Westburg, Henderson and Mayo staying on course toward majors

Westburg, Henderson and Mayo staying on course toward majors
The Orioles' fall instructional league camp is an interesting mix of top prospects, ballyhooed international signings and trade acquisitions, and players who began to get noticed and want to keep improving their stock. What's missing are the intrasquad games. It's more about workouts, conditioning and strength, education and bonding. Infield prospect Jordan Westburg describes it as "a good foundation for all of us guys that are young in this organization, just building...

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...

A look at Baseball America's O's top 10 list

A look at Baseball America's O's top 10 list
Baseball America released a new top 10 Orioles prospects list this week, and it's a strong list. There are more hitters than pitchers, with seven batters and three hurlers. The list is solid and further proof that the Orioles organization being ranked No. 1 by MLBPipeline.com and No. 2 by Baseball America seems legit. The club can and has gotten some deserved criticism for all the losses at the major league level, but the quest to build that elite talent pipeline seems very much on track. 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...

More on the Orioles' fall instructional camp

More on the Orioles' fall instructional camp
The Orioles released the names of the 50 players invited to their fall instructional league camp in Sarasota, Fla. An interesting mix that highlights the organization's commitment to the amateur draft and international market - two of the most powerful fuels to get the rebuild moving in the right direction. What did we learn from the names on the roster and accompanying information? * Players recovering from injuries or surgeries are progressing to the point where they can be participants in...

Colton Cowser posted .982 OPS in first pro season

Colton Cowser posted .982 OPS in first pro season
While the Orioles were encouraged by the performance of several hitters in their minor league system, especially players at higher levels who had big years, including Adley Rutschman, Kyle Stowers and Jordan Westburg, the group coming behind this group also made its mark during the 2021 season. We are talking mostly about the 2021 draft class headed by outfielder Colton Cowser, selected No. 5 overall in round one in July out of Sam Houston State. Most of the draft picks got their feet wet in...

A scout's take with the Jim Russo Award winner

A scout's take with the Jim Russo Award winner
Orioles area scout Brandon Verley noted he was in a very strange position on Tuesday at Camden Yards. He's used to sitting in the stands at ballparks for long hours watching players. He is not used to sitting in the O's dugout surrounded by reporters and taking questions. But there he was, talking to us about being named the club's Jim Russo Scout of the Year Award winner. "It's an incredible honor," Verley said. "You know, as a scout, we are never really in this position, in 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...

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,...

After strong outing, lefty Zac Lowther looks for two in a row

After strong outing, lefty Zac Lowther looks for two in a row
For Orioles left-hander Zac Lowther, the handful of games left in the 2021 season and the starts he may get are very meaningful. After a year where he has gone 0-5 with a 6.53 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk and also missed time while rehabbing a shoulder strain, these outings, like his start today, are big. He wants to show he is healthy and also that the Orioles still can consider him as a candidate for their 2022 rotation. Lowther provided a nice glimpse of what he can do Monday versus Kansas City....

More thoughts on Orioles' infield situation

More thoughts on Orioles' infield situation
Orioles infielder Jahmai Jones has plus interview skills, which he exhibited again yesterday during a Zoom call with the media following his promotion from Triple-A Norfolk. Smart, articulate, thoughtful in his answers. Eager to assist others, giving back to his community and school. Never let success go to his head. A good teammate. Scouts give him high grades for his makeup. Now comes the chance to impress the Orioles on the field and stay in the majors. Better days and nights are ahead after...

Orioles face big early deficit and lose 19th straight (updated)

Orioles face big early deficit and lose 19th straight (updated)
Multiple roster moves on Monday weren't intended to distract from an 18-game losing streak. They weren't designed to spare manager Brandon Hyde from the daily bombardment of questions about it. But he lasted the full seven minutes of today's media session without going into another deep dive. The closest he came was expanding on a suggestion that the jolt of energy provided by new second baseman Jahmai Jones could benefit a team that's beaten down. The streak doesn't care about any of it....

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
The routine nature of a walk increases in visibility and importance when it involves the Orioles, who went through another stretch where a free pass seemed too costly. Their batters didn't walk in the first two games of the Braves series and totaled one over four nights. Ryan Mountcastle ran the count full in the first inning yesterday and laid off 94 mph sinker out of the strike zone - dropping his bat, trotting to first base and achieving something that shouldn't be celebrated. Austin Wynns...

Orioles tie longest losing streak of season at 14 games (updated)

Orioles tie longest losing streak of season at 14 games (updated)
The Orioles bolted to an early lead tonight and lost their offensive touch. Their starter ran up a high pitch count that threatened his removal by the middle innings. Manager Brandon Hyde tries to find new methods to pull the Orioles out of their old ways, whether it's with his personnel or how he gets them to the ballpark. Tonight's lineup underwent drastic changes based more on health than a hunch. What's it going to take to form a congratulatory line after the final out rather than...

Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva

Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva
SALISBURY, Md. - Drafted by the Orioles out of a Florida high school in round four of the 2020 draft, third baseman Coby Mayo had to wait to start his pro career with no minor league season last year. Then, when this season began, he injured his knee in spring training in April and his chance to begin the minor league season for opening day in May was over. There was more waiting and some rehab. But his day finally came this year in late June in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and the...

O's draft class arrives at Delmarva, ready for next step (updated)

O's draft class arrives at Delmarva, ready for next step (updated)
SALISBURY, Md. - The team that takes the field tonight at Perdue Stadium for the low Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds will look very different from the team that lost 2-1 at Lynchburg on Sunday. This club tonight is putting a team on the field made up completely of position players from the 2021 First-Year Player draft, along with infielder Coby Mayo, taken in the 2020 draft. Buy a scorecard to watch the Shorebirds this week, as they've added 12 draft picks from the class of 2021, including the...

Hard work and good health rescuing lost season for Bannon

Hard work and good health rescuing lost season for Bannon
Rylan Bannon has been hearing the same message from his hitting coach upon returning to the dugout after launching another home run for Triple-A Norfolk. "This is who you are." This isn't how Bannon played earlier in the season, but the turnaround has picked up speed like a tornado. Bannon came to the plate yesterday with the bases loaded in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Memphis and cleared them with a double. He had two hits and was 7-for-11 with five home runs and nine RBIs in his last...

Orioles and Marlins lineups (plus notes)

Orioles and Marlins lineups (plus notes)
DJ Stewart is in right field tonight and Austin Hays is starting in left as the Orioles begin a two-game series against the Marlins at Camden Yards. Ryan Mountcastle is the cleanup hitter and first baseman, and Trey Mancini is serving as the designated hitter. Mancini is 13-for-33 (.394) with two doubles and two home runs during his eight-game hitting streak. He has multiple hits in five of those games. Domingo Leyba took ground balls at second base before batting practice and that's where...

Notes on Franco, Akin, Santander, Zimmermann and more

Notes on Franco, Akin, Santander, Zimmermann and more
The Orioles needed just one rehab game for third baseman Maikel Franco to decide that he should be reinstated from the injured list. Franco had three plate appearances Tuesday morning with the Florida Complex League's orange team, going 0-for-1 with a walk and sacrifice fly, and he's in tonight's lineup against the Nationals. "On the road trip he had been taking batting practice with us, doing a running progression, taking ground balls every day," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Went down to...