Some notes and a quick take on the pitching

Some notes and a quick take on the pitching
A few news and notes from around the baseball world: * If reports are accurate that pitcher Hiroki Kuroda is heading back to Japan to pitch at age 40 next year, the Orioles will not be sorry to see him go. Kuroda went 38-33 with an ERA of 3.44 the last three seasons for the Yankees. He went 11-9 with a 3.71 ERA last year with a 1.14 WHIP and just 1.6 walks per every nine innings. That is solid pitching at any age. Against the Orioles, while Kuroda was just 3-3 in 11 career starts, he posted...
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The AL East is spending again, what will it all mean for the Orioles?

The AL East is spending again, what will it all mean for the Orioles?
Is anyone surprised that some of baseball's biggest spenders this winter reside in the American League East? Is anyone surprised that list of big spenders does not include the Orioles? While it irks some of you, it should not be a big surprise. The Matt Kemp and Justin Upton rumors were nice and they were interesting, but they were never close to happening. The Red Sox are spending again, the Blue Jays are active again and the Yankees are still the Yankees and can flash a big checkbook...
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Projecting the 2015 opening day lineup

Projecting the 2015 opening day lineup
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone around Birdland. Hope this is your best Christmas ever. Thanks again to the loyal readers here at MASNsports.com. I am thankful 365 days a year that you come here and read this blog. What a great community of Orioles fans and and I hope today and every day is special for you. With yesterday's news that the Orioles have agreed to a new contract with Delmon Young, let's take one moment for a quick baseball thought today. Let's take a look at a...
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Trying to project the 2015 minor league pitching rotations

Trying to project the 2015 minor league pitching rotations
The Orioles will have some pretty good pitching prospects at all four of their full-season minor league affilates when the new seasons begin in April. We certainly don't know the rosters yet, and this is all subject to change, but here's taking a guess at where some pitchers could be with the starting rotations for Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Bowie, Single-A Frederick and Single-A Delmarva come 2015. Five pitchers that could wind up in the Norfolk rotation, either on opening day, or at some...
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Q&A with Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace

Q&A with Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace
By almost any standard, Dave Wallace's first season as Orioles pitching coach was a real success. The Orioles' 3.43 team ERA ranked third in the American League, behind only Seattle at 3.17 and Oakland at 3.22. This was for a team that won 96 games, played for the American League pennant and tied for the second-best record in the majors. The Orioles had four different starting pitchers (Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris and Miguel Gonzalez) record 10 or more wins for the first time...
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Prospect Profile: Hess makes solid debut, draws Bud Norris comparison

Prospect Profile: Hess makes solid debut, draws Bud Norris comparison
When the Orioles drafted right-hander David Hess in the fifth round out of Tennessee Tech last June, Hess pointed out that he had played for the O's in Little League and now he was an Oriole again. Signed by scout Adrian Dorsey, the 21-year-old Hess had pitched out of the bullpen his first two years in college and was a starter as a junior. He got a slightly under-slot bonus of $280,000 to sign. Last season for Tennessee Tech, Hess went 9-3 with a 3.24 ERA in 16 starts. Over 97 1/3 innings,...
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Third offseason edition: 10 questions for O's fans

Third offseason edition: 10 questions for O's fans
Yep, it's about that time again. Today we present the latest edition of 10 question for Orioles fans, and it comes about one month after the second one which came one month after the first one. It is again time to survey Birdland. Answer one question, two, three or all 10. Provide a one or two-word answer or one that is longer. It is completely your choice. Please put the question number before your answer, as it is easier to keep it all straight that way. No need to repeat the question in...
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O's brass lends public support to Chris Davis

O's brass lends public support to Chris Davis
In recent days, we have heard both Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter talk up Chris Davis. They have said they believe in him and expect him to have a bounceback season in 2015. Whether they truly believe that or are just being supportive of a key player, they have lent some public support to Davis at a time when he probably could use it. For Davis, 2014 was a season that could have gone a lot better. He ended the year serving a 25-game suspension for...
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Prospect Profile: Connaughton leaving the hardwood behind for the mound

Prospect Profile: Connaughton leaving the hardwood behind for the mound
Hoops and hardball. Orioles minor league pitcher Pat Connaughton is real good at both. Soon his concentration and efforts will be fully devoted to baseball and then the Orioles are anxious to see how he will do. The Orioles drafted the 6-foot-5 right-hander in the fourth round out of Notre Dame in June. The two-sport standout is currently averaging 12.7 points per game for the Notre Dame basketball team. Connaughton scored his 1,000th point for the Irish on Nov. 15, but come spring training he...
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Did Ubaldo Jimenez turn the corner late last year?

