Heath Bintliff: Guerrero's troubling power outage

Heath Bintliff: Guerrero's troubling power outage
As any of you who have read my posts over at Dempsey's Army know, I love to beat a dead horse. So today I will, once again, examine the addition of Vladimir Guerrero to the Orioles lineup - and the stunning lack of power Guerrero has added to the batting order. When Guerrero was signed this offseason, he was hailed and the final piece of the puzzle to make the Baltimore offense go. He was a proven cleanup hitter who would bring a presence to the heart of the lineup, provide the team with an...
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Unveiling the Orioles' fan-selected all-time lineup

Unveiling the Orioles' fan-selected all-time lineup
Over the past month, we've been taking a look at the all-time Orioles lineup. Each day on the MASN Orioles page on Facebook, we went through each position and had readers and followers vote and debate on the greatest Oriole to ever step foot on the diamond. It was a process that was well-received, with more than 1,000 comments from fans and players' names stretching from 1960 to 2011. Some spots were easier to fill than others, but now that the polls have closed, let's take a look at who...
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Matthew Taylor: Remembering Manto's surprising power surge

Matthew Taylor: Remembering Manto's surprising power surge
Only once in a career that spanned nine seasons and nine different organizations did Jeff Manto have four or more home runs in a single year. But as Orioles fans should well remember, the 1995 season was a special one for Manto, who completed a run of homers in four consecutive at-bats on this day 16 years ago. His power surge tied a record he shared at the time with 23 other players. "When you look at me you don't think I've got a chance to set any kind of record, but when you're having...
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Matthew Taylor: Even in minors, hometown roots run deep

Matthew Taylor: Even in minors, hometown roots run deep
I no longer live in a major league town. Having moved to North Carolina a few years ago, I don't have the luxury I enjoyed for many years in Baltimore of catching a big league game on a moment's notice. It's one of many taken-for-granted things I miss now that I'm away from the place I'll always consider home. These days I find that I'm not breaking old habits so much as I'm finding replacements for them. So I still make regular ballpark visits during the summer; they just happen to be...
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From Baltimore's sandlots, former Oriole Nordbrook has come full circle

From Baltimore's sandlots, former Oriole Nordbrook has come full circle
Tim Nordbrook's "Aha!" moment came a few games into his rookie season, part of a commonplace baseball activity that's often taken for granted. The 25-year-old shortstop had just ranged into the hole to grab a ground ball, then thrown the batter out at first base. Orioles infielders were whipping the ball around the horn when the native Baltimorean got an attaboy from third baseman Brooks Robinson, his childhood idol. "I turn to throw it to Brooksie and Brooksie says, 'Great play,...
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Matthew Taylor: Luke Scott new king of "bronze bombers"

Matthew Taylor: Luke Scott new king of "bronze bombers"
I want to begin by congratulating the Orioles on their fine selection of Matt Taylor in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft with the 155th pick. I don't know a thing about Taylor other than the fact that we share the same name, so I fully support the move and look forward to his first T-Shirt Tuesday at Camden Yards. And while I'm handing out plaudits, here's to Luke Scott for taking over sole possession as the career leader in Eutaw Street home runs....
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Matthew Taylor: A non-scientific analysis of hanging around

Matthew Taylor: A non-scientific analysis of hanging around
I recently read an interesting Wall Street Journal article by Matthew Futterman that, like many statistical analyses these days, challenged conventional baseball wisdom. In this instance, the cherished-but-challenged wisdom is as follows: "It's not a sprint, it's a marathon." Futterman writes that baseball is in fact very much a sprint and that the beloved boys of summer generally know how they'll finish the season even before the summer solstice. Here's a key passage from the...
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Matthew Taylor: Pondering what might have been for O's

Matthew Taylor: Pondering what might have been for O's
It's not often that I find myself 10 pages deep into MLB.com's sortable player statistics, but that's how far you have to go to find Mark Reynolds if you search by batting average. It turns out that page 10, which in this case lists players ranked between 451 and 500 for average, is a pretty interesting place for Orioles fans. In addition to Reynolds who, for the record, is No. 460 for average, page 10 contains names of guys who have played for the Birds this season or who were talked about...
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Stacey Long: Talented starting pitchers deserve some offensive support

Stacey Long: Talented starting pitchers deserve some offensive support
Brian Matusz and Zach Britton currently are pitching back-to-back in the rotation. Yes, the rotation is in a bit of a shambles, what with it only having four members, one of whom is just back from the disabled list. But Matusz and Britton are pitching back-to-back in the Orioles rotation. Two lefties who are renowned around baseball just happen to be pitching consecutive games for the Orioles. When looking ahead to upcoming series, Orioles fans often see two lefties pitching for an opposing...
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Monday Memory: Old Otterbein Church and its peanut ministry

Monday Memory: Old Otterbein Church and its peanut ministry
Admit it: you've passed by Old Otterbein United Methodist Church on Conway Street a bazillion times en route from lunch or dinner at Harborplace to an Orioles game at Camden Yards. Since 1771, Baltimoreans have been worshiping at the historic brick structure, now wedged between the Convention Center and the Sheraton Hotel, and this 2007 YouTube video proves that parishioners apparently have a sense of humor about the position of Yankees and Red Sox fans in the universe. Well, either that...
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Stacey Long: O's should consider dealing Guthrie

