We have a pretty good source that essentially informed us that the Orioles need to dramatically upgrade their usage of analytics moving forward. The source is the players on the 2018 Orioles. It was not a good look for the organization when, after Kevin Gausman and Brad Brach were traded to Atlanta and Zach Britton was dealt to the Yankees, that all three spoke about being exposed to much more analytical data and information with their new clubs. Whatever the problem was in Baltimore, it needed...

Before accepting the yearly challenge of consuming as much food as possible without losing consciousness, please take a moment and try to separate Orioles fact from fiction. You won't need a carving knife. Sig Mejdal ranks among the most, yes, significant hires in recent memory. Fact. And the hire, wait for it, signifies that the Orioles are dead serious about incorporating analytics and taking a vastly different approach moving forward. It isn't just lip service. The former NASA...

The Orioles' commitment to analytics as a significant aspect of their rebuild has led to Mike Elias' first hire since being chosen to head the baseball operations department. Sig Mejdal is joining the organization as assistant general manager, analytics, a move that had been anticipated since news broke last week that Elias was the choice as executive vice president and general manager. Only the title had to be determined. The press release issued today by the Orioles stated that Mejdal...

The Orioles today announced that Sig Mejdalhas been named the club's Assistant General Manager, Analytics, reporting to Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias. Mejdal will oversee all aspects of the club's growing analytics effort while assisting and advising Elias in all manner of Baseball Operations decisions. "Sig Mejdal is one of the most experienced and accomplished analysts working in baseball today," said Elias. "To have him join our Orioles organization is a major...

In celebration of the start of the holiday season, the Orioles are offering several deals for holiday shoppers. On Friday, all fans will receive a 50% discount on all purchases at the Orioles Official Team Store at Oriole Park at Camden Yards for 'Orange & Black Friday' from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. This discount cannot be combined with any other offer. Additionally, from Friday through midnight on Cyber Monday - Monday, November 26 - shoppers can purchase Orioles gift certificates and...

The utility competition in Orioles camp next spring is going to include veteran Jace Peterson. The Orioles have re-signed Peterson to a minor league deal, according to an industry source, and he's likely to receive an invitation to spring training. Peterson was arbitration-eligible, cleared outright waivers earlier this month and elected free agency. The club has wanted to keep him in the organization, though there was an element of uncertainty attached due to the pending hire of a head of...

Catcher Kurt Suzuki is coming off his two best years at the plate, hitting .276 with an .825 OPS over the last two seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Now he is back with the Nationals. And maybe more importantly, not with the Braves. Against the Nats for 12 games in 2017, Suzuki hit .340 with three doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs. In 2018, he was not as formidable against the Nats in 11 games with a .265 average, two homers and two RBIs. He hit .317 in late-and-close situations, according to...

When the Orioles added right-hander Dillon Tate to their 40-man roster yesterday, that brought the number of players added in the July trades to seven on the 40-man. The others are pitchers Cody Carroll, Luis Ortiz, Evan Phillips and Josh Rogers, and infielders Jonathan Villar and Breyvic Valera. The 24-year-old Tate was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 draft by Texas out of UC-Santa Barbara. The Rangers traded him to the Yankees on Aug. 1, 2016 and the Yankees traded him with Carroll and...

While new Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias gets more acquainted with the players on the 40-man roster and throughout the minor league system, he offered his approval of the trades that predecessor Dan Duquette orchestrated to begin the teardown. "Those were the right moves,'' Elias said at his introduction held Monday morning inside the home clubhouse at Camden Yards. "The team had left a period of competitiveness. That was clear by the trade deadline. A lot...

The Orioles have adjusted their 40-man roster in preparation for the Rule 5 draft, which will be held on Dec. 13 on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Pitcher Dillon Tate was placed on the 40-man today, his contract selected from Double-A Bowie, to prohibit teams from taking him. With the roster already full, the Orioles created room by designating infielder Engelb Vielma for assignment. Another spot must be opened later to allow the Orioles to make a selection, which is...