Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

A look at one free agent lefty bat

A look at one free agent lefty bat
As the Orioles look to add left-handed hitting and some balance to their lineup versus right-handers, they could do a lot worse than Adam Lind. Yes, Adam Lind, who is a free agent and won't come at a big price. He has a good track record versus right-handed pitchers. What he doesn't truly offer is a good fit on an Orioles roster that already has several first base-designated hitter types. Lind, though, has played the outfield and played some in left field for the Nationals in 2017. While no...
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Steve Melewski

Prospect profile: Ademar Rifaela had breakout '17 (plus other notes)

Prospect profile: Ademar Rifaela had breakout '17 (plus other notes)
When you talk about outfield prospects on the Orioles farm, he can get overlooked among players like Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart. But Ademar Rifaela had a breakout 2017 season. Producing much better stats than he had earlier in his career, the 23-year-old corner outfielder was named the Carolina League MVP at Single-A Frederick. Over 126 games, he hit .284/.358/.500 with an OPS of .858, which was well above the .717 he posted in 2015 or the .713 from 2016. Rifaela hit 23 doubles,...
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Steve Melewski

The cases for and against trading closer Zach Britton

The cases for and against trading closer Zach Britton
His name came up in trade rumors at the general managers' meetings and figures to come up again at the Winter Meetings. It could be a winter of trade speculation involving Orioles closer Zach Britton. Of the four key players on the club whose contracts are up after the 2018 season - Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Brad Brach and Britton - Britton might be the most replaceable. Fellow free-agent-to-be Brach is a potential replacement for Britton for the 2018 season. The Orioles also have...
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Steve Melewski

Strong finish ends solid year as David Hess makes the 40-man

Strong finish ends solid year as David Hess makes the 40-man
Right-hander David Hess has pitched in spring training games before for the Orioles. But that was always as one of the minor league pitchers added for a game as a just-in-case guy. But next season, he'll begin spring training with a locker in the home clubhouse at Ed Smith Stadium. The 24-year-old Hess was recently added to the Orioles' 40-man roster. So he'll report with the other pitchers and catchers in February and he could possibly get a long look from a club that needs starting...
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Steve Melewski

Week in review: Cobb versus Lynn, roster additions and WAR

Week in review: Cobb versus Lynn, roster additions and WAR
We had a few solid conversations and debates in the comments section over the last week as we touched on a variety of topics. We'll revisit a few today and please weigh back in or comment for the first time if you like. As always here, anything about the Orioles is the topic, even if it is not presented in the story. So please throw it out there, so to speak. On Monday, we debated which free agent pitcher is the better choice - Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn? Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA over 186...
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Steve Melewski

Some free agent contracts just may be too risky

Some free agent contracts just may be too risky
Any free agent contract for a pitcher can be risky. The bigger the contract, the riskier. But two current free agent pitchers present greater risk than some others. That is according to Dave Cameron on FanGraphs in his listing of 2018 free agent landmines. It is not that Cameron sees the pitchers in question as poor pitchers. But in relation to the contracts they are likely to get, he sees them as risky to sign at those prices. Last year, Cameron listed Mark Trumbo as his No. 1 free agent to...
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Steve Melewski

Could Harvey's innings ramp up to the Bundy plan?

Could Harvey's innings ramp up to the Bundy plan?
They are both Orioles first-round draft picks that are right-handed pitchers and were selected out of high school. They have both been ranked as top 100 prospects. They have both had Tommy John surgery. The similarities between Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey don't end there. Bundy has thrown 167 minor league innings and Harvey has pitched 144. Bundy is 10-9 with an ERA of 2.59, WHIP of 1.05 and .211 batting average against. Harvey is 7-8 with an ERA of 2.56, WHIP of 1.12 and .210 batting...
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Steve Melewski

Pondering a few baseball questions before the feast

Pondering a few baseball questions before the feast
Sending out a wish today that everyone has a great Thanksgiving and weekend with family and friends. It remains as true today as ever: I'm thankful for the readers of this blog and that so many post questions and comments to keep a great conversation going through the year. During this offseason to this point we have written about here and debated several questions surrounding the Orioles. Today I will throw out a few topics from recent weeks. Feel free to add your own in and around trips to...
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Steve Melewski

Wins Above Replacement: useful metric or nonsense?

Wins Above Replacement: useful metric or nonsense?
WAR, what is it good for? In a baseball statistical sense, it may be a useful metric that allows us to compare players and takes into account hitting, fielding and even baserunning among position players. There are WAR stats for pitchers, as well. It has become more prominent in the game in recent years and is used more by media and fans. But in my humble opinion, it remains a stat/metric still trying to find its way into the mainstream. It is still often misunderstood by some who then tend to...
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Steve Melewski

Hunter Harvey and David Hess on getting added to the 40-man

Hunter Harvey and David Hess on getting added to the 40-man
When the Orioles made talented, young right-hander Hunter Harvey the 22nd pick in the First-Year Player Draft in 2013, it was inevitable that he would make the 40-man roster someday. But Harvey had no idea it would come after he had dealt with several injuries and one major surgery. Harvey once again has the look of a top 100 pitching prospect and now he is one of 33 on the Orioles' 40-man roster. He joined pitcher David Hess and catcher Austin Wynns as 40-man additions yesterday. Now that...
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Steve Melewski

