Increased Depth Sign of Orioles Improvement

Increased Depth Sign of Orioles Improvement
Quality Competition is the lifeblood of a major league baseball organization. And the Orioles are in the process of a competitive spring training camp for the 2009 season. After spending the last week with the O's in Florida it's apparent Andy MacPhail's blueprint for making the Orioles more competitive and getting them back into contention in the AL East is living and breathing on the pitcher's mound. The Orioles have 68 players on their spring training roster, and the talent of the...
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Throw Strikes, Win More Games: The Pitching Mantra for 2009

Throw Strikes, Win More Games: The Pitching Mantra for 2009
When asked what he is looking for from the pitching candidates in spring training camp, O's manager Dave Trembley made a simple statement: "Pitch to contact and good things will happen." After a season of watching Orioles pitchers lead the major leagues in walks and hit batsmen the manager is looking for a staff to throw strikes, let the defense do its work, and make opponents earn their way on base. That's how you win games. With increased depth in the organization and prospects...
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Big decisions remain for Opening Day roster

Big decisions remain for Opening Day roster
With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Orioles still have some difficult decisions to make for that day's roster. The biggest decision is the make up of the pitching staff and whether to go with 12 or 13 pitchers. With the starting rotation still a work in progress, the Orioles may elect to take the extra pitcher over a 4th bench player as a guard against overworking the bullpen in early season games. The Orioles only have three days off in April and will play 32 games in the...
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Roster balance and versatility

Roster balance and versatility
Andy MacPhail's announcement that the Orioles will go with a 12 man pitching staff on the Opening Day roster still gives the O's an extra arm if needed in the early season games. If the O's decide to keep the top four starters on normal rest in the rotation, the April schedule would allow Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz to have the 5th starter available for long relief in several of the games in the first month. Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara, the top two starters will each get five...
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A new set for O's Xtra

A new set for O's Xtra
Opening Day at Camden Yards was, as always, a big event, and successful with the Orioles' 10-5 win over the Yankees. There was a tremendous electricity in the air as O's fans, devoted to their team, made their presence felt and created an exciting home field advantage. Opening Day also brought the unveiling of the state of the art O's Xtra set in the picnic area behind the bullpens. The permanent structure is large and versatile and enhances our coverage of the Birds. All season long...
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It's all about the "Series"

It's all about the "Series"
With their series win in Texas to begin the first road trip of the season, the Orioles have put together three consecutive series wins to begin the season for the first time since winning the first four series to begin 1998. After going wire to wire in 1997, the O's got off to a strong start in 1998 by taking 2 of 3 from the Royals and then sweeping three from the Tigers at Camden Yards. The O's then went on the road and swept a two-game series in Kansas City before taking 2 of 3 in...
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Enjoy the success but remember the process

Enjoy the success but remember the process
Brad Bergesen was spectacular in his Orioles debut against the White Sox. He had a plan; he executed the plan; and he pitched. He mixed up his pitches, used his slider and change up effectively and he held a very good hitting White Sox team in check. Bergesen is an example of successful player development--a pitcher who signed out of high school, was brought along slowly, and understands how to use his talents. Orioles fans should be excited about the arrival of Bergesen as the first...
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O's starters need to assume workload

O's starters need to assume workload
As the Orioles concluded their nine-game homestand, Koji Uehara gave the starting rotation a much needed deep outing. Uehara pitched 6.1 innings in a tough luck 3-2 loss to the Angels. Getting deep into games has been a consistent dilemma for the Orioles rotation and that has put the bullpen on overload to pick up the innings the starters can't complete. The O's bullpen went into Wednesday's game against the Angels having pitched 78 innings, the most of any bullpen in the American...
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Talking hitting with the King

Talking hitting with the King
As The Orioles returned home to Camden Yards to open a seven-game homestand, I caught up with hitting coach Terry Crowley to talk about the O's 1-4 road trip and overall team hitting. Talking with "The Crow" on the field during batting practice, I asked Crowley about the numbers his hitters are judged by in the public and how he judges his hitters from his perspective as their coach. The Orioles as a team hit just .223 on the five-game road trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay. Those are the...
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Chris Ray working hard to recapture his form

Chris Ray working hard to recapture his form
During an appearance at the ESPN Zone in the inner harbor Wednesday, Chris Ray reflected on the lonely time spent in Sarasota last season while rehabbing from reconstructive elbow surgery which cost him the 2008 season. Before signing autographs, Ray spoke to fans, recalling how tedious, and at times downright boring, the rehab process can be. Also because of the isolation of a long, slow rehab program, he said he tended to feel like he was no longer part of the team. But every morning...
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Bergesen will learn from Yankee Stadium start

