Yastrzemski heading to spring training, O's in Australia and Mussina's plaque

Yastrzemski heading to spring training, O's in Australia and Mussina's plaque
It was a bit of a surprise for me yesterday to see outfielder Mike Yastrzemski's name among the 18 Orioles non-roster invitees to spring training. It will be his first time joining those on the 40-man roster in big league camp. Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 12 and the first spring game is Feb. 23. Yastrzemski has always had a lot of support from fans around Birdland, and I can think of two major reasons for that. One is that he has a famous baseball name and is the grandson of Hall of...

During another winless road trip, O's offense came up way short

During another winless road trip, O's offense came up way short
The Orioles seem like a boat taking on water right now and every hole that gets plugged just seems to open another. Or two others. The rotation has been inconsistent, the bullpen worse than expected, the defense has been at times just terrible and other times very mediocre. Good has not been part of the equation many nights on defense. But the Orioles offense has under-performed in a big way. For several years the Orioles have been around or just above a league-average run-scoring offense in...

Another loss mixed with some facts and opinions

Another loss mixed with some facts and opinions
The latest Orioles game just produced more frustration for players and fans alike. Now at 40-45 after falling 6-4 at Minnesota, the Orioles are tied for fourth and fifth in the American League East with Toronto. So that means they are tied for last place. They have lost four in a row and six of seven. They are 18-35 since May 9, when they were 22-10 and had the best record in Major League Baseball. The team since then has seldom looked like a good team, much less a winning team. They are...

O's game blog: O's and Pirates begin two-game series

O's game blog: O's and Pirates begin two-game series
The Orioles are 4-2 against National League teams this year, going 2-1 against both Washington and Cincinnati. Their next three games are versus NL teams, starting with a two-game series that begins tonight with Pittsburgh. This series will end a nine-game homestand. The Orioles are 4-3 on the stand, going 2-1 against the Yankees and 2-2 against the Red Sox. The Orioles went 14-6 in interleague games last season. The 14 wins were the most in club history. Since interleague play began in 1997,...