Did Ubaldo Jimenez turn the corner late last year?
In the second half of the 2013 season, right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez went 6-5 with a 1.82 ERA and struck out 100 batters in 84 innings over 13 starts for the Cleveland Indians. That strong finish to his season helped Jimenez land a four-year, $50 million contract with the Orioles in February. But Jimenez had a rough first season with the Orioles, lost his rotation spot in mid-August and this year pitched to an ERA of 5.96 after the All-Star break. Owed $38.75 million over the next three seasons,...
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Minor league manager assignments for 2015 and other notes

Minor league manager assignments for 2015 and other notes
All six managers, from the rookie-level Gulf Coast League up through Triple-A Norfolk, will return to manage Orioles affiliates next season. Three will return to their 2014 teams, while three will be with new clubs in 2015. The Orioles have not confirmed this or made any announcements yet about their 2015 minor league staff, but Ron Johnson is expected to return to manage at Triple-A Norfolk, Gary Kendall will return to Double-A Bowie and Ryan Minor is expected to return to Single-A...
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Asking O's fans, "How did it all start for you?"

Asking O's fans, "How did it all start for you?"
So should I take a day, or even a few hours, away from the usual fare on this blog each day to try something different? "You'll hear crickets," I said to myself when I had this thought last night. "Going to do it anyway," I answered back. Don't worry, I don't have these conversations out loud and only I know I am talking with myself. No reason for concern. So on to today's topic ... How did you become an Orioles fan? Tell me about your first game and/or the start of your fandom....
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A look back: The quotable from the trip to San Diego

A look back: The quotable from the trip to San Diego
Looking back at the last few days, there were 19 blogs written in this space, covering the Orioles at the Winter Meetings from Monday to Thursday before we headed back to the East Coast. Here is another look at some of the quotes from those we interviewed and what they had to say. MLB Network's Harold Reynolds on what O's should do: "If (the Orioles) make a trade, of all the names that have been mentioned, I think Justin Upton is the best move for them. He's 26, 27. If you can lock him up...
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How Jason Garcia impressed the Orioles, plus Harvey invited to spring training

How Jason Garcia impressed the Orioles, plus Harvey invited to spring training
Well, that must have been some instructional league pitching performance. It was good enough to convince the Orioles brass that a young pitcher that has never pitched about low Single-A should be considered by them for the Rule 5 draft. A few months ago, then 21-year-old Jason Garcia, pitching for Boston, faced 18 O's batters in an instructional league game and struck out 14 of them. His hit list included Chance Sisco, Christian Walker and Chris Davis. When Boston did not protect Garcia on...
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Are the fans who are questioning the Orioles right now correct?

Are the fans who are questioning the Orioles right now correct?
Dan Duquette should have some built up some good will among Orioles fans. That is what two playoff appearances in three years and winning the American League East by 12 games with 96 wins should get you. Fans can question his moves, but his record in Baltimore is pretty good. Unless you prefer 14 straight losing seasons to playing for the AL pennant. It was Duquette, not Brian Cashman or Ben Cherington by the way, that took home Baseball America's Executive of the Year award at the Winter...
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Orioles add one, lose two players in minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft

Orioles add one, lose two players in minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft
SAN DIEGO - The Orioles lost two players and added one today in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. Unlike the major league phase, these players don't have to stay on any roster all year to stick with the club. They now belong to the selecting team and can be assigned to any minor league level. The Orioles selected outfielder Sean Halton from the Brewers organization. Halton, 27, hit .293/.342/.435 with 29 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 63 RBIs in 122 games with Nashville....
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Duquette on the two pitchers added via the Rule 5 draft

Duquette on the two pitchers added via the Rule 5 draft
SAN DIEGO - The Orioles added two pitchers today in the Rule 5 draft as they acquired right-hander Jason Garcia through a trade and selected right-hander Logan Verrett. The Orioles acquired Garcia from Houston for cash considerations. The 22-year-old pitcher was selected fourth in the draft out of the Boston Red Sox organization. Garcia went 3-2 with three saves and a 3.67 ERA in 14 combined games (seven starts) with Single-A Lowell and Greenville. He struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings...
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A look at today's Rule 5 draft

A look at today's Rule 5 draft
SAN DIEGO - The Rule 5 draft is the last event of the Winter Meetings and takes place this morning at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Any player selected in this draft must remain on the selecting team's 25-man roster for the entire 2015 season or be offered back to his original club. Players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft when they are not on their organization's 40-man roster and: * were signed at 19 or older and have been in the organization for four years; or * were signed...
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Duquette talks dollars and sense during one-on-one interview

Duquette talks dollars and sense during one-on-one interview
SAN DIEGO - During his press briefing with Baltimore reporters today, executive vice president Dan Duquette said, "Very rarely do we sign high-profile free agents." The Orioles did sign Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez last year for a combined $58 million and gave up two draft picks to get that pair. But the messages seems to be pretty clear. While the Orioles are handing out millions in raises to their own arbitration-eligible players, they are very unlikely to dip into the deep end of the...
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Checking in with Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich

Checking in with Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich
SAN DIEGO - Among the Orioles' front office contingent in San Diego is scouting director Gary Rajsich. It will be a much different draft for Rajsich and his staff next June when the O's have four of the top 73 picks after not selecting until the third round and 90th overall last June. "It is going to be a deep draft according to our projections and hopefully we can get some impact players," Rajsich said this morning. The O's farm system gained some balance in the last year or so, as...
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