Astros rally to eliminate Twins in wild card series, extending playoff losing streak
Astros rally to eliminate Twins in wild card series, extending playoff losing streak
Mel Antonen
Orioles
The Twins won the American League Central by not losing two consecutive games at home during the season. Then everything changed when the postseason started. The Astros came to Target Field and added more history-making agony to the Twins' postseason record. After losing 4-1 and 3-1 to the Astros in the first two wild card games, the Twins extended their postseason losing streak to 18 consecutive games, more than any other National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National...
Brocail and Flores won't return to Orioles coaching staff
Brocail and Flores won't return to Orioles coaching staff
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The offseason work conducted by the Orioles has moved past the 40-man roster today and impacted two coaches. The Orioles aren't going to bring back pitching coach Doug Brocail and third base coach/infield instructor Jose Flores, according to multiple industry sources. Potential candidates have not been determined and no other changes are coming to the staff at this time, per a source. Brocail was hired in January 2019 as the replacement for Roger McDowell, who served on former manager Buck...
Zooming past players in 2020
Zooming past players in 2020
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The removal of media from the clubhouse in 2020 reduced players to images on a laptop screen. Better than just a voice on the other end of a phone call, but a wall that prevented real connections. The weeks spent in spring training provided the only interaction, and there were no introductions, one-on-ones or scrums with starter Jorge López and reliever César Valdez, who became prominent members of the pitching staff. López didn't arrive in the organization until Aug. 9, when the...
Phillips outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk
Phillips outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The latest maneuver by the Orioles to create room on the 40-man roster has impacted reliever Evan Phillips. The team announced this afternoon that Phillips cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Only 36 players remain on the 40-man roster and additional moves are coming to allow for placement of minor leaguers eligible to be chosen in December's Rule 5 draft. Phillips made multiple trips between the majors and alternate camp site in Bowie and registered a 5.02 ERA and a...
Armstrong armed with effective plan in 2020
Armstrong armed with effective plan in 2020
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles had players in 2020 who made obvious improvements. To miss it would require a blindfold and disabling of your Twitter account. They provided nice stories to get us through the summer. To offset the collapse that kept the Orioles away from the expanded playoff field. I'm wondering how many fans noticed that reliever Shawn Armstrong was very effective when healthy? I should have known because it's my job, but he was sneaky good. Only after reviewing the final bullpen numbers did I...
A few thoughts on fall instructional league
A few thoughts on fall instructional league
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are getting ready to open their fall instructional league down in Sarasota. The Ed Smith Stadium complex is operating again after being shut down for more than six months. One of the smartest moves made by the Orioles has been exercising caution instead of their players. A complete roster of participants will be available soon and figures to include the draft selections who were denied a minor league season. I'm working more on assumptions. For instance, why shut down top pick...
Nats' hopes for 2021 rebound start with their starters
Nats' hopes for 2021 rebound start with their starters
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We can talk about injuries. We can look at offensive consistency. We can point to the bullpen or poor defensive fundamentals. All played a role in the Nationals' disappointing 2020 season. But there really is one reason above all others the Nats failed to make the playoffs this year. And it's the same reason they failed to make the playoffs in 2013, 2015 and 2018. To paraphrase a politician's simplified message from nearly three decades ago: It's the rotation, stupid. Of course, the biggest...
Sizing up the 2020 Orioles offense
Sizing up the 2020 Orioles offense
Steve Melewski
Orioles
In judging the 2020 Orioles offense, a rating may be in the eye of the beholder. And it may heavily depend on when that person watched this team. If they saw them only play National League teams, they may rate the offense as one of the best in the game. If they saw only games against the American League, they will have a few questions about the bats. If they saw only the last few weeks, they will ponder if this group is just terrible. But more on the timing later. Let's first take a look at a...
Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams
Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams
Byron Kerr
Nationals
Here are some more updates on pitchers who were working at the alternate camp site in Fredericksburg, Va., during the regular season. A few of them have moved over to the instructional league in West Palm Beach, Fla., for the next month. This is third installment on pitchers who were working out in Fredericksburg. Top-rated prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge also were at the alternate site and have moved on to West Palm Beach. Right-hander Joan Adon is in Florida at instructional...
Latest look at 40-man roster and Rule 5 decisions (updated)
Latest look at 40-man roster and Rule 5 decisions (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The task of clearing room on the 40-man roster began as the Orioles worked through the final games on their schedule. No need to wait until the last out. Pitcher Carson Fulmer, the former first-round pick of the White Sox, didn't make it through waivers. Reliever Cody Carroll passed through and was outrighted. The 40-man roster was reduced to 37 players, but the Orioles activated pitcher Kohl Stewart from the 10-day injured list yesterday, per their transactions page, and he goes back on the...