O's game blog: The final series begins
O's game blog: The final series begins
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles begin the final series of the 2020 season tonight when they play at Buffalo's Sahlen Field against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles (24-33) could finish 27-33 and would be playing .450 ball for the year if they sweep this series, but they are just 1-6 on the season against Toronto. The Blue Jays (30-27) beat the New York Yankees 4-1 last night to clinch their first playoff berth since 2016. They are two games behind New York for second place in the American League East and a...
Santander on MVO: "It's such an honor to receive this award"
Santander on MVO: "It's such an honor to receive this award"
Steve Melewski
Orioles
His season ended in early September due to a right oblique strain and it wasn't long after that the Orioles were straining to score runs. They miss outfielder Anthony Santander, who today was named the 2020 Most Valuable Oriole. The Orioles do not release results of the voting by local media that cover the team on a regular basis, but in a year with several worthy contenders, Santander is the winner. He finished the year batting .261/.315/.575 with 13 doubles, one triple, 11 homers, 24 runs...
Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Jorge López makes the start tonight for the Orioles as they begin a three-game series against the Blue Jays in Buffalo that closes out the 2020 season. López has registered back-to-back quality starts. The Orioles haven't announced their Sunday starter. John Means is on the mound Saturday. Austin Hays is leading off for the first time since Aug. 1 and playing left field, with Cedric Mullins batting ninth. DJ Stewart is the right fielder. Hanser Alberto moves down to sixth in the...
Nats in agreement with Martinez on contract extension
Nats in agreement with Martinez on contract extension
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
For the first time since they arrived in town a decade and a half ago, the Nationals know they have a manager for the long haul. The organization and Davey Martinez agreed to a contract extension today, ensuring the manager who guided the franchise to its first World Series title in 2019 will remain in his position beyond 2021 and become the longest-tenured skipper in club history. The deal has not been officially finalized yet, according to a source familiar with the discussions, but an...
Game 58 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
Game 58 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
This hasn't been the season Max Scherzer or the Nationals envisioned. All they can do now is try to finish strong and head into the winter with something of a positive taste left in their mouths. For Scherzer, the final opportunity to do that comes tonight against the Mets. Though his overall numbers (4-4, 3.67 ERA, 1.386 WHIP) are not up to his usual standards, Scherzer has pitched pretty well over the second half of this season. In his last five starts, he has a 3.00 ERA and 41 strikeouts...
Santander chosen as Most Valuable Oriole
Santander chosen as Most Valuable Oriole
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Anthony Santander demonstrated his value to the Orioles this summer during his appearances in the lineup and in right field. He also showed how much he's missed. Santander appeared in 37 games before the Orioles shut him down with a strained right oblique muscle, but his overall impact earned him the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole award for 2020. The award is voted upon by members of the media who cover the team on a regular or semi-regular basis. Outfielder Trey Mancini won it in...
Anthony Santander named 2020 Most Valuable Oriole
Anthony Santander named 2020 Most Valuable Oriole
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
The Orioles today announced that outfielder Anthony Santander has been voted the winner of the 2020 Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award by members of the local media who cover the team on a regular basis. Santander finished the season hitting .261/.315/.575 (40-for-153) with 13 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 24 runs scored, 32 RBI, and 10 walks. His season was cut short after being placed on the Injured List with a strained right oblique on September 5. At the time of his injury,...
Trying to evaluate players in a 60-game season
Trying to evaluate players in a 60-game season
Steve Melewski
Orioles
If this were a normal season, players currently slumping would have over 100 games to do something about it. But now those same players have three more games. It's probably not enough time to overcome slumps that have lasted a week or more. Some players' stats are falling big-time and they are going to have to look at them all winter. Does that create a complicated evaluation process for the Orioles? They have 60 games of a body of work and not 162 to look at. Some players that were key...
Rotation a possible remedy for defensive regression
Rotation a possible remedy for defensive regression
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The defensive decline that's hurting the Orioles on the field and in the metrics again is going to be a point of emphasis in the offseason. Doesn't it seem that way every year since the days of Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy and pre-decline Adam Jones? The Orioles wanted an upgrade at shortstop, discussed Adeiny Hechavarría and signed plus-plus defender José Iglesias to a one-year deal with an option for 2021. They wanted Richie Martin to play shortstop every day at Triple-A Norfolk and...
Mullins' early big hit helps O's offense break out at Boston
Mullins' early big hit helps O's offense break out at Boston
Steve Melewski
Orioles
As the Orioles offense broke out tonight and they won the final game of a three-game series, a somewhat unlikely source had an early big hit. It was center fielder Cedric Mullins. It's not that he had been hitting poorly; he had not. But Mullins had struggled this year as a right-handed batter facing lefties. However, his two-run, bases-loaded double tonight was a key hit that gave the Orioles an early 3-0 lead in the second inning. They went on to beat Boston 13-1 to avoid being swept three...