Steve Melewski
Steve Melewski

A look at the MLB replay system that begins during the 2014 season

A look at the MLB replay system that begins during the 2014 season
Major League Baseball has approved the replay system that will be in place for the 2014 season. Here is the release from MLB providing details: The 30 Clubs of Major League Baseball have unanimously approved the expansion of instant replay, which will be in effect for the 2014 Championship Season and the 2014 Postseason. The historic announcement was made this afternoon, at the conclusion of MLB's quarterly owners meetings. Both the Major League Baseball Players Association and the World...
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Steve Melewski

Eddie Gamboa: Getting a little closer to the majors and a little closer to consistency with the knuckler

Eddie Gamboa: Getting a little closer to the majors and a little closer to consistency with the knuckler
At 29, the process of Eddie Gamboa reinventing himself as a pitcher is continuing. He began throwing a knuckleball last year in spring training and and began to have success with the pitch at Double-A Bowie. When he moved to Triple-A Norfolk in July, he threw the pitch more often, but the results got worse. After the season ended, he went to winter ball in Mexico and got back to a comfort level with the pitch, going 3-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 11 starts. Throwing the pitch about 50 percent of the...
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Steve Melewski

A look at where some Orioles stand on top prospects lists

A look at where some Orioles stand on top prospects lists
Last season, the Orioles' top two pitching prospects, Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman, were ranked among the top 10 right-handed pitching prospects by MLBPipeline.com and MLB.com. Today, just Bundy is on that list. Coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery, Bundy was No. 6 last year and was ranked No. 8 on the list released today. Gausman, who was ranked No. 5 last year, did not make the top 10. Next week, MLB.com will release its list of the 100 overall prospects in baseball and...
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Steve Melewski

Can Ryan Flaherty handle the everyday job at second?

Can Ryan Flaherty handle the everyday job at second?
Can a player with 399 major league at-bats, a career .221 average and has never been a big league regular player be the Orioles starting second baseman this year? He could, and Ryan Flaherty seems to be the leading candidate to emerge from spring training as the starter at the position. On the plus side, Flaherty has some pop, plays solid defense and already has big league time under his belt. But he's never been a regular at the major league level and has struggled to hit to all fields and...
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Steve Melewski

A take on the Alex Rodriguez saga and the Delmon Young addition

A take on the Alex Rodriguez saga and the Delmon Young addition
Ken Rosenthal said Tony Bosch is not exactly a high-character person on MLB Network Monday and he is right. On the same broadcast, Harold Reynolds said it was the players, though, that brought Bosch into the game and he was right. Rosenthal said no one came off looking good during the "60 Minutes" telecast Sunday night - not Bosch, not Major League Baseball and certainly not Alex Rodriguez - and he was right. If a fan said or I said I can't wait for a day when performance-enhancing drugs...
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Steve Melewski

Orioles offense: Bottom line was solid, plus a deeper look

Orioles offense: Bottom line was solid, plus a deeper look
If you grade the Orioles' offense on the bottom line - and that is runs scored - it would get decent grades for the 2013 season. The O's scored 745 runs last year to tie for fourth in the American League. Only Boston (853), Detroit (796) and Oakland (767) scored more. The O's scored 31 more runs in 2013 than they did in 2012. They averaged 4.6 runs per game and the AL average was 4.33. But going beyond just the runs scored, most fans could tell you there are areas on the offense the...
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Steve Melewski

Wondering about Palmeiro being dropped from Hall of Fame ballot and whether some broadcasters will ever get a vote

Wondering about Palmeiro being dropped from Hall of Fame ballot and whether some broadcasters will ever get a vote
Former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro is on the very short list of players that have both 3,000 hits and 500 homers. The group includes Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray and Palmeiro. That is one of the most exclusive lists in the history of the sport and those accomplishments clearly cement Palmeiro's credentials to be a Hall of Famer. But he'll probably never make it to Cooperstown. Like many other players, Palmeiro is tied to performance-enhancing drugs, but unlike some others, he is now off...
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Steve Melewski

Is the closer role overrated? (plus ranking center fielders)

Is the closer role overrated? (plus ranking center fielders)
Well, I've softened my stance on one aspect of baseball. Years ago, I used to believe that the closer was the most important player on the team and any club with designs on a championship needed a top-notch talent for that role. I still think it's a pretty critical role, but maybe don't feel quite as strongly as I once did. I still haven't come to the other side and to the conclusion that many have that the closer is overrated and that almost any good reliever could fill that role. It...
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Steve Melewski

More notes and quotes on the minor league staff and a look at the Face of the Franchise poll

More notes and quotes on the minor league staff and a look at the Face of the Franchise poll
The Orioles announced their minor league staff for the 2014 season yesterday and the eight men that managed in the minors last year all return to the organization. As noted yesterday, low Single-A Delmarva and high Single-A Frederick are basically switching managers with Ryan Minor headed back to Delmarva where he managed from 2010-12 and Luis Pujols taking over at Frederick. Director of player development Brian Graham said this was the best fit for the Orioles in terms of putting the best...
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Steve Melewski

Orioles set minor league staff for 2014 season

Orioles set minor league staff for 2014 season
The Orioles have announced their minor league managers and coaching staff assignments for the 2014 season. All four full-season managers return to the organization, although Luis Pujols moves from Single-A Delmarva to Single-A Frederick and Ryan Minor moves from Frederick to Delmarva. Ron Johnson returns for his third season as manager at Triple-A Norfolk and Gary Kendall will manage for the fourth season at Double-A Bowie. Former Oriole Alan Mills, the pitching coach last season at...
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Steve Melewski

