Baltimore Sports Blitz: Orioles
Did the Orioles watch this Cespedes highlight reel?
According to our Orioles beat reporter Dan Connolly, Orioles manager Buck Showalter and new international coordinator Fred Ferreira are expected to travel to the Dominican Republic to watch a workout for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, a Cuban defector expected to have a price tag near $50 million if he becomes a free agent. Read more ...
The cartoon bird will look better if the Orioles win
A week after Dan Duquette was named executive vice president of baseball operations, the Orioles on Tuesday announced the addition of an oversized Oriole for the 2012 season. Unfortunately, it was not Prince Fielder. Read more ...
Dan Duquette thinks Fielder, other big fish are risky
Wearing a black suit and a bright orange tie, Dan Duquette stepped to the podium at the Warehouse, nearly knocked over a bottle of water when he set down his notepad and fiddled with the microphone for a second. Read more ...
Which top free agent should the Orioles pursue?
You and I are about as close as anyone to becoming the new Orioles general manager on November 3, the day free agency begins in Major League Baseball. Since Jerry Dipoto and Tony LaCava resisted the advances of Peter Angelos, Andy MacPhail’s dusty, old desk at the Warehouse remains empty for now. Read more ...
Remember Markakis' catch (not) on Opening Day?
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters and right fielder Nick Markakis won Gold Glove Awards on Tuesday night, giving the team multiple Gold Glove winners for the first time in 13 years. It was another lost season. Still, that's pretty cool. Read more ...
Is Tony LaCava turning down the O's an all-time low?
Tuesday was a dark day for the Orioles organization. The Orioles were stiff-armed by Toronto Blue Jays exec Tony LaCava, who decided the grass was greener north of the border in Canada and turned Baltimore's offer to become its next general manager. Read more ...
Michael Gonzalez is 'excited' for the World Series
Two months ago, Michael Gonzalez stood at his stall in the Orioles clubhouse before a game against the Blue Jays. Having just found out that he had been traded to the Rangers, he packed his gear and changed into jeans and a pair of flip flops, but he was still wearing his Orioles undershirt when reporters surrounded his stall. Read more ...
Which current Orioles player would you hate to see in a Yankees or Red Sox uniform?
In an interview Wednesday with ESPN, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who helped the Red Sox win two championships, said that joining the archrival New York Yankees is -- gasp! -- “something I gotta think about.” Read more ...
Adam Jones: Will the Orioles dangle this nugget?
Adam Jones has a sublime skill set, perhaps the best on the Orioles roster. He has the respect of Buck Showalter, who often praised his center fielder for his toughness and tenacity. And he has the 2011 Most Valuable Oriole award after batting .280 in 151 games with 26 doubles, two triples, 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in. Read more ...
Chicken, beer, video games and a Red Sox collapse
The Orioles had a hand in the collapse of the Red Sox, taking five games from the playoff pretenders last month. But fried chicken, beer and video games played a bigger role, according to an interesting Boston Globe report. Read more ...
What should be the top priority for the Orioles' GM?
As the Major League Baseball playoffs carry on without them for a 14th straight fall, the Orioles are making moves to fill the void left in the front office by the departure of president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. Read more ...
Your turn: If the Orioles don't get Fielder or Wilson?
My colleague Dan Connolly on Monday shook awake Orioles fans who were dreaming of the team signing Prince Fielder and C.J. Wilson when he blogged that the team probably won't sign either player this winter. Read more ...
The St. Louis squirrel a better runner than Felix Pie?
A squirrel scurrying across home plate was the story of Wednesday's NLDS game in St. Louis. The critter has become an Internet sensation after it stole home on Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt, who got the loss as the Cardinals forced a Game 5 with a 5-3 win. OK, so it wasn't technically a steal of home because it ran down the first base line, but I think we can all agree the squirrel is still a smarter baserunner than former Orioles enigma Felix Pie. Read more ...
Will you feel any differently about the Orioles next spring?
With a win against Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night, the Orioles will finish with a winning record in September for a second consecutive season. They are 14-13 entering the season finale. Read more ...
Will Guerrero get to 3,000 hits?
Sitting at his locker on Monday night, Orioles designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero told reporters (through interpreter Rudy Arias) that he didn’t know until the Toronto series two weeks ago that he was on the verge of passing Julio Franco to become the all-time MLB career hits leader among Dominican-born players. Read more ...
