Mountcastle and Wells chosen to All-Star Futures Game

Mountcastle and Wells chosen to All-Star Futures Game
MINNESOTA - The Orioles will have two representatives in the All-Star Futures Game to be played July 15 at Nationals Park. Double-A Bowie third baseman Ryan Mountcastle has been chosen to represent the U.S. team and Single-A Frederick left-hander Alex Wells will pitch for the World Team. One of the top position prospects in the system, Mountcastle, 21, is batting .313/.363/.498 with 10 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 54 games. He also continues his conversion from...

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...

Josh Michael: Alex Wells succeeds by going against the grain

Josh Michael: Alex Wells succeeds by going against the grain
When it comes to pitching prospects, both before they are even drafted and after, all of the talk tends to be about how hard they throw their fastball. While I won't argue that it's nice when a guy can throw a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, I'll take a guy who gets outs, pounds the zone and makes a hitter earn his way on base. Orioles prospect Alex Wells, a left-hander, falls into that latter category, and I'm glad he's in the O's system. Wells, 21, is one of the rare International free agent...

For the Orioles, youth was served in Sunday's win over Boston

For the Orioles, youth was served in Sunday's win over Boston
SARASOTA, Fla. - It was in a spring training game that will soon be forgotten, but some of the Orioles promising young pitchers put up some zeros on Sunday in Fort Myers versus the Boston Red Sox. And this is after two of their young guns - Hunter Harvey and Tanner Scott - combined to allow three runs (two earned) over the first four frames. It could have been worse for that duo, but they impressively pitched out of a couple jams. In the last of the fifth, soon to be 23-year-old lefty Keegan...

Wrapping up a 4-0 split-squad win

Wrapping up a 4-0 split-squad win
SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Cashner gave the Orioles four scoreless innings tonight and also gave manager Buck Showalter further confirmation that the club handled the right-hander properly after he signed late. The two simulated games on Field 4 were a nice platform for tonight's debut, with Cashner allowing only a bunt single by the Phillies' Pedro Florimón in the Orioles' 4-0 split-squad victory at Ed Smith Stadium. "The schedule he's been on with his sim games, he was good," Showalter...

Taking a guess at the minor league pitching rotations

Taking a guess at the minor league pitching rotations
SARASOTA, Fla. - On Friday we took a shot at projecting the rotation for Single-A Delmarva. It seems the Orioles have discussed using seven pitchers as starters with the Shorebirds. They would pitch as part of a five- or six-man rotation. The seven that we could see in Salisbury include include 2017 top draft pick left-hander DL Hall along with fellow 2017 picks Zac Lowther, Michael Baumann and Cameron Bishop. They would be joined by 2016 draft picks Matthias Dietz and Brenan Hanifee and 2015...

Tillman: "It feels good to finally be able to join the team"

Tillman: "It feels good to finally be able to join the team"
SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman no longer will be a spectator in spring training. Hidden behind the walls of the Ed Smith Stadium complex while negotiations continued on a new contract, Tillman is free to join the workouts and prepare to join a rotation that's added two starters in less than a week. "It is a relief," he said this morning while standing outside an entrance to the clubhouse. "I've been stuck inside looking out the windows for the last three days, so it feels good to finally...

A look at the player development forum at FanFest

A look at the player development forum at FanFest
You probably have noticed that we enjoy writing about and covering the minor leagues here. So that was one of the many reasons I listened in with interest during the player development fan forum at FanFest on Saturday. This was a chance, during a 20-minute session, for fans to address topics on the farm and question Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, along with vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson and director of player development Brian...

Orioles aren't ready to place restrictions on Hunter Harvey

Orioles aren't ready to place restrictions on Hunter Harvey
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter won't put an innings limit on Hunter Harvey, the former first-round pick who's recovered from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. No decision has been made on where he'll be assigned. Keeping Harvey healthy is job No. 1. The rest should take care of itself. Watching Harvey throw his bullpen session today "brings a smile to my face," Showalter said. "Think about how far he's come and the similarities with Dylan (Bundy). I...

Duquette on being "more proactive" with pitching, and lots more

Duquette on being "more proactive" with pitching, and lots more
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The deliberate pace usually set by the Orioles while constructing their opening day roster may have to be accelerated. The market can't play out and leave them out in the cold. "There's so many teams looking for pitching, we might have to be a little bit more proactive than that," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "The market's dynamic and it's starting to take shape and you see a lot of these teams looking at who they want to sign and who wants to sign...

Orioles expected to go trade route for hitter (plus other notes)

Orioles expected to go trade route for hitter (plus other notes)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette met with several agents and rival executives today in his suite at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and came away more convinced that the club likely will have to find a left-handed bat via trade rather than free agency. This was one of the points made by Duquette as he met this afternoon with the media. Duquette said he hasn't found the "right fit" on the free agent market as he attempts to balance a lineup that...

