Lukewarm takes on a few Orioles topics

Lukewarm takes on a few Orioles topics
The Orioles could break camp with firm plans to play Ryan Mountcastle at first base and use Trey Mancini as their designated hitter, which is how they routinely appeared in the lineup over the second half. Mountcastle is making steady progress as a defender, going back to his third position while the Orioles are covered in the outfield corners. They'd prefer to keep a player that young from pulling regular DH duty. But there's a complication to an otherwise solid plan when Adley Rutschman...

More on Orioles' 40-man moves, plus Stowers note

More on Orioles' 40-man moves, plus Stowers note
As the participants in the World Series begin to come into focus, the Orioles are busy doing their own heavy lifting with moves to clear room on their 40-man roster. They needed a big broom. The season concluded with a full 40-man. Putting reliever Zack Burdi on waivers, and he was claimed by the Diamondbacks, was just the first attempt. They're down to 35 after outrighting catcher Austin Wynns, infielder Pat Valaika, and pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Konner Wade. That leaves space for the five...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Becoming the first Orioles player with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season should be the most impressive achievement for Cedric Mullins in 2021, but discussions on his breakout year inevitably circle back to how he abandoned switch-hitting and experienced left-on-left success. It blows away everyone who talks about it. I've had scouts, in the middle of a chat, bring up what Mullins did against left-handed pitching and how unusual it was to make that decision. To choose one side...

Harvey on Rutschman: "Ain't no joke with him. He's got everything"

Harvey on Rutschman: "Ain't no joke with him. He's got everything"
In December 2020, the Orioles signed Nick Ciuffo to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training as their annual move to improve their catching depth and increase competition for the backup job. Only, in this instance, they didn't target the typical veteran experience. They signed Bryan Holaday and Taylor Davis to minor league deals on the same day in January 2020. They broke camp with Jesús Sucre and Pedro Severino in 2019. Austin Wynns was on the injured list. He could be...

After big '21 season, Kyle Stowers heads to AFL

After big '21 season, Kyle Stowers heads to AFL
"Stowers Power" was indeed a thing on the Orioles farm in 2021. Lefty-hitting Kyle Stowers led all O's minor league players in homers and RBIs, and was third among full-season players in OPS. It was a breakout year for the corner outfielder who turns 24 in January. Tomorrow, he will join seven other O's players on the Mesa Solar Sox when the Arizona Fall League season begins. Stowers and Adley Rutschman were co-winners of the Brooks Robinson Award as the Orioles' Minor League Player of the...

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...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
The removal of Don Long as hitting coach yesterday will lead the Orioles to their latest set of offseason interviews. With candidates tabbed inside and outside the organization. The first step was informing Long of the decision, followed by the compiling of a list of names that won't be rushed. Tim Gibbons could get consideration after completing his first season as Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach. The Orioles aren't afraid to venture outside the box and Gibbons has performed these duties for...

Orioles finish 2021 season with 12-4 loss to Blue Jays (updated)

Orioles finish 2021 season with 12-4 loss to Blue Jays (updated)
Pat Valaika grounded into a force against Adam Cimber this afternoon and the Orioles' 2021 season was a wrap. The fifth in a row below .500. A final record of 52-110, with two fewer wins than the last full season in 2019. With 56 road losses that are third-most in team history. And with a minus-297 run differential. The Blue Jays did their part to stay alive in the wild card race by winning 12-4 at Rogers Centre, a game that included George Springer's leadoff home run against Orioles rookie...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (plus notes)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (plus notes)
The Orioles' final home game of the 2021 season will begin with rookie Alexander Wells making his 11th major league appearance and eighth start. Wells has a 7.61 ERA and 1.745 WHIP in 36 2/3 innings. He's averaging 12.3 hits, 3.4 walks, 5.9 strikeouts and 2.2 home runs per nine innings. Wells has completed five innings in his last two starts, allowing eight runs and 11 hits. He faced the Red Sox on Sept. 19 and surrendered five runs and six hits, with J.D. Martinez hitting a solo...

O's top-rated farm honored its top players at the Yard

O's top-rated farm honored its top players at the Yard
After a season in which the Orioles farm system was ranked No. 1 in the majors by MLBPipeline.com and No. 2 by Baseball America - reaching heights they had never before seen - some of the players responsible for such a lofty ranking took home some hardware at Oriole Park on Tuesday night. In a pregame ceremony, the O's honored catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers as co-winners of the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award, and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who...

Hyde on Santander, Nevin, Ellis and more

Hyde on Santander, Nevin, Ellis and more
Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander was removed from Sunday afternoon's game against the Rangers after struggling to reach first base on a ground ball in the bottom of the eighth inning. However, it wasn't the sore left hamstring that forced a change. A third injury did the trick. Santander went on the 10-day injured list this afternoon with a sprained right knee, ending a season that also included a sprained left ankle on April 20 in Miami. Staying healthy was more challenging to Santander...

