masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWe’re down to the last day before teams can begin expanding their rosters. The Orioles will bring up a pitcher to get their bullpen back to seven relievers and select the contract of a third catcher. They also could recall outfielder Joey Rickard rather than wait until Triple-A Norfolk’s season ends on Monday.
Rickard hit his first home run for the Tides last night and it was a grand slam.
Here’s the yearly reminder that anyone who comes up from the minors must be placed on the 40-man roster…

We’re down to the last day before teams can begin expanding their rosters. The Orioles will bring up a pitcher to get their bullpen back to seven relievers and select the contract of a third catcher. They also could recall outfielder Joey Rickard rather than wait until Triple-A Norfolk’s season ends on Monday.

Rickard hit his first home run for the Tides last night and it was a grand slam.

Here’s the yearly reminder that anyone who comes up from the minors must be placed on the 40-man roster if not already part of it. The Orioles are at 39 and shortstop J.J. Hardy must come off the 60-day disabled list.

It’s not as easy as saying, “They should bring up this guy and that guy and this guy and take a look at those guys.” Well, I guess it’s easier than actually knowing their names, but the Orioles would have to make room for all of these additions.

Hardy or a third catcher, whichever comes second, would necessitate a corresponding 40-man move.

Room should be made for Pedro Álvarez. There’s no reason to deny a potent left-handed bat, whether it’s serving as the designated hitter or being a weapon off the bench that opposing managers must account for each night.

I still can’t get a sense whether the Orioles will bring up Double-A Bowie outfielders Austin Hays or Cedric Mullins next month. No straight answers coming from the organization. And again, they’re not on the 40-man roster and there are only so many avenues to take when creating space.

They will remain with the Baysox at least through the Eastern League playoffs.

* It seems so weird that it can’t possibly be true, but the Orioles finally swept back-to-back three-game series for the first time since June 11-16, 1999 in Atlanta and versus the Royals.

They’ve had seven-game winning streaks, but there weren’t consecutive sweeps of three-game sets.

The highlight of the Braves beatdown was a 22-1 win on June 13, a Sunday night game that lasted only 3:03 despite the score. John Smoltz was charged with seven runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. Cal Ripken Jr. went 6-for-6 with a double, two home runs, six RBIs and five runs scored.

Mike Figga replaced Charles Johnson behind the plate. I mention this only because I wanted to write Mike Figga’s name.

Sidney Ponson had two victories in that six-game span.

* Is Anthony Santander still on this team?

I can confirm that he’s on the roster, in the clubhouse and on the bench. He also showers, though certain areas are off-limits to the media. And by areas, I mean … Anyway, he’s still here, but absent from the lineup.

Santander-Runs-White-Sidebar.jpgSantander started on Aug. 18 and 19, going 2-for-8 with a run scored, but that was due to Chris Davis and Welington Castillo being ill. Santander has made one other appearance, batting in the eighth inning of Friday night’s 16-3 win in Boston.

It’s nothing against Santander. The Orioles held onto him for a reason. But they’re not going to experiment and evaluate while chasing the second wild card.

Santander would be playing every night during the stretch of 14 straight losing seasons. He’d probably be batting in the heart of the order after the club was a seller at the deadline. But times have changed.

* Another trade deadline arrives tonight. Players won’t be eligible for the postseason if acquired on Sept. 1 or later. Executive vice president Dan Duquette still wants another pitcher, but so do a lot of other teams.

The Orioles dealt for outfielders Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs on this date last year. Bourn was a big contributor. Stubbs went 3-for-22.

Stubbs appeared in 10 games with the Giants this season, going 2-for-22, and signed with the Rangers in May. Bourn broke his finger in spring training while trying to catch a football, opted out of his contract with Norfolk and still hasn’t resurfaced in the majors.

Did anyone predict over the winter that Bourn and Alvarez wouldn’t play in the majors through August?

* I checked on former Orioles infielder Paul Janish, who lives in Houston with his wife and kids, to make certain that they were safe while Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in the area.

He said they were doing fine and managed to stay dry – but just barely.

Janish was granted his release at Norfolk so he could move on to the next phase of his professional life, joining the coaching staff at his alma mater, Rice University.

“Sometimes, that type of transaction gets missed and they say, ‘Oh, this guy was only this.’ Paul was a good player for a long time, a very trustworthy player,” said manager Buck Showalter.

“Rice University’s lucky to have him. Also one of the reasons we did it, it gives him a chance … he has two classes he has to get to finish his degree, and if he waits until the end of the season, he won’t be able to do that. So we wish him well.

“I’ve got to tell you, guys like him, your paths seem to cross again, because he’s going to be able to do about anything he wants to do with his life. I know his wife and kids are pretty happy to have him home.”