They are No. 1: O's move to top of farm rankings

They are No. 1: O's move to top of farm rankings
They are No. 1, the best farm system in all of Major League Baseball. The Orioles moved to the top spot in the latest organizational rankings released last night by MLBPipeline.com. Just eight days ago, the Orioles were ranked No. 2 by Baseball America. So this news comes at a time when the Orioles have the worst record in the majors and a 19-game losing streak after Tuesday's 14-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles had the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019, No. 2 the next year and No....
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O's game blog: O's face Dylan Bundy as series begins

O's game blog: O's face Dylan Bundy as series begins
The Orioles drafted him No. 4 overall out of an Oklahoma high school in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Starting in 2012 and running through the 2019 season, right-hander Dylan Bundy pitched in 127 games with the Orioles. Tonight he will face them for the first time, standing between his former club and their possible ending of an 18-game losing streak. On Dec. 4, 2019, the club traded Bundy to the Los Angeles Angels for minor leaguer right-handers Kyle Bradish, Kyle Brnovich, Isaac Mattson...
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Sizing up some O's and wins and losses since 2020

Sizing up some O's and wins and losses since 2020
Today let's look at some won-loss math involving the Orioles. Will it explain anything or provide greater insight into the current team situation? Maybe, but very likely not in any significant way. I just find it interesting and would love to hear what readers think it means, if anything. Starting with the beginning of the 2020 shortened season and going through the first 31 games of this year, the Orioles over that 91-game sample had a much better record than they have had this year in the 92...
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A look at two talented, young shortstops on the farm

A look at two talented, young shortstops on the farm
The Orioles certainly have some shortstops they like at higher minor league levels, including players like Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson, Mason McCoy and a few others. But they are also pleased so far with what they have seen this season from some talented, young shortstops playing at the lower levels. In the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, they believe that 17-year-old Venezuelan Maikol Hernandez is already showing his solid tools despite modest offensive stats so far. In January,...
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O's game blog: Looking to break the streak against Atlanta

O's game blog: Looking to break the streak against Atlanta
The Orioles need a win today at home against Atlanta to avoid another three-game sweep and to snap a 17-game losing streak. First-place Atlanta has taken the first two games in this series by 3-0 and 5-4 scores. The Orioles hit four solo homers last night. Before this, the last time they hit four in a game was actually their last win: Aug. 2 against New York at Yankee Stadium. Last night Anthony Santander connected for his first two homers of the year batting right-handed. He hit his 11th from...
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The challenge of trying to stay upbeat during a losing streak

The challenge of trying to stay upbeat during a losing streak
As the Orioles' losing streak reached 16 Friday night, the team was remaining upbeat pregame in the clubhouse and keeping their energy and work ethic up amid mounting losses. Media is not allowed back in big league clubhouses yet, so we'll take manager Brandon Hyde's word for it. But that was the experience I had in 2019. The Orioles were losing games, but maintaining a positive attitude then as they are now, which cannot be easy to do. "I give our guys a ton of credit," Hyde said before...
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One-run game, but skid extended as Braves beat O's (updated)

One-run game, but skid extended as Braves beat O's (updated)
Coming into this contest against the Atlanta Braves, the Orioles had not played a game decided by one run since they beat Detroit 4-3 on July 30. During a long losing streak, they had lost every game by two or more runs. Mid-game tonight they were locked in a tight game, but would it still be that way at the finish? It would remain close, and after leading by one early in the game and trailing by one in the fifth, the Orioles went to the ninth down 5-3. Anthony Santander's second homer of the...
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O's game blog: Harvey against Smyly at Camden Yards

O's game blog: Harvey against Smyly at Camden Yards
The latest shot to end a long losing streak is tonight for the Orioles. They host the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series and it's part of the larger nine-game homestand that runs through next weekend. Lefty Max Fried threw a gem as Atlanta blanked the Orioles 3-0 on Friday night. He allowed just four hits - three singles and a double - and no Oriole advanced past second base. Fried improved to 11-7 with an ERA of 3.49, throwing 90 pitches, 66 for strikes. Over his last...
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Orioles moving struggling Jorge López to bullpen

Orioles moving struggling Jorge López to bullpen
In a few days, the Orioles rotation will undergo a change. That is because struggling right-hander Jorge López is moving to the bullpen, in a role to be determined, as of tonight when the Orioles host Atlanta at Camden Yards. López is 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 starts, covering 113 1/3 innings. On Aug 2 and Aug. 8, he threw two strong starts, allowing a combined three runs and five hits in 12 innings against the Yankees and Rays. But then he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings versus...
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This O's draft pick patterns his game after Cedric Mullins

This O's draft pick patterns his game after Cedric Mullins
He said he was a bit shocked to be drafted by the Orioles. But now that he is here, he's very grateful to be wearing the orange and black, and he added that he patterns parts of his game after O's center fielder Cedric Mullins. In one interview with low Single-A Delmarva outfielder Donta' Williams this week, it is clear that he is a confident player and believes he can on day join Mullins as an Oriole. You have to admire the confident outlook of Williams (first name pronounced Don-tay), who,...
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O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves

O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves
If the Orioles are to end a 15-game losing streak when they start a long homestand tonight, they will have to beat a first-place team that has been recently playing outstanding baseball. The Orioles (38-82) host the Atlanta Braves (65-56) in the opener of a three-game series and nine-game homestand versus the Braves, Angels and Rays. The Braves have won six in a row, scoring 47 runs, and are 13-2 since Aug. 3. They were in third place and four games behind first when this stretch began. But...
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Top pick Colton Cowser banks hits now while looking to future

Top pick Colton Cowser banks hits now while looking to future
SALISBURY, Md. - Orioles top draft pick Colton Cowser seems to be making a pretty seamless transition to full-season baseball. Promoted to low Single-A Delmarva this week, he went 2-for-6 in his first two games with a double, two runs, an RBI, two walks and one strikeout. He had a 1-for-5 night with a booming RBI double in the third inning last night as Delmarva beat Fredericksburg 11-9. The Shorebirds are 3-0 since the arrival of 12 draft picks this week from the class of 2021. Cowser began...
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O's game blog: Series finale against Rays

O's game blog: Series finale against Rays
There was a time when the Orioles were playing good baseball on the road. But you have to go back to the beginning of the 2021 season. They went 4-2 on their first road trip to Boston and New York. They went 3-2 on a trip to Texas and Miami and 4-2 on a trip to Oakland and Seattle. That one ended with a no-hitter. But if they lose today, the Orioles will have a fourth winless road trip this year. From May 21-30, they went 0-10 at Washington, Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox. And from June...
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Brandon Hyde on players and staff during losing streak

Brandon Hyde on players and staff during losing streak
The challenge for the Orioles is daunting. There is nothing new in that regard. But as all teams get deep into the tough dog days of August, a non-contending team on a long losing streak faces more challenges than most. That is where the Orioles reside these days. After last night's 8-4 loss to Tampa Bay, they have lost 14 in a row by a combined 131-40 score. They are 0-6 on the road trip to Boston and St. Petersburg, Fla., and have been outscored 57-11 with losses by 8-1, 16-2 and 10-0. To...
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O's game blog: Looking for a streak-ending win at The Trop

O's game blog: Looking for a streak-ending win at The Trop
Still in the hunt for an elusive win - and without one since Aug. 2 at Yankee Stadium - the Orioles play again at Tropicana Field tonight in Game 3 of a four-game series versus the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have posted wins by 9-2 and 10-0 to begin the series as the O's losing streak has reached 13 in a row. They have been outscored123-36 during this span. They have been outscored 49-7 on this road trip to Boston and St. Petersburg, Fla., covering five games. The O's offense has produced just...
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Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva

Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva
SALISBURY, Md. - Drafted by the Orioles out of a Florida high school in round four of the 2020 draft, third baseman Coby Mayo had to wait to start his pro career with no minor league season last year. Then, when this season began, he injured his knee in spring training in April and his chance to begin the minor league season for opening day in May was over. There was more waiting and some rehab. But his day finally came this year in late June in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and the...
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O's draft class arrives at Delmarva, ready for next step (updated)

O's draft class arrives at Delmarva, ready for next step (updated)
SALISBURY, Md. - The team that takes the field tonight at Perdue Stadium for the low Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds will look very different from the team that lost 2-1 at Lynchburg on Sunday. This club tonight is putting a team on the field made up completely of position players from the 2021 First-Year Player draft, along with infielder Coby Mayo, taken in the 2020 draft. Buy a scorecard to watch the Shorebirds this week, as they've added 12 draft picks from the class of 2021, including the...
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O's game blog: John Means faces Rays at The Trop

O's game blog: John Means faces Rays at The Trop
The Orioles have beaten the Tampa Bay Rays just one time this year in 13 tries. And after Monday's 9-2 loss to the Rays, they have three more games in this series to try and get a win to end a long losing streak. The current skid reached 12 Monday night and the Orioles have been outscored by 113-35 during this streak. They've also lost by seven runs or more seven times during the streak, including last night. The Rays scored eight or more runs for the eighth time in their last 10 games and...
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His stats have fallen off, but O's remain bullish on Gunnar Henderson

His stats have fallen off, but O's remain bullish on Gunnar Henderson
When the Orioles made a host of minor league roster moves on Monday, one player that was staying put - and was expected to - is high Single-A Aberdeen infielder Gunnar Henderson. Rated as the club's No. 4 prospect by Baseball America and No. 84 in their top 100, he is No. 5 and No. 87 in the top 100 by MLBPipeline.com. He began this year at low Single-A Delmarva, where he tore it up as a 19-year-old posting a line of .312/.369/.574/.944. But since moving to Aberdeen, where he turned 20 on June...
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O's game blog: Matt Harvey faces Rays at The Trop

O's game blog: Matt Harvey faces Rays at The Trop
Trying to snap a losing streak that has reached 11 games, the Orioles begin a four-game series tonight in St. Petersburg, Fla., against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Orioles got swept three straight at Boston over the weekend, scoring just five runs in the series. They were swept for the 14th time this season. Orioles right-hander Matt Harvey (6-11, 6.10 ERA) will make his 24th start of the year. He has recorded a WHIP of 1.558 for the season, allowing 11.2 hits and 1.2 home runs per nine innings...
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