Made a rare appearance at a trivia night last week at Hoco Brew Hive in Ellicott City, where I learned that Santa’s reindeer are females. Had a 50-50 chance at getting it right and I blew it. Male reindeer shed their antlers in November. Females keep theirs throughout the winter. How have I gone through life without knowing this? Really makes you r

Just a short entry today to wish all the readers at Steve’s blog and all of Birdland a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. Enjoy your time with family and friends and I hope it’s your best Christmas yet. A few quick thoughts on things in the news the last few days ... Yamamoto signs: The Dodgers signed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year de

It’s Christmas Eve in Washington and we are fewer than 100 days from Opening Day 2024. This offseason is progressing rapidly. Before we check to see what Santa Claus left under our trees tomorrow morning and ring in the new year next week, let’s look at what remains on the Nationals’ offseason wish list, in hopes that some could be crossed off soon

Baseball can experience an unofficial shutdown during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. However, there are some notable exceptions. The Cubs traded starter Yu Darvish to the Padres on Dec. 28, 2020 for a package that included former Orioles minor league pitcher Zach Davies. A day earlier, the Rays traded starter Blake Snell to the Padres,

Time today for a few more facts and opinions about the 2023 Orioles and the Birds who will take the field in 2024. Fact: The Orioles’ team ERA for last season was 3.89 which ranked fifth-best in the American League and seventh-best in the majors. In the second half, their team ERA of 3.58 ranked first in the AL and third in the majors. Opinion: Is

Recovery from major injuries like the one Stone Garrett sustained this summer requires patience and the willingness to focus on each individual milestone reached without focusing too much on the big picture. Garrett, who fractured his left fibula trying to make a leaping catch at the wall in right field Aug. 23, can’t think about playing Opening Da

Further details on the Birdland Caravan, which is attaining annual status after Orioles players and front office staff traveled 703.7 miles across the state last year and made 15 stops in 12 cities, should become available in a few weeks. It runs from Jan. 25-28. Can’t be much longer before the sharing starts. We’ll get a full roster of participant

Ryan Minor, remembered for replacing Cal Ripken Jr. at third base on the night that baseball’s Iron Man voluntarily ended his consecutive-games streak, died tonight after fighting Stage 4 colon cancer for more than a year. He would have celebrated his 50th birthday on Jan. 5. Minor was placed in home hospice care last month. Minor’s twin brother Da

The 2021 Orioles went 52-110 and finished 48 games out of first place. In an American League East where fourth-place Toronto won 91 games that season, the Orioles were 39 games out of fourth place. No one could forsee that team two years later would win the AL East. The Orioles went from 52 to 83 to 101 wins in two seasons. It was quite a run and r

The Trea Turner Rule is finally getting amended. Not eliminated altogether, but amended in a way that should at least somewhat appease the star shortstop and Nationals manager Davey Martinez after both were burned by it multiple times in the past. Major League Baseball announced a series of rule changes for the 2024 season Thursday afternoon, and t