For starters, a look at the leadoff position in the order

For starters, a look at the leadoff position in the order
Last season, Nate McLouth and Brian Roberts combined to bat first in 125 of the Orioles' games, or 77 percent of the time. There will be a new man atop the O's order in 2014. Who is the best choice? Looking back at 2013, O's leadoff hitters batted a collective .266 with a .331 OBP and .715 OPS. That was just ahead of the American League average in two of those three categories. The AL average was .263/.324/.716. Boston was first in the AL with a .348 OBP from the leadoff spot and the...
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Steve Melewski

A look at Mike Mussina's chance to get the call to the Hall and other notes

A look at Mike Mussina's chance to get the call to the Hall and other notes
Former Orioles right-hander Mike Mussina may make the Hall of Fame one day, but it appears today will not be that day. He may well come up short on a ballot plentiful with worthy candidates. It is clear to me that all these years later some O's fans are still bitter about Mussina's signing with the Yankees as a free agent. What is not clear is exactly what percentage of O's fans feel that way. I would think time heals some wounds, but not all of them for some fans. If Mussina does someday...
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Steve Melewski

Taking a look at Chris Davis and his 2014 season

Taking a look at Chris Davis and his 2014 season
After he had a monster season in 2013, what should O's fans reasonably expect from Chris Davis next season? Davis led the majors in homers, RBIs and extra-base hits. He had nine more homers and 21 more EBHs than anyone else in the game. Davis became the third player in MLB history to hit at least 50 home runs and 40 doubles in a season, joining Babe Ruth and Albert Belle. He set O's clubs records for homers and EBHs as he batted .286 with 42 doubles, 53 homers, 138 RBIs and a 1.004 OPS....
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Steve Melewski

What is the priority now for the Orioles?

What is the priority now for the Orioles?
So, what should the Orioles priority be now that we are about five weeks from the start of spring training? Should it be a starting pitcher? A closer? A DH? Or all three? To me, you almost always go for the pitching. The Orioles tied for fourth in the American League in runs scored last year, and while their offense could certainly use help, the pitching is a bigger priority. I'm fine with Kevin Gausman starting the year in the rotation. But I also have no problem with him working on his...
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Steve Melewski

Will Markakis return to the norm in 2014?

Will Markakis return to the norm in 2014?
One of the strange sights from the 2013 season was watching Nick Markakis, a player that hit 43 doubles or more four straight seasons from 2007-2010, turn into a singles hitter. Markakis finished with 24 doubles last season, but, after the All-Star break, he hit just six doubles and two homers in 253 at-bats, posting a slugging percentage of just .300 and OPS of .622. Markakis hit seven homers in April and May and just three in 105 games after that. During the 2012 season Markakis missed...
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Steve Melewski

Sometimes it's great to be a fan

Sometimes it's great to be a fan
By now, most readers here know I grew up in the Baltimore area as an Orioles fan. I no longer go the games to cheer from the stands, but I feel lucky to have a job covering my childhood team. There are so many memories of going to so many games at Memorial Stadium. I think I spent more time there than at home during some years. The team was really good and being a young fan was great. In recent years, I seldom would get the chance to be a fan except when I would go to watch the football team...
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First 2014 edition: 10 questions for O's fans

First 2014 edition: 10 questions for O's fans
We had a 10 questions blog in October and one in November. Somehow we missed December, so let's get our January version posted today. As usual, answer one, two, all 10 questions or any number that strikes you. Answer with one word or expound on your answer as much as you like. Here is the first 2014 edition of "10 questions for O's fans." 1) Who is most likely to sign a contract extension with the Orioles: Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and/or J.J. Hardy? 2) Predict the 2014 stats for Nick...
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Steve Melewski

Comparing Bundy and Gausman at the top of O's prospects list

Comparing Bundy and Gausman at the top of O's prospects list
After putting together the Orioles' top 10 prospects list this winter for Baseball America, the question I was asked the most was about ranking Dylan Bundy as the club's No. 1 prospect with Kevin Gausman No. 2. Some fans wondered how close it was between the two pitching prospects. First of all, keep in mind the editors at Baseball America - as they certainly should - make up the final list and have the final call. I certainly stand fully by the decision to rank Bundy No. 1. That list is...
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Are dire predictions going to come true for the Orioles?

Are dire predictions going to come true for the Orioles?
First of all, happy new year to everyone. As this holiday season is coming to a close, I hope it's been special and wonderful for all of you. Now, back to baseball. Some fans have already made some dire predictions for the 2014 Orioles. They have predicted fourth place. They have predicted a losing record. Heck, one reader here predicted 72 wins the other day. Do you all really believe that? Or is that just venting over the offseason to date? As we officially begin a new year today - a few...
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A look at one potential starting five for the Orioles

A look at one potential starting five for the Orioles
We know the Orioles will need better starting pitching to contend for the playoffs in 2014. Their starting pitcher ERA was 4.42 when they made the playoffs in 2012 and slipped to 4.57 last year which ranked 12th in the American League. We know the starters need to go deeper in games, but the O's starters actually pitched about the same number of innings the last two seasons, going 937 2/3 innings two years ago and 939 innings last season. So far there have not been any key additions to that...
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