Talking drafts and budgets with Jim Callis

Talking drafts and budgets with Jim Callis
Here is the final part of my series of interviews with Jim Callis of Baseball America. Today he discusses the O's drafts under Joe Jordan and the dollars the Orioles have spent on the draft. He gives Jordan solid marks for his drafts. "They've been good. I know some Baltimore fans, at least from the emails I get, are a little impatient, saying Matt Wieters isn't all he was cracked up to be and Brian Matusz is struggling. But those were two very good picks. They were guys that didn't...
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Roberts update (w/lineups)

Roberts update (w/lineups)
Interim manager Juan Samuel told reporters today that second baseman Brian Roberts had a "minor setback" that prevented him from appearing in his first extended spring training game in Sarasota. Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells passed along the news to Samuel. Samuel couldn't provide any other details, but he added that Roberts is scheduled to play tomorrow. For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Miguel Tejada 3B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Luke Scott DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones...
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Reacting to the Trembley news

Reacting to the Trembley news
Leading up to Dave Trembley's dismissal, you probably heard every reason in the book for both sides of the coin: Trembley should be fired or he shouldn't. Now that he has been relieved of his managerial duties with the O's and Juan Samuel has been named the interim manager, O's fans chimed in (via Twitter) with their two cents on the move. Check out what other fans think about Dave Trembley's firing and add your thoughts (on Trembley, Samuel, or MacPhail's comments during the press...
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Dickerson to manage at Norfolk

Dickerson to manage at Norfolk
The Orioles will name Bobby Dickerson as interim manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides today, replacing Gary Allenson who is joining the Orioles staff as coach. The 44-year-old Dickerson has been serving as the O's Latin-American field co-ordinater and their minor league infielder co-ordinater. Whether he will stay as manager at Norfolk for the rest of the season has not been decided. Dickerson begins as skipper of the Tides tonight when they start an eight-game homestand vs. Buffalo. He...
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One man's take on Trembley's ouster

One man's take on Trembley's ouster
News official: The Orioles made the news official this morning. Juan Samuel is taking over as interim manger and Dave Trembley has been dismissed. Gary Allenson has been named interim third base coach. The club will hold a news conference today at 2:30 p.m. with Andy MacPhail and Juan Samuel. When Andy MacPhail sits in front of a bank of microphones and makes the announcement today - that Dave Trembley is being relieved of his duties as O's manager - I hope MacPhail also says something...
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Givens to the DL

Givens to the DL
Since we have so much good news coming our way with the Orioles these days, add this to the latest - shortstop Mychal Givens has been placed on Delmarva's disabled list. The 20-year-old Givens, the O's second-round draft pick out of Plant High in Tampa, Florida, suffered a sprained left thumb sliding into a base vs. Greensboro on Tuesday night. He was wearing a soft cast on the hand yesterday. Givens is expected to be out for at least two weeks, maybe longer. He'll be examined further at...
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Don't forget to bring a donation

Don't forget to bring a donation
The Orioles will host their 24th Annual Food Drive at Camden Yards this weekend as the O's take on the Red Sox during a three-game series from June 4-6. The O's, along with fellow sponsors the Orioles Advocates, the Orioles Wives, WJZ-TV, and the Maryland Food Bank will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations from fans prior to the games this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So don't forget to bring along a donation this weekend and drop it off on your way in. Donations...
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Behind the scenes of The Sun's Oriole Bird cartoon

Behind the scenes of The Sun's Oriole Bird cartoon
Whether you still get a paper on your doorstep every morning or you check websites like this one or baltimoresun.com to get your O's news, you might have come across The Sun's daily Oriole Bird cartoon, a tradition The Sun revived to honor (or lament) each O's game of the season. They usually put a quirky spin on the opponent or outcome, but have you ever wondered how they come up with 162 new, creative cartoons to match the match-ups or highlight the outcomes of O's games all season long?...
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Taillon-Jordan meeting goes well (w/draft speculation)

Taillon-Jordan meeting goes well (w/draft speculation)
If you've noticed, a lot of my pre-draft stories have centered around prep pitcher Jameson Taillon. Since everyone is speculating on Monday's first-round at this point, I'll add my two cents. My sense of it is that Taillon is the player the Orioles would like to get. They can get him if the Pirates pass on the 18-year-old right-hander with the second pick. If Taillon is not there, most assume the O's would then pick Miami high school shortstop Manny Machado. I think in that scenario,...
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Fishing with Luke Scott

Fishing with Luke Scott
Did you catch the segment on O's Xtra yesterday that showed Luke Scott fishing with two O's fans, Greg Shute and his son Brennan? The pair of O's fans won the chance to spend a day on the Chesapeake Bay with Scott in the World Fishing Network's "Fish with Luke Scott" contest. "Any day on the water is always a good day," Scott said in the segment. "We caught a couple nice fish and I'm thankful. I enjoyed it." "It was really cool getting to fish with a professional baseball...
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Checking in with Joe Jordan

Checking in with Joe Jordan
In an interview Wednesday night with MASNsports.com, O's scouting director Joe Jordan provided an update on his scouting meetings this week. He also indicated he may now know which player he will take with the third pick in the first-round on Monday. At least he seems to have settled on his first choice at this point. "I think we have a scenario that we want to happen. But we are spending a lot of time talking about the other scenarios and try not to fall victim to overlook the obvious. ...
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Jim Callis: "I'd take Taillon over Machado."

