Lombardozzi addition creates even more infield possibilities for the Orioles

Lombardozzi addition creates even more infield possibilities for the Orioles
Now that we know Manny Machado is going to miss opening day, the O's infield possibilities without him are getting interesting. There are certainly plenty of them. Today, the Orioles exchanged infielders, acquiring switch-hitter Steve Lombardozzi from Detroit in exchange for Alex Gonzalez. The Tigers needed a shortstop, Gonzalez had a strong spring and now is headed for Detroit. So who starts at second and who starts at third for the Orioles starting March 31? Will Jonathan Schoop make this...
Continue reading

A look at how the Orioles will handle MLB's new home plate collision rule

A look at how the Orioles will handle MLB's new home plate collision rule
The 2014 season will be interesting for catchers around Major League Baseball due to the new experimental rule involving home plate collisions. This MLB.com story outlines the highlights of experimental rule 7.13: * A runner may not run out of a direct line to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher, or any player, covering the plate. If he does, the umpire can call him out even if the player taking the throw loses possession of the ball. * The catcher may not block the...
Continue reading

Schoop and Wright try to make the majors, become O's minor league success stories

Schoop and Wright try to make the majors, become O's minor league success stories
There are many reasons for O's fans to be excited about Jonathan Schoop. He just may be the club's opening day second baseman and is sure stating his case with his strong spring. Beyond that, Schoop is from Curacao and the Orioles have produced few international players that made the majors, but the club is clearly getting better on that front. Also, Schoop first played for the club in the 2009 Dominican Summer League and has made all the stops along the way. He's gone from the DSL to the...
Continue reading

After losing a clubhouse friend, O'Day looks to find old magic vs. lefty hitters (plus minor league notes)

After losing a clubhouse friend, O'Day looks to find old magic vs. lefty hitters (plus minor league notes)
For the last two seasons, Darren O'Day has been a rock in the Orioles bullpen. Dependable, reliable and talented. Over those two years, he is a combined 12-4 with an ERA of 2.23. During that time, he has averaged 8.9 strikeouts per every nine innings with just 2.0 walks. But last season - when he went 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA - one area stood out on his stat sheet and that was his numbers against left-handed hitters. In 2012 for the Orioles, lefty batters hit just .207 with an OPS of .664...
Continue reading

Orioles release Cust, LaPorta, five others from minor league camp

Orioles release Cust, LaPorta, five others from minor league camp
Jack Cust's attempt at a comeback with the Orioles ended today when he was released by the club. He signed a minor league deal Feb. 5 and had been working out at the minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park. Cust was one of seven players released today from minor league camp. The list included Matt LaPorta, a first-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007. The club also released right-handed pitchers Zach Staniewicz, Casey Upperman and Julio Rodriguez, left-handed pitcher Harry Marino and...
Continue reading

An interview with Jomar Reyes

An interview with Jomar Reyes
In the ongoing search to add young talent to the organization, the Orioles added two international prospects Jan. 30 when they signed 16-year-old third baseman Jomar Reyes and purchased 17-year-old first baseman Carlos Diaz from the Mexico City Reds. They are two big kids that the Orioles believe show good power potential. Diaz, a lefty batter and first baseman from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 200 lbs. Reyes, a right-handed hitter and third baseman from Santo...
Continue reading

More with the O's Dan Duquette

More with the O's Dan Duquette
SARASOTA, Fla. - Here is the second part of the interview with Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. The Orioles minor leagues are obviously improved. There have been some solid rankings of your players individually and the system collectively. What is the state of the O's farm right now? "I'm encouraged by some of the improvement in the rankings from some of the major publications that follow it closely. We've moved up from 28 into the teens and I saw one ranking where we were...
Continue reading

One-on-one with Dan Duquette (plus minor league notes)

One-on-one with Dan Duquette (plus minor league notes)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette is about to begin his third season running the team's on-field operations. After producing winning teams in Montreal and Boston, Duquette's first two O's clubs have had winning records, and the 2012 team ended the Orioles' string of 14 straight losing seasons with its first playoff appearance since 1997. The native of Dalton, Mass., is an Amherst College grad and twice has been honored as MLB Executive of...
Continue reading

Postgame comments from Steve Clevenger and Suk-min Yoon

Postgame comments from Steve Clevenger and Suk-min Yoon
SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Clevenger's main competitor for the backup catcher's job, Johnny Monell, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after today's game. That leaves three catchers at big league camp with Matt Wieters, Clevenger and Caleb Joseph. After today's game, manager Buck Showalter referred to Clevenger as "the leader in the clubhouse" for the No. 2 catcher's job. Clevenger said today's news won't change much for him right now. "I'm just going to continue to do what I do," he...
Continue reading

Johnny Monell talks about the backup catcher roster battle

Johnny Monell talks about the backup catcher roster battle
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Johnny Monell looks at this spring training as a fresh start. He spent seven seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization until the Orioles acquired him for cash on Nov. 30. Soon he will find if his destination will be Baltimore or Norfolk come opening day. "Oh, it's a beautiful fresh start for me," Monell said this morning. "Just being able to get away from the situation in San Francisco and have the chance to come to the American League. Want to...
Continue reading

