orioles

Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?

November 15, 2011, 3:34pm

Orioles

Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?

If Major League Baseball is looking to limit spending on draft picks in the new collective bargaining agreement, I am strongly against that. Clubs should be allowed to spend whatever amount they choose on the draft. It is one area where the so-called small market teams can spend with the big boys. They can't match the 25-man roster payrolls of the Yankees and Red Sox, but they can outspend them for draft picks. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports published this story last night. Here is an excerpt...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3

O's to honor six Hall of Famers with bronze statues inside Camden Yards

November 16, 2011, 10:00am

Orioles

O's to honor six Hall of Famers with bronze statues inside Camden Yards

Remember those rumblings about the Orioles doing something more concrete at Camden Yards to honor their six Hall of Famers? Turns out those plans are finally out in the open - and the finished products will be in bronze. A club source has confirmed the Orioles will erect bronze statues of their players enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. - Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Earl Weaver, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. - in an area beyond the bullpen...

Comments

Tags:

brooks robinson cal ripken jr. earl weaver eddie murray frank robinson orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel frontstory_orioles2

Celebrities get some new-look O's swag

November 16, 2011, 10:30am

Orioles

This week's announcement of changes in the Orioles' uniforms for 2012 - most notably the return of orange jerseys and caps bearing the smiling visage of the cartoon bird - has been overwhelmingly well received. And those new-look lids are going to pop up on some A-list celebrities in short order. The club timed its announcement with a Tuesday morning delivery of the retro-style caps to about a dozen or so celebrities with ties to Baltimore and/or the Orioles. Actor Josh Charles, who spoke so...

Comments

Tags:

orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel

Duquette confirms meeting with Cuza

November 16, 2011, 5:31am

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette - man, we really need to shorten that title - confirmed this morning that he met last night with agent Fernando Cuza. When I brought up David Ortiz's name and the assumption that the veteran designated hitter was the focus of that meeting, Duquette paused before replying, "He represents Vladimir Guerrero, too, by the way." Duquette said the Orioles need to decide "what we're doing with him." That also could mean...

Comments

Tags:

orioles dan duquette david ortiz frontfeatured_orioles vladimir guerrero frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar

Who rules in Rule 5 protection?

November 15, 2011, 1:14pm

Orioles

With the Winter Meetings fast approaching, the Orioles must set their 40-man roster by Friday while determining which players to leave exposed in the Rule 5 draft. The roster currently holds 38 players. I'll publish the list at the bottom of this entry. Keep in mind that once the Orioles finalize the roster, they can't add other players from within the organization before the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 8. They can, however, add players obtained from other organizations, which would necessitate...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles3

Interest in Ortiz?

November 15, 2011, 6:02pm

Orioles

In case you thought executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has spent the entire day comparing cartoon birds and making sure the script on the road jerseys is no longer tapered, he's been sitting down with agents and rival executives at the GM meetings in Milwaukee. And according to one report, he's got an appointment tonight with agent Fern Cuza. The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham tweeted that Duquette is meeting with Cuza, who represents free agent David Ortiz. Abraham...

Comments

Tags:

orioles dan duquette david ortiz frontstory_orioles2

Flipping you the cartoon bird (updated with images)

November 14, 2011, 5:10pm

Orioles

Flipping you the cartoon bird (updated with images)

You've heard about it. Now you can hear more. The Orioles are unveiling their new caps and jerseys today. The cartoon bird is back. Let us rejoice. This is an updated version that takes elements from the 1970 and 1983 models. As I told you yesterday, it more closely resembles the Brooks Robinson bird, not the Todd Cruz one, in terms of overall shape. And this is the first time that the bird is wearing a cap with O's on the front. Here's what you didn't know until today (and what I was...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar

How active should the Orioles be in free agency?

November 14, 2011, 6:17pm

Orioles

When I wrote over the weekend about Yu Darvish, many of your replies surprised me. I didn't keep a tally, but it sure seemed most fans that left a comment were against going after Darvish via free agency if he is posted if the total price tag for a posting fee and contract would total $100 million or more. I admire your restraint considering how badly the Orioles need pitching. But many of you just felt that is too much money and that is taking too big a risk on Darvish. I am very intrigued...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar

Video blog: Diplomatic mission nearing end, Ripken reflects on trek to Japan

November 15, 2011, 7:39am

Orioles

Video blog: Diplomatic mission nearing end, Ripken reflects on trek to Japan

Cal Ripken Jr.'s diplomatic mission is Japan is almost over. But before he jets back to the United States, the Iron Man will host a live chat via Livestream on Facebook at 7 p.m. tonight. Fans are encouraged to submit questions in advance, and those without access to Facebook can access the chat here. Here is Ripken's last blog post from Japan, and his final video blog entry appears below.

Comments

Tags:

cal ripklen jr. orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel frontstory_orioles3

Orioles announce uniform changes for 2012

November 15, 2011, 4:40am

Orioles

The Orioles today unveiled their uniform changes for 2012, highlighted by the return of the cartoon bird as the logo on the club's home and road caps and the introduction of an alternate orange jersey for Saturday home games. The 2012 cartoon bird head is a new design, utilizing elements from both the 1970 and 1983 versions. It will replace the ornithologically-correct bird on both the home and road caps. The club's new home cap will feature the cartoon bird on a white front panel with a...

