There were some rumors recently about a potential trade of outfielder J.D. Martinez from Detroit to San Francisco. If the Orioles lose free agent Mark Trumbo to another team, Martinez and his solid bat might play well in right field in Baltimore.
A Tigers team that is looking to get younger and cut payroll might be willing to deal Martinez, who will be a free agent after next season. He is due to earn $11.75 million for 2017.
Several teams should be attracted by that reasonable price for a...
In late October, Baseball America released a new list of the Orioles' top 10 prospects, coming off the 2016 season. Today, we'll look at a few players that might make the second 10.
But first, another look at Baseball America's Orioles top 10:1. Chance Sisco2. Cody Sedlock3. Ryan Mountcastle4. Hunter Harvey5. Trey Mancini6. Keegan Akin7. Austin Hays8. Jomar Reyes9. Chris Lee10. Tanner Scott
Here are three players that seem likely to make the second 10, which has not been released or...
We've had a lot of payroll talk on this blog this weekend. In this entry yesterday, we took a look at some of the Orioles' payroll obligations for 2017. Today, let's take a look at how big spending in baseball doesn't always get the job done.
The 2015 World Series was played between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets. The Royals began that season with the 17th highest payroll in the majors and the Mets ranked 19th.
The 2016 World Series was played between the Chicago Cubs and...
After putting together an 89-win team on a payroll in the $150 million range in 2016, will the Orioles be spending a similar amount on talent in 2017?
We are just guessing here, since no team is going to provide their budget and/or payroll information. There is no edge to be gained in doing so, so teams will not do it. But based on available information, we can at least take a look at projected payroll obligations for the Orioles for next season.
Guaranteed dollars for 2017: $17 million - Chris...
Did the Orioles make a trade of pitching coaches earlier this week? Not really, but while Dave Wallace and Dom Chiti are heading back to the Atlanta organization, the Orioles hired Roger McDowell as their new pitching coach. For the last 11 years he was the pitching coach ... in Atlanta.
McDowell said Wallace is a mentor and Chiti is a friend. He has a strong relationship with both.
"I learned everything I know about being a pitching coach probably from Dave Wallace and I think from that...
Happy Thanksgiving, Birdland!
I hope everyone has a great day and holiday weekend with family and friends. I am very thankful for many things today. But I am always thankful that I get to cover my hometown team as a reporter, and that so many readers come here and take the time to leave comments and thoughts. Even if we disagree, I appreciate the input and it keeps a great conversation going during the cold winter months while we wait for more baseball.
If you have time to leave any comments...
There has been labor peace for so long in baseball that the word "lockout" hasn't surfaced for a long time. Neither has the word "strike," unless we are talking about the possible result of a pitched ball.
But yesterday afternoon, Ken Rosenthal's story on FOXSports.com had a stunning headline:
"Sources: Baseball's 21-year run of labor peace could be in jeopardy. Owners will consider voting to lock out players if they cannot reach a new CBA by Dec. 1."
What the heck is going on here?...
Teammates on an Orioles team that advanced to the American League Championship Series in 1996, Roger McDowell and Alan Mills are now reunited in Baltimore. Today, McDowell was hired as the club's pitching coach and Mills as bullpen coach.
While McDowell will have to get to know the Orioles pitchers coming from Atlanta, Mills is already quite familiar with many of them. He was the pitching coach at short-season Single-A Aberdeen from 2012-13, at Single-A Delmarva in 2014 and with Double-A Bowie...
While this has the potential to be a quieter offseason than most for the Orioles, it also seems like it will be an offseason without the pursuit of a starting pitcher. At least one that can step right in on the big league level.
Right now, the Orioles have six starters for five spots. Some feel the rotation gets off to a good start with Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy. But then it falls off a cliff with the veterans Yovani Gallardo, Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley.
Let's start with...
Are the Chicago White Sox having a fire sale? Are they telling other teams in baseball that almost all of their players can be had in a trade?
If the reports are accurate that any players with less than four years of team control are available, then they have a player that technically has less than four years remaining that is very attractive. A player that a team looking for a leadoff hitter, right fielder and good on-base guy might covet. Know any team that needs a player like that?
