Because You Asked - Hero of the Federation

The first Sunday without football. No spring training.

How about those Wizards?

The mailbag isn't overflowing, but I'll dip into it anyway. There's always room for Jell-O and another sequel.

This has been going on for a long time. Longer than I realized.

A friend asked whether I could look up an article from Jan. 22, 2010 that she found amusing, to the point where she thanked me in a Facebook post for making her day. She didn't remember the content, just that it made her laugh.

I did a quick search, and it was, "Because You Asked - Red, White and Blonde."

(I wrote an obit later that morning, so I'll assume it was this mailbag.)

I've been working at this site since August 2008 and I'm sure the mailbags go back much further than 2010. No wonder I'm running out of sequel titles.

Anyway, you keep asking and I keep answering. You ask again, I answer again. Others ask the same things and I wonder if I'm being set up.

An important reminder that my mailbag puts your mailbag in a sleeper hold until the referee signals for the bell.

If the collective bargaining agreement got done today, how long would it take for the Orioles to pack everything and head to Florida? Or is it already sent there, or at least packed and ready to ship?
The equipment truck left Camden Yards about three weeks ago. The challenge is getting every player in camp in rapid fashion. There are bound to be some visa issues.

What do you think would be the maximum amount of time needed for spring training? For example, if the lockout ends on March 1, would that be ample time to start the season on time?
Yes. Commissioner Rob Manfred said camps should run at least four weeks to lessen the risk of injuries. Major League Baseball is seeking an agreement by Feb. 28. I'd think something very close would work. Six weeks is too long, anyway.

Do you miss Sarasota, as this could be essentially three years with not going there for a full spring training?
There are aspects of spring training that I enjoy. There are others that I don't miss, including the grind of waking up early pretty much every day and working while people back home think I'm at spring break. You won't find me lugging around golf clubs. And now I've gotten used to babysitting my granddaughter two days a week. The thought of being away from her for a prolonged period pains me. But so does the thought of trying to do beat work from long distance, beginning with the start of camp. And not being able to walk downtown Main Street and eat at Yume Sushi. Find a table outside at Smokin' Joes. Head to Patrick's on discount burger night. But it's mostly the work from a remote location that's stressful.

Do the Orioles have a player representative participating in the negotiation process?
Chris Davis used to be the Orioles' union representative until Trey Mancini handled the responsibilities in his absence. Now they've fallen upon John Means, but he hasn't been on site for the meetings. It was reported in November that eight players sat on the union executive subcommittee and supervised negotiations: Zack Britton, Gerrit Cole, Jason Castro, Francisco Lindor, Max Scherzer, Andrew Miller, James Paxton and Marcus Semien. More players and owners are heading to the meetings that resume on Monday.

When do you expect the CBA to be signed?
In 2022. Otherwise, I'm in the dark, too. I don't know whether the regular season will be delayed and cut back from 162 games. I doubt that we'll get all the way down to 60 and relive 2020. I just don't know. The only certainty now is exhibition games are postponed at least through March 4.

Given the uncertain status of the MLB season, will the minor league teams' seasons stay on schedule?
Yes. They aren't impacted. And they're making it abundantly clear on social media. Triple-A Norfolk's first game is April 5. Double-A Bowie, Single-A Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva open on April 8.

Is Paul McCartney the best left-hander coming to Camden Yards in 2022?
Means would like a word with you. Though, to be fair, only McCartney is in the Hall of Fame.

It's the first time McCartney will host a show in Baltimore since 1964. Curious if you had fun at that show, Roch?
I was 1 and the concession stands ran out of breast milk. Not a good memory.

Any idea what John Angelos has in mind when he says they didn't use "best practices" to sell tickets between 2012-16?
I guess that would have been a good follow-up question. They didn't host concerts or really think outside the (batter's) box. They hadn't come up with "Kids Cheer Free." Discounts on tickets weren't common, with ownership wanting to reward season ticket holders. The Birdland Membership program has been revamped. My sense is they relied, perhaps too much, on the team and the popularity of the ballpark. They now seem to be catching up with other organizations, which is a theme of sorts when you also consider their commitment to analytics and the international market.

Any leftover thoughts on the Super Bowl?
Eli Apple is rotten. That's the core issue.

Any leftovers?
I finally scraped the bottom of the spinach dip container. And held a moment of silence.

You were silent?
Rude.

Are the Orioles still banned in South Korea? If not, do they have a scouting presence there?
You're referring to 2012, when the Orioles got their wrists slapped for signing 17-year-old South Korean pitcher Kim Seong-min. The baseball community there claimed that the team didn't follow the proper measures when offering him a reported $550,000 deal. The Korea Baseball Organization filed a formal complaint with MLB. The Korea Baseball Association, the nation's governing body for the sport, banned Orioles scouts from KBA-sanctioned games, including national high school and college tournaments. Is that what you mean?

Well, yes.
Ten years later, it doesn't appear to be an issue. Koby Perez, the Orioles' senior director of international scouting, has traveled to South Korea multiple times since joining the organization and engaged in talks with players and agents.

Any updates on the new Dominican Republic academy? Yes, I'm a one trick pony.
Yes, you are. The Orioles broke ground on Oct. 6. So, less than five months ago. It's going to take much longer than that to complete it.

What do you think will be the Orioles' starting outfield on opening day in 2023?
Oh man, that's really tough. I'd be working under the assumption that Cedric Mullins is in center and Austin Hays is in left or right, which leaves another corner for Kyle Stowers if Anthony Santander is moved. Opening day might be a tad early for Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad. Yusniel Diaz could be in right if he's finally healthy and blows up - in a good way - in 2022. Much of this depends on how some guys perform this year.

Will the Orioles provide any vegan options at the concessions?
Here's an option: Stop eating pretend meat. If you must go fake, they already had a vegan hot dog. A garden hose looked more appealing to me, but again, I'm coming at this from a different angle and I respect all opinions. Don't let me discourage you from sampling it. If you already did and lived to tell about it, share your thoughts. (OK, I'm just messing with you.) The Orioles will have sausages and burgers this summer that are vegan. The ketchup and mustard are real. Bon appétit.

Have the actual left field dimensions been released? I need the entire spectrum incrementally from the pole all the way to center field. In feet, not meters.
You seem like a gallon of fun. But seriously, I don't know about official measurements as much as solid estimates. Like 333 feet down the left field line, to 384 feet in left, to 410 feet in deep left-center, to 400 feet in center. Someone along those lines and alleys.

Is it safe to assume the Orioles won't be re-signing Matt Harvey?
Harvey was an option prior to the Eric Kay trial. He doesn't appear that way anymore. But there are free agents below the biggies, a tier lower than where you'll find Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Carlos Rodón. The Orioles are expected to sign at least one more pitcher to a major league or minor league deal.

Are there any plans to work with the Ravens to make the area between Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium a place to go before and after games?
Not that I'm aware. I mean, you can go there now. I'm just not sure what you'd want to do.

Is a burrito a Mexican calzone?
This seems like a good place to stop.

Would you rather be attacked by one German Shepherd or 2,000 ducks?
How big are the ducks? Never mind. We've definitely reached the bottom of the bag.