The sky turned blue Saturday afternoon and the sun began to shine shortly after Orioles fans filed out of Camden Yards at the first Winter Warm-Up. There's some symbolism at work here. The dark clouds, the dreary conditions. If it's got to rain, let it be on a World Series parade. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias spoke again about the need for patience, how the process can't be rushed and the reward will make it worthwhile. And he'd appreciate fans spreading the word so...

Anthony Rendon officially was introduced by the Angels on Saturday, donning a familiar red cap but with a halo surrounding a big A instead of the curly W he wore the last seven seasons. Yeah, it's going to take some time to get used to that image. As Rendon explained to reporters during his first news conference on the West Coast, it was the persistence of Angels owner Arte Moreno - who pulled agent Scott Boras aside last Sunday and made it clear he wanted the star third baseman to come to...

The Winter Meetings are providing opportunities for Orioles prospects to find out what all the commotion is about and sharpen their interview skills with the beat crew. Shortstop Cadyn Grenier visited the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas last December because he lived about 10 minutes away and couldn't pass up the opportunity, which included an introduction with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. Outfielder Kyle Stowers, a California native chosen with the 71st...

The Orioles decorated Eutaw Street this morning to create a holiday theme at Camden Yards. A winter wonderland with temperatures above freezing. The rain that fell varied from drizzle to downpour, with umbrellas opening and closing over a three-hour period at the first Winter Warm-Up. A live band sang and performed carols on the flag court in right field before the covered stage was cleared for a question-and-answer session with Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias,...

In the ongoing discussion regarding Major League Baseball's intention to eliminate 42 minor league teams in 2020, the two sides met during the Winter Meetings in San Diego. Following the meetings, Minor League Baseball contends MLB misrepresented several of facts "repeatedly and inaccurately" pertaining to the conditions and financial burden undertaken by each team based on the current Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA). A detailed four-page press release was sent out to the media...

As things currently stand, there is no spot in the Nationals lineup for Michael A. Taylor. He would seem to fit in well as the club's fourth outfielder, one who is well-equipped to take over at any position if anyone else got hurt. Of course, all of that depends on the 28-year-old showing he can hit with consistency at the big league level. And if there are any doubts about his ability to do that, the Nats might be wise to see what kind of trade value he has. Any of this sound familiar? It's...

Three full days and parts of two others spent at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in sunny San Diego taught us a few things about the Orioles and confirmed lots more. They need pitching. In the same way that a sailboat needs a stiff breeze. This didn't qualify as breaking news at the Winter Meetings, but the possibility of sticking at least one of the Rule 5 picks in the rotation provided an interesting nugget. The Orioles rule the Rule 5 kingdom. They've made a selection every year since 2006 and...

Nationals catcher Jakson Reetz finished off his 2019 campaign with work in the Arizona Fall League, batting .333 with a .519 slugging percentage. "It was awesome," Reetz said. "I was really happy that I got the chance to go and play. Nationals guys, I got to play with them. I got to meet a lot of other new guys. Our team was awesome. We had a lot of fun. It was definitely a great experience for me." Reetz, 23, was a third-round pick by the Nats in 2014. He played 96 games for high Single-A...

In 63 plate appearances with a September call-up in 2017 with the Orioles, outfielder Austin Hays hit .217. In 75 plate appearances last September, he hit .309. But just beyond those numbers, Hays showed some real five-tool talent in his 21-game run last September. Hays hit for average and some power. He drove balls in the gaps. He ran down balls in the gaps and made diving catches. He showed a strong throwing arm. He stole bases. He brought some real energy to the team. During the Winter...

The Orioles had some solid success with their young pitchers on the farm during the 2019 season. And they keep adding young pitchers to that group that competed last season. Of the Orioles' top six farm teams, four clubs led their leagues in ERA last summer. That was at Double-A Bowie, Single-A Delmarva, short-season Single-A Aberdeen and in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. And while it is true that Triple-A Norfolk and Single-A Frederick ranked last in their leagues in ERA in 2019,...