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One national columnist calls Adam Jones a disappointment

January 06, 2012, 4:40pm

Orioles

One national columnist calls Adam Jones a disappointment

For the most part, I agree with a lot of what national baseball columnist Rob Neyer has had to say over the years. He really knows the game and writes interesting and often thought-provoking columns. When I read his piece yesterday about why the Orioles haven't traded Adam Jones, he really caught me off guard when he called Jones "a disappointment." I guess he is saying in relation to what some thought he would become. His story is here. But I find it hard to call a solid-fielding center...

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O's set FanFest autograph lineup; vouchers now on sale

January 06, 2012, 3:24pm

Orioles

O's set FanFest autograph lineup; vouchers now on sale

The Orioles have released their autograph schedule for FanFest on Saturday, Jan. 21. You can go over the particulars about the autograph policy and purchasing autograph vouchers here. The procedure is identical to the system introduced at last year's FanFest. Vouchers go on sale at www.orioles.com/fanfest at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7. Last year, all vouchers sold out before FanFest, so plan accordingly, using the following schedule of player, manager and alumni appearances: ESSKAY...

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Markakis undergoes surgery on abdomen (updated)

January 06, 2012, 6:40am

Orioles

Markakis undergoes surgery on abdomen (updated)

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis underwent surgery yesterday in Philadelphia to repair a torn muscle in his abdomen, but the club expects him to be ready for opening day. Markakis left the final regular season game on Sept. 28 against the Red Sox after making a diving catch. He was expected to visit a specialist this winter as a precaution, but the injury didn't heal properly and surgery was recommended. Scar tissue was preventing the tear from closing. The surgery was performed by sports...

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Left-handers, right-handers and a right fielder

January 06, 2012, 6:35pm

Orioles

Left-handers, right-handers and a right fielder

Before I dive into more rotation talk, I'll revisit one topic from yesterday. The Orioles are downplaying Nick Markakis' abdomen surgery. They truly believe that he'll be ready on opening day, and Markakis feels the same way. Markakis is one of those guys who doesn't need a lot of spring training at-bats. He was launching the ball tape-measure distances on the back fields of Ed Smith Stadium last February and March, causing a few beat writers to predict that he'd have a monster season....

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After rough 2011 season, Hobgood hopeful better times are ahead

January 05, 2012, 6:08pm

Orioles

After rough 2011 season, Hobgood hopeful better times are ahead

With a career record of 4-15 and ERA of 5.48 in 158 innings since the Orioles selected him with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft, right-hander Matt Hobgood has gotten plenty of criticism from fans and he has come to expect that to be the case. He continues to work to rehab his right shoulder and said he hasn't felt right and completely healthy with the shoulder for even one day since he first pitched for Rookie League Bluefield in 2009. Last year, he went 0-6 with an ERA of 8.76 between the...

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Autograph vouchers for FanFest to go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7

January 05, 2012, 8:51am

Orioles

Autograph vouchers for FanFest to go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7

Limber up your typing fingers. Make sure your mouse-clicking wrist is at its most flexible. You'll need both come Saturday, Jan. 7, when vouchers for autograph sessions for the 2012 Orioles FanFest go on sale at 10 a.m. at www.orioles.com/fanfest. The list of autograph session times and who will be signing will be available at that same Web address by 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6. FanFest will be held Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Baltimore Convention Center from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., though season plan...

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A non-update update on Adam Jones

January 04, 2012, 6:34pm

Orioles

Who were you expecting, Prince Fielder? It's a slow morning for me, mostly because I don't have to prep for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report." I no longer need to know that the Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom, their leading scorer with 42 points - including three assists in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Calgary - is day-to-day after being elbowed in the head by the Flames' Rene Bourque. I no longer need to know that New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees and Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford, who...

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Fans looking for a total rebuild by Orioles will likely not get one

January 04, 2012, 6:52pm

Orioles

Some fans that have commented on this blog in recent days have had a similar refrain: "Why not blow it up and start over?" Basically, those fans advocate a total rebuilding of the Orioles. Rather than sign a player like Adam Jones to a long-term contract, they prefer to see him and other key players traded to add prospects to rebuild the farm system and, eventually, the major league team. These fans reason that if the Orioles traded players like Jeremy Guthrie, J.J. Hardy, Jones and others,...

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Orioles FanFest autograph vouchers on sale this Saturday at orioles.com

January 05, 2012, 8:21am

Orioles

Vouchers for autograph sessions at the Orioles' 2012 FanFest will go on sale this Saturday, January 7, at 10:00 a.m. The list of autograph session times and participants will be posted online for preview at www.orioles.com/fanfest by 9 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 6. Orioles FanFest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Baltimore Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with early entry for Orioles Season Plan Holders to begin at 10 a.m. At this year's FanFest, the Orioles will continue an...

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Notes on Snyder, Miller and the Orioles outfield

January 03, 2012, 6:28pm

Orioles

Here's wishing Brandon Snyder well with the Texas Rangers. He is someone I first met while broadcasting Aberdeen IronBirds games and he played there briefly in 2005 and 2006. When Snyder had that big first half with Double-A Bowie in 2009, he looked like he was on his way to one day being the Orioles' regular first baseman. But he never did put up big numbers at Triple-A Norfolk, some fans began to doubt him and he didn't seem to be too high on Buck Showalter's list last year...

