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...

We now have the facts as they relate to pitchers and the Orioles in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft. We do know they drafted just one pitcher in the first 10 rounds and then took eight from rounds 11 through 19. A run broken up only when they selected Florida Southern first baseman Jacob Teter in round 13. Over time we will find out if waiting to draft all those pitchers was a wise move by the Orioles. If Kumar Rocker wins a couple of Cy Young Awards - OK, if he is even a plus starting pitcher...

Players for the Double-A Bowie Baysox this year can go hitless, yet still get praise from the coaching staff for their hitting. And not just because they may have made a productive out. It's all about the swing decisions they make. They are graded both on the pitches they do swing at and those they do not. The goal is to get a very hittable pitch and drive it. Let almost everything else go. Even borderline strikes are sometimes spit on while a hitter waits for a better pitch. Sometimes, even...

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds have the best team ERA in the 14-team New York-Penn League. Their strong pitching perhaps was never more evident than last night, when three pitchers combined on the first no-hitter in team history. Right-hander Jake Lyons got the start and went the first five innings on 61 pitches at Vermont, with one walk and five strikeouts. Right-hander James Ryan pitched the next three innings with three strikeouts and right-hander Kyle Martin struck out the...

NEW YORK - The release of the 2020 schedule seemed to come a bit earlier than usual and held a couple of interesting nuggets for the Orioles, including the home-and-home series against the Cubs. Manager Brandon Hyde goes back to Wrigley Field, where he served in a coaching capacity and can share countless stories. The dugout will be crowded for the pregame media sessions. I'm particularly fond of the three off-days on Fridays and a weekend two-game series against the Nationals instead of the...

After selecting just two pitchers in 11 picks in the first two days of the draft, the Orioles went very heavy on college pitchers when the final day of the draft resumed at noon today. With their 20 selections so far this afternoon in rounds 11-30 they drafted 13 college right-handed pitchers and two college lefties. They added a first baseman, third baseman, two center fielders and one player just listed as an infielder. All 20 picks so far today have come from college. So through round 30,...