Bergesen will learn from Yankee Stadium start
Every young pitcher coming to the big leagues for the first time has to go through the adjustment process of facing experienced and patient major league hitters. Big league hitters know what they want to hit and they are patient enough to wait out a pitcher, especially an inexperienced one. Brad Bergesen has held his own in his first six starts for the Orioles, and his loss in New York against the Yankees will go a long way toward his continuing education, especially his battle in the...
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Snapshots from Washington, DC

Snapshots from Washington, DC
For the first weekend of interleague baseball, the Orioles were scheduled in Washington D.C. for the first of their home and home series against the Nationals. It was a coincidence of the schedule but it was wonderful to be in the nation's capital over Memorial Day weekend. MASN combined its game crews and Jim Palmer and I got to share the booth with Nats announcers Bob Carpenter and Rob Dibble. It was interesting and a lot of fun to hear the Nats' perspective from Bob and Rob while...
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Orioles covering the nation for 2009 Draft

Orioles covering the nation for 2009 Draft
Even with the Orioles on a west coast road trip, the Warehouse at Camden Yards has been a buzz of activity as Joe Jordan and his staff go through the final preparations for the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. This will be Jordan's fifth draft as the Orioles director of scouting. In a third floor conference room, reports on hundreds and hundreds of players fill the large table. A draft board goes through updates and changes. Empty food containers fill waste baskets. And the scouts on...
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Interleague play has lost its luster

Interleague play has lost its luster
When Major League Baseball made interleague play part of the schedule in 1997, there was genuine excitement and interest in the games between American and National league teams. But now, in its 13th season, interleague games just don't have the flair they once had. I remember how highly anticipated the Orioles' first interleague series was in 1997. The O's went to Atlanta to take on the Braves in a three-game weekend series. The O's were in first place in the AL East and the Braves...
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New season, new site

New season, new site
I'm sure you've noticed by now that MASNsports.com has received a face lift in the wake of the new baseball season. We've made a lot of changes - but hopefully ones that will make things easier and more enjoyable for you, the readers. Along with the new look, we've updated the system we use to publish entries, which won't mean a lot of changes to the articles from your side, but if you're looking for your answer in the comments section of this week's 'Where in the Yard?' you won't...
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Two birds with one stone

Two birds with one stone
Never has that cliché seemed as gruesome as it does when you say it in Birdland.... But in any case, you can take care of two O's items in one swoop with the new exclusive T-shirts from the Right Side Foundation. Nick and Christina Markakis's Right Side Foundation has announced a limited edition T-shirt sale to raise money for the right fielder's charitable foundation and the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation. The orange Under Armour Tech T-shirts sport the Right Side...
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New on the menu

New on the menu
This year when you head to Oriole Park, you'll still have the old stand-by options, like Boog's BBQ, Italian sausages, hot dogs, pizza, French fries, soft pretzels, ice cream, peanuts and popcorn. But now you'll also be able to enjoy the food from several local restaurants inside Camden Yards. Look for the following food items from these local restaurants: Greene Turtle: Turtle bites and sliders (lower concourse) Attman's Deli: First floor of the Warehouse in what used to be...
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What's new at Oriole Park

What's new at Oriole Park
You might remember this Orioles Buzz post filling you in on some maintenance going on at Camden Yards this offseason. Well, phase one of the Maryland Stadium Authority's deferred maintenance program is finished, and all the concrete and seats between the foul poles on the lower level have been replaced. The new seats have high backs and cup holders, and seats between the bases are cushioned. The other change connected to the maintenance plan involved numbering of the seats throughout...
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Before the first pitch of the O's home opener (Updated)

Before the first pitch of the O's home opener (Updated)
For their 57th season and 19th year at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (yep, 19 years have already flown by since the Yard opened in 1992), the Orioles have a full schedule of Opening Day activities planned. First, to give fans plenty of time to enjoy the ballpark before the O's take on the Toronto Blue Jays, the stadium will open at noon on Friday, and you'll be greeted with a free 2010 schedule and car magnet upon entering the gates. And before pre-game ceremonies even begin, fans will be...
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Where at Nats Park (Updated)

Where at Nats Park (Updated)
Happy Opening Day! Kicking off a new chapter of Where at Nats Park, can you figure out where this photo was taken? Good luck! Answers will be posted on Wednesday. Answer: Good work, folks. This is a Curly W on top of the Capitol dome hanging in the Stars and Stripes Club.
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