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Orioles acquire Jai Miller, trade Brandon Snyder in separate deals (updated)

January 03, 2012, 9:26am

Orioles

The Orioles got their outfielder, and he comes from the Oakland Athletics. Just not that outfielder. The team announced that it acquired Jai Miller from the A's for cash considerations. In a separate deal, they sent former first-round pick Brandon Snyder to the Rangers for cash considerations. The 40-man roster remains full with these moves. Miller, 26, batted .276/.368/.588 with 32 home runs, 88 RBIs and 16 stolen bases without being caught in 110 games for Triple-A Sacramento in 2011. He...

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Brandon Snyder: "It's time for a new opportunity"

January 03, 2012, 10:12am

Orioles

Brandon Snyder: "It's time for a new opportunity"

After playing in 720 games in the Orioles' organization, Brandon Snyder, the club's first-round pick in 2005, today was traded to the Texas Rangers for cash considerations. Snyder got a call from an Orioles official around noon and found out he would be leaving the only organization he's ever played for. The 26-year-old Snyder got 20 at-bats with the O's in 2010 and 13 last year, batting .273 in his brief big league time. "I feel like my opportunities with the Orioles were getting less...

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Trading a key Oriole would be hard to do

January 03, 2012, 3:55am

Orioles

Trading a key Oriole would be hard to do

Yes, some of us were burning the midnight (and early morning) oil with rumors of a possible Orioles acquisition of free agent outfielder Coco Crisp. Now his O's acquisition seems unlikely but fans sure rushed to Twitter and message boards, including MASNsports.com last night, to discuss this. Most had one key question: What would that mean for Adam Jones? Would he move to left field? Would he be traded? Whenever there is talk of trading a key Oriole like Jones, some fans always ask a...

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Orioles in market for outfielder, Scott update

January 03, 2012, 7:18am

Orioles

To follow up on a tweet that I sent earlier today (@MASNRoch), the Orioles most definitely are in the market for another outfielder. Signing Endy Chavez as a free agent didn't end their search. Coco Crisp isn't coming to Baltimore. Put that rumor to bed and turn out the lights. One official termed a report that they were close to signing the veteran free agent as "speculation," but he confirmed that the Orioles are looking for another outfielder. What should we read into it? Does this...

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O's acquire Miller from A's, deal Snyder to Rangers

January 03, 2012, 9:20am

Orioles

O's acquire Miller from A's, deal Snyder to Rangers

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired outfielder Jai Miller from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash considerations and have also traded infielder Brandon Snyder to the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash considerations. Miller, 26, batted .276/.368/.588 with 32 home runs, 88 RBI and 16 stolen bases without being caught in 110 games for Triple-A Sacramento in 2011. He also appeared in seven games for the A's, going 3-for-12 with a home run. Miller has batted...

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Are more changes coming to the outfield and rotation?

January 02, 2012, 4:32pm

Orioles

Are more changes coming to the outfield and rotation?

I've been pleading with the Orioles to do something this week. Trade a player. Sign a player. Announce their minor league staffs. Release the names of all the six-year minor league free agents that are under contract. Anything to make my job a little easier. Purely for selfish reasons. I admit it. Perhaps we'll find out today that outfielder Coco Crisp has signed with the Orioles. That's the hot rumor, which I couldn't get confirmed late last night. If it's true, executive vice...

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Cooling off the Crisp rumor (and update on hires)

January 03, 2012, 3:24am

Orioles

Cooling off the Crisp rumor (and update on hires)

Well, that was fun. I've heard from a team source that the Orioles spoke to Coco Crisp's agent a while ago, but nothing significant came from it. Another source shot down any possibility that the Orioles were on the verge of signing Crisp. Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com sent two tweets early this morning that read as follows: While Orioles talked to Crisp's agent, it sounds like its not them (I need a new crystal ball). Not a perfect fit for Baltimore. Orioles are looking for a...

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Orioles have "interest" in Hisashi Iwakuma

January 02, 2012, 11:25am

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette, still searching for another starting pitcher and also committed to increasing the club's presence in the international market, remains interested in Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, according to an industry source. Iwakuma's name has been floated in the media over the past few months as one possibility for the Orioles, who signed Japanese left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada to a two-year deal in December. The Mariners also are in the hunt for...

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Is Crisp coming to Baltimore?

January 02, 2012, 5:25pm

Orioles

Free agent outfielder Coco Crisp reportedly is close to signing with a new team, and a hot rumor tonight links him to the Orioles. Jon Heyman from CBSSports.com is speculating that the Orioles have emerged as the mystery team. Crisp's agent, Steve Comte, recently told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that his client had made a decision. The Orioles already have Adam Jones in center field, and they signed Endy Chavez as a fourth outfielder. However, Heyman is speculating that...

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Did you know ... ?

January 02, 2012, 3:47am

Orioles

Before we leave 2011 completely behind, I wanted to share a few items from the Orioles' season summary that I brought home from the Winter Meetings. Nick Markakis fell out of the 40-doubles club, but he became only the eighth player in baseball to record 30 or more doubles in each of the last five seasons. He's recorded 180 or more hits in five seasons, the most in club history. Jeremy Guthrie became the 11th pitcher in Orioles history to start 30 or more games in four seasons....