Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

Should the O's add free agent starting pitchers?

Should the O's add free agent starting pitchers?
When the Orioles reach the point of their winter that they consider pursuing a free agent or two or three, should starting pitching be on the list? If you lock in Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner and Dylan Bundy to head up a rotation of five, maybe those final two spots should be left for young pitchers. There is a long list of potential candidates for those two spots to include David Hess, John Means, Luis Ortiz, Yefry Ramirez, Josh Rogers, Dillon Tate and Jimmy Yacabonis. That is just a partial list...
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Steve Melewski

In 2019, two former O's will reunite in Minnesota

In 2019, two former O's will reunite in Minnesota
The Minnesota Twins have added two former Orioles this month. And the addition of one could really help the other. When Nelson Cruz led the majors with 40 homers and helped the Orioles to the 2014 American League East title and a berth in the AL Championship Series, he was a huge positive force in that clubhouse. He was particularly huge for young infielders Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado. Now Schoop and Cruz will be teammates again in Minnesota. The Twins signed Schoop to a one-year deal...
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Steve Melewski

Will baseball legislate on defensive shifting in 2019?

Will baseball legislate on defensive shifting in 2019?
At a time when there is some talk in Major League Baseball about limiting or even eliminating defensive shifting, the Orioles now have a general manager that came from the team that shifted the most in the sport last year. In 2018, the Houston Astros shifted their defense on 37.3 percent of plate appearances. Tampa Bay was second at 30.0, followed by Minnesota at 28.4 and the New York Yankees at 28.2 percent. The Orioles were among the teams heavily using defensive shifts, ranking seventh at...
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Steve Melewski

A good start for new regime: Improve organization-wide pitching

A good start for new regime: Improve organization-wide pitching
As the Orioles look to build a consistent winner at the big league level from pretty much the ground up, developing solid pitchers will be a key to that. Maybe the key to that. With Mike Elias, Sig Mejdal and minor league pitching coordinator Chris Holt all coming from Houston, you have to like the Orioles' chances here. In the 2018 season, Houston's four full-season minor league affiliates all led their respective leagues in strikeouts and three of the four also rated first in their league...
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Steve Melewski

Checking the analytics flow from front office to clubhouse

Checking the analytics flow from front office to clubhouse
As the Orioles look to hire and finalize their coaching staff soon, the ability of those coaches to embrace analytics and pass the data on to the players in a useful manner will be a key. It may be the key factor in which coaches Orioles manager Brandon Hyde hires for his first staff. During the recent Winter Meetings, I asked general manager Mike Elias about this. On that staff, are certain coaches more important in disseminating such information? It stands to reason the pitching coach and...
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Steve Melewski

Now the work begins for Elias-Hyde management team

Now the work begins for Elias-Hyde management team
For so many years, we were used to the Dan Duquette-Buck Showalter duo leading the Orioles. But now Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde are in place as executive vice president/general manager and manager. Hyde was introduced Monday at a Camden Yards press conference as the 20th manager in Orioles history. He has pictures of Earl Weaver and Cal Ripken Sr. in his office and he met Brooks Robinson, so he's already off to a good start. Hyde promised to be "patient and positive." Maybe we should put...
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Steve Melewski

Castro has found a home in the Orioles bullpen

Castro has found a home in the Orioles bullpen
He might be overlooked sometimes in the Orioles bullpen. He can't touch 100 mph like Tanner Scott. He doesn't get save chances. He doesn't have a career 1.97 ERA like lefty Richard Bleier. But right-hander Miguel Castro has an important multi-inning role, and last year he ranked fourth among all major league relievers, throwing 83 1/3 innings. In 19 of his 62 outings, he gave the Orioles at least two innings. He went 2-7 with a 3.96 ERA and was throwing well late in the year, with a 1.84 ERA...
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Steve Melewski

After strong AFL season, Ryan McKenna takes momentum into 2019

After strong AFL season, Ryan McKenna takes momentum into 2019
Orioles outfield prospect Ryan McKenna believes his breakout 2018 season came about as a result of taking care of the little things. He put in the work in the cage, listened to his coaches, and worked on striking out less and using his speed more with grounders and fewer fly balls. He also dealt with some adversity and overcame it. After batting .377/.467/.556 in 67 games for Single-A Frederick, the 21-year-old McKenna lost well over 100 points on his average when he moved to Double-A Bowie....
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Steve Melewski

Austin Hays looks to regain top form in 2019

Austin Hays looks to regain top form in 2019
After a frustrating year where he missed many games and ended it undergoing ankle surgery, Orioles outfield prospect Austin Hays is heading into 2019 with a positive outlook and a right ankle that is returning to full health. Hays had surgery Sept. 13 to repair cartilage damage that led to several other issues with that ankle during the season. But after a two- to three-month recovery, he should be fine for spring training, where he can make a run at a 2019 roster spot. The injury limited Hays...
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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"
It's that time again: time for me to ask you some questions and get your responses. Answer one question or all 10. Provide short answers or long. Respond to answers by other readers. It's all welcome. It's all good. So on to the questions. 1. Will the Orioles trade Alex Cobb and/or Andrew Cashner this winter? 2. Who will be the 2019 opening day starter? 3. New GM Mike Elias takes over a 115-loss team. How soon can he have the Orioles playing at least .500 baseball? 4. Over the next five...
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Steve Melewski

