Steve Melewski

Duquette's interview on Boston radio

Duquette's interview on Boston radio
In his first few days on the job as Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations, Dan Duquette made the Baltimore media rounds. He was on many talk shows and was interviewed often. While he was polite to all, there seemingly was not too much to be learned from his comments. We didn't get any major insight into his plan to revamp the Orioles. We didn't get many specifics. While fans and reporters are still trying to get a handle on what kind of job Duquette will do and how he will...
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Steve Melewski

Oliver Drake talks about making the 40-man roster

Oliver Drake talks about making the 40-man roster
It was late this afternoon when Oliver Drake got an important phone call. Tripp Norton, the Orioles' assistant director of player development, informed Drake that he was being added to the Orioles' 40-man roster. The 43rd-round draft pick from 2008 out of Navy went 11-8 with an ERA of 3.32, making 13 starts for Single-A Frederick, 12 at Double-A Bowie and one for Triple-A Norfolk in 2011. "I'm just really excited," Drake said by phone from his offseason home in Gardner, Mass. "It's a...
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Steve Melewski

Orioles add Antonelli

Orioles add Antonelli
The Orioles have signed infielder Matt Antonelli, a former first-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres. Pending a physical, he is expected to be added to the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old, right-handed batter was the Padres' top pick, taken 17th overall in 2006 out of Wake Forest. He could compete for playing time at second and/or third base in Baltimore. Antonelli spent most of last year with Triple-A Syracuse in the Nationals' organization, batting .297 with eight homers, 30 RBIs and...
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Steve Melewski

Looking at some candidates to be added to the 40-man roster today

Looking at some candidates to be added to the 40-man roster today
Later today, the Orioles and the rest of the teams in Major League Baseball must set their 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 draft set for Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings. Any player from the organization the Orioles add to the 40-man today will be protected and will not be available to be selected by another team during that draft. It was at about this time last year that the Orioles added Zach Britton, Joe Mahoney and Matt Angle to their 40-man roster. Last year the Orioles lost Pedro...
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Steve Melewski

Pondering the Orioles' 2012 payroll

Pondering the Orioles' 2012 payroll
A lot of fans and reporters are wondering what the Orioles' total team payroll will be for the 2012 season. While the Orioles -and just about every other team out there - are very unlikely to disclose their projected budget for next season, we can at least make a good guess at where the Orioles are right now with their 2012 payroll. In compiling some salary numbers from two excellent Web sites in Cot's Baseball Contracts and MLBTradeRumors, I figure the Orioles will be between $70 and $75...
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Steve Melewski

Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?

Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?
If Major League Baseball is looking to limit spending on draft picks in the new collective bargaining agreement, I am strongly against that. Clubs should be allowed to spend whatever amount they choose on the draft. It is one area where the so-called small market teams can spend with the big boys. They can't match the 25-man roster payrolls of the Yankees and Red Sox, but they can outspend them for draft picks. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports published this story last night. Here is an excerpt...
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Steve Melewski

How active should the Orioles be in free agency?

How active should the Orioles be in free agency?
When I wrote over the weekend about Yu Darvish, many of your replies surprised me. I didn't keep a tally, but it sure seemed most fans that left a comment were against going after Darvish via free agency if he is posted if the total price tag for a posting fee and contract would total $100 million or more. I admire your restraint considering how badly the Orioles need pitching. But many of you just felt that is too much money and that is taking too big a risk on Darvish. I am very intrigued...
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Steve Melewski

In the game of compensatory draft picks, the Orioles have come up short

In the game of compensatory draft picks, the Orioles have come up short
No matter how you feel about Joe Jordan's record as the Orioles' scouting director from 2005 through 2011, there is one area that hurt the Orioles during his time with the club that was out of the control of the scouting department. The Orioles had fewer picks than their American League East rivals in the top three rounds during those seven drafts - in some cases many fewer picks - as other teams took advantage of the draft rules to obtain more picks. They got many compensation picks for...
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Steve Melewski

An opinion on baseball in Venezuela and a look at Yu Darvish

An opinion on baseball in Venezuela and a look at Yu Darvish
In recent years, there has been talk of the Orioles increasing their presence in Venezuela. It is a nation that has produced current players like Asdrubal Cabrera, Felix Hernandez, Victor Martinez, Freddy Garcia, Magglio Ordonez, Johan Santana and former Oriole Melvin Mora to name just a few. The kidnapping this week of Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos sheds light on the dangers that pro baseball players from that country face. It makes you wonder if any of this impacts the Orioles and other...
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Steve Melewski

Posada to the Orioles? Don't see much chance for that

Posada to the Orioles? Don't see much chance for that
For the life of me I don't see Jorge Posada, who is a free agent, as a fit for the Orioles. Jon Heyman of SI.com tweeted this yesterday: "If posada decides to play, i'm thinking orioles or marlins. but i hope he retires. great career. terrific guy." Posada turned 40 last summer and while the Orioles need a backup catcher and might have some DH at-bats available next season as well, I don't see a player at that stage of his career being anyone the Orioles could use in 2012. Posada was...
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Steve Melewski

