Reviewing the weekend's activity

Reviewing the weekend's activity
The past two days have been productive for the Orioles and media covering the team. An announcement was made Saturday afternoon on the signings of draft picks Jordan Westburg, their Competitive Balance Round A selection and the 30th overall pick, and outfielder Hudson Haskin, their second-rounder and the 39th overall. And yesterday brought confirmation on 44 of the 60 players who will be tossed in the pool for spring training 2.0. More players will be announced later in the week. The Orioles...

Orioles getting ready for roster redesign

Orioles getting ready for roster redesign
Among the many details to emerge concerning the 2020 baseball season was the unfreezing of rosters today and the ability of team executives to resume making cuts and potential trades. The Orioles must create a 30-man roster for opening day, which will be held on July 23 or 24. It's reduced to 28 players after two weeks and 26 after four. It was so long ago that fans may have forgotten, but the Orioles had 54 players on their camp roster on March 12 when baseball shut down and everyone became...

More questions pertaining to Orioles roster

More questions pertaining to Orioles roster
We'll reach a point, if the 2020 season is to be played, when rosters no longer will be frozen. The Orioles can chip away at their 50. How much chipping is the question. Take a 30-man roster with a 20-man taxi squad and you've got 50. The math is indisputable. But the taxi squad could include pitchers and position players who were optioned prior to camp shutting down or shortly after it happened. We are waiting for the rules and the plan to be explained to us. People in the organization...

More questions coming while baseball remains on hold

More questions coming while baseball remains on hold
I haven't seen a ground ball hit in three weeks, but I've been fielding a bunch of questions from home. When will the season start? Will there actually be a season? How many games will be played? Are you still wearing that same T-shirt? (Sorry, that last one is from my fiancée.) There are legitimate curiosities and concerns about the impact of a prolonged interruption. What's missing are solid answers. Can Chris Davis pick up where he left off in spring training? Can anyone? Davis...

How it might look in 2020: O's infield

How it might look in 2020: O's infield
Over the next few weeks, let's take a look at some aspects of the Orioles and how they were shaping up at the time that spring training was halted. Today, a look at the infield. Earlier, I made my projection for the five-man rotation in this entry. While we may see rosters larger than 26 players when baseball does start this year, we are going with a roster of 26 for this exercise. Under that roster size, I'm going with seven infielders, one of which can also play in the outfield, where later...

Wondering who's impacted by expansion to 29-man roster

Wondering who's impacted by expansion to 29-man roster
The competitions for roster spots with the Orioles remain on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Players are working out at home, a few of them posting clever videos on social media. Small children and pets are coming in handy as alternatives to gym weights. Ever done squats with a German Shepherd draped over your shoulders? These are the dog days of spring. One of the likely adjustments to baseball's season, if it happens in 2020, is inflating the active roster from 26 to 29 players for the...

Notes on LeBlanc opt-out date, minor league compensation and more

Notes on LeBlanc opt-out date, minor league compensation and more
The Orioles trimmed their camp roster to 50 players yesterday afternoon and reached an important date involving left-hander Wade LeBlanc. Well, it seemed to carry a lot more significance prior to the opening of camp and baseball's complete shutdown. LeBlanc's minor league deal, agreed upon in late January, included a March 19 opt-out clause. He could request his release and the Orioles would have 48 hours to add him to their 40-man roster or allow the veteran to reenter free agency. There...

Orioles option four players

Orioles option four players
The Orioles whittled their camp roster to 50 players this afternoon while making their first moves since baseball's shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pitcher David Hess, infielder/outfielder Ryan Mountcastle, outfielder Cedric Mullins and infielder Ramón Urías have been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. No cuts had been announced since left-hander Keegan Akin was optioned to the Tides back on March 10. A few competitions gained some clarity today. Mullins was a candidate to make the...

Orioles lineup vs. Rays

Orioles lineup vs. Rays
SARASOTA, Fla. - Trey Mancini remains out of the Orioles lineup today as he tries to shake the flu-like symptoms that have bothered him for much of the camp. Mason Williams is playing right field for the 1:05 p.m. game against the Rays in Port Charlotte. Andrew Velazquez is the center fielder. Austin Hays, Chris Davis and José Iglesias are staying back in Sarasota. Dilson Herrera is playing first base and Pat Valaika is the shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle gets another start in left field. Chance...

Valaika homers, LeBlanc gets win, bullpen strong late as O's beat Miami

Valaika homers, LeBlanc gets win, bullpen strong late as O's beat Miami
JUPITER, Fla. - On a day when the Orioles got just three hits, they beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 to split two games on their swing through the east coast of Florida. They head back to Sarasota with a record of 7-5-1 after a loss to Washington and win over Miami. Today they scored two runs on Pat Valaika's third spring homer and two more on a throwing error. Four bullpen pitchers put up zeros from the sixth on to lock down the win. Non-roster invitee lefty Wade LeBlanc continued his bid for a...

