Monday Memory: Terry Cashman, the O's and Hall of Fame weekend

Monday Memory: Terry Cashman, the O's and Hall of Fame weekend
This time of year always makes me think of Hall of Fame induction weekend at Cooperstown, N.Y. If you've never made the trek to this diamond mecca in upstate New York, you're missing one of the true hallowed halls of the game we love. My first trek to Cooperstown came in 1977 and was memorable for a few reasons. Armed with my brand-new Vivitar SLR camera, I spent several hours in the museum snapping off photos of the things that most interested me - mind you, back then, in the pre-digital...

Kelly Saunders, O's first female PA announcer in 1992, dead at 62

Kelly Saunders, O's first female PA announcer in 1992, dead at 62
Kelly Saunders, the former WJZ-TV reporter who holds the distinction of being the first female to serve as the public address announcer for the Orioles, has died. Sanders, who was 62, passed away early Friday morning from cancer, according to DCRTV.com. A veteran of Washington, D.C.-area radio stations, Saunders also worked in radio in Baltimore at WBAL-AM and WIYY-FM. But it was her pinch-hitting appearance for legendary Orioles PA announcer Rex Barney in 1992 that made her the answer to a...

Orioles option Viola to Double-A Bowie

Orioles option Viola to Double-A Bowie
The Orioles announced after tonight's game that they have optioned left-hander Pedro Viola to Double-A Bowie. Viola has appeared in four games for the Orioles and pitched to a 9.82 ERA (3.2IP, 4ER). A corresponding roster move will be announced tomorrow.

For ex-O's reliever Snell, Baltimore's been home since 1985

For ex-O's reliever Snell, Baltimore's been home since 1985
The warm, engaging smile Nate Snell flashes as he chats with fans and signs autographs is a decided departure from the manacing scowl he wore on his baseball cards. But times have changed for the 58-year-old Snell, and he no longer has to worry about intimidating opponents or making a positive impression to maintain his roster spot. Want to really get Snell smiling? Just ask the native of Orangeburg, S.C., about Baltimore, where he's made his home since 1985, his first full season with the...

Nationals agree to terms with four 2011 more draft picks

Nationals agree to terms with four 2011 more draft picks
The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with four players selected in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft: right-handed pitchers Taylor Hill (6th round), Greg Holt (8th round) and Dixon Anderson (9th round) and left-handed pitcher Nicholas Lee (18th round). To date, the Nationals have now agreed to terms with 22 players from this year's Draft. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager & Vice President of...

Brian's Baseball Bash rescheduled for Aug. 28

Brian's Baseball Bash rescheduled for Aug. 28
Brian's Baseball Bash - a fundraiser for the University of Maryland Children's Hospital hosted by Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts - has been rescheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28 at Dave & Buster's in Arundel Mills Mall. The event was originally scheduled for Sunday, July 24, but is being postponed because Roberts remains on the disabled list with concussion symptoms. All purchased admissions will be honored automatically for the new date. In the event that ticket holders cannot attend on...

Food drive at Camden Yards during this weekend's games

Food drive at Camden Yards during this weekend's games
This weekend, while the Orioles host the Cleveland Indians, fans will have an opportunity to help the less fortunate. For the 25th straight season, the Orioles will host a canned food drive from July 15-17, and they are encouraging fans to donate non-perishable foodstuffs and money at the gates when they enter Camden Yards. The collection is sponsored by the O's, Orioles Wives, Oriole Advocates, WJZ-TV and the Maryland Food Bank. What's needed? Peanut butter, canned chicken, canned tuna,...

"The John Riggins Show" off July 13-15, will return July 18

"The John Riggins Show" off July 13-15, will return July 18
"The John Riggins Show" will not air on Wednesday, July 13 through Friday, July 15. Regular programming will return to MASN/MASN HD on Monday, July 18 at 4:30 p.m.

"The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" off until Thursday, July 14 for All-Star break

"The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" off until Thursday, July 14 for All-Star break
It's the All-Star break, and like most of Major League Baseball, "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" will be taking some time off. The program will not air Monday, July 11 through Wednesday, July 13. You can tune into "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" again beginning Thursday, July 14 at 5:30 p.m. at 5:30 p.m. on MASN/MASN HD.

Jones falls short in The Final Vote for All-Star Game

Jones falls short in The Final Vote for All-Star Game
If Adam Jones is going to go to the All-Star Game in Phoenix, it will have to be as an injury replacement. The Orioles center fielder finished fourth of our five participants in The Final Vote, a competition which yielded White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko as the final member of the American League All-Star team. Konerko was followed in the fan voting, which concluded at 4 p.m. Eastern time, by Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez, Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, Jones and Rays second...

Announcing our rotation of guest bloggers for season's second half

Announcing our rotation of guest bloggers for season's second half
By now, you're used to coming to MASNsports.com each morning for the best in Orioles coverage. That includes our initiative of welcoming guest bloggers to our pages, and their contributions during the season's first half added both new voices and divergent viewpoints to our ongoing discussion of all things orange and black. Guest bloggers - those who reside into what's become knows as the "blogOsphere" - will continue to be a part of our site after the All-Star break, too. But instead of...

