Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

After 223 losses over two years, can O's fans remain patient?

After 223 losses over two years, can O's fans remain patient?
Yes, we do discuss the Orioles rebuilding a lot on this blog. It's interesting to discuss and it's also the factor that dominates just about everything with the team right now. It seems every baseball decision is made with rebuilding in mind. Some call it tanking and it is your right to use any word you want. To me, that word has a connotation of trying to lose. I don't see the Orioles encouraging losses, but Mike Elias and his front office inherited a team that lost 115 games. They didn't...
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Steve Melewski

Free agent spending: Some do it, some don't

Free agent spending: Some do it, some don't
Remember last winter when baseball free agent spending was moving at a crawl. If it was even moving that fast. The top contracts were not signed until after spring training had started. On Feb. 21, 2019, the San Diego Padres signed former Oriole Manny Machado to a 10-year deal worth $300 million. A week later, the Phillies signed Bryce Harper to a 13-year deal worth $330 million. But sometimes big dollars don't equate to big wins. The Padres went 70-92 and finished in last place. The Phillies...
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Steve Melewski

In September burst, Austin Hays showed a strong skill set

In September burst, Austin Hays showed a strong skill set
In 63 plate appearances with a September call-up in 2017 with the Orioles, outfielder Austin Hays hit .217. In 75 plate appearances last September, he hit .309. But just beyond those numbers, Hays showed some real five-tool talent in his 21-game run last September. Hays hit for average and some power. He drove balls in the gaps. He ran down balls in the gaps and made diving catches. He showed a strong throwing arm. He stole bases. He brought some real energy to the team. During the Winter...
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Steve Melewski

The O's have acquired eight young pitchers in 11 days

The O's have acquired eight young pitchers in 11 days
The Orioles had some solid success with their young pitchers on the farm during the 2019 season. And they keep adding young pitchers to that group that competed last season. Of the Orioles' top six farm teams, four clubs led their leagues in ERA last summer. That was at Double-A Bowie, Single-A Delmarva, short-season Single-A Aberdeen and in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. And while it is true that Triple-A Norfolk and Single-A Frederick ranked last in their leagues in ERA in 2019,...
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Steve Melewski

Pondering a few questions about Ryan Mountcastle

Pondering a few questions about Ryan Mountcastle
One aspect of the Orioles' rebuild that could and should excite fans is seeing young prospects come up from the minor leagues. One of the O's best is expected to make his debut next season. That is 22-year-old Ryan Mountcastle. His defensive position may not be set yet, but his bat looks ready. Mountcastle was an easy 40-man roster addition last month after a season when he was named both International League Most Valuable Player and the O's Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the...
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Steve Melewski

Looking further at some quotes from the Winter Meetings

Looking further at some quotes from the Winter Meetings
Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias did a lot of talking at the recent Winter Meetings in San Diego. And not just to agents and other front office execs. He did a lot of talking to the media during the four days there. Here are a few of his quotes we read here at MASNSports.com and my take on them. Elias on the rebuilding and the trades of Dylan Bundy and Jonathan Villar: "There's going to be a couple years where we take steps back to take steps forward, where we say...
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Steve Melewski

Post-Winter Meetings edition: "10 questions for O's fans"

Post-Winter Meetings edition: "10 questions for O's fans"
The Winter Meetings have come and gone. The Orioles added pitcher Marcos Diplán on waivers from Detroit. They added pitchers Brandon Bailey and Michael Rucker in the Rule 5 draft. More additions are coming certainly. So it's time for a post Winter Meetings edition of 10 questions. Answer one question or all 10. Provide short answers or long. Your call. Respond to other readers. Here's are today's questions: 1) Which Rule 5 pitcher - Bailey or Rucker - has a better chance to make the team...
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Steve Melewski

Part two: A scout's take on O's prospects

Part two: A scout's take on O's prospects
A few days ago in this space we got a scout's take on several young players in the Orioles organization. Today we get the perspective of this scout from outside the organization on a few more O's prospects. And we start with his comparison of two young and talented pitchers in lefty DL Hall and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Hall was the Orioles' No. 1 pick, taken No. 21 overall, out of a Georgia high school in 2017. While his overall stats were not as strong in 2018, he pitched all last...
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Steve Melewski

A scout's take on some Orioles prospects

A scout's take on some Orioles prospects
From time to time it is very interesting and also educational to hear from scouts from organizations outside of Baltimore to get opinions on Orioles players. I did just that recently with an American League scout who provided several solid insights on various O's minor league players. He had coverage of a few O's farm teams this year and got some good looks at players. He was generous with his time and opinions. We jumped around to various players, some highly ranked and others not ranked. So...
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Steve Melewski

A look at how one O's minor league pitcher used technology to improve

A look at how one O's minor league pitcher used technology to improve
For the Orioles, the progress in 2019 of young pitcher Ryan Wilson had to be a real positive development. The 23-year-old lefty was moved from a bullpen role to starting and he had a big season for Single-A Delmarva. His year flew under the radar a bit as he pitched in a rotation with pitchers like Grayson Rodriguez, Gray Fenter and Drew Rom, but Wilson made 17 starts for the Shorebirds. He went 6-5 with a 2.80 ERA. Over 93 1/3 innings he allowed 73 hits and gave up just six homers with 29...
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Steve Melewski

