Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

Recent TV ratings: MLB 2, NFL 0

Recent TV ratings: MLB 2, NFL 0
It would probably be considered a bit of an upset, but the World Series beat the NFL on back-to-back nights recently in the TV ratings. Yes, the all-powerful NFL took a beating in TV viewership Sunday and Monday nights. Game 4 of the World Series drew a 9.2 national rating for FOX on Sunday and beat the 7.6 rating that NBC got for the New Orleans Saints rout of Indy. On Monday night, FOX drew an 8.8 rating for World Series Game 5 to whip ESPN's 5.8 for the Ravens' loss at...
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Steve Melewski

The case for the defense

The case for the defense
We will find out soon if any Oriole will win a Gold Glove for defensive excellence in the 2011 season. There may even be a chance that the O's get more than one winner and the Orioles have not done that since they picked up three Gold Gloves in 1998. Then, Mike Mussina won at pitcher, Rafael Palmeiro at first base and Roberto Alomar for second base. The Gold Glove winners for this season will be announced Nov. 1. For the first time, the three outfield awards will go to one winner from left...
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Steve Melewski

Miclat was nifty to steal 50 bags this year

Miclat was nifty to steal 50 bags this year
Coming into the 2011 season, probably no one would have predicted that Greg Miclat would lead the Orioles organization in stolen bases this season with 50. In his first three seasons in the O's minors, after he was drafted in round five out of the University of Virginia in 2008, Miclat had stolen 41 bases total in 57 attempts. Plus, we are talking about a player that has decent, but certainly not blazing, speed. But the 24-year-old Miclat went 50-for-53 in steal attempts this season for...
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Steve Melewski

Embracing two minor league ballparks and one special third baseman

Embracing two minor league ballparks and one special third baseman
There is something special about minor league baseball. It has a certain charm and feel that is different from the major leagues. Certainly, the fan experience is different in so many ways. That includes everything from the lower prices for tickets and concessions to greater access to the players to the between-innings fun and entertainment that you don't see in the big leagues. There are probably some of you that actually prefer the minors to the majors. When I was broadcasting Aberdeen...
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Steve Melewski

Baltimore got another chance to say, "Thanks, Brooks"

Baltimore got another chance to say, "Thanks, Brooks"
It seems Orioles fans never tire of letting Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson know how much they love him and today was yet another chance. In a ceremony this afternoon that was wonderfully done and emotional at times, the Brooks Robinson statue was unveiled across the street from Camden Yards on the plaza between Washington Boulevard and Russell Street. The statue, standing nine feet tall, shows Brooks preparing to throw out a runner at first base. Brooks is actually pointing in the direction of...
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Steve Melewski

The players and the press

The players and the press
When you think about it, ballplayers and sports writers/media need each other. The players' interviews get to the fans through the media. The media needs to get players' quotes to enhance their stories. For the most part, the relationship is cordial and works well. That is definitely true with the Orioles. I can hardly think of one time where an O's player was disrespectful to reporters or was known to duck the media. This topic comes to mind after reading some of the stories critical of...
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Steve Melewski

Two O's minor league managers react to criticism of the farm system

Two O's minor league managers react to criticism of the farm system
When a team has lost for 14 straight seasons, you can probably put at least some of the blame for that on an underperforming minor league organization. The Orioles' minor leagues have been a lightning rod for fan criticism this year. Some fans seem to feel the O's minors are barren and completely devoid of talent. Others see some players reaching the majors, but not nearly enough, or feel that the ones that reach there are not good enough. Late this past season, I asked two of the Orioles'...
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Steve Melewski

Looking at one way Orioles pitching can get better in 2012

Looking at one way Orioles pitching can get better in 2012
When we talk about the area where the Orioles will need to make the biggest improvement from 2011 to 2012, we usually wind up talking about the pitching staff. The Orioles' team ERA of 4.89 last year was the worst in Major League Baseball. The ERA of the starting rotation was an awful 5.39 and the Orioles' 60 quality starts were the fewest in all of baseball. No other team had fewer than 71. In looking for those stats to get better, fans and reporters often discuss which pitchers could be...
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Steve Melewski

After trade, Baker settles in with the Orioles

After trade, Baker settles in with the Orioles
Aaron Baker will tell you now that, as the trade deadline approached last summer, he didn't expect to be leaving the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. They had drafted the first baseman in the 11th round in 2009 out of the University of Oklahoma and he made the mid-year All-Star teams in both his previous seasons in the short-season Single-A New-York Penn League in 2009 and the Single-A South Atlantic League in 2010. But on July 30, Baker was dealt to the Orioles as Derrek Lee went to...
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Steve Melewski

Do the Orioles have the makings of a solid offense?

