That's a wrap: O's fall in 2021 season finale

That's a wrap: O's fall in 2021 season finale
It got lopsided early. And while the Orioles' season began with a bang when they swept Boston at Fenway Park in April, it didn't end that way. The Toronto Blue Jays, in a game they had to have, blew out the Orioles 12-4 today to complete a three-game sweep that ends the Orioles' 2021 season. They finished 52-110 and with the second-most losses in club history, behind only the 115-loss 2018 Orioles. Arizona was tied late in its game today. A Diamondbacks win and the Orioles and Arizona would...

Will the 2020 season produce a legit World Series champion?

Will the 2020 season produce a legit World Series champion?
Even if the coming 60-game Major League Baseball season gets played to conclusion through the World Series, fans are going to look back at this season for years and see strange things. Like a home run champion that might hit, say, 21 homers. Or a pitcher leading the majors in wins with seven or eight. Or a saves leader with 16. Or a World Series champion crowned after a 60-game season. Will that World Series winner be legit? Well, legit is in the eye of the beholder. To me, that answer is yes....

From player to coach: Collin Woody makes transition on O's farm

From player to coach: Collin Woody makes transition on O's farm
The day will come for all professional baseball players. Through their choice or a team's decision, their playing days will end. Sooner for some than others. Being told you are not good enough to continue would be not easy for anyone to hear. For 25-year-old Collin Woody, the words came late in spring training in 2019. A 38th-round draft pick by the Orioles in 2016 out of UNC-Greensboro, Woody played from 2016 through 2018. He never hit over .226. He had a 228-game career that reached as high...

Former Oriole Tyler Wilson ready to go as baseball returns in Korea (with video)

Former Oriole Tyler Wilson ready to go as baseball returns in Korea (with video)
While Major League Baseball hopes to have a season at some point later this year, one pro baseball league will be starting a new season tomorrow. The 10 teams in the Korea Baseball Organization open a 144-game season that will run through Nov. 2. The KBO started with six teams in 1982. The Doosan Bears are the defending league champions and they've won the league in three of the last five years. The league was set to open its season on March 28, but just like with MLB, the KBO ended spring...

Notes on a simulation sweep, KBO starting up and more

Notes on a simulation sweep, KBO starting up and more
So much for that. We had a 12th seed over a fifth seed in the opening round of the 32-squad MLB Dream Bracket. The fifth-seeded all-time Orioles were swept in four straight games by the No. 12 all-time Houston Astros. I recently wrote about how this simulation tournament worked here. So in the simulation, a team of Birds that included Cal Ripken Jr., Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell and Jim Palmer didn't win a game. What the heck! They lost to Houston by scores of 9-3, 2-1, 8-3 and...

Chris Davis on hitting approach, contract pressure and more

Chris Davis on hitting approach, contract pressure and more
It won't be long before Chris Davis' family, which already includes wife Jill and daughter Ella, will expand with the arrival of twin girls. "We're going to go from man-to-man coverage to a zone real quick in our house, but we're fired up about it," Davis said this week while interviewed on the "Orioles Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan. "I couldn't be happier. We always said that we wanted at least three. I'm still pushing for maybe four, but it's probably not the best time to be...

Bundy on Britton: "I didn't want to believe it at first" (and notes)

Bundy on Britton: "I didn't want to believe it at first" (and notes)
Dylan Bundy has reached the point of the offseason where he pays closer attention to the maneuverings, rumors and doses of news - both good and bad - coming from the Orioles. It's just done between hunting trips and workouts. Bundy found out about closer Zach Britton's ruptured Achilles and hoped that the reports were a mistake. "I think the first time I saw it was on Twitter or on TV and I didn't want to believe it at first. I thought it was just a typo," Bundy said this week on the...

Nuño's departure and more on Orioles minor league free agents

Nuño's departure and more on Orioles minor league free agents
Vidal Nuño didn't give us much of a chance to become attached to him. Left camp for 10 days to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, spent a small portion of the summer with the Orioles, became a minor league free agent and found a new team. Nuño has signed a minor league deal with the Rays, as first reported by Baseball America's Matt Eddy. He elected free agency last month, joining pitcher Logan Verrett, catcher Francisco Peña and second baseman Johnny Giavotella. Infielder Rubén...

A look at the Orioles' list of pending minor league free agents

A look at the Orioles' list of pending minor league free agents
To put in perspective how long Garabez Rosa has been in the Orioles organization, when Adam Jones was traded to the club in February 2008, Rosa was about to begin his second season on the O's farm. Signed out of the Dominican Republic at 17 in November 2006, Rosa has played 1,154 games over 11 seasons in the Orioles' minor league system. Save for a few games at Triple-A Norfolk, he's been at Double-A Bowie since the 2013 season. He is the Baysox's all-time leader in games (590), hits (650),...

Faulkner outrighted, Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Faulkner outrighted, Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Left-hander Andrew Faulkner cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Faulkner joins Logan Verrett, Tyler Wilson and Jayson Aquino as pitchers who were outrighted since Sept. 5 after the Orioles designated them for assignment. Faulkner, 24, was 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 34 games with Triple-A Norfolk. He allowed only one home run in 38 2/3 innings and opponents were batting .216. Left-handers posted a .208 average. The Orioles acquired Faulkner from the Rangers on April 6 for...