The Rule 5 draft is up today at the Winter Meetings

The Rule 5 draft is up today at the Winter Meetings
The Rule 5 draft is set for today at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. The Orioles have the second pick. At last year's meetings in Las Vegas, the Orioles had the first pick in this draft and selected Oakland infielder Richie Martin. Martin, who turns 25 on Dec. 22, was originally drafted in the first round (No. 20 overall) in the First-Year Player Draft by Oakland in 2015 and signed to a bonus of $1.95 million. But he batted .237, .235 and .234 in his first three pro seasons. That changed in...
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Steve Melewski

On Mancini, former Orioles and chemistry experiments

On Mancini, former Orioles and chemistry experiments
If you get the feeling it would take a lot for the Orioles to trade Trey Mancini, you are not alone. And team management and comments from the front office can help lead one to that conclusion. Numerous times during and after the 2019 season, we've heard Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias talk about Mancini in very generous and glowing terms. You get the sense it's quite genuine and not just a GM being respectful of or talking up a star player. In 154 games last...
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Steve Melewski

More on Diplán, the rotation and more

More on Diplán, the rotation and more
The Orioles are still adding young pitchers. They've now acquired six in the last week. It started with getting lefty Easton Lucas from Miami for Jonathan Villar. It continued when they got four right-handers from the Los Angeles Angels for Dylan Bundy. In that deal they added Isaac Mattson, Kyle Bradish, Kyle Brnovich and Zach Peek. On Monday at the Winter Meetings they claimed right-hander Marcos Diplán on waivers from the Detroit Tigers. Diplan never pitched in a game for Detroit, either...
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Steve Melewski

It's opening day ... of the Winter Meetings (with updates)

It's opening day ... of the Winter Meetings (with updates)
Will the Orioles be busy at the Winter Meetings in San Diego that begin today? No doubt they will. But will that work and various meetings lead to actual moves? That is what we are waiting to find out. In recent years, the Orioles have often come away from the Winter Meetings with a Rule 5 pick - some years more than one - but that is usually it. This year the Orioles were busy in the week leading up to the meetings. They acquired five minor league pitchers in separate deals for Jonathan Villar...
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Steve Melewski

Another look at the new pitchers in the organization

Another look at the new pitchers in the organization
One thing that would certainly aid and maybe hasten the Orioles' rebuilding efforts would be seeing some of their young pitching prospects move on to have big league success. Along those lines, the Orioles added five young pitchers to their organization in the last week. Last Monday they acquired lefty pitcher Easton Lucas from Miami in a trade for infielder Jonathan Villar. Two days later the Orioles picked up four young right-handers from the Los Angeles Angels in a trade for starting...
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Steve Melewski

A look at the Rule 5 draft with Baseball America's J.J. Cooper

A look at the Rule 5 draft with Baseball America's J.J. Cooper
The latest edition of the Rule 5 draft is set for Thursday at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. The last Rule 5 draft where the Orioles did not make a selection was in 2005. Yep, it's been that long, and the Orioles are certainly expected to make a selection again this year when they pick second behind Detroit. The order of the draft is the same as for the First-Year Player Draft set for June. Picking first last December in the Rule 5, the Orioles took infielder Richie Martin from Oakland. He...
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Steve Melewski

Another Orioles Q&A and updating their 2020 draft picks

Another Orioles Q&A and updating their 2020 draft picks
After an eventful week around Birdland with the trades of Jonathan Villar and Dylan Bundy, there is plenty to talk about. Plus the Winter Meetings begin next week in San Diego. The Orioles added five minor league pitchers in the deals for Villar and Bundy and are expected to make at least one pick in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. So today, with a lot going on recently, let's take some reader questions. Ask anything - about the minors or majors, the recent trades or any topic - and I and other...
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Steve Melewski

Appreciating Dylan Bundy, and some quotes from the other side

Appreciating Dylan Bundy, and some quotes from the other side
Through it all - from his stunning pro start with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds in 2012 to more than 100 starts for the Orioles - Dylan Bundy was a class act. I'm pretty sure he will continue to be that for his new team, the Los Angeles Angels. After nine pro seasons with the organization, Bundy is no longer a part of Birdland. The right-hander was traded to the Angels yesterday for four right-handed minor league pitchers. The O's got Isaac Mattson, Kyle Bradish, Kyle Brnovich and Zach...
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Steve Melewski

Orioles trade right-hander Dylan Bundy to Angels

Orioles trade right-hander Dylan Bundy to Angels
He was the Orioles' top draft pick, taken No. 4 overall in 2011, and made 103 starts in an Orioles uniform. But today right-hander Dylan Bundy's time with the club ended as he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for four minor league pitchers. The deal was first reported by The Athletic, which said that right-hander Isaac Mattson would be one of the players coming to Baltimore. Mattson, 24, went 6-3 with a 2.33 ERA last season. Over 37 games - all in relief, with most coming at the Double-A...
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Steve Melewski

Rebuilding is indeed as difficult as advertised

Rebuilding is indeed as difficult as advertised
A few days after the end of the 2019 season, I wrote about the fan reaction to rebuilding and the Orioles season that had just ended. It was a season of a lot of interaction with fans here on this blog, on Twitter and on my postgame radio show. Around the area, anywhere and everywhere, fans seem to like to tell me their opinions and I really like that. My take then was basically that I was suprised that a large majority of fans I interacted with understood the club's rebuilding efforts and...
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