Revisiting some of the most memorable moments in camp

Revisiting some of the most memorable moments in camp
The Ed Smith Stadium complex remains open to non-roster players. The rehabbing, the recovered, the recent international signing. Media and fans aren't allowed inside. One way we can relate to the 40-man crew. The minor league camp opens on Feb. 28 for pitchers and catchers - and perhaps media and fans. All of the details haven't been worked out. We're stuck waiting to find out whether major league spring training already will be in motion. Commissioner Rob Manfred stated it must run a...

Mancini endorses Trumbo as coach, news on Trimble injury

Mancini endorses Trumbo as coach, news on Trimble injury
The hitting voices in Trey Mancini's head are changing again. The Orioles didn't retain coach Don Long after three seasons. Long had replaced Scott Coolbaugh, who was hired in December 2014 and lasted four seasons. Assistant hitting coach José Hernández is moving into a new role on manager Brandon Hyde's staff. The shuffling has led to the Orioles hiring co-hitting coaches, bringing Ryan Fuller from Double-A Bowie and going outside the organization for Matt Borgschulte. Mancini has...

Mancini's friendship with Trumbo leads them back to baseball

Mancini's friendship with Trumbo leads them back to baseball
The friendship began to evolve on the back fields at the spring training complex. Two first basemen taking ground balls during workouts, their careers in vastly different phases. One of them a mentor, acquired for his power at the plate and influence inside the clubhouse, the other an eager young prospect. Mark Trumbo had joined his fourth organization since his major league debut six years earlier, with the Orioles sending catcher Steve Clevenger to the Mariners in a Dec. 2, 2015 trade. Trumbo...

Myths, misconceptions about some former Orioles players

Myths, misconceptions about some former Orioles players
As various cable networks keep reheating old broadcasts to satisfy the need for sports, I'm certain that the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network will skip the night of Aug. 14, 1997. Unless fans want to wait through a 2 hour, 25 minute delay while sitting at home. For a game that wasn't played. Then again, it could be part of a tribute package for Cal Ripken Jr. Include a silly rumor, which turned into an urban legend, with the 1983 World Series, 2,131 and the home run in his final All-Star Game. The...

Notes on Trumbo, Jannis and Valaika

Notes on Trumbo, Jannis and Valaika
Mark Trumbo was prepared for this. The market dictating his next professional move. The reality that he might have played his last game. Trumbo has been exploring some other options as teams draw closer to opening their spring training camps and the 10-year veteran is unable to get a nibble. The sport hasn't been embracing sluggers like Trumbo, and he talked about it with me back in January 2019 while providing an update on his surgically repaired right knee. "I am aware of the market for...

Taking another look at Bleier signing and Villar's departure

Taking another look at Bleier signing and Villar's departure
The next order of baseball business is behind the Orioles. They tendered contracts yesterday to five of their seven arbitration-eligible players, signed reliever Richard Bleier and traded infielder Jonathan Villar to the Marlins. The 40-man roster holds 38 players, leaving room for multiple selections in the Dec. 12 Rule 5 draft in San Diego. Coming up are five days at the Winter Meetings if you count Sunday's travel. The race to catch return flights on Thursday begins late in the...

Who will get the biggest free agent dollars this winter?

Who will get the biggest free agent dollars this winter?
No one is expecting the Orioles to be very active at the top end or even in the middle tier of the new free agent market. For the second year in a row, in MLBTradeRumors.com's projection of its top 50 free agents, none are predicted to head to Baltimore. This is not surprising, of course, and was indeed expected. Predicting where free agents will land might be harder than you think. Who had Manny Machado to San Diego? All O's fans heard and had to deal with for years were rumors that the...

How does the Orioles offseason list compare to last year?

How does the Orioles offseason list compare to last year?
The month of November allows baseball media and fans to keep compiling lists - whether on paper and laptop screens or in heads - of the offseason issues facing a particular team. We mostly talk about the Orioles here, so let's stick with them. Go back to the 2018 offseason and you'll find the same inquires surrounding Chris Davis. He's a top five subject. What are the Orioles going to do with Davis? Well, it's been made clear to us that he's reporting to spring training, three years left...

Upcoming dates with lots of or little interest to Orioles

Upcoming dates with lots of or little interest to Orioles
Another important offseason date that doesn't really impact the Orioles arrives on Monday. Teams no longer will have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents. Other executives can start courting them. The Orioles won't attempt to re-sign Mark Trumbo, so it doesn't matter to them. Monday also marks the deadline for teams to issue the $17.8 million qualifying offer to free agents. The Orioles obviously won't do it with Trumbo. And teams can exercise or decline options and...

Williams declines outright assignment

Williams declines outright assignment
The Orioles are continuing to clear space on their 40-man roster for future moves. Outfielder Mason Williams was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk after clearing waivers and declined the assignment, electing free agency rather than staying in the organization. He could be re-signed later in the winter, but will explore other opportunities. Williams already was eligible to become a minor league free agent if he hadn't been placed on the 25-man roster. The outright assignment was listed yesterday...

