Notes on FanFest and Silver Slugger Awards

Notes on FanFest and Silver Slugger Awards
The Orioles announced today that their annual FanFest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Convention Center. More information will become available later. For now, you'll need to be satisfied with the date. Save it. The Silver Slugger Awards were handed out tonight, the selections revealed on MLB Network, and the Orioles were shut out after winning three of them in 2013. Nelson Cruz lost out to the Tigers' Victor Martinez among finalists at designated hitter. Cruz led the majors with 40...
    

Throwback Thursday: Cruz's dominating performance

Throwback Thursday: Cruz's dominating performance
Tonight, the Silver Slugger Awards will be handed out to the best offensive player at each position in each league. Nelson Cruz led the major leagues in home runs, finishing with 40 during the regular season. He also ranked fourth in RBIs with 108. With those monster stats, Cruz could walk away with a Silver Slugger tonight. While we wait to hear if his name is called, let's take a look back on one of Cruz's most dominating offensive performances from 2014. The Orioles slugger smashed two...
    

Next up: The Silver Slugger Award

Next up: The Silver Slugger Award
One night after winning three Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, the Orioles were shut out in the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards. The Wilson Award, founded in 2012, doesn't separate the winners by leagues. They're determined by using a formula that relies heavily on scouting information, sabermetric analysis and traditional statistics. The Braves' Andrelton Simmons was named top shortstop instead of J.J. Hardy. The Royals' Lorenzo Cain was named top center fielder over Adam Jones, and...
    

Cruz talks Orioles on MLB Network Radio, Patton suspended again

Cruz talks Orioles on MLB Network Radio, Patton suspended again
Nelson Cruz, interviewed today on MLB Network Radio, stated again that his first choice in free agency is to remain with the Orioles. Winning is his first priority when deciding on a team, and that's why he signed a one-year deal with the Orioles in spring training. It all sounds so good, but Cruz initially sought a five-year deal and the most recent reports have him geared toward a minimum of four. That's not good for the Orioles. Cruz has until Monday to turn down their $15.3 million...
    

More on qualifying offers, BBWAA awards and Rawlings Gold Gloves

More on qualifying offers, BBWAA awards and Rawlings Gold Gloves
The Orioles have taken care of the obvious pieces of business over the past few days, picking up the options on pitchers Wei-Yin Chen and Darren O'Day, declining the options on right fielder Nick Markakis and catcher Nick Hundley, making a qualifying offer to outfielder Nelson Cruz, and reinstating catcher Matt Wieters and third baseman Manny Machado from the 60-day disabled list. The only drama centered on when the club would send out the tweets and press releases. Twenty-two players were...
    

Cruz receives qualifying offer

Cruz receives qualifying offer
The Orioles made the expected move this afternoon and extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Nelson Cruz. The deadline was 5 p.m. Cruz will turn it down, of course, and continue to seek a four- or five-year deal in free agency. The Orioles will continue to negotiate with his agent, Diego Bentz of Relativity Sports, but so can every other team. The Orioles will receive a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round if Cruz signs with another club. The qualifying offer...
    

AL East offseason preview: Cruz, Miller loom large in O's plans

AL East offseason preview: Cruz, Miller loom large in O's plans
The San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 to win their third World Series in five seasons, so let the offseason begin. Here's a primer on what's going on with teams in the American League East: Baltimore: The Orioles have already signed shortstop J.J Hardy, but they go into the offseason needing to sign outfielder/designated hitter Nelson Cruz, 34, and lefty reliever Andrew Miller. Cruz and Miller aren't going to be as easy to sign as Hardy was. Miller is expected to get...
    

Time to stock the shelves in the free agent market

Time to stock the shelves in the free agent market
The World Series has finally come to an end, with Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner flushing the Royals in Game 7 while carrying an entire team on his back. Don't try it at home. My rooting interest was having seven close games with lots of late-inning drama. Most of them were blowouts, but not last night's finale. A World Series Game 7 has got to be the finest event in sports. As long as the Orioles aren't playing the Pirates, of course. Too soon. And I'm still talking about...
    

Throwback Thursday: The opening act

Throwback Thursday: The opening act
It's officially the offseason for all of Major League Baseball, which means we have to wait until April 6 for baseball to return. For those counting, that's 158 days - otherwise known as 3,792 hours, 227,520 minutes or 13,651,200 seconds. OK, I think you get the point. While you patiently wait for the first pitch, I'll be throwin' it back to the Orioles' most memorable moments from 2014 every Thursday. Let's call it Throwback Thursday, shall we? Without further adieu, let's throw it...
    

Orioles excluded from Sporting News All-Star team

Orioles excluded from Sporting News All-Star team
The Orioles aren't playing in the World Series and they still haven't received a Sporting News postseason award. Tough week. Baseball executives excluded the Orioles while choosing the American League All-Star team, which was announced this morning. Shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielder Adam Jones and designated hitter Nelson Cruz received votes. Cruz batted .271/333/.525 with 32 doubles and 108 RBIs and he led the majors with 40 home runs, but executives selected the Tigers' Victor Martinez,...
    

