How Orioles pitched in to craft a love story
How Orioles pitched in to craft a love story
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The first tweet sent to me was ignored. The second elicited a response that, upon review, still makes me cringe. Emily contacted me in early 2014, requesting an interview for a freelance writing class at Towson University. She needed a "local celebrity" and was a big fan of the Orioles and my work. I wrote back, "I'm sure we can work something out." Better than a "no," but still pretty cold given where this story leads. She was coming to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., staying with a...
Orioles confident in Wells as closer
Orioles confident in Wells as closer
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The chiseling of the Orioles' 40-man roster needs to get it down to a size that can accommodate at least one new player from the Rule 5 draft. The Orioles seem to have struck gold last winter with reliever Tyler Wells. You just never know. Among the few safe projections for the 2022 season is naming Wells the closer. He gets the initial save chances. How many are available on a rebuilding team isn't the point. Someone needs to protect a slim lead in the ninth inning and Wells has become the...
Have Nats reached a crossroads with erratic Fedde?
Have Nats reached a crossroads with erratic Fedde?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
PLAYER REVIEW: ERICK FEDDE Age on opening day 2022: 29 How acquired: First-round pick, 2014 draft MLB service time: 3 years, 99 days 2021 salary: $575,000 Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2022, free agent in 2025 2021 stats: 7-9, 5.47 ERA, 29 G, 27 GS, 0 CG, 133 1/3 IP, 144 H, 90 R, 81 ER, 23 HR, 48 BB, 128 SO, 4 HBP, 1.440 WHIP, 74 ERA+, 4.66 FIP, 1.2 fWAR, minus-1.0 bWAR Quotable: "Especially the last three or four starts, I thought my stuff has been great. And then I just haven't...
When he stopped switch-hitting, Cedric Mullins started really hitting
When he stopped switch-hitting, Cedric Mullins started really hitting
Steve Melewski
Orioles
We didn't know it at the time, but we saw it with our own eyes this year. A player that batted .094 in 2019 and ended the season in Double-A two years ago was one of the best players in baseball. It was an incredible 2021 season for Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins by just about any standard, as he became the first Oriole ever with 30 or more homers and stolen bases in one season. It was a year where he started in the All-Star Game, was unanimously voted Most Valuable Oriole, was named a...
Who starts at third base while Orioles wait for Mayo?
Who starts at third base while Orioles wait for Mayo?
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
If the Orioles can implement their prospect plan at third base, Coby Mayo will be handling the hot corner and hitting long home runs for many years. They can figure out how to occupy the middle infield with the batch of shortstops who crash their top 30 prospects lists, including Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg among the first 10. Henderson could be the shortstop and Westburg the second baseman. They could reverse roles. One of them could move over to third, but good luck trying to budge...
Nats can hope, but can't count on Strasburg returning to form
Nats can hope, but can't count on Strasburg returning to form
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
PLAYER REVIEW: STEPHEN STRASBURG Age on opening day 2022: 33 How acquired: First-round pick, 2009 draft MLB service time: 11 years, 118 days 2021 salary: $35 million ($11.4 million deferred) Contract status: Signed for $35 million annually from 2022-26 ($11.4 million deferred each year), free agent in 2027 2021 stats: 1-2, 4.57 ERA, 5 GS, 0 CG, 21 2/3 IP, 16 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 4 HR, 14 BB, 21 SO, 1 HBP, 1.385 WHIP, 90 ERA+, 5.71 FIP, 0.0 fWAR, 0.0 bWAR Quotable: "He looks great, he feels great....
After up-and-down rookie year, Gray looks to take next step
After up-and-down rookie year, Gray looks to take next step
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
PLAYER REVIEW: JOSIAH GRAY Age on opening day 2022: 24 How acquired: Traded with Keibert Ruiz, Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021 MLB service time: 75 days 2021 salary: $570,500 Contract status: Under team control, arbitration-eligible in 2025, free agent in 2028 2021 stats (LA/WSH): 2-2, 5.48 ERA, 14 G, 13 GS, 0 CG, 70 2/3 IP, 63 H, 44 R, 43 ER, 19 HR, 33 BB, 76 SO, 2 HBP, 1.358 WHIP, 75 ERA+, 6.00 FIP, 0.0 fWAR, minus-0.3...
More on Silver Sluggers and the outrighted Orioles
More on Silver Sluggers and the outrighted Orioles
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Did anyone really predict before the season that Cedric Mullins would be a finalist for a Silver Slugger Award? If you were told that one Oriole would be honored, would you have chosen Trey Mancini, Anthony Santander or Ryan Mountcastle ahead of Mullins? I don't know what's left to say about the guy who decided to bat only from the left side. Mullins was the easy choice as Most Valuable Oriole and no one in the media ventured outside the box and denied him a first-place vote. He's going to...
Looking at a few more free agent starting pitchers
Looking at a few more free agent starting pitchers
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Today in this space, we look at a few more free agent starting pitchers. Recently, MLBTradeRumors.com sized up the field and last week we took this look at a few pitchers from the category of older veterans/back-of-the-rotation options. We started in alphabetical order of the 13 pitchers in this grouping and that meant we sized up Brett Anderson, Tyler Anderson and Alex Cobb. Today a look at three more pitchers, two of which we've seen in the American League East and another who spend a lot...
Mullins chosen as Silver Slugger finalist
Mullins chosen as Silver Slugger finalist
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
No Orioles player has won a Silver Slugger Award since Mark Trumbo in 2016. Cedric Mullins will attempt to break the streak. Mullins is among eight American League outfielders nominated for the honor, which recognizes the top offensive players at every position. Three are chosen for the outfield, whether in left, center or right. Recognition keeps coming to Mullins, the first player in Orioles history with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. He's also a finalist for the Major...