ESPN's Keith Law on A.J. Burnett and O's prospects

ESPN's Keith Law on A.J. Burnett and O's prospects
If the Orioles make a major run at signing free agent pitcher A.J. Burnett, ESPN's Keith Law thinks it would be a great move for the team and that he's likely the best fit for the club among the free agent pitchers. I spoke with Law on several topics today, including a long interview about his prospect reports this week, which were quite positive on the O's farm system. I'll include some of his thoughts here on that and will have some more of his more specific comments on the O's farm...
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After re-signing with O's, Zach Clark's work with the knuckler will continue in 2014

After re-signing with O's, Zach Clark's work with the knuckler will continue in 2014
He became a minor league free agent a few days after the World Series, but right-hander Zach Clark re-signed with the Orioles early this month to continue pitching for the organization he has been with since the 2006 season. After his wild ride last year - which saw him make the majors briefly, get designated for assignment and then begin throwing a knuckleball at three different levels of the minors - maybe this year will be less eventful for the 30-year-old from Wilmington, Del. "I'm glad...
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ESPN's Keith Law ranks four O's young pitchers among top 43 prospects in baseball

ESPN's Keith Law ranks four O's young pitchers among top 43 prospects in baseball
Another top 100 prospects list is out and it is another one that shows five Orioles prospects among the game's best young talent. Here is the ranking today from ESPN's Keith Law, posted on ESPN.com: No. 23 - Kevin Gausman No. 31 - Dylan Bundy No. 38 - Hunter Harvey No. 43 - Eduardo Rodriguez No. 86 - Jonathan Schoop That is four O's young hurlers among the top 43 prospects in baseball, pretty strong stuff. Here is a surprising stat. The Orioles have more prospects in this top 43 than the...
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A look at pitcher groundball rates and how it impacts the Orioles

A look at pitcher groundball rates and how it impacts the Orioles
The Orioles led the American League in one pitching category last year that they would have preferred not to. The club gave up more homers than any other AL staff. The Orioles allowed 202 gopherballs while Toronto was second with 195. Both were way above the AL average of 167 homers allowed. We often hear about the appeal of a groundball pitcher - that is, a pitcher that gets the majority of his outs, or close to 50 percent of balls put in play, on the ground. The obvious theories are that a...
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Notes on Brian Roberts, Hunter Harvey and Chris Davis (O's farm No. 10)

Notes on Brian Roberts, Hunter Harvey and Chris Davis (O's farm No. 10)
Seeing Brian Roberts in pinstripes is going to be strange. But how will Orioles fans react the first time he plays at Camden Yards as an opponent on July 11? Yep, it's going to be quite a wait until the Yankees make their first visit to the Yard in the last series before the All-Star break. No doubt, some boo birds will be heard. After all, Roberts is with the rival Yankees now, even though the Orioles apparently made little to no effort to re-sign him. Heck, some fans are still bitter about...
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Parks on prospects: O's pitching crop can hang with any in baseball

Parks on prospects: O's pitching crop can hang with any in baseball
Baseball Prospectus today ranked five Orioles among its top 101 prospects in baseball. Kevin Gausman was No. 10 with Dylan Bundy No. 15, Hunter Harvey No. 58, Eduardo Rodriguez No. 61 and Jonathan Schoop No. 82. Jason Parks, the national prospect/player development writer for Baseball Prospectus, authored the list compiled with his prospect team and is quite high on several of the O's young players, as those rankings reflect. The BP list ranked Gausman considerably higher than MLB.com (10th...
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Talking prospects and predictions

Talking prospects and predictions
Five Orioles have been ranked among the top 101 prospects in baseball by Baseball Prospectus. Here is how Baseball Prospectus rated the five O's on its list released this morning: No. 10 - Kevin Gausman No. 15 - Dylan Bundy No. 58 - Hunter Harvey No. 61 - Eduardo Rodriguez No. 82 - Jonathan Schoop Before last season, Baseball Prospectus rated Bundy No. 4, Gausman No. 13 and Schoop No. 80. Now Rodriguez and Harvey join that list. Here is a breakdown of American League East prospects on this...
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When was the best home crowd ever at Camden Yards?

When was the best home crowd ever at Camden Yards?
It was not a World Series win. It was not even a playoff win. But on the night of Sept. 6, 2012, the Orioles won a huge game against the New York Yankees behind an eighth-inning homer barrage. What brings that game to mind was that is was replayed recently on MASN and I got into a Twitter conversation with fans about whether that was the best home crowd we've ever seen at Camden Yards. That, of course, is subjective - personal to each of us and some would not agree. That night, some fans...
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So are the Yankees going to be formidable or not?

So are the Yankees going to be formidable or not?
If you look at all the New York Yankees' acquisitions this offseason, the best will probably turn out to be the most recent one. We all know the importance of pitching and signing right-hander Masahiro Tanaka could prove to be a season-saver for the Yankees. Tanaka pitched as well, if not better, in his last few years in Japan, than Yu Darvish did when he was there. For all the talk about the adjustment process pitchers coming over from Japan must make, like pitching every fifth day and so...
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Jim Callis talks about the Orioles on the MLB.com top 100 list

Jim Callis talks about the Orioles on the MLB.com top 100 list
The Orioles had three players ranked among baseball's top 100 prospects by MLB.com and MLBPipeline.com in the list released last night. Pitcher Dylan Bundy was ranked No. 20, pitcher Kevin Gausman No. 31 and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was ranked No. 68. When this list was released last January, Bundy was ranked No. 2 and Gausman No. 37 by MLB.com and Rodriguez was unranked as the O's had just those two players on the list. On the MLB.com list from last summer, Gausman was No. 14, Bundy No....
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Three Orioles prospects make the MLB.com top 100 list

Three Orioles prospects make the MLB.com top 100 list
Three Orioles are among the sport's top 100 prospects according to MLB.com and MLBPipeline.com. In its ranking of the game's top young players released tonight, pitcher Dylan Bundy was ranked No. 20, pitcher Kevin Gausman No. 31 and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was ranked No. 68. When this list was released last January, Bundy was ranked No. 2 and Gausman No. 37 by MLB.com and Rodriguez was unranked as the O's had just those two players on the list. On the MLB.com list from last summer,...
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As some fans' frustration grows and Yankees spend big, what's next for the Orioles?

