The Orioles' minor leagues have come a long way under the Mike Elias regime to become the No. 1 ranked organization in the majors. The O's no longer claim the top spot, but they do remain as one of baseball's top farms.

Today, they got another, different honor.

The Orioles organization was named the recipient of the inaugural MiLB Sportsmanship Award. This award is presented to the Major League Baseball organization whose Minor League personnel best exemplify MiLB’s commitment to fostering a culture of sportsmanship and professionalism on the field.

The four organizations that were finalists for the 2024 season were Arizona, Baltimore, Miami and Milwaukee. 

Per a Minor League Baseball press release, "Baltimore’s four affiliates – Norfolk, Bowie (now Chesapeake), Aberdeen and Delmarva – set the standard for exemplary sportsmanship while maintaining a competitive environment for player development without undue interruptions from on-field conflicts. Remarkably, no player, manager, or coach in the Orioles system missed a game due to a suspension for on-field conduct in 2024."

The Orioles didn’t wait long this season to create some roster and injury intrigue, to build speculation and curiosity within the media until further details became available.

Remember the third game at Tropicana Field?

Come on, it wasn’t that long ago.

The club hadn’t confirmed its fifth starter, who became Spenser Watkins. Dean Kremer began to warm in the visiting bullpen, eliminating him from the race.

And then, he walked to the dugout. An unusual move, since relievers usually go from the ‘pen to the mound.