Is there a preference for Cobb or Lynn? (plus Rule 5 talk)

Is there a preference for Cobb or Lynn? (plus Rule 5 talk)
If the Orioles pursue either or both of free agent right-handers Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn, they would probably be delighted to get either pitcher. And either would be a huge addition to their rotation for 2018 and beyond. But is one the better choice? Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA over 186 1/3 innings last season for the St. Louis Cardinals, the team he has pitched for since 2011. He has been a consistent winning pitcher for that club, posting ERAs between 2.74 and 3.97. With a 3.38 career ERA,...
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Steve Melewski

Week in review: Givens' future role, trade talk and more

Week in review: Givens' future role, trade talk and more
It is time for another week in review entry, where we take a look back at some of the stories and dicussions featured here in the last week. On Monday, we looked at reliever Mychal Givens and his possible future as a closer for the Orioles. Givens went 8-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.042 WHIP last season. His average against dropped from .220 in 2016 to .200 and he reduced his walk rate from 4.3 per nine innings, which was much too high, to a more workable 2.9 walks per nine. Givens seems to have the...
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Steve Melewski

Another look at pace of play, plus final AFL statistics

Another look at pace of play, plus final AFL statistics
Once again, Major League Baseball is talking about pace of play. They don't refer to this as time of game, which was up in 2017 and the longest we've ever seen. But MLB wants more on-field action and wants it to happen it seems, in a more timely fashion. But let's talk time of game for a moment. In 2015 - the first year of new pace of play rules - the average time of game was 2 hours, 56 minutes. That went up to 3 hours in 2016 and to 3 hours, 6 minutes last season. In the 2017 postseason,...
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Steve Melewski

Still talking free agent pitchers, plus other notes

Still talking free agent pitchers, plus other notes
If a pitcher that tied for the National League lead in losses and who has had two Tommy John procedures doesn't sound like he could help the 2018 Orioles, then right-hander Tyler Chatwood is not for you. But when a national reporter said the Orioles have interest this week, the season for rumors officially began. The Orioles will no doubt be linked to many free agent starters over the next several weeks. Simple math tells us that. They have two starters set for their 2018 rotation and you need...
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Steve Melewski

Two O's go from down the board on draft day to award finalists

Two O's go from down the board on draft day to award finalists
All big league teams strive to hit on players later in the First-Year Player Draft. There is always pressure on first-round picks, and they get the most bonus money and the most attention from media and fans. But you need more than the highest drafted players to come through for long-term big league success. In that regard, 2017 wasn't bad for the Orioles as a 2016 third-round pick, outfielder Austin Hays, was a finalist for Baseball America's minor league Player of the Year. And a 2013...
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Steve Melewski

Some trade banter and other notes

Some trade banter and other notes
If the Orioles discuss trading closer Zach Britton - or any prominent player - and then pull off a deal, can it help the team address its biggest need? Will the Orioles get starting pitching in return? That would be desirable for the Orioles. With just two pitchers set for the 2018 rotation in Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman, they are going to need to add starters any way they can, and the trade front is one avenue that could work. The potential issue is that any contending team that wants to add...
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Steve Melewski

Is bullpenning taking hold? (hot stove season heats up)

Is bullpenning taking hold? (hot stove season heats up)
As the discussion about bullpenning in baseball continues and more teams talk about pulling their starters earlier in games, it will be interesting to see if the Orioles have interest in a similar plan. Teams like the Mets and Rays have indicated a desire to be more proactive in pulling starting pitchers next season before they face batting orders the third time through. This story recently appeared in New York's Newsday and said the Mets plan to use an eight-man bullpen next season. The story...
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Steve Melewski

Will Mychal Givens' role become more prominent in the future?

Will Mychal Givens' role become more prominent in the future?
Can a pitcher with zero career saves be a future closer for the Orioles? If that pitcher is right-hander Mychal Givens, I believe the answer is yes. He has the velocity, has the stuff, is durable and has the mentality, in my opinion, which might be the hardest of all to find in a late-inning pitcher. One key trait of any closer is the ability to bounce back after he blows a save. Take a bump in the road and fly past it. Givens seems to be able to shake off tough outings quickly. Givens had a...
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Steve Melewski

Week in review: A look at how far the O's have to go and other topics

Week in review: A look at how far the O's have to go and other topics
Time for another look at some stories and topics we've touched on here in the past week. Feel free to comment on any or all three once more. On Monday, we got a lot of responses to the question, "How far away are the Orioles?" The 2017 club stayed in the race into September. In fact, on the night of Aug. 30, the Orioles won their seventh straight game. They were 1 1/2 games behind the Twins for the second American League wild card and 2 1/2 behind the Yankees for the first wild card. But in...
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Steve Melewski

Another look at strikeouts and their impact on the O's offense

Another look at strikeouts and their impact on the O's offense
Barring a batter reaching on a third strike and a wild pitch, not much good comes from a strikeout. Certainly, some good can come from a walk. Orioles fans know their team well and the Baltimore offense in recent seasons has featured too many strikeouts and too few walks. This was a problem again in the 2017 season. The Orioles' strikeout rate of 23 percent of all plate appearances by the team ranked as fifth-most in the American League this year. The team walk rate of 6.4 percent ranked last...
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