be careful with the groin - and you're more likely to find a seat on the disabled list than the next bus to Pawtucket.

What's the latest on Brad Hennessey?
Read my first entry today.

What's the latest on Chorye Spoone?
See above.

When will you appear on the Scott Garceau and Anita Marks Show on MASN and 105.7 The Fan? It's been a while.
Funny you should ask. I'll be in studio at 5 p.m. today.