Orioles outright Wilson and Verrett

Orioles outright Wilson and Verrett
Pitchers Tyler Wilson and Logan Verrett have cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles announced the moves earlier today. The Orioles designated Verrett and Wilson for assignment on Friday, the same day that they purchased reliever Richard Rodríguez's contract from Norfolk. Verrett went 2-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 40 games with Norfolk, including two starts. He won both decisions with the Orioles while posting a 4.22 ERA in four appearances over 10 2/3 innings. Wilson,...

Notes on Hardy, roster moves, bullpen, Álvarez, Sisco and more

Notes on Hardy, roster moves, bullpen, Álvarez, Sisco and more
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy arrived at Camden Yards early this afternoon and likely will receive a cortisone injection in his right elbow to combat the soreness that developed from hitting. He's waiting to meet with team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs. Manager Buck Showalter likened the sensation to "tennis elbow" and said Hardy could be activated from the 60-day disabled list by Monday. A corresponding move will need to be made on the 40-man roster. "He said he's had it before and got an...

Dan Duquette on trade deadline and today's additions

Dan Duquette on trade deadline and today's additions
The Orioles did not make a trade last night as midnight came and passed with no deal. The Orioles have made late August trades in the past and any player acquired before the calendar turns to September is eligible for the playoff roster. No deals were made, but executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said the Orioles came close. "We tried to supplement our pitching staff, but we couldn't find the right fit," Duquette said. "We had three or four options that we were...

Orioles DFA Logan Verrett and Tyler Wilson (plus Orioles lineup)

Orioles DFA Logan Verrett and Tyler Wilson (plus Orioles lineup)
The Orioles have selected the contract of reliever Richard Rodriguez from Triple-A Norfolk as part of their September call-ups. Needing two openings on the 40-man roster, they designated pitchers Logan Verrett and Tyler Wilson for assignment. The club also announced that it selected the contracts of catcher Chance Sisco and designated hitter Pedro Álvarez and recalled outfielder Joey Rickard and reliever Jimmy Yacabonis. Rodriguez is 4-4 with a 2.42 ERA, 10 saves and 1.05 WHIP in 42 games...

Another look at Friday's loss and notes from the night on the farm

Another look at Friday's loss and notes from the night on the farm
The Houston Astros began last night leading the American League in runs scored, averaging 5.87 per game, and with a 33-11 road record. They built a big early lead and improved on both stats in Friday's 8-7 win over the Orioles. Houston entered this series scoring a major league-best 7.14 runs per game on the road. When compared to previous full season totals, that number would rank fourth best in big league history. The Orioles found out about that offense as Houston banged out 16 hits and hit...

Orioles need more starter choices to bloom down on the farm

Orioles need more starter choices to bloom down on the farm
MILWAUKEE - The Orioles knew that Chris Tillman wouldn't make last night's start due to the pending arrival of his first child. He didn't accompany the team to Milwaukee. A replacement had to be found. This is where we're confronted with one of the organization's biggest issues, a prime reason why the Orioles are below .500 approaching the break and fans are ordering them to shift into sell mode and accumulate prospects. After checking reports on the starters at Triple-A Norfolk, the...

Aquino's start and some familiar faces on the other side

Aquino's start and some familiar faces on the other side
MILWAUKEE - Get ready for more roster moves today, with Zach Britton coming off the disabled list and Chris Tillman going on paternity leave. Tyler Wilson was optioned one day after the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk to provide a long reliever. Left-hander Jayson Aquino is taking Tillman's spot in the rotation for the series finale against the Brewers. Ryan Flaherty could be transferred to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot for Britton on the 40-man roster. "I'm thankful...

Trumbo update and wrapping up a 6-2 loss

Trumbo update and wrapping up a 6-2 loss
MILWAUKEE - Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo received an X-ray on his left calf today that came back negative, the only positive development at Miller Park. Trumbo fouled a ball off his leg in the fifth inning of the Orioles' 6-2 loss to the Brewers. He singled into center field, but was replaced by Joey Rickard in the bottom of the sixth. "He fouled a ball off his calf and bone," said manager Buck Showalter. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow. It got to the point where he couldn't really...

Orioles' slide continues with 6-2 loss to Brewers

Orioles' slide continues with 6-2 loss to Brewers
MILWAUKEE - Ubaldo Jiménez couldn't duplicate the magic. Jiménez served up three home runs to the Brewers in five innings and the Orioles lost again today 6-2 before an announced crowd of 31,818 at Miller Park. The Brewers finished with four home runs, the second from Eric Thames coming off reliever Tyler Wilson in the seventh inning. Fireworks seemed appropriate on this day. The Orioles are three games below .500 at 40-43 to match their worst mark of the season. They've lost four of...

Hearing from Davis, Britton and Wilson (O's down 6-1)

Hearing from Davis, Britton and Wilson (O's down 6-1)
MILWAUKEE - Ubaldo Jiménez tossed a scoreless first inning today, striking out a batter and issuing a walk, but Stephen Vogt hit a two-run homer in the second and Orlando Arcia delivered an RBI single to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. There won't be a repeat of Jiménez's eight scoreless innings in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Orioles are trying to get back their injured players while making a run at another playoff berth. First baseman Chris Davis is fine after hitting and throwing yesterday...