Stacey Long: O's should consider dealing Guthrie
Jeremy Guthrie pitched an amazing baseball game last night. Undone in the eighth inning, Orioles fans who stayed up past midnight hoping for a win will only remember the crushing home run by Justin Smoak, but Guthrie was fantastic. He's been fantastic for most of this year, and for much of his time in Baltimore. But with one year left on his contract, Guthrie could bring back to the Orioles pieces that will help the team in the future. The Orioles are improved this year, there is no denying...
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Stacey Long: Taking respite in O's minor leagues, draft

Stacey Long: Taking respite in O's minor leagues, draft
With the advent of blogs such as my own and those that belong to the other fine writers taking up this space, there is more being written about, well, everything. In our case, it's the Baltimore Orioles. From the traditional media to those of us who have our own platforms online to the masses on Twitter who take to the Internet daily, it's mind-boggling just how much is being said about the Orioles on a daily basis. Because the Orioles are a losing team, and have been for so long, this...
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Stacey Long: Our old friend Erik Bedard

Stacey Long: Our old friend Erik Bedard
The Orioles start a three-game series in Seattle today, and while they mercifully miss Felix Hernandez again, they will face old friend Erik Bedard tomorrow. Of course, there are only four Orioles on the current roster who played with Bedard, so any special interest in Bedard is mostly from the fans. And it's not just interest in how well he's playing and how he'll pitch against the Orioles; seeing Bedard also reminds the fans of how far the team as come since the trade that sent Bedard to...
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Anthony Amobi: This time around, Reimold making most of opportunity

Anthony Amobi: This time around, Reimold making most of opportunity
Parts of the last two seasons have been nothing short of rough for Nolan Reimold. However, Remold is now back in the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles and when he's been given the opportunity to play, the man has delivered in key moments. His bat played a huge role in Saturday's victory against the Nationals and also on Thursday against the Royals, where his home runs helped extend the Orioles' winning streak to five games. During the past week, Reimold has once again shown flashes of...
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Anthony Amobi: Jones finally realizing his immense potential

Anthony Amobi: Jones finally realizing his immense potential
If you all have been watching the Orioles as of late, you know that Adam Jones has really been heating it up at plate. Right now, Jones is one of the more prominent faces of the franchise and so far in 2011, his profile seems to be rising even more in the sport thanks to an outstanding May at the plate. Before this season began, I was not sure what to think of Jones at times. Well, there a few situations last year while watching the action live from my seat, when I could recall myself...
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Anthony Amobi: Future is uncertain, but Britton's present is certainly enjoyable

Anthony Amobi: Future is uncertain, but Britton's present is certainly enjoyable
It's way too soon to christen Zach Britton the ace of a pitching staff. However, based on his starts for the Orioles so far, he may be it. As of right now, it is accurate to say that he is exceeding expectations. Most thought that Britton would be solid, perhaps go through the school of hard knocks at the major league level. Rather than coming off as a fresh-faced rookie - which Britton basically still is - he's pitching like a tenured, proven major league veteran at the moment. To win...
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Baltimore left quite an impression on ex-Oriole Jackie Brandt

Baltimore left quite an impression on ex-Oriole Jackie Brandt
For his involvement in some of baseball's most memorable moments and his associations with some of the game's greats, ex-Orioles outfielder Jackie Brandt's career as a baseball journeyman was anything but ordinary. As a rookie in 1956, he lockered next to Stan Musial with the St. Louis Cardinals. As a San Francisco Giant, he played in the outfield alongside Willie Mays. In Baltimore, Brooks Robinson was a teammate. Ted Williams' fabled home run in his final career at-bat in 1960 sailed...
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Anthony Amobi: Are Roberts' injuries an ominous sign?

Anthony Amobi: Are Roberts' injuries an ominous sign?
It's been a frustrating past two seasons for Brian Roberts. For the most part, he's one the most prominent faces of the franchise and the longest-tenured Oriole on the roster. However, he's not played much due to back issues, concussions and various illnesses that have popped up. It's been a hard road for the second baseman and I'm sure Roberts must be far angrier by the state of his own affairs than even the most ardent Orioles fan. At the moment, he is on the seven-day disabled list...
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Anthony Amobi: Guerrero has been an entertaining addition for O's

Anthony Amobi: Guerrero has been an entertaining addition for O's
Most fans know that Vladmir Guerrero will be headed to the Hall of Fame at some point. Guerrero's tenure with the Baltimore Orioles will be a pit stop en route to baseball immortality in a career filled with a World Series appearance, big hits, a golden arm and the ability to hit the ball thrown anywhere within a hitter's zone, or out of it. At one time, he rivaled anyone in the sport's history before his knees gave out. Any coach in the sport would never teach Guerrero's approach at the...
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Monday Memory: When battles between Baltimore, D.C. were commonplace

Monday Memory: When battles between Baltimore, D.C. were commonplace
The first weekend of interleague play is over, and any further bragging rights associated with the Battle of the Beltways will have to hold off until the Orioles travel to the banks of the Anacostia River to face the Nationals June 17-19. It's going to take some time before Major League Baseball gets it wish, a thriving rivalry between two teams separated by about 35 miles of the Gladys Noon Spellman Memorial Parkway (or the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Route 295, to those of you who didn't...
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