A quizzical look at the Orioles

A quizzical look at the Orioles
I'm keeping it simple today while thinking that we could have some news later this week. Just don't hold me to it. I also predicted that Christmas would come early and now I'm wondering if my source was mistaken. Go ahead and take the latest quiz while you wait. There's no pressure because I don't grade them. This is more of an exercise without the spandex and sweat. Chris Davis is going to hit: A). More than 20 home runs B). Fewer than 20 home runs C). The lottery again If a starter...

Checking on Orioles minor leaguers who became free agents

Checking on Orioles minor leaguers who became free agents
The current offseason for the Orioles may not seem typical with hires pending in the front office, no manager in place and promises to revamp the entire scouting operation. This isn't business as usual across the board. However, there are certain tasks that await the club and aren't influenced by other circumstances. Building up minor league depth is one of the priorities. Trying to find hidden and inexpensive gems. The Orioles also might try to keep a few of their own. The list of Orioles...

Alex Cobb finished what he started, plus farm notes

Alex Cobb finished what he started, plus farm notes
The Orioles have played two pretty solid games in Cleveland this weekend and they posted an impressive 4-2 win on Saturday afternoon to end the Indians' six-game win streak. Right-hander Alex Cobb had another strong start. In fact, he pitched a complete-game five-hitter to improve to 4-15 with a 5.09 ERA. Cobb posted his fourth career complete game and his first nine-inning complete-game since a shutout versus Oakland on Aug. 23, 2012. Cobb has posted five straight quality starts with a 2.06...

O's game blog: O's Alex Cobb faces his former Tampa Bay teammates

O's game blog: O's Alex Cobb faces his former Tampa Bay teammates
Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb (0-2, 15.43 ERA) makes his first start as an Oriole at home and he will do so against his former team. For the first time ever Cobb pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays as the clubs open a rain-shortened, two-game series. Cobb has failed to complete the fourth inning in his first two starts, which came at Boston and Detroit. He went a combined seven innings allowing 20 hits and 15 runs (12 earned). He has allowed a .500 batting average (20-for-40) in those...

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman pitches Toronto series finale

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman pitches Toronto series finale
After 7-1 and 2-1 losses, the Orioles need a win at home tonight to avoid getting swept three straight by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles are 4-8 and Toronto is 8-4. Toronto is 3-0-1 in its four series. They split four with the Yankees and then won two of three from both the White Sox and Rangers. A Toronto win tonight would give them their first three-game sweep in Baltimore since July 16-18, 2010. O's starters Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner combined to pitch 14 innings allowing just two...

Norfolk's Ron Johnson with big props for O's skipper (O's win 7-6)

Norfolk's Ron Johnson with big props for O's skipper (O's win 7-6)
NORFOLK, Va. - We've heard it before, but two managers that greatly like and respect each other are the Orioles' Buck Showalter and his Triple-A counterpart, Norfolk's Ron Johnson. Johnson is the winningest manager in Tides history with 422 victories in six seasons. Showalter has often praised Johnson and appreciates his opinions on players over the years as he and the club decide which players to call up from the Tides. "We speak a lot during the season and I value his opinion," Showalter...

Reviewing the first half of spring training

Reviewing the first half of spring training
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have inched past the halfway point of spring training. More players will be removed from the camp roster, the competition for various jobs will be narrowed. Manager Buck Showalter said it's too early for a noticeable increase in "tempo." But it's coming. "After the off-day, I don't think we're quite that far into it yet," he said. "We've got 20-something days after the break." With Erick Salcedo reassigned to minor league camp, the in-house choices for...

Latest roster cuts and updating Gentry, Davis and Hays

Latest roster cuts and updating Gentry, Davis and Hays
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles reassigned infielders Erick Salcedo and Garabez Rosa to minor league camp following yesterday's game in Clearwater. Salcedo was competing for a spot as the utility infielder. He impressed at second base and shortstop and also went 4-for-8 with a double. Rosa, who was 3-for-16 with a double and home run, played first base and is expected to remain at the position in the minors. "Salcedo can catch the ball," said manager Buck Showalter. "Very intelligent, a smart...

Araujo getting noticed in crowded Rule 5 field

Araujo getting noticed in crowded Rule 5 field
SARASOTA, Fla. - So much gets lost over the course of a game, especially when a top pitching prospect has overcome a series of injuries to make his first career Grapefruit League start and another promising hurler walks off the field after one batter with an oblique injury. Hunter Harvey and Chris Lee overshadowed right-hander Pedro Araujo yesterday, for good and bad reasons. No one is celebrating Lee's latest physical ailment, which requires an MRI this morning and likely will sideline him...

Chris Lee's oblique injury and a 2-1 win (updated)

Chris Lee's oblique injury and a 2-1 win (updated)
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Chris Lee most likely injured his right oblique today while facing only one batter. The club will know more about the injury later and how long it could keep him off the mound. Lee appeared in only eight games with Double-A Bowie in 2016 due to an injury to his left lat muscle. He departed today after replacing starter Hunter Harvey, throwing two pitches and inducing a ground ball from Denard Span leading off the bottom of the third...

