More possible Orioles spring training storylines
The Orioles play their first spring training game on Feb. 22 against the Pirates in Sarasota. We're waiting for the report dates. Here are a few more topics that should garner a lot of interest. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells. We have a tendency to lump together players for certain reasons, like anytime that the Orioles bring two Rule 5 picks to camp
On the one hand, some complained about a lack of star-power last year when No. 5 seed Texas played No. 6 seed Arizona in a World Series matchup featuring teams that played in the Wild Card round. This year is very different. For just the fifth time since 1995, the World Series features the winningest clubs in each league. It is the first World Seri
PLAYER REVIEW: PATRICK CORBIN Age on Opening Day 2025: 35 How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2018 MLB service time: 12 years, 105 days 2024 salary: $35 million ($10 million deferred to be paid between November 2024-January 2026) Contract status: Free agent 2024 stats: 6-13, 5.32 ERA, 32 G, 32 GS, 174.2 IP, 208 H, 114 R, 109 ER, 25 HR, 54
The notebook is cleaned out, but my mind remains cluttered. You’ve been warned. * Anyone with an obsession over splits is going to be drawn to Adley Rutschman. He’s a conversation starter. Rutschman batted .219 with a .631 OPS from the left side of the plate. However, he hit .280 with an .889 OPS from the left side as a rookie, compared to .174 wit
During spring training, I asked O's center fielder Cedric Mullins to ponder a possibility. And that was that the 2024 season could be the last together for the trio of Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander. We knew then that Santander would be a free agent at the end of the season. We didn’t know then that Hays would be traded to the Philadel
PLAYER REVIEW: MITCHELL PARKER Age on Opening Day 2025: 25 How acquired: Fifth round pick, 2020 MLB Draft MLB service time: 1 year 2024 salary: $740,000 Contract status: Under club control, arbitration-eligible in 2027, free agent in 2030 2024 stats: 7-10, 4.29 ERA, 29 G, 29 GS, 151 IP, 154 H, 82 R, 72 ER, 18 HR, 43 BB, 133 SO, 2 HBP, 1.305 WHIP, 9
A common offseason activity for baseball media is flipping through pages of the last notebook used in search of tidbits that can be posted during slow times. Any newsy or interesting nuggets that were missed or held. Notations that serve as reminders for later use. I’m also reminded again that my handwriting looks like I’m wedging a pen between toe
Early this month, not long after the Orioles were eliminated from the American League playoffs by the Kansas City Royals, I expressed an opinion about the Orioles offense. An offense that produced solid stats over the full season but fell off big time late in the year. One way to break it down is with facts and going through a period where it was r
PLAYER REVIEW: DJ HERZ Age on Opening Day 2025: 24 How acquired: Traded with Kevin Made from Cubs for Jeimer Candelario, July 2023 MLB service time: 99 days 2024 salary: $740,000 Contract status: Under club control, arbitration-eligible in 2028, free agent in 2031 2024 stats: 4-9, 4.16 ERA, 19 G, 19 GS, 88.2 IP, 76 H,
It’s never too early to start thinking about spring training storylines. That’s a lie. It’s much too early. But there’s no harm in talking about a few topics in October. Can the roster hold Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo? There might not be two bigger curiosities in camp than this duo. Kjerstad was the second-overall pick in the 2020 draft, and you
Changes being made in the Orioles organization are happening beyond the coaching ranks and in the front office. Head athletic trainer Brian Ebel isn’t coming back for the 2025 season, according to multiple sources. Ebel just completed his seventh season in the role and his 40th in the organization. Assistants Mark Shires and Patrick Wesley remain w