The Orioles cleared space on their 40-man roster by outrighting four pitchers — right-handers Ryan Eades, Luis Ortiz and Tayler Scott and left-hander Josh Rogers to Triple-A Norfolk. They also claimed infielder Pat Valaika on waivers from Colorado. Eades, who was claimed on waivers from Minnesota on August 14, was 0-1 with...
On a late January Saturday morning, there was always an arresting sight surrounding the Baltimore Convention Center. The weather was often raw, and Opening Day was still more than two months away, but Orioles fans gathered to await the opening of FanFest. No matter how many years I saw the crowds, it...
At the beginning of the postseason, I predicted a Los Angeles Dodgers-Houston Astros World Series. The Dodgers seemed like the class of the National League, and I thought the Astros would hold off the New York Yankees in a competitive American League Championship Series. After the Washington Nationals made it through an...
Hanser Alberto is an enigma for the Orioles. A good enigma, but he’s still a mystery in many ways. Alberto, who shocked everyone by not only making the club but at one point challenging for the American League batting championship, is 27, so he’s not exactly part of the youth movement. But...
Adley Rutschman won’t be the Orioles’ starting catcher in 2020. After making him the first overall pick in last June’s draft and signing him to a record $8.1 million signing bonus, the Orioles are grooming him to be their catcher for many years to come. Rutschman briefly played at Rookie Level Gulf...
Jim Palmer celebrated his 74th birthday last Tuesday. The Hall of Fame pitcher, who’s been a longtime Orioles broadcaster, spoke last Friday from his home in Southern California about the current state of the Orioles, and his health. Palmer missed the last few weeks of the season after he was diagnosed with...
Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart had surgery on his right ankle on Thursday. Stewart injured the ankle in a game at Arlington, Texas on June 5 and missed two months of major league time. The team said Stewart “underwent a successful microfracture procedure on his right ankle.” The procedure was performed by Dr....
No one could have imagined John Means’ rookie season for the Orioles. It’s hard to measure just how good it was. According to Baseballreference.com’s measure of WAR, Means had a 4.5, which was ninth among American League pitchers. When the 2019 season started, it would have been difficult for anyone to think...
Now that the Washington Nationals have qualified for the World Series, it makes life even more difficult for fans of the Orioles. Some Oriole fans have begun rooting for the Nationals, others don’t care, and still others are pained by their success. In the 50-year history of the Nationals and their predecessors,...
This winter should be a happy one for Trey Mancini. He had his most complete season in the major leagues and was voted Most Valuable Oriole. The trouble was that Mancini was the best player on a team that lost 108 games. Mancini had an .899 OPS and improved in every offensive...