Roberts talks about Markakis

Roberts talks about Markakis
I've never been a huge fan of the Home Run Derby. If it has any shot at holding my attention, either the baseballs or the players need to be juiced again. But seriously ... Todd Frazier advances to the finals after hitting one home run? Somebody cork this competition. I can't endorse a home run contest that doesn't include Giancarlo Stanton in the last round. That's a fly ball in the ointment. Nice showing by Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, who advanced to the second round and would have...

More Orioles notes and Roberts on his return to Camden Yards

More Orioles notes and Roberts on his return to Camden Yards
The Orioles outrighted pitcher Julio DePaula to Double-A Bowie after he cleared waivers. DePaula, signed recently from the independent York Revolution, hasn't allowed a run in 6 1/3 innings with the Baysox over three appearances. The Orioles reached agreement with right-hander Robert Coello on a Triple-A deal, pending a physical, according to a team official. Coello is 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA in 28 major league games - six with the Red Sox in 2010, six with the Blue Jays in 2012 and 16 with...

Roberts' return: What kind of reception will B-Rob get tonight?

Roberts' return: What kind of reception will B-Rob get tonight?
After 13 years and more than 1,300 games in an Orioles uniform, Brian Roberts will play at Camden Yards tonight for the first time as an opponent. What kind of reception will Roberts get in pinstripes? My prediction: Roberts will get a nice ovation his first time up and some fans will be standing and applauding. If I were in the crowd, that is what I would be doing. While Roberts was a lightning rod for criticism late in his O's career, and some fans were frustrated that he was injured and...

Brian Roberts: "I'm just trying to move on" (game update)

Brian Roberts: "I'm just trying to move on" (game update)
TAMPA - The Yankees observed a moment of silence tonight for Monica Pence Barlow, just as the Red Sox did Sunday in Fort Myers. I would expect the Twins to do the same Wednesday night at their facility in Fort Myers. The Orioles began the game with back-to-back singles by David Lough and Jemile Weeks, but former Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts fielded Delmon Young's grounder and started a 4-6-3 double play. Earlier today, Roberts met with the Baltimore media in the Yankees dugout and...

Yankees lineup versus Orioles and upcoming pitching matchups

Yankees lineup versus Orioles and upcoming pitching matchups
TAMPA - Two former Orioles are in the Yankees' lineup tonight for their 7:05 p.m. game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Brian Roberts is starting at second base and batting cleanup against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. Russ Canzler is playing first base and batting eighth. For the Yankees Jacoby Ellsbury CF Derek Jeter DH Carlos Beltran RF Brian Roberts 2B Eduardo Nunez 3B Francisco Cervelli C Brendan Ryan SS Russ Canzler 1B Yangervis Solarte LF David Phelps RHP Chris Tillman, Zach...

Notes on Brian Roberts, Hunter Harvey and Chris Davis (O's farm No. 10)

Notes on Brian Roberts, Hunter Harvey and Chris Davis (O's farm No. 10)
Seeing Brian Roberts in pinstripes is going to be strange. But how will Orioles fans react the first time he plays at Camden Yards as an opponent on July 11? Yep, it's going to be quite a wait until the Yankees make their first visit to the Yard in the last series before the All-Star break. No doubt, some boo birds will be heard. After all, Roberts is with the rival Yankees now, even though the Orioles apparently made little to no effort to re-sign him. Heck, some fans are still bitter about...

Brian Roberts: "I never really envisioned ever playing somewhere else"

Brian Roberts: "I never really envisioned ever playing somewhere else"
Before former Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts reports to spring training with his new team, he'll continue to pull the occasional babysitting duty for his 6-month-old son, Jax, while wife Diana is able to work out or run errands. Roberts recently signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the division-rival Yankees, taking him away from the organization that selected him in the supplemental round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft. Got to feel weird, right? "I think anybody who's...

Brian Roberts talks about joining the Yankees; Colvin deal may not come together

Brian Roberts talks about joining the Yankees; Colvin deal may not come together
After playing 13 seasons with the Orioles, Brian Roberts will be in Yankee pinstripes in 2014. Today, in his first interview since joining the Yankees, he made some comments sure to draw the ire of some O's fans. On a YES Network interview, Roberts was asked about the Yankees' sales pitch to get him. "As you know, I don't think they need a whole lot of sales pitch most of the time," Roberts said. "When you have the opportunity to play for such a storied franchise and an organization...

Throwback Thursday: Saying farewell to B-Rob

Throwback Thursday: Saying farewell to B-Rob
Earlier this week, Brian Roberts agreed to a one-year contract with the Yankees, ending his time in Baltimore. Roberts was drafted by the Orioles in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and went on to become a two-time All-Star and a career .278/.349/.412 hitter in 13 seasons. To honor B-Rob's career with the Orioles, we're throwin' it back to one of his most memorable moments from 2013. Your browser does not support iframes.

