Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
Trey Mancini made only two starts in right field coming into the season, both as a rookie in 2017. He learned to play left after moving off first base. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde wanted him to become more acclimated to right and expand his versatility on a club that prioritizes it. It's become more than just an experiment. Mancini has been the right fielder in four of the first seven games, with Dwight Smith Jr. hunkered down in left. "It feels good," Mancini said before yesterday's 8-4...

Hart claimed by Dodgers, wrapping up 5-4 loss

Hart claimed by Dodgers, wrapping up 5-4 loss
BRADENTON, Fla. - Left-hander Donnie Hart, designated for assignment by the Orioles on March 1, has been claimed off waivers by the Dodgers. The Orioles designated Hart to make room for infielder Hanser Alberto. He posted a 5.59 ERA and 2.224 WHIP in 20 appearances with the Orioles last summer. In his only spring inning, Hart retired the side in order with two strikeouts. The former 27th round pick has a 3.43 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 93 major league games. Branden Kline fell behind 2-0 to the...

Hearing from Rogers and Hyde before today's game (O's up 4-1)

Hearing from Rogers and Hyde before today's game (O's up 4-1)
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde spent part of yesterday's postgame media session praising left-hander Josh Rogers for setting a rapid tempo rather than lulling everyone to sleep between pitches. Rogers isn't doing it by accident. He retired all six Rays that he faced in the blink of an eye. "I'm definitely conscious of it," he said. "It's something I feel like I use to my advantage. I don't think it's something you can just get up there and do. I've taught myself to do...

Wrapping up a 10-5 loss

Wrapping up a 10-5 loss
SARASOTA, Fla. - Hunter Harvey didn't flash a 98 mph fastball today, keeping it in Fort Myers, but he tossed a scoreless fifth inning with two strikeouts in an impressive outing. Harvey's heater was 95-97 mph and he used it to strike out Christian Arroyo and strand Kevin Kiermaier, who walked with one out and moved up on a wild pitch. Former major league closer Bryan Harvey watched as his son also struck out Mike Zunino in the Orioles' 10-5 loss to the Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Guillermo...

O's reclaim Alberto and DFA Hart, Cobb pulled early (O's lose 10-5)

O's reclaim Alberto and DFA Hart, Cobb pulled early (O's lose 10-5)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have brought back infielder Hanser Alberto, claiming him off waivers this afternoon from the Giants after designating him on Feb. 19 and losing him to a claim three days later. Donnie Hart has been designated for assignment, leaving four left-hander relievers on the 40-man roster. Hart was scheduled to pitch today against the Rays in a split-squad game. The Orioles designated Alberto to make room for left-hander Josh Osich on the 40-man and the Giants snagged him....

Orioles claim Osich, Escobar reports to camp

Orioles claim Osich, Escobar reports to camp
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles made another waiver claim this afternoon, selecting Josh Osich from the Giants, while also adding a fifth left-handed reliever to their 40-man roster. Osich, 30, joins Richard Bleier, Tanner Scott, Paul Fry and Donnie Hart. Non-roster southpaws Sean Gilmartin and Chris Lee also are in camp. Infielder Hanser Alberto has been designated for assignment to make room for Osich on the 40-man roster. The Orioles claimed Alberto off waivers from the Yankees last month. The...

Hearing more from Richard Bleier following FanFest

Hearing more from Richard Bleier following FanFest
The media at FanFest was treated to the availability of 27 players and six coaches for interviews in the workroom on the third level of the Baltimore Convention Center, along with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles PR staff spoiled us again, making it easy to gather notes and quotes in a comfortable setting. The only unexpected absences were due to scheduling conflicts that couldn't be avoided, with Jonathan Villar and Luis Ortiz...

Castro would find relief in throwing more strikes

Castro would find relief in throwing more strikes
The two scoreless innings that reliever Miguel Castro worked on Sept. 22 in New York might seem insignificant when cast in the overall picture. The Orioles were barreling toward another loss and destined to finish with the worst record in the majors and in franchise history. Seven batters faced after replacing starter David Hess in the sixth and just one hit allowed on a Gleyber Torres double that was followed by a passed ball and out at the plate on a fielder's choice. But Castro lowered his...

Updating Trumbo and Bleier's recoveries from surgery

Updating Trumbo and Bleier's recoveries from surgery
There wasn't much Orioles news to come out of the Winter Meetings beyond the decision to hire Brandon Hyde as manager, whatever the zealous level of the reports. Roster rumblings pretty much were limited to the Rule 5 draft and a waiver claim of third baseman Rio Ruiz. But two injury updates were noteworthy. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said he expected reliever Richard Bleier and outfielder/designated hitter Mark Trumbo to be ready for opening day based on the...