Nationals recall Detwiler from Triple-A, Balester designated for assignment

Nationals recall Detwiler from Triple-A, Balester designated for assignment
The Washington Nationals today recalled left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and designated right-handed pitcher Collin Balester for assignment. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Detwiler was 6-6 with a 4.53 ERA (44 ER/87.1 IP) in 16 starts for Syracuse at the time of the promotion. Detwiler, 25, went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA during an especially-strong six-start stretch in...

Update on Jones' progress in The Final Vote, memorable All-Star moments balloting (updated with Ripken quote)

Update on Jones' progress in The Final Vote, memorable All-Star moments balloting (updated with Ripken quote)
Two Orioles - one past, one present - need your help in All-Star Game-related matters. We'll tackle the present first. Center fielder Adam Jones is one of the five players up for The Final Vote to determine the last player on the American League squad for the Midsummer Classic in Phoenix on July 12. In the first tabulations released Monday afternoon, Jones ranked fourth out of the five candidates, and White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko was in the lead. Unlike the fan vote to choose...

O's activate Simon from DL, Rapada designated for assignment

O's activate Simon from DL, Rapada designated for assignment
The Orioles announced today that they have reinstated right-hander Alfredo Simon from the 15-day disabled list, where he was placed retroactive to June 13 with a right hamstring strain. To open up a spot for him on the 25-man roster, left-hander Clay Rapada has been designated for assignment. Simon has appeared in five games for the Orioles this season, going 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA (14.1IP, 5ER). He pitched 3.0 innings or more in each of his last three outings. Rapada appeared in 22 games for...

Monday Memory: On July 4, nothing as American as Cal Ripken Jr. and a Coke

Monday Memory: On July 4, nothing as American as Cal Ripken Jr. and a Coke
Happy July 4! While teams trot out those patriotic stars-and-stripes uniforms for the Independence Day holiday, we here at Orioles Buzz renew our heartfelt belief that every major league club should play (preferably a single-admission doubleheader) on each of the holidays that falls during the sport's six-month regular season - Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day. You'd think you'd always get every team in action on those days, but that's not always the case - though all 30 teams are playing...

Still time for Jones, other O's to make a late All-Star push

Still time for Jones, other O's to make a late All-Star push
Balloting for the All-Star Game continues through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Thursday, and it's not too late to help Orioles outfielder Adam Jones - a MASNsports.com blogger, in case you didn't know - in his push to Phoenix for the July 12 Midsummer Classic. The latest results for the American League's outfield should be particularly troubling to O's fans. It's not that there isn't an Oriole in the top five in any position. It's not even that Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista, an ex-Oriole,...

Tackett enjoyed sense of community during stint with Orioles

Tackett enjoyed sense of community during stint with Orioles
Jeff Tackett lives in Los Angeles now, not Hollywood - an important distinction for a guy who managed to squeeze two cameo appearances in feature films into the four years he served as a backup catcher with the Orioles between 1991-94. A trip back to Baltimore last weekend, a family vacation to help one of his sons scout out potential college choices, reminded Tackett how special his time as an Oriole was. Tackett took time out from visiting college campuses to visit with suiteholders at...

Operation Orange: Grassroots effort to pack Camden Yards

Operation Orange: Grassroots effort to pack Camden Yards
Chad Myers' dream was hatched watching the excitement of Orioles opening day in April reach a fever pitch on social media platforms. "I was looking at my social media stuff and seeing people leaving work early and getting tickets to the sold-out opener and I wondered, 'Why can't we recreate the atmosphere of opening day?' The sellout crowd, the hype, the people getting to their seats early instead of in the second inning - those shouldn't only happen on opening day," Myers said. At...

O's fans from Maine win big (screen) at Camden Yards

O's fans from Maine win big (screen) at Camden Yards
The Morrill family of Yarmouth, Maine, took the usual assortment of souvenirs with them when they headed out of Baltimore on a nine-hour drive home Monday morning. There were t-shirts, Buck Showalter bobbleheads, miniature baseball bats, O's drawstring backpacks, caps - all memories of another fun weekend at Camden Yards, a trip that's become an annual summer excursion for Melissa Morrill and her five kids. But one unexpected package forced a little shuffling of luggage and passengers: the...

Vote for Ripken's All-Star homer in 2001 as memorable midsummer moment

Vote for Ripken's All-Star homer in 2001 as memorable midsummer moment
Voting for the All-Star Game is over, and we'll soon know which Orioles will be representing Baltimore at the Midsummer Classic, which will be played July 12 in Phoenix. But while player choices are no longer up for vote, you can still cast your ballot for the top moments in All-Star Game history. A list of 16 memorable moments has been whittled to eight choices, and one of them is very Orioles-centric: the home run by Cal Ripken Jr. in the 2001 All-Star Game, the last in the storied career...