This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The results of the Baseball Writers' Association of America Rookie of the Year voting will be announced tonight beginning at 6 p.m. on MLB Network. The National League winner will go first. Ryan Mountcastle isn't among the three finalists in the American League, but we'll find out where he's slotted behind the group. Mountcastle can't do better than fourth after trailing Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco and Houston's Luis Garcia. Critics of Franco, formerly the No. 1...

Notes on free agent dollars, Vespi's Fall Stars nod and more

Notes on free agent dollars, Vespi's Fall Stars nod and more
If predictions prove to be mostly accurate, this winter's baseball free agent class will bring in some huge collective dollars in salary. Some big contracts could be signed. How this all plays out is pending the collective bargaining talks on a new labor contract, but there will come a time when the deals get done, and the contracts could be something. Last year via free agency, just three players signed total deals of $100 million or more. They were George Springer (six years, $150 million)...

Orioles agree to contract terms with Rico Garcia

Orioles agree to contract terms with Rico Garcia
The desire for more pitching depth has led the Orioles to right-hander Rico Garcia. The Orioles have agreed to terms with Garcia, 27, on a minor league deal pending a physical, according to a source. He didn't pitch this summer and went on the 60-day injured list with Double-A Richmond on May 17 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. Garcia became a minor league free agent this month. The Rockies selected Garcia in the 30th round of the 2016 draft out of Hawaii Pacific University. The...

Who starts at third base while Orioles wait for Mayo?

Who starts at third base while Orioles wait for Mayo?
If the Orioles can implement their prospect plan at third base, Coby Mayo will be handling the hot corner and hitting long home runs for many years. They can figure out how to occupy the middle infield with the batch of shortstops who crash their top 30 prospects lists, including Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg among the first 10. Henderson could be the shortstop and Westburg the second baseman. They could reverse roles. One of them could move over to third, but good luck trying to budge...

Orioles facing many more 40-man moves

Orioles facing many more 40-man moves
The early work on the Orioles' 40-man roster consisted of one move that probably didn't require hours of study, deliberation and angst. The team likes Travis Lakins Sr. Manager Brandon Hyde talked about the reliever's recovery from elbow surgery and the likelihood that he'd be ready for spring training. But it made no sense to move Lakins from the 60-day injured list to a 40-man roster that requires heavy cuts. A chain saw rather than a pocket knife. Teams figured to pass on Lakins after he...

The rise and fall of Valdez and Plutko

The rise and fall of Valdez and Plutko
The Orioles already made a few decisions on their minor league free agents, bringing back outfielder Cristopher Céspedes and pitchers Ofelky Peralta and Nick Vespi. Other moves will be sprinkled into their offseason, with some bigger names in the industry likely to compete for jobs on minor league deals with invitations to spring training. Like the past winter when the Orioles signed starters Félix Hernández, Matt Harvey and Wade LeBlanc. Relievers Adam Plutko and César Valdez...

Stowers and Diaz headline Orioles entries in Arizona Fall League

Stowers and Diaz headline Orioles entries in Arizona Fall League
The Orioles will have eight players representing the organization with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. Pitchers Cameron Bishop, Logan Gillaspie, Conner Loeprich and Nick Vespi, catcher Ramon Rodriguez, infielder Greg Cullen, and outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Kyle Stowers will play for Mesa. Rodriguez is on the taxi squad. Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach Tim Gibbons will serve in the same capacity with the Solar Sox. The first game is Wednesday, Oct. 13. The annual Fall Stars Game...

Notes on O's loss, final draft pick signed and farm player movement

Notes on O's loss, final draft pick signed and farm player movement
The Orioles will be back at Camden Yards tonight against Miami looking to beat the Marlins for a two-game series split and a winning 4-1 homestand. Miami hit three homers in last night's 7-3 win over the Orioles. O's right-hander Spenser Watkins gave up a three-run homer to catcher Sandy Leon on the eighth pitch of a sequence in the top of the second. That put Miami up 3-0 and they were never tied or trailed after that. Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins hit solo homers for the Orioles. They've...

Wondering how holes could be filled if trades go down

Wondering how holes could be filled if trades go down
To keep the activity in its proper order, discussions about filling vacancies on the Orioles roster should be tabled until trades are consummated. But who said anything about being proper? The Orioles are receiving interest in left-handed relievers Paul Fry and Tanner Scott, and removing one likely leads to a promotion from Triple-A Norfolk. They are the only southpaws in the bullpen. This could open the door for veteran Fernando Abad, who has spent the entire season with Norfolk. The 5.23 ERA...

The RISP issues and a look at opening night on the farm

The RISP issues and a look at opening night on the farm
For the Orioles, it has been a recurring problem with their offense: a lack of clutch hits. This issue showed up again big time in the second game of the Seattle series Tuesday night. The Orioles had the bases loaded and one out in the second inning. They had bases loaded and two outs in the sixth and the same situation in the eighth. The last two times, catcher Chance Sisco grounded out in each instance to end the threat. He went hitless and is now batting .162 with a .414 OPS. He had company...

Gunnar Henderson interview, plus O's notes and Delmarva getting close

Gunnar Henderson interview, plus O's notes and Delmarva getting close
During an interview Thursday on 105.7 FM the Fan in Baltimore, Orioles second-round draft pick Gunnar Henderson covered a lot of ground. He included his love for the sport, a belief he can stay at shortstop, his power swing and his current Auburn commitment. With the No. 42 overall pick Monday night, the O's selected the 17-year-old lefty batting prep shortstop from John T. Morgan Academy in Selma, Ala. Henderson was rated the No. 30 prospect in this draft class by Baseball America and No. 27...

John Means was strong against Boston, plus farm notes

John Means was strong against Boston, plus farm notes
As the Orioles are looking for some solid starting pitching - they don't have a quality start over their last 11 games - John Means provided an encouraging outing on Sunday at Boston. Means went five innings, allowing four hits and one run with one walk and three strikeouts in Boston's 4-0 win. He took the loss and is now 1-2 but has a 1.98 ERA over five outings. In 13 2/3 innings on the season, he has walked four and fanned 13. Means threw 82 pitches Sunday, averaging 91.5 mph on his 50...