SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb arrived in Orioles camp this week with a neatly groomed beard, much shorter than his usual look. Almost as if he forgot to shave for a couple of days.
The veteran right-hander simply wanted to try something different.
Something that might improve his luck and keep him on the mound this season, his third with the Orioles after signing a four-year, $57 million deal - the richest in franchise history for a pitcher.
Cobb, 32, made it through three starts in April before...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Branden Kline joined the first group of Orioles pitchers yesterday morning for an 11:25 a.m. bullpen session, his initial appearance on a mound since arriving in camp. And since he came off the 40-man roster and was lumped in with the other invitees.
Kline was designated for assignment on Jan. 30 after the Orioles claimed infielder Pat Valaika on waivers for a second time. The Orioles outrighted Kline on Feb. 5 when he cleared waivers.
"I knew it was something that could...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles found a veteran pitcher to compete for a spot in their rotation and it didn't cost them a major league contract.
Left-hander Tommy Milone has agreed to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, according to an industry source.
Milone, who turns 33 later this month, has pitched for six teams since debuting with the Nationals in 2011.
Primarily a starter for the first five years, Milone has transitioned into more of a relief/bulk guy role. Only six...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have completed their second day of workouts, with two players still unable to participate.
Pitcher Brady Rodgers was supposed to throw in the bullpen with the second group, but he's being held back due to soreness in his right arm. Pedro Severino hasn't caught due to an illness.
Severino arrived in camp yesterday wearing a mask. But not the kind he's going to use when he's behind the plate.
Alex Cobb threw with the first group and manager Brandon Hyde remains...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Before the Orioles assigned Wade LeBlanc a uniform number, he already had done his research on another set of digits.
LeBlanc turned 35 years old in August. Chris Davis celebrates his 34th birthday next month.
There's no debating which player is the senior member of a rebuilding club.
"I'm definitely the oldest," LeBlanc said this morning, clearing up any confusion. "I've got him beat. He's got more time, but I've got him beat in age."
The next competition is going to...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The snapshots from yesterday morning's media clubhouse availability included No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman locked into separate conversations with catchers Bryan Holaday and Taylor Davis. Always a smile on his face. Appearing to be comfortable in his new surroundings.
No one treating him like a hotshot superstar fresh out of college who doesn't belong here.
The lockers on catchers row are occupied, in order, by Chance Sisco, Austin Wynns, Pedro Severino, Davis, Holaday,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The workout held today for Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart looked simple in nature. He did some light running on the dirt cart path along one of the practice fields, increasing his speed and intensity as the minutes passed.
For a player coming off ankle surgery in October and unwilling to surrender the hope of being ready for opening day, each step taken by Stewart is an important achievement.
Stewart, the former first-round draft pick out of Florida State University, underwent a...
SARASOTA, Fla. - More position players are rolling into Orioles camp early, the latest batch including outfielders Austin Hays, Trey Mancini, Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith Jr.
"Definitely ready to get it going," Mancini said. "I always like coming a few days early. Once the new year starts you're always ready to go. I was definitely ready to get down here at this point."
The expectations for another last-place season in the rebuild hasn't crushed the enthusiasm.
"I think we're all...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network is sticking with its usual form in airing seven Orioles exhibition games from Ed Smith Stadium.
The logical place to start?
The first game at home, to be played Feb. 23 against the Red Sox. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
The network's spring coverage includes six more games in Sarasota.
The Orioles face the Braves on Feb. 26 at 1 p.m., the Rays on March 2 at 1 p.m., the Yankees on March 8 at 1 p.m., the Blue Jays on March 13 at 1 p.m., the Red...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Hunter Harvey isn't in Orioles camp so they can check on his health. He isn't here to get in some work before heading over to the minor league complex.
Harvey is expected to be part of an eight-man bullpen on opening day, perhaps assuming the role of closer. High-leverage situations, for sure.
Except that he isn't buying into the hype and assumptions.
Asked whether the camp felt any different to him yesterday, Harvey replied, "I wouldn't think so."
In Harvey's mind, only...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Miguel Castro took a few steps away from his spring training locker this morning, raised his head and smiled. The local media crew was approaching. He knew that he'd be recounting an incident that terrified him, that had him wondering if he'd live through it. But he still managed a smile.
No one was happier to be in camp than Castro, who survived an armed robbery last month in his native Dominican Republic that cost him only a couple of chains.
"I'm just thankful to God for...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Within the one hour of clubhouse access granted to the media this morning, Orioles pitchers and catchers already had reported in abundance and more were walking through the doors.
The roll call included Alex Cobb, John Means and Asher Wojciechowski, who figure to comprise three-fifths of the rotation on opening day. Also present were Rule 5 picks Brandon Bailey and Michael Rucker, who sat at their lockers in a far corner of the clubhouse and chatted for most of the hour.
Also...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The real work is about to begin.
Pitchers, catchers and position players choosing to report early will be arriving later today at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, where the temperature will climb back into the 80s. Physicals must be passed, and that includes the yearly eye exams.
(That last part was aimed at the "he needs glasses" crowd. Everyone gets their vision tested.)
The front office contingent headed to Florida without a veteran starting pitcher - executive vice...
The Orioles are one day away from having their pitchers and catchers report to spring training, though the number of early arrivals since they moved to Sarasota makes the official date seem insignificant.
Players start trickling into the facility in January. They've already been throwing.
It's become more of a report date for the media.
My life is broken down into thirds. I have my spring training, regular season and offseason routines - and family and friends learn to adapt.
Manager Brandon...
While the Orioles work in spring training to round out a rotation that so far holds John Means, Alex Cobb, most likely Asher Wojciechowski and a bunch of questions, they also need to figure out what to do at Triple-A Norfolk.
They can't finish that task until they know which starters are heading north with them.
There could be some cuts due to overflow. And we know that executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is trying to sign one more veteran.
The Tides rotation has the potential...
Trey Mancini made 79 starts in right field last season to lead the Orioles, but he also made 52 at first base to rank second behind Chris Davis (86) and five in left field. He served as the designated hitter in 17 games.
The super-utility competition in camp won't involve Mancini, but he has a tendency to move around in various versions of the lineup.
Mancini won't express a position preference, but he knows where we won't find him in 2020.
"I can confidently say I don't think you'll be...
The Orioles are keeping pitcher Branden Kline and super-utility player Stevie Wilkerson in the organization.
Kline and Wilkerson cleared waivers and have been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk after the club designated them for assignment last week. Wilkerson had the give his approval based on a previous DFA.
The list of camp invites has grown to 66 players, with left-hander Wade LeBlanc also a recent inclusion.
Kline, a Frederick native and second-round pick out of the University of Virginia in...
The report date countdown for Orioles pitchers and catchers has reached five days. Or the amount of time it takes a call to be confirmed or overturned.
Which Orioles have something to prove in camp? Plenty of them, but here are a few ideas:
Dwight Smith Jr. is viewed within the organization as a left fielder and nothing more. It's the only position he played last summer and his major league body of work includes a mere three starts in right and one in center with the Blue Jays.
The metrics and...
By the time that the media descends upon the Ed Smith Stadium complex for spring training, three new coaches on manager Brandon Hyde's staff will be familiar with every corner of it.
The coaches' retreat that's folded into the annual January minicamp in Sarasota enabled Fredi González, Anthony Sanders and Darren Holmes to become acclimated with the spacious facility. No need to waste valuable time later. Drills will run more smoothly.
This isn't the old Fort Lauderdale complex with its...
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