Who has been the Orioles' least valuable player?
The Orioles are conducting their annual media vote to determine the team's most valuable player for the 2011 season, and no, it’s not ridiculous that a last-place team could have players who are deserving of praise. Read more ...
Video: Ric Flair introduced Red Sox before O's win
Pro wrestling legend Ric Flair was at Fenway Park on Tuesday night to meet with Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox. Our Dan Connolly reported that a couple of Orioles players got a kick out of meeting him, too. The play did not pay off for Boston, though, as "the Nature Boy" was unable to "WOOO!" the Red Sox past the feisty Orioles. Read more ...
Heyman: The Orioles are frontrunners for Fielder
The Orioles, who can officially avoid the 100-loss plateau with one win in Monday's doubleheader against the Red Sox, haven’t made a big splash in free agency in recent years -- unless you count overpaying for Zombie Vladimir Guerrero or inking the immortal Garrett Atkins -- but Jon Heyman says this winter could be different. Read more ...
Five things Orioles fans should feel good about right now
The 2011 Orioles are coming down the home stretch. If this were a marathon, they would be an overweight man on crutches, giving it their all as they chase after those Kenyans from New York, Boston and Tampa Bay, but ultimately coming up miles short. The Orioles are 30 games behind the Yankees in the AL East, Andy MacPhail's future is up in the air and the team's young pitching staff took some lumps this year. But believe it or not, there are silver linings from the 2011 season. Matt Vensel gives five of them in this week's Five for Friday. Read more ...
Drop in O's attendance among highest in pro sports
It would be hard for Orioles fans to not notice that the nearby seats at Camden Yards have become more and more vacant over the past decade. But according to a study from 247wallstreet.com, it might be worse than you think. Read more ...
Should the Orioles take pride in playing the spoiler role?
The past couple of months, the last-place Orioles haven't played many meaningful games to those outside of the Baltimore clubhouse. The Ravens reclaimed the attention of most Baltimore sports fans the day the NFL lockout ended, and now that the trade deadline has passed, the Orioles are sputtering to the finish line. Read more ...
Has Mark Reynolds exceeded your expectations in 2011?
Mark Reynolds hit another home run -- a solo shot, of course -- in Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Yankees. It was his 31st home run of the year, a single-season total that puts him in the top 25 in team history. Six more and he'll break into the top 10. Eight more and he will be in the top five. Read more ...
Video: Robert Andino's totally unnecessary barehanded catch
There was a baseball game played on Wednesday night. And if not for the death of Mike Flanagan, Orioles fans would be talking at the water cooler about Robert Andino's barehanded catch against the Twins. Here's the video. Read more ...
Where does Mike Flanagan rank among Orioles pitching greats?
Wednesday was a sad day in Birdland as Mike Flanagan, who wore many hats in the Orioles organization for four decades, was found dead at his Baltimore County home. The 1979 Cy Young Award winner was 59. Read more ...
Felix Pie: All good things eventually come to an end
The Orioles designated enigmatic outfielder Felix Pie for assignment on Tuesday, likely ending his tenure in Baltimore. The Orioles have 10 days to trade, release or put Pie on waivers. If he clears, he can opt to become a free agent or join Triple-A Norfolk, but expect another team to kick the tires on this talented 26-year-old. Read more ...
Are the Orioles worse off today than they were four years ago?
Entering Monday night's series opener against the Twins, the Orioles are a season-high 30 games below .500. Buck Showalter's squad has to go 16-22 from here on out to avoid hitting the century mark in the loss column. Read more ...
Video: And you thought Felix Pie couldn't run the bases
This is Graham Taylor, a husky pitcher for the Marlins' Double-A affiliate in Jacksonville, stumbling and doing an impressive face plant as he scores a run in a recent game. He makes Felix Pie look like Ricky Henderson. Read more ...
Edward Norton's birthday wish: For Ripken to save the Orioles
Edward Norton is a fine actor who starred in such films as "Fight Club," "Primal Fear" and "Rounders." He is also a Columbia native and one of the most famous people to admit in public that he is still an Orioles fan. Read more ...
Adam Jones could have used this oversized glove Wednesday
If you caught the highlights from the Orioles' loss to the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon, you probably grimaced as you watched Adam Jones let a ball hit by Brandon Allen bounce over his head in centerfield. He then kicked the ball around for a second or two before chucking it into the infield as Allen crossed home plate. Read more ...
