And still a few more highlights from 2021

And still a few more highlights from 2021
While wondering if the ball dropping on New Year's Eve impacts a team's dWAR ... Does a high-profile, highly paid player missing an entire season due to injury, surgery and an August retirement qualify as a memorable moment in 2021? Chris Davis belongs on the list, wherever he's slotted. Davis made an impact without dressing for a single game in the regular season, quitting with one year remaining on his franchise-record $161 million contract. Two at-bats in the Orioles' first spring...

Because You Asked - Analyze That

Because You Asked - Analyze That
With the 2021 season officially over and baseball moving into full offseason mode, important dates on the calendar crossed off one at a time, the mailbag again is inflating like my ego. My new wife is only available to deflate the ego. Not the mailbag. That one is up to me. Just to review: You, my wonderful followers - which unfortunately sounds like a cult that will be documented on Netflix - ask me many questions that I attempt to answer. Some of you ask the same ones as if I ignored you. And...

Orioles outright Severino, Greene and Diplán

Orioles outright Severino, Greene and Diplán
The Orioles did some heavy work today on their 40-man roster, including outrighting catcher Pedro Severino to Triple-A Norfolk. Severino and relievers Conner Greene and Marcos Diplán cleared waivers and were outrighted. They can become free agents after going through a procedural process that might take a couple of days. Left-hander Fernando Abad entered free agency this afternoon and the Pirates claimed reliever Eric Hanhold off waivers. The moves have left the Orioles with 30 players on...

Which relievers are returning to Orioles in 2022?

Which relievers are returning to Orioles in 2022?
Are there any guaranteed returns among Orioles relievers beyond Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells? Is it weird that Wells is the first and perhaps only mention? This is quite the commentary on Wells, who emerged as the most likely closer candidate next spring, and the state of the bullpen. Left-handers Paul Fry and Tanner Scott are eligible for arbitration and projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to make $1.1 million and $1 million, respectively. Teams expressed interest in both relievers at the trade...

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...

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 shut out in penultimate home game of 2021 (updated)

Orioles shut out in penultimate home game of 2021 (updated)
Zac Lowther turned to watch the ball and slapped his glove against his leg. Knowing where it would land and the implications. Perhaps also knowing that one run might be too much for the Orioles to overcome against Nathan Eovaldi. J.D. Martinez's 28th homer of the season, a solo shot to center field with one out in the second inning, was the only run surrendered by the rookie left-hander through the fifth. Plenty of hard-hit line drives, but nothing to influence the score. That happened in the...

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...

Akin and Hays impress again, but O's lose 4-3 (updated)

Akin and Hays impress again, but O's lose 4-3 (updated)
As the Orioles keep piling more players on their injured lists and going day-to-day with others who are ailing, they cherish every individual who stays in the lineup or rotation and seems determined to finish strong. Keegan Akin, a couple starts removed from his six no-hit innings, shut out the Phillies over 5 1/3 and struck out six batters before Eric Hanhold replaced him. Austin Hays retained ownership of the month of September, his scorching bat producing a run-scoring double in the sixth...

Orioles bullpen brings its best until 10th in 3-2 loss (updated)

Orioles bullpen brings its best until 10th in 3-2 loss (updated)
The bullpen game plotted tonight by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde began to live up to its definition perhaps a bit sooner than anticipated. Conner Greene couldn't give the Orioles a second inning as the opener, his 24 pitches in a scoreless first against the Phillies beginning the parade of relievers. Marcos Diplán tossed two scoreless innings. Thomas Eshelman stranded a runner in the fourth, retired the side in order in the fifth and struck out two batters in the sixth around J.T....

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The 2021 season is down to a dozen games, and egging on the Orioles to keep playing won't do you any good. They'll be scrambling to make their flights home or to get back to Baltimore. Perhaps they'll also get some satisfaction from influencing a couple of pennant races. The schedule has set them up for it. They left Boston on Sunday afternoon and flew into Philadelphia, facing another team desperate for wins that can get it into the playoffs. A four-game series against the Rangers won't...

