The Orioles today unveiled their uniform changes for 2012, highlighted by the return of the cartoon bird as the logo on the club's home and road caps and the introduction of an alternate orange jersey for Saturday home games. The 2012 cartoon bird head is a new design, utilizing elements from both the 1970 and 1983 versions. It will replace the ornithologically-correct bird on both the home and road caps. The club's new home cap will feature the cartoon bird on a white front panel with a...

When I wrote over the weekend about Yu Darvish, many of your replies surprised me. I didn't keep a tally, but it sure seemed most fans that left a comment were against going after Darvish via free agency if he is posted if the total price tag for a posting fee and contract would total $100 million or more. I admire your restraint considering how badly the Orioles need pitching. But many of you just felt that is too much money and that is taking too big a risk on Darvish. I am very intrigued...

You've heard about it. Now you can hear more. The Orioles are unveiling their new caps and jerseys today. The cartoon bird is back. Let us rejoice. This is an updated version that takes elements from the 1970 and 1983 models. As I told you yesterday, it more closely resembles the Brooks Robinson bird, not the Todd Cruz one, in terms of overall shape. And this is the first time that the bird is wearing a cap with O's on the front. Here's what you didn't know until today (and what I was...

What's better than one Iron Man? How about a pair? Cal Ripken Jr., baseball's all-time leader in consecutive games played, hosted his final youth clinic in Japan on Monday. He was joined by Sachio Kinugasa, who holds the record for durability in the Japanese league and has become a friend of Ripken. Kinugasa has accompanied Ripken and his entourage through their diplomatic mission in Japan, and Monday's clinic came in his hometown of Kyoto. Kinugasa led today's clinic and handed out...

Orioles fans are encouraged to visit www.orioles.com, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15, at 9:30 a.m. ET for a special announcement. As part of the club's continued efforts to enhance the Orioles brand, the changes to the 2012 uniforms will be unveiled at this time, exclusively on the team's website.

While watching and listening to postseason baseball, I came upon a conversation going on during a radio broadcast of the Texas Rangers/Detroit Tigers series. The announcer and newly appointed Marlins hitting coach Eduardo Perez were discussing how difficult it is for a pitcher to throw a ball instead of a strike. One of the pitchers in the series had given up a game-changing home run when attempting to throw a pitch out of the zone. Perez opined it was actually a very difficult art for the...

I stopped by the warehouse today to check out the Orioles' new caps and jerseys. I think most of you will be pleased with the changes. The club requested that no further details be published until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, so I'm following the embargo. You already know that the Orioles have gone back to the cartoon bird on the caps - taking elements from the 1970 and 1983 models - and that the angle of the Baltimore script on the road jerseys no longer tapers at the end. I can tell you that the...

No matter how you feel about Joe Jordan's record as the Orioles' scouting director from 2005 through 2011, there is one area that hurt the Orioles during his time with the club that was out of the control of the scouting department. The Orioles had fewer picks than their American League East rivals in the top three rounds during those seven drafts - in some cases many fewer picks - as other teams took advantage of the draft rules to obtain more picks. They got many compensation picks for...

Mike Bordick has made it clear to Orioles manager Buck Showalter that he'd accept an offer to join the coaching staff. He's also met with Dan Duquette, the new executive vice president of baseball operations. We should find out later this week whether it leads to a change in roles for Bordick, the former Orioles shortstop who currently serves as their coordinator of offensive fundamentals. Bordick is a candidate to be named first base or bullpen coach. He wouldn't replace Willie Randolph...

BERKELEY, Calif. - Greetings from the Golden State. College basketball season is under way and this weekend, I am on assignment with the George Washington Colonials as they venture into Haas Pavilion to take on the No. 24 California Golden Bears. When we arrived, I got a good report on the pitching of left-hander Matt Purke, who threw another scoreless inning in the Arizona Fall League on Saturday. The Nationals are very proud of the progress the former TCU standout has made since a rocky...