Ex-Tides manager Ron Johnson dies of COVID-19 complications

Ex-Tides manager Ron Johnson dies of COVID-19 complications
Former Triple-A Norfolk manager Ron Johnson, who spent seven years in the Orioles organization and became one of its most popular members, died today in Tennessee of complications from COVID-19. He was 64. Family members confirmed the news to The Virginian-Pilot. Johnson is Norfolk's all-time winningest manager with a 491-511 record, an impressive accomplishment given the large turnover in personnel and constant shuttling of players between the majors and minors. He was named International...

Brocail and Flores won't return to Orioles coaching staff

Brocail and Flores won't return to Orioles coaching staff
The offseason work conducted by the Orioles has moved past the 40-man roster today and impacted two coaches. The Orioles aren't going to bring back pitching coach Doug Brocail and third base coach/infield instructor Jose Flores, according to multiple industry sources. Potential candidates have not been determined and no other changes are coming to the staff at this time, per a source. Brocail was hired in January 2019 as the replacement for Roger McDowell, who served on former manager Buck...

Digging deeper into the hiring of Rosenbaum and Rowe

Digging deeper into the hiring of Rosenbaum and Rowe
The new hires and reassignments in the Orioles' minor league system that were made public yesterday in a press release included a batch of names from outside professional baseball. As expected and, in some cases, already reported. Tim Gibbons, the hitting coach at Double-A Bowie, worked as director of hitting at Elite Sports Training. Ryan Fuller, the hitting coach at Single-A Delmarva, comes from Power in Training. These aren't affiliates. There are recent interns, trainees and apprentices....

Is Mallee a candidate to join Orioles?

Is Mallee a candidate to join Orioles?
The Orioles handled the task this week of notifying three coaches that they wouldn't have their contracts renewed for the 2020 season. The first steps toward making changes. Steps that were bound to happen, though the challenge was identifying the impacted members of the staff. Up next are interviews with candidates that should begin in a couple of days. A procedure that's keeping manager Brandon Hyde in Baltimore. What's known at the present time is that first base coach/outfield instructor...

Holt: "If we can compete in this division, we can smoke anybody"

Holt: "If we can compete in this division, we can smoke anybody"
A big chunk of the early offseason work being done by the Orioles involves the construction of the minor league coaching staffs. A task that already was in motion long before the Red Sox's walk-off win on Sunday. Making outside hires and reassigning individuals to a higher or lower affiliate. Changing a few roles in order to keep people in the organization while also making room for others or eliminating the job as it previously had been defined. Sean Berry is expected to come back to the...

Rogers leaned on Cashner long-distance

Rogers leaned on Cashner long-distance
The friendship that developed between pitchers Andrew Cashner and Josh Rogers in spring training shifted a bit toward mentorship last week as the veteran decided to contact the rookie. A phone call that accomplished two purposes. Check on Rogers' life outside of baseball and pass along some professional advice. Rogers was struggling and unable to gain a promotion until the Orioles had little choice. They needed a starter for Friday night, coincidentally with Cashner scratched due to a blister...

More on minor league staffs and an international note

More on minor league staffs and an international note
With exactly one week remaining before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the Orioles are applying the finishing touches to the construction of their minor league staffs and an announcement is coming within the next few days. Certainly before I board my Monday flight to Sarasota. What do we know? Well, let's start with Gary Kendall, who's replacing Ron Johnson as manager at Triple-A Norfolk. Mike Griffin returns as Tides pitching coach. Buck Britton moves up from low Single-A...

Gary Kendall named manager at Triple-A Norfolk

Gary Kendall named manager at Triple-A Norfolk
Beyond the outside hires that have been made public via Twitter, the Orioles also are shuffling minor league personnel to fill vacancies at multiple levels of their farm system. The Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk has announced the promotion of manager Gary Kendall, 55, from Double-A Bowie. Kendall will replace Ron Johnson. Buck Britton, 32, is moving up from low Single-A Delmarva to Bowie as Kendall's replacement, according to sources. An announcement from the Orioles is pending on the...

More minors, Hyde and Mancini

More minors, Hyde and Mancini
The Orioles haven't made any decisions regarding their minor league staffs with so much other work to be done, including the hiring of major league coaches to pair with new manager Brandon Hyde. Triple-A Norfolk doesn't have a manager after the Orioles decided to part ways with Ron Johnson. They could promote from within, perhaps elevating Gary Kendall from Double-A Bowie, or seek an outside hire. Pitching coach Mike Griffin remains under contract and could stay with the Tides or be...

Roster decisions developing slowly

Roster decisions developing slowly
There is going to be a point in the offseason when the Orioles are directing the vast majority of their collective energy toward constructing their 25-man roster and providing new manager Brandon Hyde with more options by improving the overall depth. Hires will be completed, staffs will be filled and the Orioles can expend most of their energy on free agency and the trade market. Trades are more likely until later in the winter, when the Orioles can scratch their free agent itch. Executive vice...