Coming up with Orioles resolutions for 2019

Coming up with Orioles resolutions for 2019
A team that posted the worst record in club history is bound to be subjected to the New Year's Eve ball-dropping joke that I repeat every winter. I'll be above it today. 'Tis the season for clichéd resolution articles and I'm not above them. For example: Jonathan Villar: Don't make the first or last out trying to steal third base. Villar: Don't be passive on the bases. You can figure out how to balance the two. Trey Mancini: Get your Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) closer to the minus-1...

Some leftovers from the Adam Jones tailgate

Some leftovers from the Adam Jones tailgate
Orioles reliever Donnie Hart arrived at yesterday morning's #StayHungry Purple Tailgate with a box of donuts in his hands. He was definitely in the right place. Adam Jones walked up to Hart, reached inside the box and pulled out one of his favorite treats. Glazed are his preference. Nothing too fancy. Jones and his sweet tooth were back in Baltimore because there's always more charitable work to be done. On this day, he managed to raise more than $125,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of...

Jones hosts another successful tailgate while uncertain about future

Jones hosts another successful tailgate while uncertain about future
Adam Jones has no idea whether his annual #StayHungry Purple Tailgate will extend to a seventh year in 2019. He doesn't know where he'll be playing and whether it will be convenient to get back to Baltimore. Free agency tends to drape a person in uncertainty. Here's a fact: Today's event raised a record amount of $125,010 for the Boys and Girls Club of Baltimore and the Living Classrooms Foundation. Food, drinks, live music and temperatures that climbed into the 60s created the perfect...

Updating the 40-man roster and pending decisions

Updating the 40-man roster and pending decisions
A full 40-man roster has left the Orioles with another set of decisions to make while creating room for players leading into the Rule 5 draft and eventual outside acquisitions via trades and free agency. The deadline to non-tender players is Nov. 30 and the Orioles must figure out whether to give raises to infielder Tim Beckham and catcher Caleb Joseph. They're the ones who are at risk. Starter Dylan Bundy, reliever Mychal Givens and infielder Jonathan Villar obviously are staying on the...

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...

Wrapping up a 19-3 loss in Game 1 (O's lead 6-3)

Wrapping up a 19-3 loss in Game 1 (O's lead 6-3)
BOSTON - Today's 16-run defeat in Game 1 of a doubleheader is the largest for the Orioles since their 30-3 loss to the Rangers back in 2007. Also the first game of a doubleheader. Also hard to digest. Manager Buck Showalter never wants to use a position player to pitch, but he's done it twice this summer, with Danny Valencia and Jace Peterson. Peterson is the ninth player in Orioles history to do it, and he almost tossed a scoreless eighth after getting Ian Kinsler to ground back to the mound...

Orioles surrender 22 hits and use Peterson to pitch in 19-3 loss

Orioles surrender 22 hits and use Peterson to pitch in 19-3 loss
BOSTON - The opener of today's doubleheader became an elimination game for the Orioles. Candidates to start the nightcap were narrowed like a two-lane road winding through a construction zone. Ryan Meisinger faced only six batters in his first major league start, retiring one, and the wheels were in motion. Donnie Hart came in and let three inherited runners score. John Means entered in the third for his major league debut and Cody Carroll replaced him in the sixth and surrendered three home...

Bundy lasts only three innings in 6-2 loss (updated)

Bundy lasts only three innings in 6-2 loss (updated)
BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter couldn't announce his starter for Tuesday without knowing how Dylan Bundy fared tonight. Without knowing how deep into the game Bundy would pitch and how many times the bullpen phone rang. As more jackets came off relievers, fewer possibilities existed for Showalter. Only in a historically bad season can an expanded September roster stretch thin a manager's patience. Bundy neared 60 pitches after two innings and hauled a four-run deficit back to the...

Notes on tonight's starter, Meisinger's roll and Stewart's DH duty

Notes on tonight's starter, Meisinger's roll and Stewart's DH duty
The Orioles will reveal their starter for tonight's game before the anthem. Hopefully, before the media gains access to the clubhouse at 3:10 p.m. It's an unwritten rule that pitchers don't talk on the day that they're starting. I'd hate to approach the wrong guy. The choice would seem to come down to left-handers Sean Gilmartin (my guess) and Donnie Hart and right-hander Evan Phillips. No matter who gets the ball, the bullpen figures to be busy. Gilmartin has made two starts in the majors...

Cashner on knee injury, Showalter on rotation (updated)

Cashner on knee injury, Showalter on rotation (updated)
Orioles manager Buck Showalter believes that Andrew Cashner could make his next start, which falls on Monday against the Blue Jays if the veteran stays in turn. However, it depends on how Cashner gets through Saturday's workday at Camden Yards. Cashner received a cortisone injection in his left knee around 5 p.m. yesterday and needed 24 hours of inactivity before testing it. He underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with patellar tendon bursitis, which has bothered him for the past two to three...