Presenting a top 10 Orioles prospects list

Presenting a top 10 Orioles prospects list
Baseball America started to roll out its latest top 10 prospects lists for major league teams this week. Before too long, we'll see a new Orioles list. But today, I'm taking my own shot at a top 10 list for the club. These are my own thoughts and rankings, and for this one, I didn't solicit a single opinion from a scout or team official to get their take on my list. It is just one man's list and when it comes to ranking prospects, there is no right or wrong, just a lot of opinions. Keep in...

MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis says O's farm has made solid progress

MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis says O's farm has made solid progress
After a year when the Orioles farm system has taken a nice step forward, we checked in with a few national analysts to get their takes. Today, we hear from MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis. Ranked well down the list when it comes to organizational rankings the last couple of seasons, the club is moving up and making decent progress. The Orioles had several players ranked among the various league top 20 prospects lists from Baseball America, including four in the prospect-laden Eastern League....

Asked and answered: The readers respond

Asked and answered: The readers respond
Yesterday in this space, we asked the readers to answer a few Orioles questions. Today here is a look (as of late last night) at how you answered. Not everyone answered every question or in the manner asked, but hey, we had some fun reading the responses. Who will lead the 2018 Orioles in wins?: Right-hander Dylan Bundy was the easy winner here, getting 21 votes to seven for Kevin Gausman. Alex Cobb, a pending free agent, got three votes, while Chris Tillman and Brad Brach got one. Unless MLB...

First offseason edition: "10 questions for O's fans"

First offseason edition: "10 questions for O's fans"
It is time for the first edition of the offseason of "10 questions for O's fans." Feel free to answer one, two, three, any amount or all 10. Here are today's 10 questions: 1. Who will lead the 2018 Orioles in wins? 2. Which player will get the most starts in right field? 3. Better candidate to have a bounceback year: Chris Davis or Mark Trumbo? 4. Which free agent pitchers should the club pursue? 5. Who will lead the Orioles in homers next year? 6. Rank these Orioles prospects from best to...

Because You Asked - "The Cradle of Life"

Because You Asked - "The Cradle of Life"
I'm opening the offseason mailbag and sorting the questions according to how often they've been repeated to me. "A lot" goes in the pile to my left. "A heck of a lot" goes to my right. I can't get to all of them this morning, but it's a long offseason. There will be other days and more sequels. I'm running out of titles. All nominations are welcome. Just know that "Electric Boogaloo" is off the board. I used that one a few years ago. How can the Orioles improve their rotation if they...

The longball in early playoff games and league prospect rankings

The longball in early playoff games and league prospect rankings
We have heard it many times before that "good pitching beats good hitting." We have also heard the narrative that home runs "don't play well in the postseason." So far that has not been true. We are talking about a small sample size. In the wild-card games the four starting pitchers were Ervin Santana, Luis Severino, Jon Gray and Zach Greinke. They combined to pitch 7 1/3 innings allowing 20 hits and 15 runs and gave up five home runs. There were nine homers hit in the wild card games. As...

The O's farm report: A take from Baseball America's John Manuel

The O's farm report: A take from Baseball America's John Manuel
The Orioles minor leagues had a good year in 2017. That is the opinion of several national analysts I have spoken to in the last week. Starting today we'll roll out some of their opinions and comments on the O's farm from those interviews. It was a year where outfielder Austin Hays moved from Single-A Frederick to Double-A Bowie and then to the majors. He was a finalist for Baseball America's Player of the Year award. The Orioles had four players ranked among the top 20 prospects in the...

The official ending of a playoff run, plus more from minor league award winners

The official ending of a playoff run, plus more from minor league award winners
The Orioles' playoff hopes for 2017 were dashed a while ago. But it became official last night that they will not make the postseason. It had looked in the last few days like a losing season was in the offing for the Orioles. That became official last night as well. Double dagger. With their 9-6 loss to Tampa Bay, the Orioles are 74-82 with six games left. They are assured of their first losing season since 2011. With the team having lost 17 of their last 23 games, the Orioles are basically...

Some quotes from the minor league awards press conference

Some quotes from the minor league awards press conference
The Orioles are honoring their minor league award winners before the game tonight at Camden Yards. The awards are being presented by Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, director of minor league operations Kent Qualls and Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop. The winners are:* Brooks Robinson Player of the Year: Austin Hays (SIngle-A Frederick/Double-A Bowie)* Jim Palmer Pitcher of the Year: Alex Wells (Single-A Delmarva)* Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development...