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O’s Call Up 2015 First-Rounder D.J. Stewart

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D.J. Stewart in the batter's box.
Greeting again, Birdland. It’s been nothing but a whole lotta sadness, losing, and bad, bad baseball since we last talked. My writers are all seemingly too depressed to even analyze anything these days, as my email inbox for ESR stories has been as quiet as Chris Davis’ bat. Hey, I can’t particularly blame them. The Birds have shown zero signs of life lately, and the great majority of the “kids” getting playing time these days are either not kids at all or are kids but are performing quite poorly. The […]

Is This a Rebuild or Sell Off?

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cartoon of sad orioles bird face
As the 2018 season mercifully nears its end, I have started to play a little game. What game you ask? Allow me to bring in Petyr Baelish to explain: I was ecstatic as the Orioles began to make their much needed moves, trading valuable pieces in Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Jonathan Schoop, Kevin Gausman and Brad Brach. It was a vital first step to start the arduous rebuild process for a team in need of not only organizational depth, but one in need of increased talent at virtually every position […]

Series Preview: Orioles (40-94) @ Royals (42-91)

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Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium.
After recording their first three-game sweep of 2018 against the Blue Jays, the Orioles will be looking to bank a few more tallies in the win column during their upcoming three-game set in Kansas City. The Orioles (40-94) can also match a season-high four-game win streak with a win in tonight’s series opener. The last time they managed to do so was with two straight wins against the Royals and the Rays at Camden Yards from May 9th-12th. The Royals (42-91) will be feeling good after taking two of three […]

Series Preview: Orioles (37-94) vs. Blue Jays (60-70)

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Kendrys Morales of the Blue Jays.
After getting swept against the Yankees over the weekend, the Orioles will now aim to salvage a positive note at home before embarking on a nine-game road trip. Need a reason to watch? Jays’ slugger Kendrys Morales has now homered in seven straight games, a streak that started against the Orioles last week (because of course it did), and can tie the MLB record (shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly, and Dale Long) tonight. Unfortunately for Kendrys, Dylan Dinger Bundy pitched last night, but other O’s hurlers haven’t exactly […]

Series Preview: Orioles (37-90) vs. Yankees (79-47)

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Zach Britton pitches in Yankees pinstripes.
After getting swept in Toronto, the Orioles will now return home and take on the Yankees for a four-game set over the weekend. The Orioles (37-90) are coming off of a 1-5 road trip and will try to snap a four-game losing streak in tonight’s series opener. They’ll also look to use an upcoming seven-game home stand to improve upon their 5-15 record in the month of August. The Yankees (79-47) are missing a few key players at the moment, but still hold a four-game lead over Oakland for the […]

Thursday Thoughts: Bundy, Andreoli, & 2019 Schedule

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Dylan Bundy jogs in Spring Training.
This is a weekly column that dives into some random thoughts about the Orioles/MLB. I used to do eight as a nod to Cal Ripken Jr. As of last year, I cut it down to four or five, so consider it the Earl Weaver/€“Brooks Robinson era of Thursday Thoughts. (Today we have a Billy Ripken version) – A.S. Before we get going with this week’s Thoughts, I want to do a real quick shameless plug. I spoke with Justin McGuire of the Locked On Orioles podcast yesterday about a piece […]

Cobb & Bundy Heading in Opposite Directions

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Alex Cobb and Dylan Bundy.
As we search for things to potentially keep us engaged in this 2018 Orioles debacle, we’re pretty much reduced to hoping to “win” the race for the number one draft pick, yes, but shouldn’t we also have some positive and/or interesting things to watch on a nightly basis NOW, as the team plays out the string? There’s Cedric Mullins, who could very well be this team’s centerfielder of the future. There’s Renato Nunez, making a surprise case that he could be a cog in the rebuild. There could very soon […]

The Rundown: Gausman Shines, Bundy Flops, Harvey Hurt

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Gas Man Gausman graphic.
The playoff race should be exciting in Major League Baseball over the final weeks of the season, but in Birdland, we’re focused on the first overall pick in next year’s draft. The Royals are trying their best to finish with the worst record in baseball, but the Orioles’ schedule in September is much more difficult which should give them the edge to winning the number one pick in June.   Harvey Shut Down Again  In order to speed up a rebuild, a lot has to go right. Injuries, especially to […]

Series Preview: Orioles (37-87) @ Blue Jays (55-69)

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Rogers Centre in Toronto with the roof open.
After dropping two of three in Cleveland, the Orioles will look to end their road trip on a high note during their upcoming three-game set in Toronto. The Orioles (37-87) come into Toronto with a 4-7 record on the road and a 5-12 record overall in the month of August. While it may not be a lot to write home about, the Orioles’ form on the road has improved since going 0-10 away from Camden Yards last month. The Blue Jays (55-69) will look to bounce back after getting swept […]

Alex Cobb Turns the Corner – Now What?

