orioles

Betemit: "I just want to go out there and play" (with note)

January 25, 2012, 7:50am

Orioles

Betemit: "I just want to go out there and play" (with note)

I just got off the phone with newest Oriole Wilson Betemit, who's back home in the Dominican Republic after signing a two-year deal worth $3.25 million that includes a $3.2 million vesting option for 2014. Betemit explained why he chose the Orioles. While the money offered is an obvious reason, he added, "My agent told me I'd get an opportunity to play over there. I just want to go out there and play. It's an opportunity to play and try to help the team win and play whatever position they...

Comments

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles wilson betemit

Orioles spring training tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

January 25, 2012, 6:07am

Orioles

Individual tickets for all 16 of the Orioles' spring training games at Ed Smith Stadium will go on sale this Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. It is recommended that fans purchase tickets online, by phone or at select area Wal-Mart locations . Last season, the Orioles set an all-time Sarasota attendance record at Ed Smith Stadium with 115,506 fans over 16 games, including 10 sellouts. Fans interested in season tickets, five game flex-plans or group tickets, or those wishing to receive additional...

Comments

Tags:

Orioles News Release orioles

Where do we go now? (Andino signs)

January 24, 2012, 6:07pm

Orioles

Prince Fielder is off the board, and we're left to ponder how much the Orioles were really in on him. Or we can just move on and never again speak his name. I felt a sense of relief yesterday after news broke that Fielder had agreed to a nine-year, $214 million contract with the Tigers, who get to wear the 2012 label of "Scott Boras' Mystery Team." Not because, as a few readers suggested, I didn't want the Orioles to sign him. Preposterous. Why would I root against a feared left-handed...

Comments

Tags:

orioles chris hoiles edwin jackson featured_sidebar francisco cordero frontstory_orioles1 jim johnson koji uehara prince fielder

Orioles agree to terms with infielder Robert Andino

January 25, 2012, 5:39am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with infielder Robert Andino on a one-year contract, thus avoiding arbitration. Andino, 27, batted .263/.327/.344 in 2011 for the Orioles, setting career-highs in games (139), at-bats (457), runs (63), hits (120), doubles (22), home runs (5), RBIs (36), stolen bases (13), walks (41) and total bases (157). He appeared defensively at second and third base, shortstop and left field.

Comments

Tags:

Orioles News Release orioles

Taking a closer look at the Wilson Betemit signing

January 24, 2012, 8:25pm

Orioles

Taking a closer look at the Wilson Betemit signing

The Orioles are getting some criticism for signing Wilson Betemit to a two-year contract. Not only is it a two-year deal, but there is a vesting option for the 2014 season. This for a player that has never been a season-long regular for any team and has never had more than 373 at-bats in any one season. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com and MLB Network wrote this late yesterday via Twitter: lost in huge day is how wilson betemit gets $3.25M guaranteed for 2 w/ $3.2M vesting option for '14 w/...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2 wilson betemit

Duquette on Betemit and Fielder

January 24, 2012, 7:03am

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette keeps placing emphasis on improving the Orioles' on-base capabilities, and he feels that he took another step in that direction by signing infielder Wilson Betemit to a two-year deal with a vesting option for 2014. Betemit has posted on-base percentages of .378 and .343 the past two seasons. And he's been better hitting from the left side, which also appeals to Duquette. "We like his bat, and if you take a look at what he's done the last two...

Comments

Tags:

orioles prince fielder wilson betemit frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1

Fielder is not an Oriole and some fans won't understand that

January 24, 2012, 10:28am

Orioles

Fielder is not an Oriole and some fans won't understand that

In the end, while the Detroit Tigers have come seemingly out of nowhere to get Prince Fielder, to me it's no surprise that Fielder ended up with a winning team and in the American League. Any team willing to give a player those years and that money - and it's been reported as a nine-year, $214 million deal - better at least have the designated hitter spot ready for him at some point. I think that's an insane contract, but I felt the same way about the Albert Pujols deal with the...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 prince fielder

Fielder agrees to terms with Tigers and life goes on

January 24, 2012, 10:18am

Orioles

Fielder agrees to terms with Tigers and life goes on

The Orioles aren't "in on" Prince Fielder anymore, no matter your definition. According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Tigers have reached agreement with Fielder on a nine-year deal worth $214 million. There's your mystery team. Agent Scott Boras never fails to find one. The Tigers lost Victor Martinez to a knee injury that most likely will require season-ending surgery, but they figured to search for a temporary replacement. Early speculation had them interested in Johnny Damon,...

Comments

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles prince fielder

MASN announces O's spring training broadcast schedule

January 24, 2012, 8:04am

Orioles

MASN announces O's spring training broadcast schedule

MASN, the television home of the Baltimore Orioles, has announced its 2012 spring training schedule. The network will televise six Orioles spring training games and all will appear on MASN HD. The Orioles' March 5 prime time Grapefruit League opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Sarasota, Florida, will kick off MASN's spring training coverage. MASN will broadcast five more games from Ed Smith Stadium, the team's spring training home: March 11 against the Boston Red Sox; March 18...