Some Orioles observations halfway through spring training

Some Orioles observations halfway through spring training
SARASOTA, Fla. - Watching the Orioles play the back nine in spring training allows the observers - tanned unevenly from hours spent on the field and in outdoor media scrums - to draw their own conclusions on a few important subjects and others that might not warrant a mention. Including those that should have been obvious before the first workout. Here are a few: The Orioles are serious about evaluating Renato Núñez again at third base. They don't want to surrender to a lineup that...

Velazquez and Valaika in thick of utility competition (3-3 tie)

Velazquez and Valaika in thick of utility competition (3-3 tie)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Velazquez lined a single into right-center field this afternoon off Rays starter Charlie Morton, who handed the ball to his manager and exited one out short of completing the third inning. At the plate again in the fifth, Velazquez coaxed a walk out of former Orioles reliever Oliver Drake. He's 4-for-9 with three stolen bases this spring. Velazquez is the last Orioles player to crack the camp roster after a Feb. 19 waiver claim. He's also migrating toward the front of...

Orioles lineup vs. Rays

Orioles lineup vs. Rays
SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Hunter Harvey is making his exhibition debut today with the Orioles hosting the Rays. Harvey is recovered from his illness and threw a simulated game to pass his final test. Pat Valaika is playing shortstop today and Andrew Velazquez is the second baseman. Martin Cervenka is the designated hitter. Chris Davis is batting third and playing first base and Renato Núñez is getting another start at third base. Chance Sisco is catching Asher Wojciechowski. Available...

Martin taking offense with defense-only reputation

Martin taking offense with defense-only reputation
SARASOTA, Fla. - Richie Martin is blocked at shortstop and unsure whether he can claim second base or a utility job. He's no longer hearing how he should focus only on his defense at short and not worry about what he offers at the plate. Hold the gravy. Spring training 2020 certainly has a different feel and sound for Martin, the former Rule 5 pick who came within a home run yesterday of the cycle. Martin was allowed back at his old position while José Iglesias stayed in Sarasota for...

Hays and Mountcastle making spring statements (O's win 11-4)

Hays and Mountcastle making spring statements (O's win 11-4)
BRADENTON, Fla. - Austin Hays didn't have a seat on the team bus this morning, his workout schedule keeping him back in Sarasota while the Orioles made the 20-minute trek to play the Pirates. Ryan Mountcastle peeled away from his friend and handled first base and cleanup duties at LECOM Park. They both cleaned up yesterday at Ed Smith Stadium. Hays doubled twice and had two RBIs, made two diving catches and was on the front end of an 8-4-2 putout. Mountcastle doubled twice, hit a long home...

Injury updates, utility competition, Harvey and Cervenka

Injury updates, utility competition, Harvey and Cervenka
BRADENTON, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde broke out a sheet of paper this morning with the list of players who are recovering from injuries and illnesses and the next stages of their individual progressions. Too many names and tasks to memorize with so many other activities happening at the complex. Hunter Harvey, who's been able to shake his flu-like symptoms, threw a simulated game today in Sarasota. Kohl Stewart (biceps) and Alex Wells (oblique) are throwing in the bullpen Saturday....

Orioles lineup vs. Pirates

Orioles lineup vs. Pirates
SARASOTA, Fla. - Rule 5 pick Brandon Bailey gets his first start today, as the Orioles travel to Bradenton to play the Pirates in a 1:05 p.m. game. Bailey pitched in relief in Sunday's home opener against the Red Sox and allowed one run and three hits with no walks and two strikeouts over two innings. Yusniel Diaz makes his spring debut today as the designated hitter. Dwight Smith Jr. is leading off, followed by Hanser Alberto. Ryan Mountcastle moves to first base after playing left field in...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles reliever Evan Phillips tossed a scoreless inning yesterday against the Braves at Ed Smith Stadium to lower his spring ERA to 16.20. He didn't pass out cupcakes to celebrate it, but the outing was a vast improvement over Sunday's debut, when he recorded only two outs in the ninth inning and was charged with three runs. He kept going to three-ball counts and reached his pitch limit. Phillips walked the leadoff batter yesterday but also recorded a strikeout and got away...

Orioles who stayed back in camp engaged in cage competition

Orioles who stayed back in camp engaged in cage competition
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles completed their workout Monday morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex with rounds of batting practice against a pitching machine, the velocity dialed up but nowhere near the level of competitiveness that suggested there was more at stake than bragging rights. One ball cleared the tall fence on the Camden Yards replica field and bounced off an awning above a door to the baseball operations building. An impressive distance past the foul pole in right. Chris Davis...

Orioles outright Ureña and return him to camp roster

Orioles outright Ureña and return him to camp roster
SARASOTA, Fla. - Richard Ureña exited the utility competition in Orioles camp and has been dragged back into it. Just when a player thinks he's out ... The club announced that Ureña cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He gets an invitation to spring training that bloats the camp roster to 69 players. It was inevitable. The Orioles designated Ureña for assignment after claiming Anthony Velazquez off waivers from the Indians. Velazquez is waiting to appear in...