Do the Orioles have the makings of a solid offense?
I would imagine we all can agree that the Orioles' biggest offseason priority is to upgrade the pitching staff for the 2012 season. But how do you feel about the offense? In several team batting categories, the Orioles were average - or a little above - average this year. They finished fourth in the American League in homers (191), sixth in average (.257), sxith in slugging (.413), seventh in runs (708) and seventh in OPS (.729). The AL average, by the way, was 723 runs scored and .730 in...
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Steve Melewski

Orioles have to properly identify their problems before they can fix them

Orioles have to properly identify their problems before they can fix them
Both Buck Showalter and Andy MacPhail have said it: A critical thing that any organization must do is properly evaluate itself. Many times, fans have asked me about the shortcomings of the Orioles' minor leagues and and they want to know where the issues are. Let me tell you, it is hard to completely really know. For three years, from 2004 through 2006, I broadcast games for short-season Single-A Aberdeen and for the last few years I have covered the O's minors pretty closely. After all...
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Steve Melewski

Maybe O's need one man to head two departments in front office

Maybe O's need one man to head two departments in front office
As the Orioles move forward with hiring their next president of baseball operations, among the key jobs for that person when hired will be to improve the Orioles' scouting and player development departments. We all know that while the club was in last place in the standings this year again, it is also apparent that right now the Orioles are fifth in the division in producing talent from their minor leagues. In my opinion, they could do a better job in both scouting and developing...
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Steve Melewski

Ricciardi is not on the O's short list at this point

Ricciardi is not on the O's short list at this point
There have been conflicting reports about the Orioles' possible interest in former Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi for their position of president of baseball operations. A major league source said that, as of late Friday afternoon, the Orioles had not contacted Ricciardi about their opening. Ricciardi currently serves as a special assistant to New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson. He was the GM of the Blue Jays from 2002 through 2009 and three times in that span,...
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Thoughts on Machado, international scouting and Uehara

Thoughts on Machado, international scouting and Uehara
He may not have posted big stats this year when he played for the Single-A Frederick Keys, but Orioles 2010 top draft pick Manny Machado still made a big impression on his manager, Orlando Gomez, who enjoyed working with the 19-year-old shortstop. "It's been fun. You have to teach and be patient and let him know when you don't like something. Try to keep his mind positive and let him see things he needs to do to keep improving," Gomez said of Machado. "He's very level-headed. He gets...
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Steve Melewski

Jordan on Hobgood, his staff, the 2009 draft and more

Jordan on Hobgood, his staff, the 2009 draft and more
As Joe Jordan leaves the Orioles for the Phillies, I guess he can finally go several weeks without getting a phone call from me. We'll have less to talk about now, but I sure wish him the best. He's done so many interviews with me since 2004, I've lost track. I have asked so many questions about Matt Hobgood that I've lost track of that. A typical conversation between us might go like this: Joe: Steve, Britton was sure good last night. What did you think of that sinker? Steve: Looked...
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Steve Melewski

Joe Jordan talks about his decision to leave the Orioles

Joe Jordan talks about his decision to leave the Orioles
It all happened very fast for Joe Jordan, who left his job today after seven years as the Orioles scouting director to take the position of head of player development for the Philadelphia Phillies. Jordan said as he was flying home Friday from the Orioles' instructional league in Sarasota Fla., the Phillies were asking permission to interview him. That interview took place Monday and yesterday afternoon he was offered the Phillies' position. Jordan said he could have stayed with the Orioles...
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Steve Melewski

A closer look at Joe Jordan's time as scouting director

A closer look at Joe Jordan's time as scouting director
When Orioles fans debate how Joe Jordan did in his seven years as scouting director, most will first mention Matt Hobgood and Billy Rowell. Rowell has simply not come close to panning out and may be headed on his way out of the organization and the returns so far on Hobgood are pretty bleak. Hobgood still has time to salvage his career though, so he can't be written off yet. But many fans will never forgive Jordan for these two picks. My thoughts are that Jordan did a decent job as O's...
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Steve Melewski

Nick Markakis: "I want to be here for the good times"

Nick Markakis: "I want to be here for the good times"
Orioles fans have head to deal with 14 consecutive years of losing. No players have had to deal with all that losing, but Nick Markakis has been a part of the organization for the last nine seasons. Markakis was a first-round draft pick in 2003. How has the losing impacted him and his career? "This is where I started, this is the team that drafted me and brought me through the minors," Markakis said. "I'm completing my sixth year now (in the majors). I've been here through the tough...
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Steve Melewski

O's scouting director Joe Jordan is leaving to join Phillies

O's scouting director Joe Jordan is leaving to join Phillies
The Orioles can add the position of scouting director to their front office search. After seven seasons as the Orioles' director of amateur scouting, Joe Jordan is leaving the organization to take a job with the Philadelphia Phillies. Jordan is expected to be named the Phillies' director of player development. He interviewed with the team this week and accepted the position today. Jordan interviewed Monday with the Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. along with Phillies senior advisor...
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Frederick pitching coach sizes up Bundy and Schrader

Frederick pitching coach sizes up Bundy and Schrader
One big reason the Single-A Frederick Keys won the Carolina League championship this year was solid pitching. The Keys' team ERA of 3.22 was the best in the league. Two of their better pitchers this year were 21-year-old right-handers Bobby Bundy and Clayton Schrader. Both put up big numbers for the Keys, but neither ended the year with Frederick. Bundy moved to Double-A Bowie in August and Schrader didn't pitch after July 25 due a right elbow flexor mass strain. Frederick pitching coach...
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