Taking a last look at possible protections in Rule 5 draft

Taking a last look at possible protections in Rule 5 draft
The Orioles' 40-man roster is holding at 32 players and must be set by Friday, before a Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings that remains in limbo, as well as Orlando, with the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias will complete the task of protecting players, which follows the many transactions that cleared room for them. There will be the obvious calls and probably at least one that seems possible but falls a little short of a...

Orioles surrender five home runs in 7-2 loss (updated)

Orioles surrender five home runs in 7-2 loss (updated)
Alexander Wells trailed by two runs tonight just two batters into his latest start with the Orioles. The first three batters produced three hits. The flashbacks to the past three games, with 44 runs surrendered, were blinding. It never got that bad. There was no need to begin researching past records within the organization or the league. But the Orioles assumed the position and fell again on hard times. Wells followed a scoreless second inning by serving up back-to-back home runs in the third,...

Yankees make short work of Wells and defeat O's 13-1 (updated)

Yankees make short work of Wells and defeat O's 13-1 (updated)
The home debut for Orioles rookie Alexander Wells remains on hold through five major league appearances. His acts are played on the road. Auditions that he hoped would lead to a regular gig. Off-days Thursday and Monday can jumble the rotation again, but Wells appeared to have a shot at pitching at Camden Yards against the Rays or, more likely, the Tigers before the Orioles flew to Boston next weekend. In the meantime, tonight marked his first appearance at Yankee Stadium. The audition hit a...

Watkins gets first major league win in Orioles' 7-5 victory (updated)

Watkins gets first major league win in Orioles' 7-5 victory (updated)
Retiring all three batters faced in his major league debut left Orioles right-hander Spenser Watkins ripe for a bunch of firsts tonight beyond how he was making his initial start. Get the walk out of the way with a free pass to Blue Jays leadoff hitter Marcus Semien. Get ahead of Bo Bichette 0-2 and surrender the first hit, a groundball single into right field. Followed by the first run on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s line drive to deep left that went into the box score as a sacrifice fly. Manager...

Orioles aren't done debuting players

Orioles aren't done debuting players
Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis, and the law states that he can't be referenced without his signature pitch proceeding his name, became the eighth Oriole on Wednesday to make his major league debut this season. Konner Wade was the ninth, and the 42nd player used by the club, when he replaced starter Keegan Akin yesterday and allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. Alexander Wells became Nos. 10 and 43 when he replaced Wade in the seventh and tossed two scoreless innings. And it's only...

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster
Three years ago, the staff at Baseball America took a shot at projecting the Orioles lineup, rotation and closer for the 2022 season. Let's just say the publication didn't bat 1.000. OK, let's say more. It's virtually impossible to hit on any team because of the variables that blow up predictions. The lists ran in October, after the Orioles began dismantling the team over the summer. The teardown started with the trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Jonathan Schoop, Brad Brach, Kevin...

Because You Asked - The Last Knight

Because You Asked - The Last Knight
What about this and what about that? Why is this taking so long, and will that ever happen? And where's Chris Davis? Oh, the questions never stop, which is why mailbags exists. They're also a popular filler for sportswriters - our version of breadcrumbs. Some might call it lazy. Those accusers are driven to another county and pushed out the door. And I'll go the extra mile to find a new movie sequel title. You ask 'em and I answer 'em, and then someone else asks the exact same thing and I...

Konner Wade grateful for second chance in Orioles system

Konner Wade grateful for second chance in Orioles system
No matter how much the surroundings and routine changed in spring training with baseball still working under COVID-related protocols, Konner Wade was overcome by a familiar feeling at Twin Lakes Park. Wade had walked those hallways before, dressed inside that clubhouse. And been told that the organization had no room for him. Four months after trading for him. There are aspects of his current situation that he hopes won't air as a rerun. Wade has been one of Triple-A Norfolk's best pitchers...

More players movin' on up on the farm

More players movin' on up on the farm
We are not even a month into the minor league season and the Orioles moved four more players Sunday with promotions. More could be coming sooner rather than later. Moving up from low Single-A Delmarva to high Single-A Aberdeen are shortstop/third baseman Jordan Westburg and first baseman J.D. Mundy. Westburg, 22, went 4-for-6 with six RBIs in his final two games with the Shorebirds. He batted .366/.484/.592 in 20 games with five doubles, a triple, three homers, 24 RBIs and an OPS of 1.075. He...

Hanifee undergoes elbow surgery (updated)

Hanifee undergoes elbow surgery (updated)
Orioles minor league pitcher Brenan Hanifee, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft out of Turner-Ashby High School in Virginia, underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstructive surgery on his right elbow yesterday in Dallas. The team announced that the procedure was "successful." Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery. Meister handled the same procedure in October on pitcher Carter Baumler, a fifth-round selection in 2020 out of Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa, and repaired pitcher...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The removal of Rio Ruiz from the Orioles organization, for however long while he's been designated for assignment, carries us back to the spring debate over whether there was a spot for him after the signing of free agent third baseman Maikel Franco. I assumed no, since they played the same position, Ruiz didn't profile as a utility player and he had minor league options. But there was the complication of fitting him on Triple-A Norfolk's roster, because the Orioles wanted Rylan Bannon to...

