Dreaming big on pitching prospects

Dreaming big on pitching prospects
If you could bat .500 in baseball, you would probably win a few awards and set several records. And if the Orioles can bat .500 with their top two pitching prospects, that might be impressive as well. They dream on going 2-for-2 and producing a pair of No. 1 starters out of right-hander Grayson Rodriguez and left-hander DL Hall. But what if they turn one but not both of that duo into a No. 1 starter? Well, that would still put them ahead of most clubs. Producing an elite starter is very hard to...
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Norfolk beat writer remembers Ron Johnson, plus other notes

Norfolk beat writer remembers Ron Johnson, plus other notes
The news of the death of former Triple-A Norfolk manager Ron Johnson this week hit hard throughout the Orioles organization and beyond. He managed the Tides for seven years through 2018 and sent many a player to help the O's during a period when they made the playoffs three times from 2012 through 2016. Johnson served the Orioles very well. Players were made better having played for him. His last Norfolk team in 2018 included the likes of DJ Stewart, Cedric Mullins, Austin Wynns, Chance Sisco,...
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Checking in with new O's shortstop Freddy Galvis

Checking in with new O's shortstop Freddy Galvis
New Orioles shortstop Freddy Galvis hopes to play some quality defense for his new team and provide some pop in a ballpark where he enjoys hitting. He also brings a career marked by durability and wants to show that to his new club as well. From 2015 through 2019, he played in 151, 158, 162, 162 and 147 games. He had a consecutive games played streak of 349, then the longest in the majors, ending with Toronto on April 24, 2019. "I think it's really important," Galvis said during a Zoom...
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Another look at new O's infielder Freddy Galvis

Another look at new O's infielder Freddy Galvis
When the Orioles signed José Iglesias as their shortstop on Jan. 7, 2020, he had last played for the Cincinnati Reds. When they signed infielder Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal last night, he also joins the team from the Reds. Galvis was a free agent and signed for one year at $1.5 million per various reports with a bonus of $250,000 if he gets traded. For the 2020 Reds, over 47 games, he hit .220/.308/.404 with seven homers, 16 RBIs and an OPS of .712. In the last full season of 2019, he...
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After MLB debut, Keegan Akin will try and stay there

After MLB debut, Keegan Akin will try and stay there
The Orioles drafted him in the second round of the 2016 draft, No. 54 overall out of Western Michigan University. Later that summer, he made his pro debut at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He moved his way up the ranks, pitching at Double-A Bowie in 2018 and Triple-A Norfolk by 2019. After lefty Keegan Akin made his O's debut and had an impressive start to his big league career last summer, he'll now try to show he can stick in the majors and become a fixture in the rotation. For the 2020...
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O's Sig Mejdal on how spin rates impact roster, potential additions

O's Sig Mejdal on how spin rates impact roster, potential additions
So after spending some time researching and learning about spin rates and active spin or spin efficiency for Orioles pitchers, it was probably time to turn to a real expert for more. I went to the top and got an interview with Sig Mejdal, the Orioles' vice president and assistant general manager, analytics. "Sig Mejdal is one of the most experienced and accomplished analysts working in baseball today," O's executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said when he hired him not...
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A look back: The possible next top 100 player and more

A look back: The possible next top 100 player and more
In a recent story published by Baseball America, the publication noted 13 players (subscription may be required) that could have breakout seasons on the farm in 2021. Before even reading the text, readers could see the picture at the top of that story. It is of Orioles shortstop prospect Gunnar Henderson. For this story in December, I noted that Henderson could be the club's next top 100 prospect. The club recently put five players on the newly released Baseball America top 100. It is just the...
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Upon Hank Aaron's passing, the tributes poured in

Upon Hank Aaron's passing, the tributes poured in
He was an All-Star player and person, and when Hank Aaron died Friday, the tributes poured in. And poured in and poured in. They talked with great reverence about him yesterday, but also many days before that as well. "As far as I am concerned, Hank Aaron is the best ballplayer of my era," Mickey Mantle once said. "The only man I idolized more than myself," once said Muhammad Ali. "Hank Aaron is near the top of everyone's list of all-time great players," Major League Baseball...
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Getting back on the spin rate train

Getting back on the spin rate train
It's been about a week since I first wrote in this space about four-seam fastball spin rates. So today, I am jumping back on the spin rate train and presenting more data that is available to all from the baseballsavant.mlb.com website. Once again trying not to hurt myself, pull a hammie or break a hamate and/or injure myself in any way as I jump on the train. Too close to the start of a new season for any reporter setbacks. Today let's look at breaking pitches - sliders, curveballs and cut...
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The AL East gets even tougher, plus more prospect news

The AL East gets even tougher, plus more prospect news
The Orioles' effort to rebuild a team that lost a combined 223 games over the 2018 and 2019 seasons was always going to be difficult and challenging. The Cubs and Astros rebuilt teams and took them all the way to World Series championships. But they didn't do it in the American League East. It's a division where everywhere the Orioles look they find challenges. There are the traditional powers and big spenders in Boston and New York. The smart, efficient and talented Tampa Bay Rays made the...
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When he gets here, Rutschman's biggest foe may be expectations

