Schmidt leaving Orioles organization after 27 years (and other notes)

BOSTON – After spending 27 years with the Orioles in various capacities, Dave Schmidt isn’t returning to the organization in 2025.

Schmidt was told Monday that his contract wouldn’t be renewed, according to sources.

The most recent title bestowed upon Schmidt was “complex pitching and rehab coordinator,” which allowed him to be based near his home in Sarasota. He set up or followed the schedules depending on the player and worked with the physical therapist, “making sure our guys are heading in the right direction, getting better,” Schmidt said in a 2022 interview with MASNsports.com.

Among the pitchers under his supervision in 2022 was Grayson Rodriguez, who rehabbed a Grade 2 right lat strain sustained over the summer with Triple-A Norfolk. Rodriguez was out for three months.

Schmidt, 67, goes back to the 1998 season with Syd Thrift as farm director. He’s served as pitching ach at pretty much every level, had two stints as pitching coordinator and two as rehab coordinator. He also was tasked with overseeing the Dominican program for a couple of years.

“I don’t know what I haven’t done here as far as the pitching, but I have really enjoyed it all. Every level, every job,” he said in 2022.

“I’ve had 25 one-year contracts.”

The club hasn’t confirmed Schmidt’s departure or its plans for the job.

Many Orioles fans remember Schmidt as a starter and reliever on the historically bad 1988 team that lost its first 21 games. He tossed three scoreless innings on April 29 to earn the save in the 9-0 win in Chicago that ended the streak.

Schmidt appeared in 38 games, with 26 starts, during the 1989 “Why Not?” season, his last with the Orioles. He spent parts of the next three seasons with the Expos and Mariners but didn’t make another start.

* Anthony Santander left Boston after collecting his 40^th  and 41^st home runs, putting him on a short list of switch-hitters to reach the round figure.

Santander joined Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (four times), Lance Berkman (twice), Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltrán, Todd Hundley and Ken Caminiti.

“That’s pretty special to be a part of with those great players,” he said.

There’s also the list of Orioles to hit 40 that includes Chris Davis (twice), Brady Anderson, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, Mark Trumbo, Jim Gentile, Rafael Palmeiro and Nelson Cruz.

“My goal is always stay healthy and prepare my body to be able to go out there and compete 100 percent, and I know I have the power and it's not that easy to hit a baseball. So I'm so happy, grateful and proud to be able to hit 40 homers.”

Santander has done it in his final season under contract. He hits the open market and should have plenty of teams interested.

“I think it would have been special early in my career, too,” he said, “but yeah, now that I go to free agency, I think that's great for me and for my family.”

* Heston Kjerstad served as Double-A Bowie’s designated hitter last night and went 2-for-5 with an RBI groundout.

Kjerstad remains on the concussion injured list and his rehab assignment with the Baysox can run through Sunday, when their season ends. Triple-A Norfolk keeps playing until Sept. 22.

The Orioles could reinstate and option Kjerstad or decide to add his bat to their expanded roster. He hasn’t played for them since July 29 and was 2-for-18 since being hit on the helmet by a Clay Holmes’ pitch.