Hanhold back in majors and working to stay there

Hanhold back in majors and working to stay there
BOSTON - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde expressed his opinion of reliever Eric Hanhold by getting the right-hander out of Friday night's game after only two batters. Sounds bad until Hyde explains why. Hanhold retired both batters in the sixth after replacing Dusten Knight, snagging a comebacker to get Hunter Renfroe in a rundown between second and third base and striking out Rafael Devers on a 95 mph fastball, and made such an impression on Hyde that he was removed to keep him available the...

Wells retires 11 of 12, but O's lose 8-6 to complete sweep (updated)

Wells retires 11 of 12, but O's lose 8-6 to complete sweep (updated)
BOSTON - The last of the three young starters for the Orioles took his lumps today just like everyone else. With the Red Sox showing no mercy early in their quest to earn a wild card spot in the playoffs. Go easy and you might be going home, and not to host a game in the postseason. Alexander Wells stepped into traffic this afternoon, knowing the risks and hoping to come out fine on the other side. Whether he did is open to interpretation, but it sure felt that way. He loaded the bases with no...

Hays' homer can't hold back 100th loss (updated)

Hays' homer can't hold back 100th loss (updated)
BOSTON - They didn't look like the Red Sox tonight. The yellow jerseys and powder blue caps. Promotional uniforms from Nike, also featured by six other clubs. Couldn't fool the Orioles, though. They knew which team was running up Keegan Akin's pitch count early, wrestling away a lead and preparing to hand them a 100th loss in 2021. Four of the first five hits off Akin were for extra bases, including Bobby Dalbec's leadoff home run in the fourth, left-hander Chris Sale marked his return from...

Orioles surrender five home runs in 7-2 loss (updated)

Orioles surrender five home runs in 7-2 loss (updated)
Alexander Wells trailed by two runs tonight just two batters into his latest start with the Orioles. The first three batters produced three hits. The flashbacks to the past three games, with 44 runs surrendered, were blinding. It never got that bad. There was no need to begin researching past records within the organization or the league. But the Orioles assumed the position and fell again on hard times. Wells followed a scoreless second inning by serving up back-to-back home runs in the third,...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles went through their off-day without making any changes to their roster. There's still time to tweak the pitching staff before the series opener against the Yankees at Camden Yards. I've seen a lot in my 25 years on the beat, much of it good and some stuff that made me rub my eyes and wish I could cleanse my mind. Pretty much the entire 2018 season needs to be burned like unwanted film. And that 30-3 loss to the Rangers in 2007. And every attempt to interview Erik Bedard. Losing a...

Mancini: "Mentally ... a year unlike anything I've been through"

Mancini: "Mentally ... a year unlike anything I've been through"
The penultimate off-day has arrived on the 2021 schedule. One last collective reset for the Orioles, who are waiting to host the Yankees in a three-game series. Trey Mancini has played in 132 games and made 561 plate appearances. There were no real expectations. They can't exist for a cancer survivor who endured six months of chemotherapy treatments and could only hope and pray that he'd survive them and resume his career. Manager Brandon Hyde is asked about Mancini's fatigue during those...

Hanhold joins Orioles (plus today's lineups)

Hanhold joins Orioles (plus today's lineups)
The Orioles found a fresh arm for their bullpen this morning, selecting the contract of reliever Eric Hanhold from Triple-A Norfolk. Hanhold replaces Manny Barreda, who was optioned after Game 2 of last night's stunning 11-2 loss. Barreda served up Teoscar Hernández's 445-foot, three-run homer in the Jays' 11-run seventh inning. Matt Harvey was transferred to the 60-day injured list with right knee inflammation to make room for Hanhold on the 40-man roster. Harvey's season is...

Akin back with Orioles and awaiting further instructions

Akin back with Orioles and awaiting further instructions
While the Orioles decide what's next for pitcher Keegan Akin, he's just glad to rejoin the team and continue hoping for a more peaceful stretch in his professional life. His failure to make the club out of spring training was followed by a cut left index finger sustained in a kitchen accident in April that ruined a chance to be recalled. He finally made it back to the team and into the rotation and had to be scratched from a July 21 start against the Rays due to his placement on the COVID-19...

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...