O's bats entertaining to watch
There's nothing more entertaining than a well pitched Major League game, unless your team gets the big hit to upset the opponent's outing. And the Orioles have been getting more than their share of big hits.
Did you know the O's have a team batting average .300 since the all star break? There are only 3 teams in the Major Leagues with a higher average since the break.
The Rockies (.305), the Angels (.301), and the Mariners (.301), are the only teams with a higher batting average than...
Andy MacPhail has made it the Orioles' number one organizational priority: develop pitching.
This season 23 different pitchers have appeared in games for the Orioles, several with little or no Major League experience. The opportunity is there. And pitching coach Rick Kranitz hopes the pitchers take advantage of it as they learn to succeed in the big leagues.
Kranitz knows the most important thing for an inexperienced pitcher to remember is that it was talent that got him to the big...
When the Orioles drafted catcher Matt Wieters with the 5th overall pick in the 2007 draft, they knew they were getting a special player. He was the top rated position player in the draft; he's a switch hitter with power; and he understands what it takes to be a complete player.
"You're not going to go four for four every day," Wieters said. "You're not going to get 2 or 3 hits or throw out 2 or 3 base runners every game. So every day you come to the ballpark you have to do something...
The 3rd annual Brian's Baseball Bash at ESPN Zone was an overwhelming success. And Brian Roberts again came through as a gracious and accommodating host.
Three years ago, Roberts decided to do something big for the University Of Maryland Hospital for Children. Roberts is a frequent visitor of the children patients at the hospital, freely giving of his time, but he wanted to do more. And the idea of a big fundraising event was born.
Brian's Baseball Bash not only raises money for the...
There will be little not discussed at the Orioles organizational meetings in Sarasota, Florida.
President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail will preside over the meetings, where the front office staff, manager Dave Trembley, Minor League personnel, and scouts will go over every player in the organization, from the 40-man Major League roster to the lowest level prospects.
And you can be certain that a majority of the discussions will be about the Orioles' pitching and the best way to...
Quality Competition is the lifeblood of a major league baseball organization.
And the Orioles are in the process of a competitive spring training camp for the 2009 season.
After spending the last week with the O's in Florida it's apparent Andy MacPhail's blueprint for making the Orioles more competitive and getting them back into contention in the AL East is living and breathing on the pitcher's mound.
The Orioles have 68 players on their spring training roster, and the talent of the...
When asked what he is looking for from the pitching candidates in spring training camp, O's manager Dave Trembley made a simple statement: "Pitch to contact and good things will happen."
After a season of watching Orioles pitchers lead the major leagues in walks and hit batsmen the manager is looking for a staff to throw strikes, let the defense do its work, and make opponents earn their way on base. That's how you win games.
With increased depth in the organization and prospects...
With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Orioles still have some difficult decisions to make for that day's roster. The biggest decision is the make up of the pitching staff and whether to go with 12 or 13 pitchers.
With the starting rotation still a work in progress, the Orioles may elect to take the extra pitcher over a 4th bench player as a guard against overworking the bullpen in early season games.
The Orioles only have three days off in April and will play 32 games in the...
Andy MacPhail's announcement that the Orioles will go with a 12 man pitching staff on the Opening Day roster still gives the O's an extra arm if needed in the early season games.
If the O's decide to keep the top four starters on normal rest in the rotation, the April schedule would allow Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz to have the 5th starter available for long relief in several of the games in the first month.
Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara, the top two starters will each get five...
Opening Day at Camden Yards was, as always, a big event, and successful with the Orioles' 10-5 win over the Yankees. There was a tremendous electricity in the air as O's fans, devoted to their team, made their presence felt and created an exciting home field advantage.
Opening Day also brought the unveiling of the state of the art O's Xtra set in the picnic area behind the bullpens. The permanent structure is large and versatile and enhances our coverage of the Birds.
All season long...
With their series win in Texas to begin the first road trip of the season, the Orioles have put together three consecutive series wins to begin the season for the first time since winning the first four series to begin 1998.
After going wire to wire in 1997, the O's got off to a strong start in 1998 by taking 2 of 3 from the Royals and then sweeping three from the Tigers at Camden Yards. The O's then went on the road and swept a two-game series in Kansas City before taking 2 of 3 in...