Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz are the youngest players on the Orioles. Matusz is 22, and Tillman is 21. But despite their youth and inexperience, their passion reminds me of what baseball is all about: Having fun while playing the game and enjoying the moment. Tillman is the veteran of the duo. He's in his fourth pro season and has 11 major league starts. Matusz has just completed his first professional season and says he's learned more in his eight starts for the Orioles than he did...

Now that the 2009 season is complete, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and to thank the Orioles fans and the crew at O's Xtra. For the past 6 months O's Xtra set the scene and recapped the action of the Orioles games. We were able to really get to know the Orioles players and get a glimpse of what we all hope will be a positive future on the field. Dozens of hard working professionals allow us to push the envelope and strive to give the O's fans an entertaining product. Rick Dempsey...

Holiday Greetings everyone. My guess is, like us, you are busy trying to balance the remaining time and the "must get done list." As the Christmas decorations went up around the house, it dawned on me that the baseball offseason is more than half over, and before we know it we'll be getting excited for the first spring training in Sarasota. I've been keeping busy since the season ended. I've had the pleasure of taking part in several events for different charities around Baltimore,...

The big topic of debate with the many passionate Orioles fans this offseason has been the desire to add a "Power Bat" to the middle of the O's lineup for the 2010 season. While I agree with the benefits that type of hitter would bring to Baltimore, the Orioles lineup this season will bring something just as effective in winning games. And that is balance on the mound, in the field, and at the plate. Let's start with the lineup and agree a "bopper" is a player with at least 30 home...

I've put together some stats to see how the Orioles players have fared in their careers on Opening Day. Right-hander Kevin Millwood will make his 7th career Opening Day start tonight. He is 2-4, 3.34 in previous openers. Last year, Millwood and Texas whipped Cleveland and Cliff Lee 9-1 in the opener as Millwood allowed just one run over seven innings. Millwood's Opening Day starts: 2003 - Philly at Fla: 6IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 4K 2004 - Philly at Pitt: 6IP, 7H, 2R-ER, 0BB, 4K 2006 - Tex...

Billy Rowell is changing positions again. He's moving back to the infield and back to third base. Also, Rowell will begin this year with the Class-A Frederick Keys instead of playing for Bowie as some had speculated he might. Rowell, the Orioles first-round pick in June of 2006, played in right field at Frederick last year. In his first three seasons in the organization he played at third base. "I feel like this is a good plan. The new farm director John Stockstill has a plan for me in...

Billy Rowell update - I spoke with Billy Rowell tonight and he confirmed that he is moving back to the infield and will start this season with Class-A Frederick. The 21-year-old Rowell is moving back to third base, a position he played from 2006 through 2008 in his first three years in the organization. He played right field at Frederick last year. He may spend some time in the DH role early in the year as he re-adjusts to infield play. Rowell played outfield for the most part in spring...

Michael Aubrey has cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. Aubrey didn't get into many games this spring because of a minor medical procedure on his back and a groin injury suffered while running the bases in Tampa. He eventually was sent to the minor league camp without giving himself a real chance to crack the 25-man roster. It was a long shot to begin with, but he didn't even go down swinging. Now it's up to Norfolk manager Gary Allenson to find at-bats for...

Manager Dave Trembley met with reporters a few minutes ago and indicated that he'll reveal his opening lineup after the workout. That's what happens when you ask nicely. If Nolan Reimold plays first base this season, it will happen "way down the road," according to Trembley. "We're just kicking the tires on that," he said, adding that first base would be another way to get Reimold's bat in the lineup. It also shows how much Felix Pie has progressed in the eyes of the...

If Nolan Reimold is going to play first base this season, he'll need to take care of an important piece of business. "I don't even have a first baseman's mitt yet," he said, grinning at his locker. Reimold took grounders at first on the last day of spring training, which created quite a stir after manager Dave Trembley and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail kept insisting all winter that he was strictly an outfielder. "People asked why we waited until the end of the camp....