Comments

Tags:

MASN News Release masn orioles

Matt Wieters: New pitchers make for new challenges

January 23, 2012, 7:23pm

Orioles

Matt Wieters: New pitchers make for new challenges

If there is one player on the Orioles that was tracking the pitching additions executive vice president Dan Duquette made this offseason, it was catcher Matt Wieters. He will have to catch the new pitchers and, in some cases, communicate with players that speak little or no English. "It's going to be a lot of work in spring training, that's for sure," the 25-year-old Wieters said. "Getting to know all the guys that have a chance to make the club or be up at some point during the year,...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar matt wieters frontstory_orioles2

Orioles remove VandenHurk from 40-man roster

January 24, 2012, 5:52am

Orioles

The Orioles made the signing of Wilson Betemit official this morning, and they cleared room for him on the 40-man roster by designating pitcher Rick VandenHurk for assignment. VandenHurk, 26, allowed eight earned runs in nine innings over four games with the Orioles last season. He was 9-13 with a 4.43 ERA in 26 starts for Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles acquired VandenHurk from the Marlins on July 31, 2010 for left-hander Will Ohman. He's 8-10 with a 5.97 ERA in 46 major league games,...

Comments

Tags:

orioles rick vandenhurk wilson betemit featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

The pitchers say they are ready for rotation battle in camp (with update)

January 22, 2012, 7:48pm

Orioles

The pitchers say they are ready for rotation battle in camp (with update)

I think we heard some comments at FanFest that helped answer some questions about spring training. For one, Nolan Reimold appears to be the clear favorite to be the starting left fielder. It sure seems to be his job to lose, as they say. Buck Showalter confirmed that Mark Reynolds will be the third baseman with Chris Davis at first. And it was pretty much confirmed that Jim Johnson will be in the bullpen, likely as the closer. All of this is subject to a late change, especially pending any...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski buck showalter dana eveland featured_sidebar zach britton frontstory_orioles3

Orioles sign veteran infielder Wilson Betemit

January 24, 2012, 6:14am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have signed infielder Wilson Betemit to a two-year contract with a vesting option for 2014. Betemit, 30, batted .285/.343/.452 with eight home runs and 46 RBI in 97 games for Kansas City (57) and Detroit (40) in 2011, including a .303 average and .865 OPS in 263 plate appearances from the left side. He has batted .298/.367/.501 with 54 extra-base hits and 69 RBI in 433 at-bats against right-handed pitching in the last two seasons. Betemit owned an .871 OPS...

Comments

Tags:

Orioles News Release orioles

This, that and the other

January 23, 2012, 5:27pm

Orioles

I had an interesting conversation with pitcher Jake Arrieta during Saturday's FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center. (Is it necessary to say "Baltimore?" I once jumped in the back of a Manhattan cab and told the driver to take me to New York-Penn Station. I'm pretty sure "New York" was implied.) Arrieta repeated that his elbow is 100 percent and he'll be full-go in spring training, the same thing he told reporters last month at Dave and Buster's. He's made an impressive and...

Comments

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar francisco cordero prince fielder wilson betemit frontstory_orioles3

Quickly visiting the latest Fielder rumor

January 23, 2012, 10:33am

Orioles

Quickly visiting the latest Fielder rumor

I'm scrambling to prep for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report," but I wanted to respond to the latest round of Prince Fielder rumors. Well, I didn't want to, but I figured it's better than being asked for updates as if I'm keeping secrets here. That's beyond annoying. Are the Orioles in on Fielder? They're not officially out, so it depends on your definition. There is interest in the free agent slugger, but I'm told that the Orioles haven't met with agent Scott Boras and they don't...

Comments

Tags:

orioles prince fielder featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3

Orioles reach agreement with Betemit

January 23, 2012, 5:18pm

Orioles

The Orioles may have found their designated hitter, or at least someone who can rotate into that spot. Two industry sources confirmed tonight that the Orioles have reached agreement with Wilson Betemit on a one-year contract, which will become official if he passes his physical. Betemit, 30, is a switch-hitter who's played every infield position, including 383 games at third base, and four games in the outfield in parts of nine major league seasons. He offers versatility, but is more likely...

Comments

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar wilson betemit frontstory_orioles1

Orioles reach agreement with Betemit

January 23, 2012, 5:14pm

Orioles

The Orioles may have found their designated hitter, or at least someone who can rotate into that spot. An industry source confirmed tonight that the Orioles have reached agreement with Wilson Betemit on a one-year contract, which will become official if he passes his physical. Betemit, 30, is a switch-hitter who's played every infield position, including 383 games at third base, and four games in the outfield in parts of nine major league seasons. He offers versatility, but is more likely to...

Comments

Tags:

orioles

How about an O's ticket for your birthday?

January 23, 2012, 10:26am

Orioles

How about an O's ticket for your birthday?

You already know the Orioles are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Camden Yards in 2012. Once again, the club is also making it possible for you to celebrate your birthday at the one of the game's most iconic ballparks. The Orioles will gift one complimentary upper reserve ticket to a non-prime game for during your birthday month for each fan who registers here. If your birthday falls in January, February or March, you get an April non-prime game. If you were born in October, November or...

Comments

Tags:

orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel

Orioles release Hudson

January 23, 2012, 8:56am

Orioles

I won't file this one under "breaking news," but the Orioles have released outfielder Kyle Hudson. Hudson, 25, was designated for assignment to make room for left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. He couldn't be placed on waivers and outrighted to the minors before March because he was "draft excluded" due to the date that the Orioles purchased his contract from Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles had to trade or release Hudson. They can attempt to re-sign him, but he won't be able to play for them...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles3 kyle hudson

A bigger Berken could yield better results

January 22, 2012, 6:14am

Orioles

A bigger Berken could yield better results

A year ago, Orioles reliever Jason Berken had reporters at FanFest fussing over his weight loss. He dropped about 30 pounds over the winter, and we figured that a slimmer Berken could handle a heavier workload, whether he remained in the bullpen or earned a starting spot. Berken didn't look noticeably different yesterday as we chatted about his beloved Green Bay Packers - we agreed that giving quarterback Aaron Rodgers two weeks off was a mistake - but he's put on 10 to 15 pounds. And...