Jahmai Jones injury ruins call-up rumors

Jahmai Jones injury ruins call-up rumors
Pat Valaika was on the field early yesterday for infield drills and later placed in the Orioles lineup for the series opener against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Kill the rumors and speculation regarding Jahmai Jones. Jones was scratched from Triple-A Norfolk's lineup on Tuesday and replaced at second base by Mason McCoy. Stevie Wilkerson started at second the following night, Rylan Bannon Thursday and McCoy last night. Were the Orioles preparing to recall Jones rather than keep rotating...

Notes on Friday's loss, Lowther's start and Aberdeen at 4-0

Notes on Friday's loss, Lowther's start and Aberdeen at 4-0
For the Orioles, the road to get back to the .500 mark is hard. Very hard. They have had seven tries since April 10, playing games where they were one game under .500. With last night's 6-2 loss to Boston, they are 0-7 in those games. The Orioles (15-17) had chances last night, going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 men on base. They fell to 2-14 when scoring three runs or fewer. They have scored two runs or fewer in 11 of their 17 losses. So yep, frustrating. It was...

Updating Austin Hays' quest to come off the injured list

Updating Austin Hays' quest to come off the injured list
The progression that's supposed to return Austin Hays to the Orioles put him in Fredericksburg, Va., yesterday for a secondary training site game against the Nationals. Not quite the majors, but four important at-bats in a more intense environment than simulated action. Hays played seven innings in left field, and his most impressive swing drove a ball to the wall in right-center. The Orioles will check on him today and decide whether he starts in a four-inning intrasquad game in Bowie. The...

Rutschman provides lone offensive highlight in 5-0 loss

Rutschman provides lone offensive highlight in 5-0 loss
Offensive support from the Orioles wasn't in vogue again today. Manager Brandon Hyde is trying to remain patient while wondering when it might come back in style. The Orioles were no-hit today in Dunedin, four walks their only noise, until Adley Rutschman's two-out double in the seventh that completed a 10-pitch at-bat against Blue Jays reliever Jordan Romano. Rutschman fouled off five in a row, per the Gameday pitch tracker, and drove a slider to center field in a 5-0 loss. He's 3-for-9...

Harvey injury leaves Hyde with bullpen choices

Harvey injury leaves Hyde with bullpen choices
The likelihood of Hunter Harvey going on the injured list prior to opening day creates the latest curiosity in Orioles spring training. Exactly how the Orioles choose to replace him in the bullpen. Hyde could pivot and carry an extra bulk-type reliever rather than concentrate on a back end, one-inning type. The latter scenario would appear to make more sense with the team prioritizing length and having an abundance of candidates to fit the description. Folding another closer candidate into the...

Wrapping up Means' start, defense, cuts and 13-1 loss

Wrapping up Means' start, defense, cuts and 13-1 loss
Orioles left-hander John Means made it through the first inning today. Manager Brandon Hyde stayed in the dugout. There were no surprises or unexpected visits. The rest of his day can be categorized as getting in his work in spring training. Means was on the verge of watching the second inning roll over, with the Pirates scoring three runs and extending him to 27 pitches in the Orioles' 13-1 loss in Bradenton. He came out at 48 pitches after issuing a leadoff walk in the third. Hyde removed...

Tyler Nevin on joining Orioles and relationship with father

Tyler Nevin on joining Orioles and relationship with father
Tyler Nevin finished a round of batting practice last month in Orioles camp and caught the eye of executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, who offered a hint at how the organization viewed him in the field. "I got here and I was hitting and Elias was behind the cage watching," Nevin recounted this morning in his Zoom conference call. "I got out and rolled around the cage and he goes, 'Hey, did you bring all your gloves?' I said, 'Yep,' and he goes, 'OK, you're going to need...

Reflecting on yesterday's exhibition opener

Reflecting on yesterday's exhibition opener
The first exhibition game won't be remembered for the three errors and the five walks issued by Orioles pitching in the first five innings. The high pitch counts that prompted manager Brandon Hyde to pull his team off the field before the last out. Details, details. Hyde wasn't happy about any of it, but he didn't lose his perspective while the Orioles lost to the Pirates. Openers have a tendency to get ugly, and Trey Mancini's return from colon cancer and his first at-bats in a year - in...

The process of crafting a camp roster

The process of crafting a camp roster
Efforts made by the Orioles to find more starting options for the rotation and depth in the infield and upper levels of the farm system are synced with the task of filling out the camp roster for spring training. The amount of players allowed at complexes is expected to be capped at 75. The Orioles are going to treat the process in the same fashion as their 60-man pool and the summer training camp at Camden Yards. They didn't rush to reach their limit. They left room for players to filter in...