More on Britton's knee and Ynoa's latest opportunity

More on Britton's knee and Ynoa's latest opportunity
The news that closer Zach Britton isn't expected to require a surgical procedure on his left knee can be taken two ways. The obvious one is with glee. Who roots for surgery? However, I've continued to wonder why another MRI didn't show anything structurally wrong, but he's continued to pitch through the discomfort since 2014. What's the cause and why should the club be confident that the knee will "heal itself" over the winter? It hasn't happened up to this point or there wouldn't be a...

Triple-A rotation needs to turn around a rough start

Triple-A rotation needs to turn around a rough start
The Orioles and Rays didn't let the weather stop them last night. Cold and rainy conditions are just part of the gig. The affiliates didn't have it so good - if we've lowered our standards to the point where last night's weather is acceptable. Triple-A Norfolk, Single-A Frederick and Single-A Delmarva were rained out. Double-A Bowie was in Richmond and gave up two runs in the ninth, stranded 14 runners and lost 2-1. Norfolk left-hander Chris Lee is starting today against Buffalo. He's 0-1...

Game update and more from Showalter (O's win 4-3 on Davis walk-off)

Game update and more from Showalter (O's win 4-3 on Davis walk-off)
I was able to stop by SOR Night II tonight on the Miller Lite Flite Deck and visit with fans who endured the heat and my selfies. Wish I could have stayed there all night. Chrost made an appearance and I forced him to give me a quick man hug. My night is made. I can't speak for him. Many thanks to MASNsports.com and the Orioles for donating an Adam Jones bat for the raffle. The Orioles fell behind only two batters into tonight's game. Miguel Gonzalez got three straight ground ball outs after...

Mike Griffin on Mychal Givens and Parker Bridwell, plus final AFL stats

Mike Griffin on Mychal Givens and Parker Bridwell, plus final AFL stats
Last year, eight players from the Orioles organization played for the Surprise Saguaros, who won the Arizona Fall League championship. Pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez, Tim Berry, Branden Kline and Jason Gurka, and position players Henry Urrutia, Dariel Alvarez, Jonathan Schoop and Michael Ohlman were on that team. Today, Peoria plays Salt River for the AFL championship, but the season is over for the seven O's that played on the Glendale Desert Dogs, who finished 14-15-2. Right-hander Zach...

Griffin waiting for chance to interview with Orioles

Griffin waiting for chance to interview with Orioles
Mike Griffin didn't know that Rick Adair wasn't returning as Orioles pitching coach until early Thursday morning. Now, he's waiting for a call that will enable him to interview for the vacant job. The Orioles will consider their in-house candidates, though they're expected to make a hire from outside the organization. "We have under consideration some internal candidates who we know," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. That list includes Griffin, Bill Castro, Scott McGregor...

Wada turns in another impressive outing (Betemit note)

Wada turns in another impressive outing (Betemit note)
Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada made another push for a major league promotion today, holding Triple-A Rochester to one run over seven innings and leaving with Norfolk ahead 3-1. Wada allowed five hits, walked one and struck out three. He threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes. The only run off him scored in the seventh. Wada has limited opponents to one run and 14 hits in his last three starts covering 18 2/3 innings. He's walked three and struck out 20. If nothing else, Wada will be added to the...

A case of "He said, he said"

A case of "He said, he said"
Since there's still no real news coming out of the warehouse - just non-update updates and more names being chucked against the wall - I'll pass along a few leftover quotes. Maybe I'll try to make up something later, just to keep it interesting around here. When did the Orioles realize that they were legit this year? "In spring training, we all believed we had a good team and we would be able to be competitive," said shortstop J.J. Hardy. "I'd say sometime after the All-Star break, we...

Game update and Showalter's pregame praise (Hardy homers)

Game update and Showalter's pregame praise (Hardy homers)
The Orioles no longer lead the majors in errors and they don't have sole possession of second place in that dubious race. The Rockies lead the field with 112, followed by the Padres and Orioles with 100. The Rays committed their 98th tonight, tying them with the Giants and costing them a run. Right fielder Matt Joyce mishandled Matt Wieters' two-out bloop single down the line in the bottom of the first inning, allowing Adam Jones to score from first base and giving the Orioles a 1-0 lead....

After roster move-filled season, Norfolk skipper Ron Johnson joins O's

After roster move-filled season, Norfolk skipper Ron Johnson joins O's
It is not only players that come up from the minor leagues in September. Teams add some coaches, as well, and today Ron Johnson, the manager at Triple-A Norfolk, and Tides pitching coach Mike Griffin joined the Orioles. Manager Buck Showalter thought so much of their work this year that he had that duo join him at the podium for his pregame press conference today. Showalter has said several times how much he appreciated the job Johnson and his staff did this year as Norfolk went 74-70,...

Norfolk pitching coach on Tillman and Britton

Norfolk pitching coach on Tillman and Britton
There has been some talk recently about Chris Tillman. Could the 24-year-old right-hander help the Orioles' rotation if he gets the call to Baltimore? Tillman has given up just one earned run over 11 1/3 innings in his past two starts. Over his last six starts, he is 4-2 with an ERA of 2.19 and opposing batters are hitting just .175 off him in those starts. Tillman's next Triple-A start is set for tomorrow night. Norfolk pitching coach Mike Griffin recently talked with me about Tillman on...