When the Orioles drafted right-handed pitcher Mike Wright in the third round out of East Carolina in 2011, they envisioned a big strong innings eater that has good velocity. He is 6-foot-6 and throws a fastball that can touch the mid 90s, sometimes more. You can't just teach that, and his size and velocity doesn't grow on trees. A recent addition to the Orioles' 40-man roster, Wright pitches with a wide range of velocity with his fastball, one that he said can vary about eight miles per hour...

I'm making the nearly three-hour drive home from Ocean Pines on Sunday morning, which gives me a second chance to listen to a CD that Cubs radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes mailed to me last week. Hughes has created "Baseball Voices, Hall of Fame Series," which pays tribute to some of the greatest announcers in history, including Red Barber, Harry Caray, Mel Allen, Harry Kalas, Jack Buck, Bob Prince and our own Chuck Thompson. I thoroughly enjoyed "Chuck Thompson, Voice of the...

Some people buy into advanced metrics and put a lot of weight on the information they provide. Others still rely more heavily on the old-school statistics and aren't willing to cannonball into the advanced metrics pool just yet. One of the more accepted advanced metrics in this day and age is WAR (wins above replacement). It's become the catch-all metric that both fans and professional talent evaluators use to compare players and value their impact on their teams. Even if you're not a big...

So how do you like the third basemen in the American League East these days? The roll call includes Manny Machado, Evan Longoria, Pablo Sandoval and now Josh Donaldson after last night's trade between the Athletics and Blue Jays. It also includes Alex Rodriguez, which must make the Yankees dry heave. Longoria feels like the only holdover in the group. Donaldson arrived via trade, Sandoval signed with the Red Sox as a free agent, Machado was injured and Rodriguez was suspended. Machado and...

When the Orioles signed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to a four-year deal worth $50 million in February, the fan response was overwhelmingly positive. Now, less than a year later, most fans are down on the 30-year-old right-hander who went 6-9 with a 4.81 ERA in 25 games. Jimenez had a few good moments as an Oriole, but not enough to keep him from losing his rotation spot late in the year or fans from losing confidence in him. He was signed coming off an excellent 2013 with Cleveland, where he went...

The next name on the list of Nationals top 10 prospects according to Baseball Prospectus is outfielder Steven Souza Jr., who already has etched his name in organization's history books with one of the most amazing catches of the season to end the final regular season game. His over-the-shoulder dive toward center field near the warning track in left not only won the Sept. 28 game against the Marlins, but it also cemented the first no-hitter ever thrown by a Nationals pitcher. Jordan...

Infielder Rey Navarro had his pick of teams that wanted to sign him as a minor league free agent. His decision became much easier when the Orioles stepped up with a major league offer. A spot on a 40-man roster with a winning team? Get the contract ready. "I'm really excited about it," Navarro said Friday afternoon before getting ready for his next game with Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League. "I just feel like I've got a good chance to play there. They made me good offer and...

Yesterday, I was thankful for family, friends and health. Today, I'm thankful that the button didn't pop off my pants during Thanksgiving dinner and that I won't be forced to participate in any Black Friday shopping. You couldn't pay me to go to a mall today and battle the crowds. Not my cup of tea. Not even close. Steven Souza Jr.'s 2014 season was beyond impressive. The 25-year-old outfielder hit a ridiculous .350/.432/.590 (that's a 1.022 OPS, folks) at Triple-A Syracuse, leading the...

The news came out this week, but didn't get the same publicity and coverage as the Red Sox's signings of free agents Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. The Seattle Mariners agreed to a long-term deal with young third baseman Kyle Seager, a deal that could potentially provide a framework for a future contract for Orioles third baseman Manny Machado. Seager, who turned 27 on Nov. 3, agreed to a seven-year deal worth $100 million with an eighth-year option at $20 million. The Mariners bought out...

Here's hoping that everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving and no one bet the mortgage on the Cowboys. I'm heading out later today to buy a battery for my laptop. The power cord has a short in it, further complicating my efforts to post daily blog entries. Otherwise, it's a piece of cake. Or a slice of pumpkin pie, if that's your preference. I've written how the Orioles are focusing on their bullpen, especially left-handed relief with Andrew Miller set to depart as a free agent. The...