Rutschman, Stowers and Rodriguez at Camden Yards for awards tonight

Rutschman, Stowers and Rodriguez at Camden Yards for awards tonight
The Orioles announced their minor league award winners on Sunday. Tonight they will be honored before the game at Camden Yards. Catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers were named co-winners of the Brooks Robinson Player of the Year Award. Rutschman has hit .286/.399/.513/.912 between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk with 25 doubles, two triples, 23 homers and 75 RBIs. Stowers hit .283/.387/.526/.914 with 23 doubles, a triple, 27 homers and 84 RBIs between three teams, starting at...

What is Baltimore ETA for minor league award winners?

What is Baltimore ETA for minor league award winners?
The trio got the biggest honors on the Orioles farm when the awards were announced by the club Sunday afternoon. Catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers were co-winners of the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was a clear choice to take the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. Honors well deserved after each has had a great season. Rutschman has played 118 games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, batting...

Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)

Orioles' late rally can't prevent 7-4 loss (updated)
Anthony Santander provided the first hit for the Orioles today with a game-tying, two-run homer in the fourth inning. It wasn't supposed to take that long or stand alone until the seventh. John Means was extended to 108 pitches. They weren't supposed to be crammed into five innings. An offense that scored three runs or fewer in five of the last six games remained sluggish most of the day and the Orioles settled for a split of the series after a 7-4 loss to the Rangers before 13,495 at Camden...

Orioles announce minor league award winners

Orioles announce minor league award winners
The Orioles have chosen catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers as their Brooks Robinson Minor League Co-Players of the Year and Grayson Rodriguez as recipient of the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. The trio will be honored in a pregame ceremony before Tuesday night's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Rutschman, the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Oregon State University and the No. 1 prospect in baseball, earned a promotion to Triple-A...

Mullins goes 30/30, Elias on MASN and more

Mullins goes 30/30, Elias on MASN and more
What a moment for center fielder Cedric Mullins last night as he became the Orioles' first player to hit 30 or more homers while stealing 30 or more bases in a single season. His three-run shot in the second inning was an important homer too, a three-run shot that fans call a Weaver. It gave the Orioles a 4-2 lead on Texas. They let the game get away, but the moment didn't. Mullins got a curtain call and then his teammates stayed back in the dugout as he took the field and stood alone for...

Mullins joins 30/30 club with home run in second inning (O's lose)

Mullins joins 30/30 club with home run in second inning (O's lose)
Teammates waved their arms at Cedric Mullins tonight after he returned to the dugout in the bottom of the second inning. Motioning him back onto the field. Demanding, in fact, that he accept a curtain call in celebration of his 30th home run and admission into an exclusive club. One that now has its only member from the franchise. Mullins stood on the dirt track and raised his batting helmet in appreciation of the loud ovation at Camden Yards. He slapped it a couple of times, still holding it...

Lowther and three relievers combine on shutout (updated)

Lowther and three relievers combine on shutout (updated)
The strikeouts kept coming from Zac Lowther. For five innings before his removal from the game. Leaving him four on a chilly night to sweat out whether he'd earn his first major league win. The Orioles manufactured a run in the fourth inning, Ryan Mountcastle hit his 31st homer in the fifth and Austin Hays clubbed his 22nd in the eighth, and the bullpen protected Lowther's lead in a 3-0 victory over the Rangers before an announced crowd of 6,328 at Camden Yards. Mountcastle took over the...

Looking for fewer strikeouts versus the AL East, plus farm notes

Looking for fewer strikeouts versus the AL East, plus farm notes
Put the ball in play and something good could happen. That has been true on offense in baseball forever. Although we are in an era now with big swings and big strikeout numbers. As the Orioles were held to four hits and lost 7-1 at Boston Friday night, they struck out just five times while drawing one walk. But as the Orioles look to get better and win more often in the rugged American League East, they are going to need to put the ball in play more versus other division clubs. Not only do...

O's notes, Mancini's nomination, Bowie's double dip win

O's notes, Mancini's nomination, Bowie's double dip win
Just as in Sunday's game, the Orioles fell behind early last night in the series opener with the Yankees. They didn't give up 16 runs early on, but they were behind 5-0 in the third inning in what would turn into a 7-2 loss. The Orioles (46-98) have allowed 51 runs and 18 homers in losing the past four games. They didn't homer last night, but the Orioles have hit eight over the last four games and 11 in the past five. The Orioles have homered at least three times in three of their last five...