Surprising Orioles pitching stats plus farm scores and notes

Surprising Orioles pitching stats plus farm scores and notes
There is no doubt about the importance of pitching. The Orioles are 42-88 and a lack of quality pitching has been a big reason for that. But there are a few stats that show us that even a team with a record like the Orioles' won-loss mark can do well when it gets some solid pitching. First, the overall numbers. With a team ERA of 5.84 through Sunday's games, the Orioles ranked 15th and last in the American League and 30th in Major League Baseball. Their rotation ERA of 5.72 ranks 15th in the...

Minor league notes and a look at the Yankees-O's series

Minor league notes and a look at the Yankees-O's series
All but one of the Orioles' minor league affiliates have completed the regular season after Monday's games. Short-season Single-A Aberdeen (40-33) still has three games to play and is three games behind in the New York-Penn League wild card race. Single-A Frederick (68-71) and Double-A Bowie (72-68) will begin the playoffs at home on Wednesday night. While Frederick finished three games under .500, its second-half record (37-33) got the Keys in and they will host Lynchburg Wednesday and...

O's game blog: Jeremy Hellickson makes Orioles debut

O's game blog: Jeremy Hellickson makes Orioles debut
Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson tonight joins an Orioles rotation that has pitched to an ERA of 0.94 the last four games and 3.18 the past eight. He will make his Orioles debut as the O's look to complete a three-game sweep of the Royals. At 52-54 and with four wins in a row and 10 wins the past 15 games, the Orioles could move to within 2 ½ games of the Royals with a win. The Royals (55-50) currently hold the second American League wild card spot, leading that by 1 ½ games over the...

The Orioles' GCL and DSL team rosters (Bowie's All-Stars)

The Orioles' GCL and DSL team rosters (Bowie's All-Stars)
TORONTO - With a team featuring 10 selections from the just concluded 2017 First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles' team in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League began its season this week. The GCL Orioles play their home games at the club's Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla. The team will play 30 home games running through Sept. 1. The games are open to the public at no cost. Parking is free and located in the East Lot at the corner of 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue. Game times and location...

O's beat Tampa Bay as Ubaldo Jimenez pitches complete game

O's beat Tampa Bay as Ubaldo Jimenez pitches complete game
On Sunday, the Orioles fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and could not overcome the early deficit. Today was quite different. Down 3-0 in the first on the road against Tampa Bay, the Orioles stormed back with two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to beat the Rays 7-3 at Tropicana Field. The Orioles are 75-62 overall, 30-37 on the road and 10-3 versus the Rays as they begin a nine-game road trip in the win column. Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez allowed a three-run homer in the first inning...

Orioles announce minor league managers and staffs for 2016

Orioles announce minor league managers and staffs for 2016
The Orioles have named their minor league managers and coaching staffs for the 2016 season. Ron Johnson returns for his fifth season as manager at Triple-A Norfolk after guiding the Tides to the International League South Division title and earning Manager of the Year honors in 2015. The 2016 season will be Johnson's 23rd as a minor league manager. He has compiled 1,555 career victories (1,555-1,544 overall) and became the winningest manager in Tides franchise history last season, going...

O's game blog: Gausman faces Yankees, Orioles add draft pick, Reyes in GCL

O's game blog: Gausman faces Yankees, Orioles add draft pick, Reyes in GCL
Pitching on the same day that ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Orioles are willing to discuss him in trade talks, right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-1, 5.00 ERA) gets the start for the O's tonight in New York. The report said the Orioles "appear to be willing" to talk about Gausman and immediately it sent some fans into a frenzy of worry on Twitter this afternoon. Keep in mind it is a big leap from they appear willing to talk to making an actual trade. Also with so much talk that the...

An interview with 2015 draft picks in Aberdeen, plus GCL and DSL rosters

An interview with 2015 draft picks in Aberdeen, plus GCL and DSL rosters
There are six 2015 Orioles draft picks currently on the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds roster as the team preps for its season opener on Friday night at Ripken Stadium. But the IronBirds roster will be changing and evolving a lot early in the season. Yesterday, the Orioles announced the signings of 14 players from the draft and they have officially signed 17 picks overall with many more to follow and probably follow very soon. The players signed yesterday included (with their draft...

The Orioles' Gulf Coast League roster

The Orioles' Gulf Coast League roster
The Orioles' entry in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League begins a new season this afternoon playing against the GCL Rays in the season opener. The GCL Orioles' opening day roster (with round noted for 2014 draft picks): Pitchers: Almonte, Jefferies - 22 Alvarado, Cristian - 19 Aquino, Wilmer - 22 Ayers, Daniel - 19 Fermin, Yeraldo - 22 Floranus, Wendell - 19 Grendell, Kevin - 20 Homick, Max - 22 Isenia, Jonatan - 21 Jimenez, Francisco - 19 Lin, Yi-Hsiang - 21 McAdams, Sean - 20 Novak, Jan -...

Memo to minor league pitchers: When you throw, keep it low

Memo to minor league pitchers: When you throw, keep it low
In the minor leagues, the Orioles want their pitchers to develop consistent and repeatable mechanics and deliveries. They prefer they have a good fastball and changeup combination along with a breaking pitch, and they really want their pitchers to work hard on pitching down in the strike zone. Sounds like good advice. It makes sense that it is easier for a batter to drive a ball that is elevated over one that is down in the strike zone or even low and out of the strike zone. If you watch...