Some of the best quotes and takes from Las Vegas

Some of the best quotes and takes from Las Vegas
We covered a lot of topics and got the opinions and thoughts of a few national reporters and analysts over four days of the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Today, we'll take a look back at some of the most interesting and pertinent quotes of the week. ESPN's Keith Law provided a take on new GM Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal: "I think this is exactly what they needed. The fact that these guys have worked together for a while now and had so much success in Houston points to this being a great hire. I...
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Steve Melewski

Up next for the Orioles: Hire the skipper as the rebuild moves on

Up next for the Orioles: Hire the skipper as the rebuild moves on
LAS VEGAS - As expected, the Orioles were not very active in player acquisitions at the Winter Meetings, but the process of hiring a new manager moved near completion and the business of rebuilding the team is fully underway for new general manager Mike Elias. It was a chance for beat reporters to get a few opportunities to meet with the new GM and get his thoughts on a variety of topics over a few days in Las Vegas. At some point in the next few days the Orioles should make official the hiring...
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Steve Melewski

A few post-Rule 5 draft quotes on the new Orioles

A few post-Rule 5 draft quotes on the new Orioles
LAS VEGAS - The Orioles are a bit short on middle infielders and they added two today via the Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings. They selected Oakland shortstop Richie Martin with the No. 1 pick in the draft. After the draft, it was announced they had acquired infielder Drew Jackson, who been selected by Philadelphia from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Orioles sent international bonus money to the Phillies for Jackson. In the Triple-A phase of the draft, the Orioles selected right-handed...
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Steve Melewski

Can O's use "secret sauce" to get more strikeouts from farm pitchers?

Can O's use "secret sauce" to get more strikeouts from farm pitchers?
LAS VEGAS - If new O's general manager Mike Elias can get Orioles minor league clubs to play as well as the minor league clubs of the Houston Astros system played in 2018, then fans of O's affiliates might be quite pleased. And the Orioles may be developing some talented young pitchers. Houston's Triple-A Fresno team finished in first place in 2018, going 82-57. The team ERA ranked sixth in the Pacific Coast League at 4.27 and Fresno pitchers led that league in strikeouts. Double-A Corpus...
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Steve Melewski

Will the Houston model work in Baltimore? MLB Network's Brian Kenny weighs in

Will the Houston model work in Baltimore? MLB Network's Brian Kenny weighs in
LAS VEGAS - MLB Network host Brian Kenny was a fan of the Houston Astros front office at a time when they were losing 106 games in 2011, 107 in 2012 and 111 in 2013. He saw the data-driven approach they were taking with general manager Jeff Luhnow - and also with Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal. Luhnow was hired after that 2011 season and a teardown that led to a successful rebuild was beginning. The Astros' success culminated with a World Series title in 2017. Kenny joined me today for an interview...
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Steve Melewski

Baseball America's J.J. Cooper weighs in on the No. 1 draft pick

Baseball America's J.J. Cooper weighs in on the No. 1 draft pick
LAS VEGAS - The last catcher drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft was Joe Mauer, taken by the Minnesota Twins in 2001. There could be another catcher taken 1/1 in June and the Orioles hold that pick. Earlier, it seemed that many analysts favored Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. for that No. 1 pick. Now the sentiment seems to have strongly moved toward Oregon State's switch-hitting catcher, Adley Rutschman. And top draft analysts are reaching a consensus...
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Steve Melewski

Elias on his scouting background, Reynolds on Machado/Harper

Elias on his scouting background, Reynolds on Machado/Harper
LAS VEGAS - In sizing up the hire of new Orioles general manager Mike Elias, the point has been made that he brings a background of both scouting and analytics to the team. And while analytics will be huge moving forward for the Orioles, Elias knows about the old-fashioned eye test. He used to be the one doing the looking. He began what has been so far a 12-year baseball career in 2007 as an amateur scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. Elias spent five seasons with Jeff Luhnow in St. Louis. The...
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Steve Melewski

Mike Elias on getting data and analytics to the players

Mike Elias on getting data and analytics to the players
LAS VEGAS - As the Orioles move heavily into the analytics age in baseball, they are going to be cognizant of how that information gets to their players in a manner that is helpful to them. Bombarding them with data that won't lead to a better performance doesn't accomplish much. New Orioles general manger Mike Elias knows how to get this job done. He was part of a front office that was on the cutting edge of doing this in Houston. In Baltimore, his front office and coaches will try to help...
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Steve Melewski

MLB Network's Harold Reynolds talks Mike Elias, Manny Machado and more

MLB Network's Harold Reynolds talks Mike Elias, Manny Machado and more
LAS VEGAS - It seems every year at the Winter Meetings we have a chance to talk with MLB Network analyst and commentator Harold Reynolds. This year was no different. I interviewed Reynolds today at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and touched on several different baseball topics. Reynolds on the possibility of MLB limiting defensive shifts: "It is going to be a very controversial topic. The commissioner is kind of in a box right now because the offense has been down. Players have clearly not...
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Steve Melewski

Will the O's look toward the Astros in the Rule 5 draft?

Will the O's look toward the Astros in the Rule 5 draft?
LAS VEGAS - The Orioles have the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft, which is the last event of the Winter Meetings. It takes place 9 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Baseball America executive editor J.J. Cooper is as knowledgeable of that draft as anyone and has written on it and studied it for years. Here is his latest story previewing this year's draft. The Houston connection with the Orioles' Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal could come into play on...
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