When he gets here, Rutschman's biggest foe may be expectations
When catcher Adley Rutschman got rated as baseball's No. 2 prospect this week by Baseball America, he achieved a ranking that only three other Orioles reached since the publication's first top 100 poll in 1990. Manny Machado never got to No. 2. He never even made the top 10 with rankings of No. 14 in 2011 and No. 11 in 2012. Rutschman joined Matt Wieters, the only Oriole to garner the No. 1 spot in the initial Baseball America poll release of each of the last 32 years. Wieters was ranked No....
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Rutschman, four other O's reach Baseball America top 100

Rutschman, four other O's reach Baseball America top 100
A new Baseball America top 100 prospects list (subscription may be required) was released yesterday and it was a good day for the Orioles. Baseball America has published 32 lists since its first in 1990. And just twice - first in 2008 and now in 2021 - has the club put five players in the top 100. They have never had more than five. I should point out that this is tracking the initial release of each list each year since Baseball America's first top 100, which was released in 1990. For many...
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Taking a closer look at the MLB Draft League

Taking a closer look at the MLB Draft League
When the Frederick Keys field a team this summer, for the first time they will not be sending Orioles prospects to the field. As part of the restructuring of minor league baseball, the Keys have joined the inaugural MLB Draft League. Six teams will begin play in a 68-game season beginning in late May and running through mid-August. It is a wood-bat league made up of amateur players from the college ranks that are draft-eligible. The All-Star break will be centered around the First-Year Player...
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Notes on Villar, spin rates and more

Notes on Villar, spin rates and more
Today we're reviewing a few stories from recent days for further discussion as we move closer to the start of February and we wonder if that will indeed be the month that spring training starts. Reunion anyone?: In this entry a few days ago, we wondered if Jonathan Villar could reunite with the Orioles and this time become the regular at shortstop? The club needs to replace José Iglesias, who had a big 2020 season. The last time we saw Villar in 2019 in Baltimore, he had a pretty big season...
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Another look at a "landmark day" for the O's organization

Another look at a "landmark day" for the O's organization
If anyone still doubted that the Orioles were serious about their international amateur signings, those doubts surely vanished yesterday. From the first day he was on the job as executive vice president and general manager, Mike Elias made producing and developing a strong international program a priority. Now Elias, along with senior director of international scouting Koby Perez and his staff have put together their second signing class, which was unveiled yesterday. And while there were years...
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Basallo, Hernández lead O's international class (updated)

Basallo, Hernández lead O's international class (updated)
The Orioles today announced a signing class of 17 international amateurs, including the club's first two players signed for seven figures. Per industry sources, the club has contract agreements with catcher Samuel Basallo from the Dominican Republic for $1.3 million and with Venezuelan shortstop Maikol Hernández for $1.2 million. The Orioles announced that 11 more from this group are six-figure agreements. Of the 17 agreements, 13 are from the Dominican Republic and four are from...
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Notes on Epstein to MLB, international signings and more

Notes on Epstein to MLB, international signings and more
Now that he has helped the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs win a combined three World Series, Theo Epstein will try to help baseball improve its game. Maybe get more action in the game and work on rules that fans will embrace. Major League Baseball yesterday named Epstein a consultant regarding on-field matters. Under the supervision of the commissioner and the competition committee, Epstein will work with baseball analytics experts from the commissioner's office and the clubs to determine the...
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Noting a few more O's pitchers via spin rate data, plus other notes

Noting a few more O's pitchers via spin rate data, plus other notes
OK, don't panic but I'm going to throw out a few more notes today on four-seam fastball spin rate. Basically just add a few pitchers to the Orioles I listed among the data presented in this entry yesterday. If you recall, the spin rate data yesterday was produced for every big league pitcher last year that threw 250 or more pitches. Not just four-seamers, but total pitches. Of which they had their data for those pitches - to include four-seam fastballs. Last night I lowered the standard to...
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Taking a look at fastball spin rate data

Taking a look at fastball spin rate data
The data is available on the baseballsavant.mlb.com website and anyone can find it. Trying to understand exactly what it all means is a whole different story. I am talking about spin rates for major league pitchers. No doubt, big league teams like the Orioles have reams and reams of data not available to the public and interpret it in ways you and I could only dream of. They are experts and I am a beginner. But with some help while using what is publicly available, I want to try and learn more...
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A Jonathan Villar reunion, anyone?

A Jonathan Villar reunion, anyone?
There were some frustrated Orioles fans when the club traded infielder Jonathan Villar on Dec. 2, 2019. The club was not prepared to pay him a projected $10.4 million through arbitration, even coming off his strong 2019 season. So he was dealt to the Miami Marlins for minor league lefty Easton Lucas. The trade doesn't look so bad today, even though Lucas has yet to throw in a game on the O's farm. Villar produced an OPS+ of 109 for the 2019 Orioles, which tied for the second-best of his...
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