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Alex Cobb of the Orioles pitches.
Coming off arguably his best start since 2013, Alex Cobb appears to have turned the corner. Over his last six starts, Cobb holds a 2.02 ERA. During that span he has lowered his ERA from 6.41 to 5.09. Overall, it’s not what the Orioles expected heading into a four-year, $57 million deal. However, Cobb could provide the Orioles value, and here I’ll explore their options with regard to his future.   1. Trade Cobb this August Now, this is probably the unlikeliest of options, because he won’t bring much value […]

Series Preview: Orioles (36-85) @ Indians (69-51)

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progressive field in cleveland
After splitting their two-game series with the Mets, the Orioles hit the road and take on the first-place Indians for three games before heading to Toronto. The Orioles (36-85) come into Cleveland with a 4-10 record so far in the month of August, but their struggles away from Camden Yards have been a glaring problem all season long. Since July 1, the Orioles have gone just 3-15 on the road. The surging Indians (69-51) will kick off the series on a five-game win streak after sweeping the Reds in Cincinnati […]

Series Preview: Orioles (35-84) vs Mets (50-66)

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Yoenis Cespedes finishes his swing for the New York Mets.
After getting swept by the Red Sox over the weekend, the Orioles will look to wrap up the home stand on a high note with a two-game mini series against the Mets. The Orioles (35-84) will also be looking to snap a five-game losing streak before heading to Cleveland. It marks the seventh time that the Orioles have lost five or more in a row this season. The Mets (50-66) come into town in decent form and in the middle of a lengthy 11-game road trip. They’ve gone 3-1 so […]

O’s Promote Cedric Mullins, DFA Danny Valencia

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Cedric Mullins in the batter's box.
The move that many Orioles fans have been pining for for at least a month here in this lost season was finally made a reality today, as the Orioles announced that they have promoted Cedric Mullins from AAA Norfolk. Mullins, the Birds’ 13th-round pick in 2015,  burst onto the O’s prospect scene in 2016 in Delmarva, hitting .273/.321/.464 with 37 doubles, 10 triples, 30 stolen bases, and 14 home runs in 124 games. He followed that up with a .265/.319/.460 line in Bowie last year. He hit 19 doubles, a […]

Series Preview: Orioles (35-80) vs Red Sox (81-35)

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The Orioles are back at Camden Yards for the first time since July 29 to begin a four-game series against the surging Boston Red Sox. The Orioles (35-80) finished their recent road trip at 3-6, and their offensive output was the lone bright spot over that stretch. Over their last 12 outings, the Orioles have pushed 80 runs across the plate, good for an average of 6.6 runs per game. The MLB-best Red Sox (81-35) are now running away with the division as we head into mid-August, owning an eight-game […]

Prospect Profile: Rogers Making Great First Impression

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Josh Rogers of the Norfolk Tides pitches.
A few days after the Zach Britton deal, I wrote that Cody Carroll would likely be the first of the three players acquired to reach the big leagues – even though Dillon Tate was widely viewed as the better overall prospect. I didn’t mention the third pitcher the Orioles received, 24-year-old Josh Rogers. Rogers doesn’t have a blazing fastball or wipeout breaking ball like Carroll and Tate, nor is he ranked on the Orioles’ Top 30 Prospects list. Despite this, the left-hander has pitched extremely well in his first three […]

Thursday Thoughts: With Little to Talk About, Fans Focus on Mullins

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Cedric Mullins gets ready in the OF.
This is a weekly column that dives into some random thoughts about the Orioles/MLB. I used to do eight as a nod to Cal Ripken Jr. As of last year, I cut it down to four or five, so consider it the Earl Weaver/€“Brooks Robinson era of Thursday Thoughts. (Today we have a Billy Ripken version) – A.S. 1. Everyone seems to be talking non-stop about Cedric Mullins lately, and when he’ll be called up to the Orioles. I guess, when there’s nothing else to talk about, this is what […]

Jones Proves Baseball’s Lack of Loyalty is a 2-Way Street

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Adam Jones sunglasses.
The story of Adam Jones over the trade deadline was a curious one. For a player to stay with a team and be questioned over whether they have the interests of the team at heart or not, is an extreme rarity. While his decision to stay has riled some Orioles fans, the majority realize that he has earned the right to do what he wanted. For a rental who is 33 with an OPS in the low 700’s, it’s doubtful that Baltimore would have got anything significant in return, but […]

Thursday Thoughts: Trying to Digest the Orioles’ Sudden Turn

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sun setting over camden yards
This is a weekly column that dives into some random thoughts about the Orioles/MLB. I used to do eight as a nod to Cal Ripken Jr. As of last year, I cut it down to four or five, so consider it the Earl Weaver/€“Brooks Robinson era of Thursday Thoughts. – A.S. 1. It’s taken me a couple of days to fully wrap my head around what the Orioles did earlier this week. In fact, I still don’t think I’m completely there. But, it’s Thursday, and I’m here to opine. I […]

Taking Stock of the Orioles’ Revamped Farm System

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Ryan Mountcastle swings.
We have seen a lot of change over the last month in what looks to be a shift in the Orioles’ mindset moving forward. If you believe Dan Duquette’s words, this shift focuses an emphasis on international scouting and international free agents, developing analytical and scouting resources, and spending on technology. These were the main bullet points he provided following the Manny Machado trade, and he’s echoed them over the past 48 hours or so. This should certainly give Orioles fans hope that…they’re finally becoming a competent organization? All jokes […]

KNEE-JERK REACTIONS: O’s Deal Gausman, O’Day, Schoop to ATL/MIL

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The rebuild is on! The O’s completed their fourth and fifth trades this July, and for the first time dealt guys with deals expiring AFTER 2018. First, they traded Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to Atlanta. The Atlanta #Braves today acquired RHP Kevin Gausman and RHP Darren O’Day from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Evan Phillips, INF Jean Carlos Encarnación, C Brett Cumberland, LHP Bruce Zimmerman and international signing slots. — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2018 Just a few minutes later, they flipped Jonathan Schoop […]