Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

Gary Kendall talks about Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer

Gary Kendall talks about Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer
For this recent entry about Ryan Mountcastle and his addition to the Orioles' 40-man roster, I spent some time interviewing Triple-A Norfolk manager Gary Kendall. I talked with Kendall talking about two pitchers. We discussed left-hander Keegan Akin and right-hander Dean Kremer, who were both also recently added to the 40-man roster. Outfielder Ryan McKenna joined that trio and now none of the four can be taken in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Throwing a fastball, slider and changeup, Akin went...
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Steve Melewski

A look at how the catching position could shape up

A look at how the catching position could shape up
If Adley Rutschman is the future of the catching position for the Orioles - and he most certainly is - the present in 2020 will probably look a lot like it did in 2019. Pedro Severino, Chance Sisco and Austin Wynns remain as the three O's catchers currently on the 40-man roster. The club seems set with that trio for next season as they also get set to watch Rutschman progress through his first full season on the O's farm. Both Severino and Sisco got off to hot hitting starts with the club...
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Steve Melewski

After strong 2019, Villar's time in Baltimore may be ending

After strong 2019, Villar's time in Baltimore may be ending
It sure looks like Jonathan Villar's time with the Orioles is coming to an end. With seemingly little interest via trade, Villar was put on waivers yesterday. Any team can claim him, but they would also inherit his arbitration status and potential salary of $10 million or more for 2020. The Orioles' decision appears to be that Villar is too pricey for a rebuilding club and they are about to officially cut ties with a player who had his best season last year. Villar hit .274/.339/.453 with 33...
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Steve Melewski

It's time for another Orioles Q&A

It's time for another Orioles Q&A
Don't you love it when there is not one specific topic to discuss about the Orioles but many? I know I do, so it's time for another Orioles question-and-answer session. You provide a question on anything about the club - the majors or minors, potential additions or subtractions, the upcoming Rule 5 draft - whatever you've got and I and our readers will provide some responses. For instance, the Orioles have seven arbitration-eligible players, headed up by infielder Jonathan Villar. Readers...
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Steve Melewski

Could either of these lefties be a fit for the Orioles?

Could either of these lefties be a fit for the Orioles?
When we mentioned free agent pitchers Marco Estrada and Trevor Cahill here on Saturday, there was not much sentiment among the readers for the Orioles to pursue either one. Both have a track record of some success, but struggled in 2019. Free agent lefty Brett Anderson however, is a pitcher with a track record of some success. But while he struggled in the 2017-2018 seasons, going 8-9 with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.452 WHIP, he pitched much better last season. Any team can sign him now, but he did not...
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Steve Melewski

Taking a look at two unheralded players who helped Delmarva

Taking a look at two unheralded players who helped Delmarva
When I interviewed 2019 Single-A Delmarva manager Kyle Moore recently, we discussed his Shorebirds being named the Minor League Baseball team of the year by Milb.com. But we also discussed a few players who flew under the radar on that team, which went 90-48 this season and became the first South Atlantic League team with 90 or more wins since 2006. One was lefty hitting corner outfielder Robert Neustrom, the Orioles' fifth-round pick out of the University of Iowa in 2018. The 2019 year was...
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Steve Melewski

A look back: The 40-man roster, Frederick on list of 42 and more

A look back: The 40-man roster, Frederick on list of 42 and more
In looking back at the last week of stories here, we discussed a few interesting topics. Today we present a few of these for further discussion. * They included the Single-A Frederick Keys being named as one of 42 minor league teams that could lose their big league affiliations. The Keys have been an O's affiliate since 1989 and they do quite well at the gate. Frederick has ranked first or second in Carolina League attendance the last eight years. MASNsports.com interviewed Frederick owner Ken...
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Steve Melewski

Looking at a few more free agent pitchers

Looking at a few more free agent pitchers
There are nearly 50 starting pitchers available as baseball free agency is now underway. We know the Orioles need starting pitchers and we also know they won't be diving into the deep end of that pool or issuing any big-dollar contracts. In the early stages of the rebuild, they may not even sign anyone to anything longer than a one-year deal and no doubt some minor league free agents will be added for depth as well. While lefty Keegan Akin, added to the Orioles' 40-man roster this week,...
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Steve Melewski

Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer should get rotation shots in 2020

Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer should get rotation shots in 2020
Both pitchers made it to Triple-A last season. Both were added to the 40-man roster this week. As the Orioles begin to find out which young pitchers on the farm can help them moving forward, left-hander Keegan Akin and right-hander Dean Kremer may be among the first to get shots. Being added to the 40-man means both pitchers will be in spring training next season, arriving with pitchers and catchers, who report no later than Feb. 11 with the spring opener 11 days later. Under general manager...
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Steve Melewski

Four to the 40-man: Hearing from the O's added to the roster

Four to the 40-man: Hearing from the O's added to the roster
For several Orioles prospects, it has been a big week filled with both anticipation and maybe a few nerves. Yesterday was the deadline for clubs to add players to their 40-man rosters to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Lefty Keegan Akin admitted some of that was going on for him. "It's in the back of your head," he said. "Honestly, I didn't know the date until my uncle texted me a screen shot off his phone that showed the Nov. 20 deadline for Rule 5. Up until that point I didn't know...
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Steve Melewski