Last game marks beginning of free agency

Last game marks beginning of free agency
The World Series is over and the 2019 season officially has been put to bed. Long past a reasonable hour. Players will begin hitting the free agent market instead of fastballs. It's one of the most important early developments of the offseason. The list of Orioles pending free agents usually has more meat on it. Mark Trumbo stands alone this year unless the club decides later to non-tender players who remain eligible for arbitration. The discussion over which free agents could be re-signed is...

Orioles claim Valaika off waivers and outright four

Orioles claim Valaika off waivers and outright four
The Orioles have reduced their 40-man roster to 38 players while making a waiver claim and outrighting four pitchers to Triple-A Norfolk. Much more activity will follow as the season concludes tonight with Game 7 of the World Series. Infielder Pat Valaika has been selected from the Rockies, who chose him in the ninth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA. He plays every infield position, mostly in the middle, and has some experience in left field. Right-handers Luis Ortiz, Ryan...

Núñez made it easy to slot him as designated hitter in 2020

Núñez made it easy to slot him as designated hitter in 2020
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde wasn't ready last month to hand Austin Hays the center field job on opening day. No amount of prodding from the media was going to soften his stance. It was too soon to begin construction of a 26-man roster to be unveiled in late March. The story is the same regarding Renato Núñez. Hyde won't say that Núñez is going to be the primary designated hitter next season. But he speaks as if Núñez is on the team. "I think it's way too soon to think...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Jonathan Villar stays in the Orioles lineup this afternoon and is going to play in all 162 games. Villar is the first Orioles player to do it since Jonathan Schoop in 2016. Mark Trumbo is playing his final game with the Orioles, serving today as the designated hitter. Austin Hays is in center field and Austin Wynns is catching again. Stevie Wilkerson is in right field. Renato Núñez is playing first base. Chandler Shepherd, the former 13th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2014, makes...

Orioles reach end of 2019 season

Orioles reach end of 2019 season
BOSTON - The final Orioles lineup of the 2019 season will be posted later this morning. We've moved past penultimate. The word is placed in storage until the next-to-last exhibition game unless someone is bold enough to break it out on the Wednesday of baseball's Winter Meetings. The lineup is going to include Mark Trumbo, playing his last game with the club and perhaps in his career. Anthony Santander is expected to sit again, having already completed his mission of getting back to the...

Núñez delivers milestone homer, Trumbo with a classy goodbye

Núñez delivers milestone homer, Trumbo with a classy goodbye
For a player the Orioles added via a waiver claim in May 2018, it was a milestone homer. A team finally gave Renato Núñez everyday playing time and he rewarded the 2019 Orioles with 30 homers and 89 RBIs. Núñez is one of 19 players in the American League with 30 and 89. And it was a big homer. A three-run shot off Boston's Nathan Eovaldi that gave the O's an early 3-0 lead. They would win 4-1 and Núñez drove in all four runs. He crushed the milestone shot with an exit...

Hyde on Trumbo, Santander, Williams, Sisco, more (O's up 4-0)

Hyde on Trumbo, Santander, Williams, Sisco, more (O's up 4-0)
BOSTON - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he intends to put Mark Trumbo in Sunday's lineup to close out the season. Left unsaid is how the game also closes out Trumbo's career with the Orioles. He'll decide later whether to retire or pursue a contract with another team. Trumbo is 5-for-25 with three doubles this month since coming off the 60-day injured list. He didn't play in the three-game series in Toronto. Hyde spoke with Trumbo earlier today about the weekend. "He's going to be...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Anthony Santander remains out of the lineup tonight as the Orioles begin their final series of the 2019 season. Santander hasn't played since Monday. He's in a 1-for-23 slump. Dwight Smith Jr. is in left field and batting cleanup. DJ Stewart is in right field. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Chance Sisco is catching. Mancini has hit safely in 12 consecutive games at Fenway Park since May 19, 2018, posting a .340 average (16-for-47) during that stretch. He's slashed...

Davis homers to give Orioles 2-1 win in home finale (updated)

Davis homers to give Orioles 2-1 win in home finale (updated)
The status of other players on the roster didn't really matter today to Orioles manager Brandon Hyde as he wrote out his final home lineup for 2019. Mark Trumbo was playing. Chris Davis was playing. And he knew exactly how he wanted the crowd at Camden Yards to receive them. "They both have done so many good things in their career," Hyde said. "Had some really good years here and done some spectacular things with playoff-type clubs. I just hope (fans) show their appreciation for, these guys...

Orioles and Mariners lineups

Orioles and Mariners lineups
The Orioles will begin their final home game this afternoon with Austin Hays moving up to second in the order. Renato Núñez is playing third base and Chris Davis is across the diamond. Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter in his final home game with the Orioles. He becomes a free agent after the season and likely won't be re-signed. He also could choose to retire. Dwight Smith Jr. is in left field and DJ Stewart in right. Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander are out of the lineup. John...