Mullins abandons switch-hitting, Wells injured and more

Mullins abandons switch-hitting, Wells injured and more
The red ink used this morning to write Cedric Mullins' name on the lineup card, the designation for left-handed hitters, wasn't a mistake. Mullins has decided to abandon switch-hitting, a move he's contemplated in the past, and concentrate on batting from the left side. The splits drove him to it. Mullins slashed .171/.216/.286 from the right side and .305/.348/.448 from the left last year and is a career .251/.305/.394 hitter from the left and .147/.250/.189 from the right. "He's...

Mancini playing first base in Sunday's opener (and other notes)

Mancini playing first base in Sunday's opener (and other notes)
The first exhibition lineup posted Sunday morning by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde will include Trey Mancini at first base. The comeback has reached another important stage. Mancini missed the entire 2020 season after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy treatments for Stage 3 colon cancer. His final at-bats came on March 2 before he left the team. He went 4-for-14 with two RBIs in five games. "I'm going to play him at first, DH him some, especially the first couple weeks," Hyde said. "I talk...

Martin undergoing surgery on left hand (plus other notes)

Martin undergoing surgery on left hand (plus other notes)
Made available this afternoon to talk about the Freddy Galvis signing, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias shifted focus to another shortstop in the organization who's undergoing a second surgery. An unexpected piece of news dumped within a 20-minute interview. Elias revealed that Richie Martin broke the hamate bone in his left hand, apparently in a workout mishap over the weekend, and will undergo a procedure in Sarasota to remove it. Martin was expected to be ready...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Pirates traded starter Jameson Taillon to the Yankees yesterday, surrendering a pitcher who underwent two Tommy John surgeries after becoming the second-overall pick in the 2010 draft. They received four prospects in return. There's a tie to the Orioles beyond his arrival in the American League East. Pittsburgh's choice in the draft came down to Taillon or prep shortstop Manny Machado, with the Orioles selecting third. Scouting director Joe Jordan would have pounced on Taillon if the...

More from Sanders on outfielders at minicamp and one who wasn't

More from Sanders on outfielders at minicamp and one who wasn't
The three-day minicamp earlier this month in Sarasota, Fla., was designed for evaluation purposes and to provide needed work in the offseason prior to the start of spring training. For Orioles who aren't natural outfielders and others who want to get better at it. DJ Stewart wasn't just a participant. He was a driving force behind the idea. "The first thing I can say is this guy will work harder than anybody else we have out there," said first base coach and outfield instructor Anthony...

Sanders talks about Diaz, McKenna and Mountcastle

Sanders talks about Diaz, McKenna and Mountcastle
The Orioles are counting on Yusniel Diaz, one of their top position prospects, to make his major league debut during the summer of 2021. A promotion that was put on hold due to COVID-19. Diaz will be in camp whenever position players are cleared to report. Published dates are written in hopeful strokes. First base coach Anthony Sanders doubles as the Orioles' outfield instructor and he had an opportunity to work with Diaz earlier this month at the three-day minicamp in Sarasota, Fla. "He...

Wondering whether it makes sense to keep or trade Santander

Wondering whether it makes sense to keep or trade Santander
The Orioles reached a point in the recent past where no one was viewed as untouchable. Make them an offer. There was room to fit everyone on the table. Some players were pushed harder than others in trade talks. Teams learned in 2018 that the Orioles needed to be overwhelmed in order to consider Trey Mancini. They were steered in other directions. The Orioles also were inclined to keep Mancini in 2019, noting his importance on the roster and in the clubhouse. Mancini, in turn, was asked almost...

Taking a closer look at minicamp outfielders

Taking a closer look at minicamp outfielders
The three-day minicamp at the Ed Smith Stadium complex has reached its halfway point this morning. Five outfielders working with three instructors in Sarasota temperatures reaching the low 70s. The high fives will be kept to a minimum for social distancing purposes. The outfielders are in varying stages of their careers. Three of them have reached the majors. One remains a rookie in 2021 who is playing his fourth position. One is a former first-round draft pick. One is an infielder who...

Orioles notes on minicamp and free agent possibilities

Orioles notes on minicamp and free agent possibilities
The Orioles are proceeding as though their pitchers and catchers will report to spring training on Feb. 16. As though there will be a full slate of workouts and exhibition games, followed by opening day on April 1 in Boston. They can't let the unpredictability of a pandemic influence their plans. Adjustments will be made if necessary. In the meantime, it's been deemed safe to hold a minicamp from Monday-Wednesday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, with players and coaches following in-season...

Sulser on trying to pitch through injury (updated)

Sulser on trying to pitch through injury (updated)
To reduce the number of free passes he issued last summer, Orioles reliever Cole Sulser thinks he just needs to be more careful walking around his apartment. Sulser injured his right foot in a freakish accident that he believes led to inconsistencies in his delivery and mechanics, and the eventual loss of his job as closer. He averaged 6.8 walks per nine innings, compared to 2.7 over six minor league seasons. So what happened to Sulser, who made his first opening day roster and topped the...

