Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)

Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)
The Orioles' center fielder on opening day has moved down to Double-A Bowie. Cedric Mullins has been transferred to the Baysox after batting .205/.272/.306 in 66 games with Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles optioned him after he started the season with only six hits in 64 at-bats. Mullins, 24, broke camp with the Orioles despite going 8-for-53 in exhibition games and he's never been able to heat up at the plate. He's leading off tonight and playing center field in Akron. The Tides made a series...

Orioles post back-to-back 13-0 victories to win series (updated)

Orioles post back-to-back 13-0 victories to win series (updated)
The announcement was made shortly before the anthem. Andrew Cashner no longer would start for the Orioles. Reliever Shawn Armstrong had become the chosen one. Not a trade. Not an injury. Just a weather report that called for storms to pummel the area. Manager Brandon Hyde didn't list "juggler" on his baseball resume, but he's been doing it with his rotation. The Orioles nailed the forecast and switched back to Cashner, who blanked the Indians on three hits in seven innings and rode the...

Better bullpen needed to begin beating teams

Better bullpen needed to begin beating teams
A rested bullpen didn't provide a solution for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who failed again Wednesday night to unearth a late-inning combination that could protect the slimmest of leads. Hyde used only three relievers over the previous two games. Dan Straily ate four innings Monday after following starter Gabriel Ynoa, and Dylan Bundy worked through the seventh the following night. Two ways for a club to avoid taxing its 'pen. So what did Hyde get for it? Another blown save on Wednesday,...

Harvey among eight roster cuts, (O's acquire Moore, tied 4-4)

Harvey among eight roster cuts, (O's acquire Moore, tied 4-4)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has made his first round of cuts today and they include pitcher Hunter Harvey. With the Orioles setting the goal of keeping Harvey healthy through camp and setting him up for a full season, the former first-round pick has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk as the only member of the 40-man roster to be dismissed from the Ed Smith Stadium complex. The club also announced that catcher Cael Brockmeyer, left-hander Chris Lee, right-handers Dean Kremer and...

Orioles notes, quotes and anecdotes

Orioles notes, quotes and anecdotes
SARASOTA, Fla. - In evaluating young left-hander Josh Rogers, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde can't afford to become distracted. Not for a second. Divert your eyes and another batter is retired. Another inning is completed. "I tell you what, if you go to get a drink with Josh Rogers on the mound, you better have your head up with your eyes on the field because you're going to miss about 10 pitches," Hyde said. "The tempo is unbelievable. He gets the ball and goes, he gets on the rubber and...

Wright turns in another scoreless outing (O's down 11-4)

Wright turns in another scoreless outing (O's down 11-4)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Dissecting the first two spring outings begins with the basics for Mike Wright. Four innings and no runs allowed. "I like giving up no runs," Wright said this afternoon after shutting out the Rays over two innings. "That's fun." Wright allowed two hits, walked a batter and struck out one. He's surrendered five hits this spring, his first appearance coming Saturday in relief of starter Yefry Ramirez. "A little too many hits and obviously the walk today," he said....

Early notes and updates before Orioles-Rays game

Early notes and updates before Orioles-Rays game
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-hander Richard Bleier threw live batting practice this morning on Field 2, with Cedric Mullins and Carlos Pérez serving as the hitters. Manager Brandon Hyde said Bleier will pitch in a "situational-type game" before debuting in six or seven days. The Orioles are being careful with Bleier, who underwent lat surgery in June and is an important part of their bullpen. Mychal Givens pitched a simulated game yesterday in Sarasota and also is getting closer to making...

Pitchers expected to highlight today's game in Fort Myers

Pitchers expected to highlight today's game in Fort Myers
SARASOTA, Fla. - Nate Karns makes his first start for the Orioles today in their first road game, the team bus pointed toward Interstate 75 south and headed to Fort Myers. Karns brings a certain level of interest and intrigue this afternoon because he missed the entire 2018 season with an elbow injury and pitched in only nine games the previous summer before undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The Orioles ideally would like to slot him behind Dylan Bundy, Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner,...

Leftovers from the first week of Orioles spring training

Leftovers from the first week of Orioles spring training
SARASOTA, Fla. - With veteran infielder Alcides Escobar expected in the clubhouse this morning, the Orioles media will have an easy note or main story teed up on the second day of full-squad workouts. Escobar was traveling yesterday, his arrival increasing to 60 the number of players in camp. The roster holds 62, including catcher Jesús Sucre and pitcher Gregory Infante, who remain in Venezuela. Infante is a long shot to make the club, but Sucre has a legitimate chance if he can obtain his...

Relievers left to wonder whether there's room for them in 'pen

Relievers left to wonder whether there's room for them in 'pen
SARASOTA, Fla. - The first full-squad workout today will feature 14 pitchers throwing live batting practice spread over four fields. Andrew Cashner, Dylan Bundy and Sean Gilmartin will throw off the Ed Smith Stadium mound. Nathan Karns, David Hess, Hunter Harvey and Cody Carroll are grouped together. So are Luis Ortiz, Dillon Tate, Evan Phillips and Tanner Scott. Gabriel Ynoa, Branden Kline and Jimmy Yacabonis are together on another back field. Left-hander Richard Bleier will throw another...