Gary Kendall on Ryan Mountcastle's "special year"

Gary Kendall on Ryan Mountcastle's "special year"
Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle's path toward the majors took another significant step forward yesterday. He joined pitchers Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer and outfielder Ryan McKenna as additions to the Orioles' 40-man roster Wednesday. The Orioles now have 39 players on that roster. Mountcastle was an easy addition after a season when he was named both International League Most Valuable Player and the Orioles' Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year. The 36th overall pick in the...
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Steve Melewski

Sizing up a few rule changes and Rule 5 draft talk too

Sizing up a few rule changes and Rule 5 draft talk too
We will see a few rule changes in Major League Baseball in 2020. One involves relief pitchers. A pitcher that enters the game must stay in to face three batters or until the end of the inning. There will be a provision for an injury that could keep the pitcher from facing three hitters or getting to the end of the inning. So will this rule change much about how pitchers are used? Will it speed up the game? Is it even a good move? This rule certainly will put an end to the one-batter pitchers, a...
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Steve Melewski

The guy with the long name looks for longer stay in O's rotation

The guy with the long name looks for longer stay in O's rotation
He made 16 starts for the 2019 Orioles and it probably took some of us most of that time to learn how to spell his name, but right-hander Asher Wojciechowski could emerge in the O's rotation again next season. At this point he's probably among a top four in some order that also includes John Means, Dylan Bundy and Alex Cobb. Wojciechowski went 4-8 with a 4.92 ERA last season. Over 82 1/3 innings he allowed 80 hits, including 17 homers. He walked 28 batters and got 80 strikeouts. He allowed...
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Steve Melewski

Frederick listed among teams that could lose MLB affiliations

Frederick listed among teams that could lose MLB affiliations
If you are an Orioles fan that follows the minors and have been to games at Single-A Frederick, you've probably seen a team that consistently draws well and is an organization that, by almost any standard, is very well run. So that made it pretty surprising when the New York Times published a list of 42 minor league teams (subscription required) that could lose their Major League Baseball affiliations at the end of next season and Frederick was on the list. The Professional Baseball Agreement...
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Steve Melewski

November edition: "10 questions for O's fans"

November edition: "10 questions for O's fans"
Welcome in to the second offseason edition of 10 questions. There will be others as we progress through the winter. As always, answer all 10 questions, just a few or even just one. Provide short answers or long. Respond to other readers' answers. All up to you. It's all good and always interesting to check the responses. Today's questions: 1) Will Keegan Akin crack the rotation in 2020, and if so, how many starts will he make? 2) Will Trey Mancini make more starts at first base or in the...
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Steve Melewski

Another O's Q&A, plus a few other thoughts

Another O's Q&A, plus a few other thoughts
Well, we did this here a little over a week ago and it's time to try it again. A fan/reader question-and-answer session. You ask some Orioles questions - whatever you've got - and I'll try to answer your questions and other readers please throw in your two cents also. Hope to hear from many of you today with many questions. They can be on any O's topic, minors or majors. For instance, in some recent entries here, we discussed a few free agent pitchers that could be signed to one-year,...
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Steve Melewski

Delmarva honored, plus a look at a pitcher eligible in the Rule 5

Delmarva honored, plus a look at a pitcher eligible in the Rule 5
Earlier this week, the Orioles' Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds affiliate was named the Minor League Team of the Year by Milb.com. Delmarva went 90-48 and earns this honor for the first time in its 24-year club history. The Shorebirds topped the previous team high for wins by seven (83 in 1996) and became the first South Atlantic League team to win 90 or more since the 2006 Augusta GreenJackets. That team featured future major league All-Stars Pablo Sandoval and Sergio Romo. Stretched out over a...
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Steve Melewski

Could a pair of former first-round picks elevate the O's 'pen?

Could a pair of former first-round picks elevate the O's 'pen?
They are two young guns who were once starting pitchers but now could be valuable to improvement for the Orioles bullpen. They were both drafted in the first round. Both now enjoy pitching out of the bullpen, and next season 24-year-old Hunter Harvey and 25-year-old Dillon Tate could help improve an O's bullpen that posted a 5.63 ERA last year. That ranked last in the American League, well below the league average of 4.41. Harvey, the Orioles' top pick (No. 22 overall) in 2013, was called up...
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Steve Melewski

A look at a couple of free agent starting pitchers

A look at a couple of free agent starting pitchers
So the Orioles' rotation depth chart right now is lacking a bit, you may have noticed. Surely they will add some pitchers before spring training, even if it's only minor league free agents and/or pitchers looking to make good after a poor or injury-marred season or seasons. They could look to add a major league free agent or two, but any such signing would likely be a lower-dollar, one-year deal. In its ranking of the top 50 current free agents, MLBTradeRumors.com's two lowest-ranked...
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With GM meetings underway, Jonathan Villar trade talk could heat up

With GM meetings underway, Jonathan Villar trade talk could heat up
As the club they support is not loaded with talent, it seems that many Orioles fans are feeling some anxiety about what might happen with middle infielder Jonathan Villar. The only player in the majors with at least 24 homers and 40 steals in 2019, Villar produced 4.0 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), according to FanGraphs.com, to lead the club. Trey Mancini was named Most Valuable Oriole, but Villar had a strong case after a big second half. But now with an arbitration price tag that could reach...
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