masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgHappy Thanksgiving to all the loyal readers here today and to everyone throughout Birdland!

I am thankful for so many things, including a great family, wonderful friends and getting to cover and write about my hometown team. But also that so many come here every day to read what I have to say, take the time to leave comments and engage in daily baseball conversations.

This is a great community of Orioles fans and I’m appreciative that you are here today and every day.

Here a few quick notes…Happy Thanksgiving to all the loyal readers here today and to everyone throughout Birdland!

I am thankful for so many things, including a great family, wonderful friends and getting to cover and write about my hometown team. But also that so many come here every day to read what I have to say, take the time to leave comments and engage in daily baseball conversations.

This is a great community of Orioles fans and I’m appreciative that you are here today and every day.

Here a few quick notes to pass along:

* Congrats to Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall, who was inducted into the Sparrows Point High School Hall of Fame last week. The Baltimore native is a 1981 graduate.

He just finished his 15th season in the O’s organization and his fourth as manager at Bowie, where he has a record of 296-271 (.522). The Baysox have had a .500 or better record in each of those four seasons and made the 2012 playoffs.

Kendall won the 2013 Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award and led the Surprise Saguaros to the 2013 Arizona Fall League championship.

* Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey and his father Bryan, a two-time major league All-Star, are hosting a charity event late next week near their home in Charlotte, N.C.

The charity poker tournament will be held on Dec. 5 to raise money for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation and the Harvey Baseball Foundation. For more information, please go to harveybaseballacademy.com

* Finally, if you have time today for one baseball topic, I’d be interested in reading some opinions on pitcher Andrew Miller likely leaving the Orioles.

miller-white-pitching-sidebar.jpgThis does not come as a surprise, as it was clear that Miller’s dominant 2014 season was going to mean huge interest in the free agent reliever and a big contract for him somewhere other than Baltimore.

The Orioles acquired another lefty reliever yesterday when they added Scott Barnes from Cleveland. Earlier, they picked up Pat McCoy off waivers from Detroit and re-signed Chris Jones to a minor league deal.

It’s clear they’ve been gearing up for Miller’s likely departure and maybe even the possibility of non-tendering Brian Matusz.

We can all agree that losing Miller is a big loss when you look at how he pitched for the club last season. But the Orioles clearly see these negotiations reaching a point at which they are not comfortable going.

Have they made the right call on this?