Jim Callis:  "I'd take Taillon over Machado."
Here is the second part of my three-part series of interviews with Jim Callis of Baseball America. I asked Jim if both prep players, shortstop Manny Machado and pitcher Jameson Taillon are available when the Orioles select third in the draft on Monday, which player would he take? "I'd take Taillon. Either one would be a fine pick, but I think Taillon's ability is more rare than Machado's. Nothing wrong with a possible five-tool shortstop, though," Callis said. Machado is considered the...
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Don't know what to make of this

Don't know what to make of this
A reporter almost never reveals his sources. But Ben Badler of Baseball America has sources that are telling him the Orioles could be looking to land a top player when the international signing period begins on July 2nd. The article from the BA website is premium contest, but here are the first few lines if you have not seen it: As if the American League East needs to become even more fiercely competitive. The Yankees and Red Sox are always financial heavyweights in the international...
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Don't blame the pitching for losses vs. New York

Don't blame the pitching for losses vs. New York
The Orioles are 1-6 this year now with six losses in a row vs. the Yankees. I say it's sure not the pitcher's fault. The O's team ERA this year vs. New York is 3.97 in those seven games and they gave up just one earned run last night. This vs. a Yankees team that leads the AL in team average, on base percentage and runs scored. At home, New York is averaging 6.6 runs per game this season. They have scored 18 runs in four home games this year vs. O's pitching, an average of just 4.5 per...
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O's to host series of four summer camps

O's to host series of four summer camps
The O's will host four official Orioles Baseball Summer Camps this season with dates in June, July and August. Boys and girls of all skill levels and ages 7-16 can sign up. Camps will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day and will be run by professional baseball instructors with years of experience coaching and playing at the youth, high school, collegiate, and professional levels. In addition to the baseball fundamentals they'll learn at camp, kids will be treated to one appearance per...
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Baseball America's Jim Callis on the O's in this year's Draft

Baseball America's Jim Callis on the O's in this year's Draft
He is 6'6" and 225 pounds and throws a fastball that has touched 99 miles per hour. He fanned 19 this season during a seven-inning no-hitter. He struck out 16 Cuban batters over seven innings last summer at the Pan American Junior Championships. He is just 18 years old. Oh yeah, and he could be the Orioles selection with the third pick in the First-Year Player Draft next Monday. He is Jameson Taillon, a right-handed pitcher from the Woodlands High School in Texas. Very few know the...
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Arrieta: "I feel like I'm 100 percent ready."

Arrieta:  "I feel like I'm 100 percent ready."
If it's possible, right-hander Jake Arrieta has kicked up his performance recently to an even higher level and continues to show that he looks ready to join the Major Leagues whenever the Orioles make the call. Arrieta, the O's fifth-round pick in 2007, is 6-2, 1.77 in 11 starts on the year. Over 71 innings, he has allowed just 45 hits. But over his last three starts, Arrieta is 3-0, 0.82. Over his last 22 innings, he has given up 16 hits and two earned runs with six walks and 23...
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Hoes remains upbeat despite illness

Hoes remains upbeat despite illness
He got off to a great start this year for the Frederick Keys. At the age of just 20, second baseman L.J. Hoes was living up to his prospect status and playing maybe even better than the Orioles had a right to expect in his first season in the Carolina League. But Hoes has been out of the lineup since May 15 as he deals with a mysterious illness that doctors seem to have struggled to get a handle on. There has been talk that it's not anything serious and Hoes should be back soon. But right...
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So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?

So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?
It's not exactly drama like the 1971 or 1979 World Series, but the Orioles are linked again with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have the second pick in the first round of next Monday's First-Year Player Draft. Most figure they will select between high school shortstop Manny Machado and prep pitcher Jameson Taillon, with the remaining player left for the O's to take. (That's after Bryce Harper goes first to the Nats). So what will Pittsburgh do with that second pick? I spoke via...
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Kolodny is heading to extended spring training

Kolodny is heading to extended spring training
It was a minor league transaction that probably went under the radar among a lot of fans. On May 24th, Tyler Kolodny of the Delmarva Shorebirds was transferred to Aberdeen's roster. Some that follow the minors very closely asked a question. Why would the O's take a player with 10 homers, among the most in the Sally League, off the Delmarva roster. As it turns out, there were two major reasons. Kolodny was being disciplined due to a team matter. Seondly, the Orioles want him to improve...
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