As some fans' frustration grows and Yankees spend big, what's next for the Orioles?
Let me start by repeating that I believe the Orioles need to add to their pitching staff, a point many made several weeks and months ago and still worth making. The Orioles didn't pitch well enough last year and to get better, and they probably need both current pitchers to improve plus a key addition or two. The time has come for the Orioles to do it. I don't expect to see them in the hunt for Matt Garza, but he's about as good as anyone out there in my opinion. By the way, Garza at $70...
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Brian Roberts talks about joining the Yankees; Colvin deal may not come together

Brian Roberts talks about joining the Yankees; Colvin deal may not come together
After playing 13 seasons with the Orioles, Brian Roberts will be in Yankee pinstripes in 2014. Today, in his first interview since joining the Yankees, he made some comments sure to draw the ire of some O's fans. On a YES Network interview, Roberts was asked about the Yankees' sales pitch to get him. "As you know, I don't think they need a whole lot of sales pitch most of the time," Roberts said. "When you have the opportunity to play for such a storied franchise and an organization...
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A look at the pending Tanaka signing and how it might impact the Orioles (Tanaka to NYY)

A look at the pending Tanaka signing and how it might impact the Orioles (Tanaka to NYY)
Hey, Masahiro Tanaka, could you please make a decision soon so the rest of the teams in baseball can get on with their lives? I'm sure he didn't intend to hold up the works, but since the new posting process began around Christmas for the 25-year-old Japanese right-hander, not much else has happened in baseball. Remember the flurry of activity with signings even before the Winter Meetings? This would be the opposite and it sure appears that players, agents and teams are waiting for Tanaka...
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Will Bud Norris become a key part of the Orioles rotation?

Will Bud Norris become a key part of the Orioles rotation?
He joined the Orioles last July 31, coming over in a trade from Houston. He is under team control through the 2015 season. Can Bud Norris become a key factor in the O's rotation for at least the next two years? The Orioles sure seem confident he can. They gave up what some considered too good of a price to get Norris when they dealt outfielder LJ Hoes, promising minor league pitcher Josh Hader and a competitive balance draft pick in June's draft for the right-hander, who will turn 29 March...
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A look at where the Orioles' top 10 prospects may play this year (updated)

A look at where the Orioles' top 10 prospects may play this year (updated)
Back in mid-December, Baseball America released its list of the top 10 prospects in the Orioles' farm system. Later this week, MLB.com will release its list of the sport's top 100 overall prospects. Baseball America's top 100 list will come out in February or March. The Orioles should get somewhere between three and five players on those lists. Four seems quite possible. For now let's take a look back at the top 10, I'll share the comments I made earlier on the player's rankings and...
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Another look at replay and the O's-Tides exhibition game in Norfolk (remembering a year ago)

Another look at replay and the O's-Tides exhibition game in Norfolk (remembering a year ago)
So what strategy will managers use with the new replay rules coming to the majors in 2014? Since the crew chiefs determine what plays should be reviewed from the seventh inning on, the managers will need to use their challenge in the first six innings. Should they use the challenge in the first inning, if needed, or wait for later in the game? Since a manager that challenges a play that gets changed gets a second challenge, I think managers will use their challenge early in the game if they...
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With 2014 contract not yet set, Matt Wieters faces an uncertain future as an Oriole

With 2014 contract not yet set, Matt Wieters faces an uncertain future as an Oriole
It has been a winter with some Matt Wieters rumors. There were rumblings that the Orioles have approached Wieters and agent Scott Boras about a long-term contract, but did not make much progress. That led to rumors that the club was open to trading Wieters. At this point, there's been no long-term deal or trade. Is it a coincidence that of the six players who were eligible for arbitration, the only one yet to agree to terms with the club is Wieters? Wieters is seeking $8.75 million through...
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A memorable special on Cal's most memorable game and another look at replay

A memorable special on Cal's most memorable game and another look at replay
Maybe crying in baseball is sometimes OK. I didn't exactly need to reach for a paper towel, but I got a little misty-eyed last night watching that MLB Network special on Cal Ripken's most memorable game. Yep, I'll admit it. It was a tremendous special about the night of Sept. 6, 1995 when Ripken played in consecutive game No. 2,131 to pass Lou Gehrig and become the game's all-time Ironman. Watching Ripken talk about his parents and watching him watch his dad, who died less than four...
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Orioles agree with pitcher Bud Norris on one-year contract

Orioles agree with pitcher Bud Norris on one-year contract
The Orioles have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with right-hander Bud Norris, according to an industry source. This allows the club to avoid a possible arbitration hearing. Norris went 4-3 with a 4.80 ERA in 11 games, including nine starts, for the Orioles last year after he was acquired in a trade with Houston. Over 50 2/3 innings, Norris gave up 61 hits with 24 walks and 57 strikeouts. In five home games, Norris went 2-1 with a 7.30 ERA and in six road games, he went 2-2 with...
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