orioles

A little more on Rajsich and the coaching staff

November 27, 2011, 5:25pm

Orioles

A little more on Rajsich and the coaching staff

Within the next few days, it should become official that Gary Rajsich has emerged from a pool of five finalists to replace Joe Jordan as the Orioles' new director of scouting. So who is Gary Rajsich? Rajsich is 57, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of Arizona State University. He's been working as the Blue Jays professional scouting crosschecker after joining their organization in 2009 and previously served as a scout for the Red Sox while Dan Duquette was in their front office....

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Gary Rajsich expected to be named Orioles scouting director (updated)

November 27, 2011, 11:37am

Orioles

According to two industry sources, the Orioles are prepared to hire Toronto Blue Jays professional scouting crosschecker Gary Rajsich as their new scouting director. An announcement is expected this week. Rajsich would replace Joe Jordan, who left the organization to take a job as the Philadelphia Phillies' farm director. Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed that Rajsich is one of five finalists, and an announcement should be made before the Winter Meetings that begin Dec. 5 in...

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Giving Kelly Johnson a second base thought

November 26, 2011, 6:19pm

Orioles

Giving Kelly Johnson a second base thought

It's been a quiet weekend, as least as far as news leaking to the media. No other executives left the organization. No free agents came to Baltimore to sign a contract. No one on the international market flew here to take a physical exam. The coaching staff still has two vacancies. The scouting director and director of baseball operations need to be replaced. Maybe the Orioles are waiting to send out one long press release. I just know that it won't arrive today. We were scrambling...

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Klentak: "Ultimately, it's an opportunity I just felt like I couldn't pass up"

November 25, 2011, 10:29am

Orioles

Klentak: "Ultimately, it's an opportunity I just felt like I couldn't pass up"

For Matt Klentak, it took a perfect storm to carry him from the Orioles' front office to the one in Anaheim. Klentak did his research on Jerry Dipoto while the Orioles conducted interviews for Andy MacPhail's replacement. Dipoto did his own research on the Orioles' executives, which allowed him to learn plenty about Klentak. Both men came away impressed, and now they'll reunite with the Angels, who announced on Wednesday that Klentak had been hired as assistant general manager and will...

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So what's the big deal about a baseball autograph?

November 25, 2011, 6:21pm

Orioles

So what's the big deal about a baseball autograph?

It is funny some of the things we remember from our youth. I can specifically remember standing in the parking lot at Memorial Stadium - I think it was in 1974 - and talking to Claudell Washington of the Oakland A's. He was holding a cab waiting for Reggie Jackson to ride back to the team hotel. He was not happy that Reggie was holding him up, but, hey, it was Reggie. I can remember being there waiting, but I can't remember when Reggie ever showed up, or if we even saw him that day. Of...

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Random takes

November 25, 2011, 6:16am

Orioles

Here are some random thoughts and takes for a Friday: * As I wrote back on Nov. 16, any cap on draft spending is not good for the game in my opinion. If Bud Selig's goal was to enhance competitive balance in this latest collective bargaining agreement, he failed. The draft was a rare area where a team like Pittsburgh, Kansas City or Baltimore could outspend the Yankees, if they chose to. While the Orioles, selecting higher, will get a larger bonus pool to sign picks next year than New York,...

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More on the rotation

November 26, 2011, 4:15am

Orioles

Let's just say for a moment that the Orioles don't trade Jeremy Guthrie. Let's say they acquire a veteran starter at the Winter Meetings. And let's also say they change Jim Johnson's role again and move him into the rotation. I'm counting three starters, though my math is sketchy. Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton figure to be penciled into the rotation. It would take a total collapse in spring training for them to be optioned before opening day. Now I'm counting five, which completes the...

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Leftovers on Thanksgiving

November 23, 2011, 7:19pm

Orioles

I want to start my day by wishing all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. Let's agree to be thankful for everything we have, both big and small, for more than just one Thursday in November. The Orioles would like to give thanks to Chong Tae-Hyon for signing with them, but it hasn't happened. As I told you yesterday, executive vice president Dan Duquette said no deal would be announced before next week. Nothing's going to happen over the weekend. Duquette told me that he's hoping to...

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Dealing with a lack of depth in the rotation

November 25, 2011, 4:22am

Orioles

Dealing with a lack of depth in the rotation

I hope everyone has recovered from yesterday's festivities and all the leftovers haven't been devoured for breakfast. Try to make them last. Yes, I know cold stuffing is quite the temptation. I can't walk past the refrigerator without grabbing a handful of it. And I only eat cranberry sauce over the holidays, so it qualifies as a real treat - as long as it jiggles out of the can. You can keep your homemade concoction. I'm not a yam guy, but I'd fill the bathtub full of mashed potatoes...

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Thankful for a few things including one football team

November 23, 2011, 6:35pm

Orioles

Thankful for a few things including one football team

A very happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and I'm sure many of you are like me in that you have a lot to be thankful for. That list always starts for me with my family and friends, and I am thankful for them every day, not just today. I'm thankful to get to cover my hometown team, the team I grew up loving as young kid in Baltimore. Even after 14 straight losing seasons, it's the only major league team I've ever wanted to report about. I am thankful I have this wonderful forum at...

