Remembering the ruined relationship with Rochester

Remembering the ruined relationship with Rochester
The news last week that the Nationals were adopting Rochester as their Triple-A affiliate - so much for the gag order intended to withhold announcements until a later date - immediately took me back to the day that the Red Wings severed ties with the Orioles. This was a huge deal. They had been affiliated since 1961 - a span of 42 years that represented the longest relationship between major league and Triple-A teams. So many future stars began to shine in Rochester. It was hard to imagine the...

Bolstering bullpen nothing new to Orioles

Bolstering bullpen nothing new to Orioles
Teams are placing greater emphasis on their bullpens as the offseason moves into the next round of holidays. They grasp the importance of providing quality insurance for their rotations, of spending less to upgrade a pitching staff or spending more to lock down leads in the ninth inning. They're just not being original. Have we already forgotten about the 2007 Orioles and the rash of reliever signings that didn't satisfy their itch? If so, it may be intentional. Better to block it out and...

Orioles pitching coach search gets rolling with Dubee

Orioles pitching coach search gets rolling with Dubee
The Orioles will crank up the interview process for finding a new pitching coach today by bringing in Rich Dubee, who spent the past nine seasons on the job with the Phillies. Dubee, who turned 56 on Saturday, already has a few points in his favor. He worked in the Expos farm system while executive vice president Dan Duquette was in the front office. He's a native of Brockton, Mass., not far from Duquette's hometown. He lives in Sarasota, where the Orioles hold spring training. The job...

Notes on Perlozzo and Mahon (and Chase Johnson)

Notes on Perlozzo and Mahon (and Chase Johnson)
The Orioles haven't contacted former manager Sam Perlozzo about their third base coaching job. Perlozzo, who was let go as Phillies first base coach, obviously would be interested if the Orioles reached out to him. So far, it hasn't happened. Perlozzo seemed like a perfect fit for the Nationals after third base coach Bo Porter was hired as Astros manager, but the club needed an outfield instructor. The Orioles, meanwhile, need an infield instructor to replace DeMarlo Hale. The Frontier...

Other possible replacements for Hale (updated)

Other possible replacements for Hale (updated)
The Blue Jays haven't announced the hiring of DeMarlo Hale as bench coach, but that's the word on the street. I've been told that he's "getting the job." It would take a drastic reversal for Hale to remain as Orioles third base coach. I wrote last night that Triple-A manager Ron Johnson could emerge as a leading in-house candidate. Another possibility could be Bobby Dickerson, who currently serves as minor league infield coordinator and has filled in as bullpen coach. Dickerson was a...