Takes on Balfour, Roberts and Surhoff

Takes on Balfour, Roberts and Surhoff
So those Grant Balfour negotiations took a little while, huh? Wow, that was protracted. But in the end, I see it as a win for the Orioles. They now have a closer locked up for the next two years and Jim Johnson would have been a free agent after 2014. At the projected salary for Johnson in 2014, the Orioles did save some money that can be used elsewhere and they may have upgraded the closer's role. I say may because Balfour will have to prove that he is better than Johnson. A 35-year-old...

My two cents on Roberts' $2 million deal with Yankees

My two cents on Roberts' $2 million deal with Yankees
In case you hadn't noticed, I've failed to get a proper handle on the Orioles' plans at second base. The errors are accumulating at an alarming rate, ruining my chances of winning a hot stove Gold Glove. I bobbled Brian Roberts. I booted Mark Ellis. I'm all-hit, no-field. All indications pointed to the Orioles re-signing Roberts over the winter. Plenty of folks in the organization anticipated it, including manager Buck Showalter. Executive vice president Dan Duquette reached out to...

Leftovers from the Winter Meetings

Leftovers from the Winter Meetings
I left the Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., yesterday and realized that the temperature had been in the 80s during my entire stay. I never ventured outside the hotel until hailing a cab for the return trip to the Orlando airport. Quite a shock to the ol' system when I stepped off the plane at BWI. The Orioles announced their acquisition of minor league catcher David Freitas as the PTBN in the Jim Johnson-Jemile Weeks trade a few minutes before I boarded my flight. Timing is...

Showalter meets the press - Part I

Showalter meets the press - Part I
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent about 30 minutes today talking to reporters during his scheduled interview session. The topics included Brian Roberts' possible return, Nick Markakis' candidacy as the leadoff hitter next season, the decision to tender a contract to Nolan Reimold, the Rule 5 draft and fan unrest over the lack of a big move in free agency or the trade front. Just not in that order. Let's get to it. Ryan Flaherty seems to be the leading candidate...

Notes on Roberts, Balfour, Urrutia and the pitchers' mini-camp

Notes on Roberts, Balfour, Urrutia and the pitchers' mini-camp
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla - Though the door supposedly is open for second baseman Brian Roberts to return to the Orioles in 2014, it doesn't appear that the team has reached out to him since the season ended. The Yankees need a second baseman, in case you missed that little piece of news, and apparently have spoken to Roberts' agent, though there's no indication that it's anything serious. For now, Ryan Flaherty appears to be the leading in-house candidate to start at second base for the...

Duquette on second base, pitching and more

Duquette on second base, pitching and more
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - There wasn't much news to come out of tonight's media session with Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. He went over the same shopping list that's been published here - starting pitching, closer, left fielder, left-handed bat - and he didn't bring up specific free agents despite his earlier appearance on MLB Network Radio. When I mentioned how Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden tweeted the Orioles' interest in Raul Ibanez, and their apparent lack of interest in...

10 questions for O's fans: Offseason edition No. 2

10 questions for O's fans: Offseason edition No. 2
It has simply been too long. We haven't done this for weeks and weeks, and that is weak on my part. So today it's time for another edition of "10 questions for O's fans." It's not hard to figure out what we are doing here. I'll ask you 10 Orioles-related questions and you provide the answers. Per usual, answer one, two or all 10. Provide a one-word answer or provide a lengthy answer if the mood strikes. But please do participate. I look forward to reading all your answers. Now on to...

Orioles strike a Cord with impatient fans

Orioles strike a Cord with impatient fans
During my second conversation yesterday with Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette, I mentioned how fans are growing impatient with the lack of a big move. How they get the impression that nothing is happening in the warehouse beyond a few small signings and trades. How the offseason is moving along without the club. Duquette chuckled and said, "There's always things going on around the Orioles." We just aren't privy to every conversation. Trust me, I've tried to tap the phones...

Taking another look at second base

Taking another look at second base
What can we look forward to this week? Perhaps we can read a little something into this quote on Wednesday from executive vice president Dan Duquette, who returned my call during the last night of the GM meetings in Orlando: "We've been meeting with teams and agents and canvassing the market and seeing where we match up with teams. We've been talking to agents about signing some players to help bolster our ballclub, so we're making some pretty good progress with a couple of conversations...

"Because You Asked - City Under Siege"

"Because You Asked - City Under Siege"
I checked my home insurance policy and I'm not covered for an avalanche of questions from Orioles fans. I'll just have to take my chances and live dangerously. The hot stove increases my risks, and not only because I could get burned if I'm out of touch with it (see what I did there?). I'm asked to confirm or shoot down various rumors. I'm asked for status updates on negotiations. I'm asked the same stuff over and over. I take so many deep breaths, I get lightheaded. For those reasons,...

Let the free agent frenzy begin

Let the free agent frenzy begin
Anyone remember who the Orioles play on opening day next season? Oh, yeah, right. If one kid shows up at my door for Halloween tonight wearing a beard and a Red Sox cap, he's getting a treat from the crappy bag of candy. No mini Snickers or Kit Kat or Hershey bar or Reese's. Enjoy your Dum Dum. Consider yourselves lucky that I'm not handing out dental floss or pocket combs. I actually picked the Red Sox to win the World Series before the playoffs started, but I wasn't going out on a...