World Series thoughts and the next award

World Series thoughts and the next award
At what point is James Shields required to hand over his nickname of "Big Game?" At what point will sportswriters refer to it only in jest? Shields was charged with five runs in three-plus innings last night in Game 1 of the World Series, leaving his career postseason ERA at 5.74 in 10 starts. "Big Game" may work if he's hunting in Africa. Otherwise ... Shields reportedly passed a kidney stone after the American League Championship Series. I wonder what was more painful. Shields is...
    

Notes on Cruz, Roberts, Davis and more

Notes on Cruz, Roberts, Davis and more
I've decided to begin the morning by addressing one rumor and squelching speculation about a former Oriole. I received a tweet about a Facebook status - yeah, so far it's rock solid - claiming that Nelson Cruz was buying a television in Baltimore for his mother because he received a new contract from the Orioles. Stop laughing. I have no idea whether Cruz purchased a TV, but I've been told by three people in the industry that he doesn't have a contract with the Orioles. He can become a free...
    

Duquette on playoff loss, roster decisions and more

Duquette on playoff loss, roster decisions and more
Dan Duquette, the Orioles' executive vice president of baseball operations, delivered a message to fans this afternoon while standing in front of the home dugout at Camden Yards. The gates were closed, but he wanted them to hear it. "I think what I want our fans to know is that we took a big step forward this year," he said. "We won the division. We won 99 games and we aim to be competitive year in and year out." Duquette was just getting started. "We had several players that we didn't...
    

Showalter: "This is a real overwhelmingly sad time of the year for me"

Showalter: "This is a real overwhelmingly sad time of the year for me"
The Twins haven't contacted Orioles bench coach John Russell about interviewing for their managerial position, which was vacated with the firing of Ron Gardenhire. However, they're expected to reach out to him. "If they don't call," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter, "then they must have some really good candidates." It's believed that the job belongs to Hall of Famer Paul Molitor if he wants it. Stay tuned. Immediately following the Game 4 loss in Kansas City, I asked Showalter...
    

A few afternoon notes from Camden Yards

A few afternoon notes from Camden Yards
I've got plenty of quotes to pass along later from today's interviews with Orioles manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette at Camden Yards, where workers are removing the red, white and blue bunting from the fences. There's nothing newsy. Duquette didn't map out his plans for the offseason. Left-hander T.J. McFarland was the only player in the clubhouse while the media hung out for almost an hour. He grabbed a flight home to Chicago this afternoon. Duquette said he...
    

Decisions looming on key contributors

Decisions looming on key contributors
The Orioles are opening their clubhouse to the media today at 12:30 p.m. A few players may wander inside to pack up their belongings before flying home. Most of them probably took care of it last night or made arrangements to have a clubhouse attendant ship boxes to them. Manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette will conduct interviews in the dugout. Showalter will try to come up with some fresh responses. The wounds are probably fresh, as well. This is the saddest day...
    

Cruz has earned big payday, but should Orioles give it to him?

Cruz has earned big payday, but should Orioles give it to him?
Nelson Cruz said he'd like to remain an Oriole. But for that to happen, the club will likely need to sign him to a long-term deal of at least three years - and probably more. Cruz is about to hit the free agent market, and if he does, it seems likely some team will throw big dollars his way after a 40-homer, 108-RBI season. He set career highs in both categories, leading the majors in homers. The Orioles' best move may be to offer Cruz the qualifying offer of $15.3 million on a one-year...
    

Showalter: "If you care like our people care, it hurts"

Showalter: "If you care like our people care, it hurts"
KANSAS CITY - It's never easy to say goodbye. To teammates, coaches and especially a season. Players hugged each other in the Orioles clubhouse following a 2-1 loss in Game 4 that completed the Royals' sweep of the American League Championship Series. Pitching coach Dave Wallace made sure to approach everyone on his staff, shaking hands and embracing guys who needed it. Executive vice president Dan Duquette also worked the room, approaching every player at his locker. Manager Buck...
    

Pearce: "One loss left, so we've got to find some way to get it done"

Pearce: "One loss left, so we've got to find some way to get it done"
KANSAS CITY - So it's come to this: The Orioles will attempt to become only the second team to rebound from a 3-0 deficit in games to win the League Championship Series. Tall order? It's nosebleed territory. The Orioles have lost three games by a combined five runs, including tonight's 2-1 setback to the Royals before 40,183 at Kauffman Stadium. They pitched well enough to win. The Royals pitched a little bit better, retiring the last 16 batters and 21 of 22. "It's tough," said first...
    

Notes on Gonzalez, Cruz and Joseph

Notes on Gonzalez, Cruz and Joseph
KANSAS CITY - Miguel Gonzalez will start Game 4 of the American League Championship Series unless he's needed in relief tonight. Gonzalez hasn't started since Sept. 28 in Toronto in the final regular season game. The layoff, however, isn't the reason for his assignment on Wednesday. "That whole thing about time off, this time of the year... In fact, Gonzo has handled it pretty well when we've given him extra time," said manager Buck Showalter. Nelson Cruz will start in left field in...