Comments

Tags:

Orioles News Release orioles

Previewing the new uniforms

November 14, 2011, 8:36am

Orioles

I stopped by the warehouse today to check out the Orioles' new caps and jerseys. I think most of you will be pleased with the changes. The club requested that no further details be published until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, so I'm following the embargo. You already know that the Orioles have gone back to the cartoon bird on the caps - taking elements from the 1970 and 1983 models - and that the angle of the Baltimore script on the road jerseys no longer tapers at the end. I can tell you that the...

Comments

Tags:

orioles

In the game of compensatory draft picks, the Orioles have come up short

November 13, 2011, 3:32pm

Orioles

No matter how you feel about Joe Jordan's record as the Orioles' scouting director from 2005 through 2011, there is one area that hurt the Orioles during his time with the club that was out of the control of the scouting department. The Orioles had fewer picks than their American League East rivals in the top three rounds during those seven drafts - in some cases many fewer picks - as other teams took advantage of the draft rules to obtain more picks. They got many compensation picks for...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1

Video blog: Ripken, Japanese Iron Man work with youth players in Kyoto

November 14, 2011, 2:52pm

Orioles

Video blog: Ripken, Japanese Iron Man work with youth players in Kyoto

What's better than one Iron Man? How about a pair? Cal Ripken Jr., baseball's all-time leader in consecutive games played, hosted his final youth clinic in Japan on Monday. He was joined by Sachio Kinugasa, who holds the record for durability in the Japanese league and has become a friend of Ripken. Kinugasa has accompanied Ripken and his entourage through their diplomatic mission in Japan, and Monday's clinic came in his hometown of Kyoto. Kinugasa led today's clinic and handed out...

Comments

Tags:

cal ripken jr. frontstory_orioles3 orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel

Bordick interested in coaching job

November 13, 2011, 10:18am

Orioles

Mike Bordick has made it clear to Orioles manager Buck Showalter that he'd accept an offer to join the coaching staff. He's also met with Dan Duquette, the new executive vice president of baseball operations. We should find out later this week whether it leads to a change in roles for Bordick, the former Orioles shortstop who currently serves as their coordinator of offensive fundamentals. Bordick is a candidate to be named first base or bullpen coach. He wouldn't replace Willie Randolph...

Comments

Tags:

orioles buck showalter frontstory_orioles2 featured_sidebar

Fans encouraged to visit Orioles.com on Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. to see 2012 uniform changes

November 14, 2011, 10:51am

Orioles

Orioles fans are encouraged to visit www.orioles.com, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15, at 9:30 a.m. ET for a special announcement. As part of the club's continued efforts to enhance the Orioles brand, the changes to the 2012 uniforms will be unveiled at this time, exclusively on the team's website.

Comments

Tags:

Orioles News Release orioles

Reynolds as a trade chip?

November 13, 2011, 3:01am

Orioles

I have a hot date later today - with my couch to watch football. I may shower first, but it's a game-time decision. The GM meetings take place later this week in Milwaukee. They're sort of an appetizer for the Winter Meetings. Executives talk trades, gauge the parameters and agree to resume discussions the following month - this time in Dallas. I wonder if Mark Reynolds' name will come up. I've heard that at least one executive who interviewed for the president of baseball operations job...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles2 mark reynolds

Video blog: Sight of ravaged Japanese region hits home with Ripken (updated)

November 12, 2011, 6:43am

Orioles

Video blog: Sight of ravaged Japanese region hits home with Ripken (updated)

Seven hours north of Tokyo, lies Ofunato, the area most heavily damaged by March's Japanese earthquake and tsunami. That's where Cal Ripken Jr., on a diplomatic mission sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and his former Orioles teammate Brady Anderson traveled yesterday to survey the devastation and connect with children from this ravaged region. "I can't fathom what took place here," Ripken said, adding that he was looking forward to conducting a clinic for youths in the area. The...

Comments

Tags:

brady anderson cal ripken jr. orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel frontstory_orioles3

This and that

November 11, 2011, 6:27pm

Orioles

I told you yesterday that Triple-A Norfolk pitching coach Mike Griffin isn't currently regarded as a candidate to become the Orioles' bullpen coach. Griffin is one of the more highly valued members of the organization, but in this case, it keeps working against him. The Orioles don't want to create a huge void by removing him from his post in order to fill another vacancy. They passed him up last year while parading coaches through the bullpen for that exact same reason. Guys like Mike...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2 featured_sidebar

Quick coaching update

November 11, 2011, 11:50am

Orioles

The Orioles are hoping to announce their coaching staff next week. That's the goal. It's not going to happen over the weekend, so don't plan your days and nights around it. They're still open to the possibility of moving Wayne Kirby to third base and hiring a new first base coach. According to one member of the organization, the ideal staff would include a Latin American coach at third base who also could work with the infielders - that's a prime reason why the Orioles wanted Juan...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3

Ripken visits site of Japanese earthquake, tusnami

November 11, 2011, 9:39am

Orioles

Ripken visits site of Japanese earthquake, tusnami

Cal Ripken Jr. continued his diplomatic tour of Japan today, visiting Ofunato, the area hardest hit by the March earthquake and tsunami. You can read Ripken's reflections here, and MASNsports.com will post a YouTube video tomorrow of his trip to the region. Ripken wrote in his blog that nothing prepared him for the devastation he saw - photos in the slideshow bear out the incredible level of destruction in the area - and that he hoped the clinics planned for Japanese children would help the...