One vote for Nolan Reimold as the everyday left fielder

One vote for Nolan Reimold as the everyday left fielder
Nolan Reimold began the 2011 season in the lineup at Triple-A Norfolk. He ended it with a huge ninth-inning RBI double for the Orioles against Jonathan Papelbon that capped a big September. Will it be enough to get him in Buck Showalter's starting lineup as a regular in left field in 2012? I say the answer to that should be yes. After a strong rookie season in 2009 and a poor year in 2010, Reimold's bat came to life late last year, again showing fans a glimpse of the kind of player many...
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Steve Melewski

Ron Hopkins expresses interest in O's scouting director job

Ron Hopkins expresses interest in O's scouting director job
One of the first key hires for new Orioles vice president Dan Duquette will be a new scouting director to replace Joe Jordan, who left to take a job with the Phillies. Duquette said yesterday he would consider internal candidates for any openings and the Orioles have a man on the staff now that is interested in the scouting director job. That is Ron Hopkins, who from 2004 through 2009 was the Texas Rangers' scouting director and he joined the Orioles before the 2011 season as a national...
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Steve Melewski

Going one on one with Dan Duquette

Going one on one with Dan Duquette
The man who used to pretend he was Brooks Robinson as a kid and who later delivered newspapers to the Massachusetts home of Mark Belanger made his way into the MASNsports.com studios today for a one-on-one video interview. I had a chance to ask new Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette about getting back into the game, his initial top priorities, working with manager Buck Showalter and more.
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Steve Melewski

Duquette on staffing, free agency and the minors

Duquette on staffing, free agency and the minors
After his press conference today, new Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette was asked about staffing and the makeup of his front office. "I staff my office or my team from strength. I try to put the people that are strong in one area, in that area. I try to pair up the person's passion with their strength. Once I decide what people are good at and passionate about, then I assign titles. It's not really about the titles to me. It's about pairing up skills with...
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Steve Melewski

Winter ball updates

Winter ball updates
Here are some current stats on players from the Orioles organization that are playing in winter ball leagues around the world: In the Dominican: * Pedro Florimon is batting .235/0/1 going 4-for-17 with seven strikeouts. * Pedro Viola is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 11 games. In 7 1/3 he has allowed four hits and one run. * Jose Diaz is 0-0 with an ERA of 0.00 over eight games. In 8 2/3 innings, he has allowed just one hit and no runs with a batting average against of just .038. Austrailian Baseball...
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Steve Melewski

Looking at some issues facing Dan Duquette

Looking at some issues facing Dan Duquette
As Dan Duquette becomes the latest top executive to try and turn the Orioles around, many Orioles fans must be hoping the Buck Showalter-Duquette pairing will be the one to finally take this team back to the top of the standings. While no one can blame fans for being doubters and skeptical about that, a new face at the top does provide hope. Hope that this time some things will be different. Hope that Duquette will bring some fresh ideas and/or staff to the front office. Hope that it all will...
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Steve Melewski

Will Dan be the man for the Orioles? (updated with deal done)

Will Dan be the man for the Orioles? (updated with deal done)
The idea of Orioles fans being held hostage may soon be over. If Dan Duquette gets the general manager's job, the club will have its new top executive and you can get on with your lives, not to mention the rest of the offseason. Personally, I was and remain a big fan of De Jon Watson of the Dodgers. I think this guy is going to be a top GM for someone soon and hope the Orioles didn't miss out on a guy that shows leadership, the ability to produce a solid player development system and...
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Steve Melewski

A question about the fans: What if they jump ship?

A question about the fans: What if they jump ship?
Here is a good question to ponder this weekend: How do you feel about a fan that dumps one team for another? How would feel about an Orioles fan that dumps the Birds for say the Nationals or Red Sox or Yankees or any other baseball team? I think fans have the right to be upset with their team, to rip their team on the message boards and talk shows and clearly they have the right to decide against purchasing any tickets or team merchandise. No one could blame any longtime Orioles fan to be...
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Steve Melewski

Can the Orioles solve their "perception problem"?

Can the Orioles solve their "perception problem"?
This just in: The Orioles are getting crushed by the national columnists right now. ESPN's Buster Olney published a column yesterday that was titled: "Orioles stalled by a perception problem." Here is part of what he wrote: "The Orioles have a significant perception problem now, slowing down a team already viewed within the industry as one that is all horse-and-buggy in a wireless world. Think about what we just saw in the last week: The Orioles - a team with a rich history, a landmark...
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Are the Orioles making any improvements on the international front?

Are the Orioles making any improvements on the international front?
The Orioles' international signings in recent years have been rated poor by many of the so-called experts, but there were some indications this year that the Orioles may have made one or two gains on the international front in 2011. While I put almost no stock in a minor league team's record as it relates to their quality of prospects, the Orioles' Dominican Summer League team this year did finish in first place in its division and made the playoffs with a 46-24 record. Jonathan Schoop...
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