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Klentak named Angels assistant GM, Chong and Guerrero updates

November 23, 2011, 7:08am

Orioles

Klentak named Angels assistant GM, Chong and Guerrero updates

UPDATE: The Angels announced that they've hired Matt Klentak as assistant general manager. Klentak signed a multi-year deal and will focus on all aspects of baseball operations, as he did with the Orioles. He'll work with general manager Jerry Dipoto, who interviewed for the Orioles' job. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed this morning that Matt Klentak, director of baseball operations, interviewed for a front office position with the Los Angeles Angels. ESPN's...

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Still waiting on a backup catcher

November 22, 2011, 9:34am

Orioles

The Orioles had no interest in re-signing Jake Fox and breaking camp for a second time with him making the 25-man roster as the backup catcher to Matt Wieters, but we'll still cross his name off the list of available free agents after he signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. As you've probably noticed, Wieters is the only catcher listed on the Orioles' 40-man roster. They need a backup on their bench. The Astros claimed Craig Tatum off waivers. Triple-A catcher John Hester will be...

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Help for the Orioles? It now could take about five fewer wins to make playoffs

November 22, 2011, 6:24pm

Orioles

Things are looking up for the Orioles. They got closer to the playoffs yesterday without adding a single player. They did, really, but so did every other club in the game, too. When baseball adds a second wild card playoff team in each league for a total of five clubs, teams will obviously need fewer wins to make the playoffs. I went through the last 10 years of the American League standings. The wild card winner in the 10 seasons from 2002 through 2011 averaged 95.2 wins per year. The club...

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HGH testing in new labor pact gives baseball added credibility

November 23, 2011, 5:39am

Nationals Orioles

HGH testing in new labor pact gives baseball added credibility

The latest agreement between the owners and players, announced Tuesday, means baseball will have 21 consecutive seasons of labor peace, and that makes baseball look good compared to the NBA and, to a certain extent, the NFL. The key to this year's agreement was the workable personalities of Rob Manfred, the owners' top negotiator, and Michael Weiner, who heads the players' union. The two worked together much better than the Bud Selig-Donald Fehr battles that were part eight work stoppages...

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Some initial thoughts on the draft changes in the new CBA

November 22, 2011, 12:03pm

Orioles

Some initial thoughts on the draft changes in the new CBA

Fans and reporters around baseball are still learning about the changes coming in the draft through baseball's new five-year collective bargaining agreement that was announced today. Check out this story from Baseball America to read about many of the changes. It appears some front office staffers in baseball are expressing some unhappiness with the effort to put a cap on total spending on draft picks in this arrangement. Here is an excerpt from the Baseball America story: "Under the new...

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Dan Klein: After the surgery, so far, so good

November 21, 2011, 6:03pm

Orioles

Dan Klein: After the surgery, so far, so good

The 2011 season was Dan Klein's first full season in the Orioles' organization. The right-hander got off to a great start and was quickly becoming one of the O's best pitching prospects. He began with Single-A Frederick and, after only one month with the Keys, was moved to Double-A Bowie. Klein was pitching very well and appeared to be on a fast track that might have taken him as far Baltimore before the season was done. But then came the shoulder pain which would derail his season and...

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Quick Chong update

November 22, 2011, 12:01pm

Orioles

If you're anticipating a press conference Wednesday to announce the signing of Korean pitcher Chong Tae-Hyon, you can stop waiting for it. The holiday week is complicating the process. Though the Orioles are finalizing a deal with Chong, they still need to schedule every examination that's part of the physical and wait for the results. Good luck getting that done by Wednesday, which had been the club's original target date. It's possible that the Orioles could send out a release...

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Antonelli talks about signing with the Orioles

November 21, 2011, 3:55pm

Orioles

New Orioles infielder Matt Antonelli dropped by MASN's Hunt Valley studio this afternoon to tape an interview with me for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report." Then he dashed out the door and headed to the airport for his flight home to Boston. Antonelli said he grew up a Red Sox fan, but he promised that he got over it about six years ago. Antonelli passed his physical today and signed a major league deal that also gave him a spot on the 40-man roster. So why the Orioles? "I think there...

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Orioles close to announcing deal with Chong Tae-Hyon

November 21, 2011, 5:17pm

Orioles

I've got one final item on the Orioles before shutting down for the night. The Orioles are on the verge of reaching an agreement with Korean pitcher Chong Tae-Hyon. This has seemed to be a foregone conclusion since earlier today, but they haven't hit any snags and the process continues to move forward. Executive vice president Dan Duquette said the Orioles are still working on "a potential agreement to acquire Chong," but it's close enough that you can expect a press conference at the...

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Chorye Spoone is leaving the Orioles to join Boston

November 21, 2011, 1:41pm

Orioles

After pitching seven seasons in the Orioles organization, right-hander Chorye Spoone, who was removed from the club's 40-man roster July 19, today agreed to a contract with the Boston Red Sox. Spoone's deal, which includes a spring training invitation, will become official when he passes a physical, which he said he felt certain he would do. He was in Boston today for that physical. The 26-year-old Spoone was the Orioles' eighth-round pick in the 2005 draft. His career got derailed a bit...