The Birds had their first Spring Training game yesterday, taking a 4-1 lead into the late innings only to blow it and finish in a tie with the Atlanta Braves. Let’s hope the ol’ sister kissing in the first live action of the year isn’t a harbinger of another .500 year on the horizon.
Let’s get to the links:
Reuniting with Nick Markakis Actually Kinda Makes Sense
Many have poo-pooed the idea of the Birds trading with Atlanta to get Nick Markakis back. Peter Gammons tweeted that the team tried to start negotiations, only to be rebuffed by the Braves. Zach Wilt of Baltimore Sports Report lays out the case for bringing back #21.
Jay Bruce, Austin Jackson, or Pedro Alvarez?
Paul Folkemer of Press Box goes through another of his “Who is the best fit for the Orioles?” exercises, ranking Bruce, Jackson, and Alvarez in a number of categories to try to figure out which player makes the most sense for the Birds. If Markakis doesn’t come back, could we see one of those three players in orange and black?
Hyun-soo Kim Admits to Jitters in Grapefruit League Debut
Hyun-soo Kim went 0-for-3 in his American baseball debut, and that’s perfect fodder for reporters to put together a story over nothing. Eddie Matz of ESPN has some Kim quotes, including the new Oriole admitting that he was nervous and thinking a bit too much. Yawn. If he goes o-for-spring like Matt Wieters was threatening to last year, I might worry a little.
A Look at the Debate Over Qualifying Offers
There has been much speculation that the Qualifying Offer system will go the way of Boh cans at Camden Yards in the next collective bargaining agreement. Steve Melewski of MASN offers a viewpoint that I haven’t seen much of, namely that the Q.O. system is fair to both teams and players, and that it should stay.
What Did Ubaldo Jimenez Do to Improve in 2015?
Ryan Pollack of Camden Depot uses a lot of fancy charts and graphs to explore how Ubaldo Jimenez adjusted in 2015. Right now, this story reminds me way to much of a college math textbook, but I’m going to give it a read after I have my coffee. If you’re so inclined, I’d suggest you do the same. Always good stuff over there.
