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It has been true in baseball probably for as long as there has been baseball: Players learn as much from their struggles - and maybe more - than they do from their successes. And it has been said that baseball is a game of failure. A good pitcher with an ERA of 3.00 still gives up three earned runs for every nine innings. A .300 hitter still makes an out seven times out of 10.
In my coverage of the Orioles minors this year, it stood out that several players I interviewed cited overcoming...
The Orioles outrighted four players off their 40-man roster yesterday to reduce the total to 35, as they continue to perform one of the more important offseason tasks leading into the Rule 5 draft in December.
In addition to catcher Austin Wynns, whose disposition was reported yesterday, the Orioles also outrighted pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Konner Wade and infielder Pat Valaika, per the transactions page at MLB.com.
The club hasn't announced the moves.
Valaika was eligible again for...
Different reasons exist for candidates to qualify for Comeback Player of the Year in the majors. It can be a productive return from a down season. It can be a return from a serious injury.
Trey Mancini is a finalist in the Major League Baseball Players Association's Players Choice Awards after missing the 2020 season with Stage 3 colon cancer.
Just typing that sentence makes him feel like the favorite over teammate Cedric Mullins and the Mariners' Mitch Haniger, but we'll find out Thursday...
If we are going to consider and discuss the Orioles' 2021 pitching performance, you know the club will rank at or near the bottom of the American League in many team categories. For instance, they were last in team ERA at 5.84, which was just over a full run per game worse than Minnesota, next at 4.83.
But we're not here today to hammer away at some rough pitching stats.
Today, I wanted to take a look at the Orioles' 2021 pitch mix. This can be interesting to look at and size up how they...
PLAYER REVIEW: ANDREW STEVENSON
Age on opening day 2022: 27
How acquired: Second-round pick, 2015 draft
MLB service time: 2 years, 127 days
2021 salary: $579,100
Contract status: Possibly arbitration-eligible in 2022, free agent in 2026
2021 stats: 109 G, 213 PA, 192 AB, 22 R, 44 H, 6 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 1 SB, 1 CS, 13 BB, 61 SO, .229 AVG, .294 OBP, .339 SLG, .632 OPS, 74 OPS+, 1 DRS, minus-0.1 fWAR, 0.1 bWAR
Quotable: "I try to just mellow out. The bigger spots, the way I kind of look at...
The Orioles performed more work on their 40-man roster this afternoon, outrighting catcher Austin Wynns after he cleared waivers, according to sources.
Wynns can become a free agent.
The 40-man is down to 38 players, the most recent move before today coming last week when the Diamondbacks claimed reliever Zack Burdi off waivers.
Wynns, 30, batted .185/.232/.308 in 45 games, with four doubles, four home runs and 14 RBIs in 139 plate appearances. He threw out 11 of 29 runners attempting to steal...
Expanding upon Major League Baseball's Play Ball campaign, the Orioles will host Play Ball Days, presented by Nike, at local Maryland Title I schools to continue to grow the game of baseball, inspire recreational play in underserved areas, and teach life lessons including teamwork, perseverance, and resilience.
From October 25 through October 29, the Orioles will host the outdoor Orioles-themed Play Ball Days in Title I elementary and middle schools in Baltimore City and their surrounding...
No one is handing a job in 2022 to the batch of Orioles in-house infield candidates beyond first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, which pretty much makes for a typical offseason in the rebuild.
I'm confident that they'll sign at least one free agent, and perhaps to a major league deal. They could make another waiver claim, as they did with second baseman Yolmer Sánchez.
Perhaps this time they'll keep him beyond spring training.
I've made Ramón UrÃas a heavy favorite to stay with the...
In 2019, left-hander John Means emerged as a surprising staff ace for the Orioles. No, he was not an ace, meaning a No. 1 pitcher, to rival the very best in the game, but he sure was the Orioles' ace.
In 2021, were there still any doubters, Means proved he is still that.
Outside of his own won-loss record, Means' stats in 2021 look a lot like his numbers in 2019 with a few improvements.
You could look at his year broken into about three different seasons - there was a sizzling hot start to...
The Orioles have three finalists for the Major League Baseball Players Association's Players Choice Awards, which were announced today. Cedric Mullins and Trey Mancini are finalists, along with Mitch Haniger of Seattle, for the American League Comeback Player Award. Ryan Mountcastle joins Randy Arozarena of Tampa Bay and Adolis GarcÃa of Texas as finalists for the MLBPA's Outstanding Rookie Award.
A year after missing the entire 2020 season after treatment and chemotherapy for cancer,...