The...
The salaries for good relief pitchers continue to rise. During a free agent period when it's possible that Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen could sign deals approaching $100 million, former Terps left-hander Brett Cecil cashed in yesterday.
The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a deal with Cecil for four years and $30.5 million, putting the average annual value at $7.625 million. The dollars and deal are very similar to the one the Orioles signed Darren O'Day to in December 2015. That one was...
In recent seasons, getting starting pitchers to go deep into games has been an issue for the Orioles. But it has been for most teams in the American League as well. Some facts bear that out.
In 2012, there were seven AL teams that saw their rotation average at least six innings per start. Last year, there were just two. In 2013, there were 19 AL pitchers throwing 200 innings or more and last year there were just nine.
Fewer innings by the starters, fewer workhorses, fewer complete games, and...
The Orioles tonight added two right-handed pitchers to their 40-man roster. They selected the contracts of starting pitcher Joe Gunkel and reliever Jesus Liranzo. The two pitchers are now protected from being taken by another club in the Dec. 8 Rule 5 draft. The Orioles' 40-man roster now holds 35 players.
Liranzo is a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic that had a very strong season after having pitched just 52 career innings coming into the year. Originally signed by Atlanta in May 2012,...
The Orioles today are expected to add a few players to their 40-man roster to protect them from being lost to another team in the Rule 5 draft. Today is the final date for teams to make 40-man additions to protect those players from being selected in the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings.
This list is a partial list of O's minor leaguers who are eligible for the Rule 5 this year if not added to the 40-man. It is not a listing of every player in the organization with eligibility,...
If the Orioles do not re-sign catcher Matt Wieters, the club has some questions to answer at the position. Will Caleb Joseph become the starter or will the team look to sign someone they deem an upgrade? Or will Joseph become part of a platoon or a timeshare at the position?
Joseph has become a solid defensive catcher, we have seen that. It came after a minor league career where he was often knocked for his defense. Sometimes labels are hard to lose and/or they may not be completely...
A few weeks after a successful rookie season, Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy turned 24 yesterday. When you consider that he entered the 2016 season out of options and having to stick on the major league roster all year, and with all of 38 2/3 minor league innings above Single-A on his resume, Bundy had a solid season indeed.
He tied for second on the team in wins, threw 109 2/3 innings, moved into the starting rotation, and certainly flashed some of the vast talent and potential fans had been...
Here is a question worth pondering: If the Orioles lose Mark Trumbo, thereby adding a draft pick, are they then more likely to give up a pick for signing a player that turned down a qualifying offer?
In other words, will they give up a pick but have one on hand already to replace it.
Trumbo, as expected, turned down the qualifying offer from the Orioles on Monday. If Trumbo signs with another team, the Orioles get a pick after the first round but before the second next June. Right now, that...
With the Orioles in the market for at least one corner outfielder, let's look at a few free agents the team could pursue. There is also the trade market, but there is no way to know which players are available through that avenue.
Dexter Fowler: After the deal that turned out not to be a deal last winter and the hard feelings that resulted, you have to wonder if the Orioles would even travel down this road again.
But putting that aside for a moment, Fowler seems a perfect fit in several...
It is time for another edition of "10 Questions for O's Fans." As you probably know, we do this about once a month to survey the pulse of Birdland on a variety of topics. Feel free to answer one or all 10 question and provide short answers or long ones. It's your call and your opinions we're looking for.
This edition features a twist. Every question today comes from an Orioles fan and reader of this blog. The 10th question when we did this last month was, "What question should we ask next...
The defensive metrics don't paint a pretty picture. They scream that the Orioles need to improve their outfield defense. We know they need to improve because some of the metrics rank the Orioles last of all 30 major league teams.
In this ranking from FanGraphs.com of outfield Defensive Runs Saved, the Orioles are at -51 DRS. Orioles outfielders also ranked last in Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) at -36.7. Kansas City led all American League outfields in DRS at 45, with Boston at 42 and Houston at...