Several young pitchers are off to good starts at minor league camp

Several young pitchers are off to good starts at minor league camp
SARASOTA, Fla. - We are still very early into the minor league exhibition games - they just started one week ago - but a few of the Orioles' top pitching prospects are putting up good numbers so far. The club's 2013 first-round draft pick, 19-year-old right-hander Hunter Harvey made his second start for the Single-A Delmarva squad yesterday. Over three shutout innings, he gave up three hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts. In his first outing he went two innings, allowing one run with...
Continue reading

Hardy on Hardy

Hardy on Hardy
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and outfielder Adam Jones are two of just four players last season to win both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award. The others are Yadier Molina and Paul Goldschmidt. That is a nice double of defense and power, two elements that can help any team win. Hardy leads all major league shortstops with 77 homers and 224 RBIs since joining the Orioles in 2011. So is he more proud of his bat or his glove? "That's a tough question. Both," he said....
Continue reading

After some tweaks to his pitches, T.J. McFarland is battling for an O's roster spot

After some tweaks to his pitches, T.J. McFarland is battling for an O's roster spot
SARASOTA, Fla. - When I interviewed pitcher T.J. McFarland on Saturday morning in the Orioles clubhouse, I asked the left-hander a question. And I pretty much knew what answer I would get. I asked McFarland if he would rather pitch out of the bullpen for the Orioles or get starter innings at Triple-A Norfolk? "That's an easy one," he said. "I don't know what is going to happen. I don't think anyone does right now. Just want to keep throwing well and have them make a tough decision. But...
Continue reading

A question for Chris Davis: Can you top last year? (plus minor league notes)

A question for Chris Davis: Can you top last year? (plus minor league notes)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Now what does he do for an encore? We're talking about Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, who bashed his way through American League pitching last season on his way to finishing third in the American League MVP vote. Davis batted .286 with 42 doubles, one triple, 53 homers, 138 RBIs, a .634 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.004. He hit nine more homers than anyone in baseball and had 21 more extra-base hits than any other player. His 96 extra-base hits tied him for 29th...
Continue reading

Showalter on pitching plans, injury news, third base and more (updated)

Showalter on pitching plans, injury news, third base and more (updated)
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Today's rainout cancellation here at Bright House Field has the Orioles again trying to set their pitching plans for the next couple of days. Brian Matusz and Kevin Gausman were to pitch in this game. It's possible they will pitch tonight in Sarasota if they get that game in, but when reporters talked to manager Buck Showalter earlier it sounded more likely they'll work in minor league games tomorrow at Twin Lakes Park. "I don't like the idea of Brian and Gausman...
Continue reading

Ubaldo Jimenez pitches shutout ball in Fort Myers

Ubaldo Jimenez pitches shutout ball in Fort Myers
CLEARWATER, Fla. - To no one's surprise, today's scheduled game at Bright House Field between the Orioles and Phillies has been rained out. It will not be made up. The Orioles team did bus up here, get set up in their clubhouse and now they will shortly head south back to Sarasota. Nothing to see here, but a few things to report from a session with manager Buck Showalter. The Orioles decision to send right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez to Fort Myers was the right one. They did get that game in...
Continue reading

Update from Clearwater (today's game rained out)

Update from Clearwater (today's game rained out)
CLEARWATER, Fla. - It's pouring here at Bright House Field at this hour and it looks unlikely that the Orioles and Phillies will get this game in. There has been no announcements on anything yet, but the tarp has been on the field all morning and the lights have been on. We heard the O's team bus left at 10 a.m. from Sarasota so the players are on their way. The Orioles are scheduled to play two games today with another O's squad hosting the Twins tonight at 7:05 in Sarasota. If somehow...
Continue reading

Talking about opportunity, Hardy's nickname and championship rings

Talking about opportunity, Hardy's nickname and championship rings
SARASOTA, Fla. - Has the Orioles' organization become a land of opportunity for the fringe major league player? The answer may well be yes. The 2012 playoff Orioles used 52 players and made a whopping 178 roster moves. That was just the second time in club history an Orioles team had used 50 or more players and was the most since the 1955 team used 54 players. The 2013 Orioles matched that 1955 squad by using 54 players and made 176 roster moves. So only three times in club history have the...
Continue reading

Showalter's postgame comments after O's lose to Toronto

Showalter's postgame comments after O's lose to Toronto
DUNEDIN, Fla. - Minor league outfielder Dariel Alvarez had a chance to be a hero today for the Orioles with a homer in the top of the 10th. But Toronto scored twice off Kelvin De La Cruz in the last of the inning to beat the Birds, 4-3 in 10 innings at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. The Orioles almost lost this game in the last of the ninth. After he pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, Ryan Webb came out for the ninth leading 2-1, but Toronto greeted him four straight singles to tie the game. De La Cruz...
Continue reading

Gonzalez happy with his outing against Toronto (O's lose 4-3)

Gonzalez happy with his outing against Toronto (O's lose 4-3)
ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3 in 10 innings Recap: Making his fourth spring outing, Miguel Gonzalez allowed just five hits and one run over four innings. It was his longest outing this spring. He gave up a run in the fourth but pitched out of a bases-loaded jam. Steve Clevenger had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. The Orioles had a lead heading to the bottom of the ninth, but Ryan Webb gave up a game-tying single to Munenori Kawasaki....
Continue reading