Harvey and his 95 mph fastball go two innings (O's win 2-1)

Harvey and his 95 mph fastball go two innings (O's win 2-1)
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The first career Grapefruit League start today for Hunter Harvey lasted two innings and featured a 95 mph fastball and glimpses of how he became the top pitching prospect in the organization. Harvey became the club's fourth starter this spring to allow one run over two innings, joining Mike Wright Jr., Nestor Cortes Jr. and Gabriel Ynoa. Harvey gave up three hits, walked one and struck out three - all of them with a heater that topped out at 95. Getting ahead of hitters...

Orioles lineup vs. Rays

Orioles lineup vs. Rays
SARASOTA, Fla. - Austin Hays in starting in right field today for the Orioles' game against the Rays in Port Charlotte. Hays had been used only as the designated hitter in Grapefruit League competition due to a sore lat muscle. Chance Sisco is catching again and batting fifth. Ryan Mountcastle is starting at third base. The Orioles continue to use Garabez Rosa at first base. For the Orioles Alex Presley CF Joey Rickard LF Anthony Santander DH Austin Hays RF Chance Sisco C Ryan Mountcastle 3B...

Wrapping up a 7-1 loss

Wrapping up a 7-1 loss
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Kevin Gausman will have to play spring training stopper on Monday. The Orioles are winless in four exhibition games following today's 7-1 loss to the Red Sox at JetBlue Park. They stranded two runners in the top of the ninth and fell to 0-3-1. Remain calm. Erick Salcedo singled off the pseudo Green Monster in left field before Aderlin Rodriguez struck out to send everyone into Sunday afternoon traffic on Interstate 75. José Mesa Jr., one of the three Rule 5 pitchers in...

Sifting through spring training storylines

Sifting through spring training storylines
One more day until Orioles pitchers and catchers are required to post at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla. The first workout is held the following day. My first trip to Publix will come later this afternoon after my flight lands in Tampa, I hop into a rental car and make the hour drive to the hotel. I can do it with my eyes closed, but local authorities keep issuing warnings. The offseason began with the Orioles needing three starting pitchers to fill out their rotation and more if...

Mountcastle, Stewart and Mullins among 19 O's non-roster invites

Mountcastle, Stewart and Mullins among 19 O's non-roster invites
The Orioles are inviting 19 non-roster players to their major league camp later this month, increasing to 35 the number of pitchers filtering into the Ed Smith Stadium complex. More starters are expected to show up later with Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman the only confirmed members of the rotation. The club also might want to add a couple of mounds. The list of non-roster invitees includes outfield prospects DJ Stewart and Cedric Mullins and third baseman Ryan Mountcastle. The complete list is...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
As the Orioles continue their search for starting pitchers, casting a wide net that covers the free agent, trade and international markets and potential non-tenders, they also are banking on two strong halves from Kevin Gausman. Tabbed as this year's opening day starter due to Chris Tillman's shoulder injury, Gausman registered a 5.85 ERA and 1.763 WHIP before the All-Star break and a 3.41 ERA and 1.204 WHIP after it. In 2016, he had a 4.15 ERA and 1.304 WHIP before the break and a 3.10 ERA...

Prospect profile: Ademar Rifaela had breakout '17 (plus other notes)

Prospect profile: Ademar Rifaela had breakout '17 (plus other notes)
When you talk about outfield prospects on the Orioles farm, he can get overlooked among players like Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart. But Ademar Rifaela had a breakout 2017 season. Producing much better stats than he had earlier in his career, the 23-year-old corner outfielder was named the Carolina League MVP at Single-A Frederick. Over 126 games, he hit .284/.358/.500 with an OPS of .858, which was well above the .717 he posted in 2015 or the .713 from 2016. Rifaela hit 23 doubles,...

Tejada, Rosa, Ripken among 14 free agents signed by Orioles

Tejada, Rosa, Ripken among 14 free agents signed by Orioles
More comfortable announcing a bunch of minor league signings instead of letting them trickle out one at a time, the Orioles released the names of 14 free agents today who are staying in or joining the organization. The roll call includes infielder Rubén Tejada, who appeared in 41 games this season and came off the 40-man roster after the Orioles activated Ryan Flaherty from the disabled list. Flaherty is a free agent and Tejada could compete for a utility job. The Orioles didn't reveal...

Nuño's departure and more on Orioles minor league free agents

Nuño's departure and more on Orioles minor league free agents
Vidal Nuño didn't give us much of a chance to become attached to him. Left camp for 10 days to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, spent a small portion of the summer with the Orioles, became a minor league free agent and found a new team. Nuño has signed a minor league deal with the Rays, as first reported by Baseball America's Matt Eddy. He elected free agency last month, joining pitcher Logan Verrett, catcher Francisco Peña and second baseman Johnny Giavotella. Infielder Rubén...

A look at the Orioles' list of pending minor league free agents

A look at the Orioles' list of pending minor league free agents
To put in perspective how long Garabez Rosa has been in the Orioles organization, when Adam Jones was traded to the club in February 2008, Rosa was about to begin his second season on the O's farm. Signed out of the Dominican Republic at 17 in November 2006, Rosa has played 1,154 games over 11 seasons in the Orioles' minor league system. Save for a few games at Triple-A Norfolk, he's been at Double-A Bowie since the 2013 season. He is the Baysox's all-time leader in games (590), hits (650),...