Brice claimed off waivers by Marlins

Brice claimed off waivers by Marlins
The Austin Brice era with the Orioles was fleeting. It lasted about a month. The Marlins have claimed Brice off waivers after the Orioles designated him for assignment on Jan. 28 to create a spot for infielder Jack Reinheimer on the 40-man roster. Reinheimer was claimed off waivers from the Rangers. The Orioles claimed Brice from the Angels on Jan. 4 and designated infielder Breyvic Valera for assignment. They traded Valera to the Giants the following day for cash considerations. Brice, 26, is...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
As the Orioles continue making their final preparations for this weekend's FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center, they're also nearing the announcements on their major league and minor league coaching staffs and their non-roster invitees to spring training. One domino falls and others will tumble. The list of invitees could include infielders Ryan Mountcastle, Jace Peterson, Engelb Vielma, Sean Miller and Zach Vincej, outfielders Ryan McKenna, Yusniel Díaz and Christopher...

Orioles put Tate on 40-man roster and DFA Vielma

Orioles put Tate on 40-man roster and DFA Vielma
The Orioles have adjusted their 40-man roster in preparation for the Rule 5 draft, which will be held on Dec. 13 on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Pitcher Dillon Tate was placed on the 40-man today, his contract selected from Double-A Bowie, to prohibit teams from taking him. With the roster already full, the Orioles created room by designating infielder Engelb Vielma for assignment. Another spot must be opened later to allow the Orioles to make a selection, which is...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Not long ago, I wrote how openings in the Orioles' front office and scouting department were viewed as having tremendous appeal by a significant number of people in the industry. The delays in making hires weren't based on a lack of interest. To follow up on it, I talked to someone over the weekend who used the term "a goldmine" to describe the situation. Not "a landmine," which illustrates how the perception of the job has changed over the years. One reason for the positive outlook is...

Providing president reminders in Orioles' front office interviews

Providing president reminders in Orioles' front office interviews
If you've shifted to the edge of your seat waiting for the Orioles to announce a hiring, sit back and try to relax for at least a few more days. Nothing is imminent. Nothing is likely to happen this week as the GM meetings run their course. The interview process hasn't reached its conclusion, which allows more time for fans to become confused over the reports that keep surfacing. All I can do in the meantime is try to provide at least a modicum of clarity while operating largely in the...

Hays moving in right direction with surgically repaired ankle

Hays moving in right direction with surgically repaired ankle
Double-A Bowie outfielder Austin Hays started a running program on Monday as part of his rehabilitation. An important ... wait for it ... step in his quest to compete for a job with the Orioles next season. Hays underwent surgery on Sept. 13 to repair a stress fracture and some cartilage defects in his left ankle. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist based in Green Bay, Wis., inserted two screws in the ankle and performed a bone graft to repair the cartilage and prevent a cyst from returning. So...

McKenna omitted from AFL Fall Stars Game roster

McKenna omitted from AFL Fall Stars Game roster
A .378 average and 1.149 OPS apparently aren't deemed worthy of inclusion in the upcoming Arizona Fall League's 13th annual Fall Stars Game unless a fan vote rectifies the situation. Double-A Bowie outfielder Ryan McKenna is conspicuously absent from the West Division roster, which has been released this afternoon. No one in the Orioles organization is represented. McKenna has crafted a .378/.500/.649 slash line in 10 games with the Glendale Desert Dogs. He's collected four doubles and three...

More roster talk, Lee update and former Orioles in October

More roster talk, Lee update and former Orioles in October
Setting the 40-man roster prior to the Rule 5 draft won't necessarily be the first order of business for the Orioles' reconstructed front office, with the non-tender deadline set for Nov. 30, but it's going to involve more heavy lifting. The roster is full and the Orioles need to create room for pitchers Dillon Tate and Branden Kline, who are assured of making it. Catcher Martin Cervenka and left-hander Luis Gonzalez also are expected to have spots open to them. As I've pointed out in the...

Whittling down the walks would work wonders for Orioles

Whittling down the walks would work wonders for Orioles
A new manager for the Orioles likely will bring in his own pitching coach rather than inherit Roger McDowell. It's the usual outcome. Few coaches carry over to the next skipper. The ones that do should receive an award bearing Elrod Hendricks' name. Manager Mike Hargrove inherited Eddie Murray on his 2000 staff, giving him an extra coach and forcing Brian Graham, formerly on the Indians' staff, to the press box as the "eye in the sky." Graham also was given the title of "offensive and...

No structural damage in Harvey's elbow (updated)

No structural damage in Harvey's elbow (updated)
BOSTON - An examination on Hunter Harvey's right elbow Monday in Baltimore didn't reveal any structural damage, with his latest bout of discomfort related to tendinitis. Harvey will remain shut down after his latest round of flat ground sessions in Sarasota were halted on Sept. 18. He's basically been prescribed rest. The Orioles no longer are sending Harvey to the Arizona Fall League, where he was supposed to pitch for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Harvey underwent an MRI on Aug. 22 that...