What's coming in 2021?

What's coming in 2021?
A new year always conjures up old memories of poor judgement while waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square. A second countdown pertaining to how long a stomach is going to cooperate before beginning to reject everything inside it. The ball is lowered and your dinner comes up. Here's hoping that none of you are experiencing such misery. Like the time decades ago when I thought tequila was the perfect nightcap. And the morning of Jan. 1, 2012, when my friend stood at his front door as I...

A no-return policy on Orioles

A no-return policy on Orioles
The day after Christmas exists in many households to eat leftovers, vacuum pine needles and return unwanted gifts. There's also time spent rehashing some of the most uncomfortable moments at the dinner table. The Orioles haven't been shy about keeping receipts and making returns, no matter whose feelings get hurt. Just ask Grant Balfour's agent. Sometimes they can be talked into returning home with the same item, but feeling much better about it. Just ask Yovani Gallardo's agent. (If you...

Pop was perplexed prior to news of trade

Pop was perplexed prior to news of trade
Zach Pop received a phone call from his agent Thursday after the Diamondbacks selected the right-handed reliever with the sixth pick in the Rule 5 draft. Pop should expect to hear from someone in the organization. Just be ready for it and congratulations. And then it got weird. Pop never spoke to anyone with the Diamondbacks and began to wonder what happened. He was warned instead on a follow-up call about rumors of a trade. "I was like, 'What? I just got picked,' " he said yesterday. The...

The Orioles' week in review

The Orioles' week in review
The normal Winter Meetings would have wrapped up yesterday following the Rule 5 draft. The virtual version, however, keeps rolling along. No checkout times, stops at the front desk or luggage to be dragged through the lobby and toward the exits, where fresh air is breathed for the first time in four days. What I miss most is my annual lap around the lobby after filing my Rule 5 story. The sense of calm as media and executives race to the airport. The thought in my head that whispers, "Well,...

Prepping for the Rule 5 draft

Prepping for the Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft begins at noon today and the Orioles, as usual, are going to participate. It's what they do. It should be named after them. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias appeared on "MASN All Access" on Monday afternoon and offered confirmation. "I would expect some activity in the first round of the Rule 5 draft," he said. That's good enough for me. But he doubled down in a Zoom conference call with the media. "If there are only four players that we feel are worth...

Elias on virtual meetings, shortstop, starting pitching, more

Elias on virtual meetings, shortstop, starting pitching, more
The virtual Winter Meetings are making Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias yearn for the standard setup, which couldn't exist in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Elias couldn't meet with beat writers in his hotel suite this afternoon, instead dispersing the usual nuggets of information via a Zoom conference call. "It's not the same," Elias said. "I think all of us take the Winter Meetings for granted and we groan about some of the repetition of it, but I think...

Trying to make sense of the Puig report

Trying to make sense of the Puig report
The hot stove doesn't have much cooking with the Orioles. Rebuilding teams tend to sit on the national media's back burner. And clubs that tend to do some of their heaviest lifting in spring training are going to get lighter coverage in November and December. The Orioles finally are tied to a free agent, with MLB.com reporting again per sources that there's interest in veteran outfielder Yasiel Puig. Makes even less sense to me now than earlier in the year. Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith...

A trade O's fans may eventually be quite thankful for

A trade O's fans may eventually be quite thankful for
Happy Thanksgiving, Birdland! I hope everyone gets to be with their family today, but we know that in 2020, that is probably not happening for everyone. Let this be the last Thanksgiving like this one. But here is a wish for all of Birdland to be healthy and happy on this holiday. I'm thankful for the wonderful community of Orioles fans that frequent this blog daily. As it relates to the Orioles, the club may be very thankful at some point for the return they got in the Manny Machado trade....

Searching for reasons to be thankful

Searching for reasons to be thankful
The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us and traditions are being shut down like a spring training camp. Large family gatherings and out-of-state travel are discouraged due to health concerns rather than the bickering and your weird uncle's inappropriate comments. The two football games today interest me about as much as month-old sweet potato casserole, but I'll still watch them. They were supposed to be pigskin appetizers before Ravens-Steelers, which is going to be as satisfying as month-old...

McKenna: "Whenever that opportunity arrives, I'm ready for it"

McKenna: "Whenever that opportunity arrives, I'm ready for it"
The improved outfield depth in the Orioles system sets up some interesting competitions next spring. Presents some tricky roster decisions. Makes some players viewed as outsiders motivated to kill the narrative. Ryan McKenna hasn't played above Double-A, with the cancellation of the minor league season preventing an introduction to the International League. He's expected to begin 2021 at Triple-A Norfolk if permitted, but won't be penning his concession speech before arriving at the Ed Smith...