Ripken says he's a year or two away from returning to baseball
Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. got fans -- and at least one sports blogger -- all worked up when he told The Baltimore Sun that he had an "itch" to get back in the game in some sort of management capacity. But on Wednesday, the Ironman threw a bucket of cold water on all of us when he told "The Norris & Davis" show on 105.7 The Fan that he was still a year or two away from seriously considering a return to baseball. Read more ...
Will Roberts be 'an integral part' of the Orioles in '12 and '13?
Brian Roberts, a crumbling franchise cornerstone, hasn't played for the Orioles since he suffered a concussion sliding headfirst into first base against the Red Sox on May 16. It was his second concussion in less than a year; the second baseman got the first by infamously hitting himself in the head with his bat late last season. Read more ...
This video mocking famous MLB reporters will make you laugh
Remember the batting stance guy? (If you said no, he is Internet-famous for doing crazily spot-on imitations of the batting stances of real-life baseball players and putting them on YouTube.) Well, now he has done some crazily spot-on imitations of baseball reporters, including former Baltimore Sun baseball scribes Buster Olney, Tim Kurkjian and Ken Rosenthal. His Tim Kurkjian impersonation makes me giggle. [Via Deadspin] Read more ...
Matusz's return to the majors is must-see TV on Tuesday night
Admittedly, I didn’t stay up late to watch the Orioles beat the Athletics on Monday night. Once the Woah Bundy era officially began around midnight, it was time to flip over to Hallmark Channel and doze off to “Golden Girls.” Read more ...
Are you pleased with what the O's accomplished in the draft?
"It was an amazing day" for Joe Jordan and the Orioles on Monday. Negotiations with the team's top targets went down to the wire on Monday night, but the Orioles' director of amateur scouting got it done, agreeing to terms with fourth overall pick Dylan Bundy to a non-record-breaking deal and signing a pair of early-round selections. Read more ...
Someone made a highlight reel from Craig Tatum's college days
Yes, this really exists. Read more ...
Video: This Orioles fan caught three home runs in three days
Most of us have never caught a home run at a Major League Baseball game, which is why it's absolutely amazing that a 17-year old Orioles fan named Tim Anderson caught one in three straight games during this week's series against the White Sox at Camden Yards. The leaping grab he made to secure Alexei Ramirez's homer on Thursday night was very impressive, and the feat caught the eye of MLB.com and the "SportsCenter" crew. Read more ...
Does Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. own a white horse?
It seems as if the stars are aligning for Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. to join the team's front office, and a little bit of star power would go a long way for Orioles fans who are desperate to watch a winning team. Read more ...
Do promotional giveaways bring bad luck to Camden Yards?
The Orioles’ bad luck on the baseball field has expanded into the team’s promotions department, which unfortunately is having a banner homestand for ill-timed fan giveaways (by no fault of their own, of course). Read more ...
Do stolen signs explain the Orioles' struggles in Toronto?
The Orioles have struggled mightily when playing the Blue Jays in Toronto over the past five seasons. The Orioles are 12-42 at Rogers Center since 2006, including a 16-game losing streak they snapped this season. They aren't alone, though; the Blue Jays are 12 games above .500 at home over the past season and a half. Read more ...
Cal Ripken Jr. made his Orioles debut 30 years ago today
Thirty years ago today, Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. made his first major-league appearance and played a key role in an extra-innings win over the Kansas City Royals without stepping into the batter's box. Read more ...
Player salary isn't the only disparity hurting the Orioles
As the Orioles continue to get tossed around by their American League East rivals, it's easy to cite disparities in player salaries as the main culprit. After all, the Red Sox and Yankees spend at least $80 million more than the Orioles annually. However, during a recent series against the Yankees, Buck Showalter looked past the large salary gaps and found another startling difference between the division's haves and have-nots. Read more ...
Would you like to see Reynolds play first base permanently?
Orioles slugger Mark Reynolds has started the past three games at first base, something some fans called for in the season's first half when the third baseman was throwing balls away like he was a young Kyle Boller. Read more ...
Remembering the one highlight from the Justin Duchscherer era
The Justin Duchscherer era came to an end on Tuesday, but I guess it never really started, did it? Read more ...
Taking stock of Buck Showalter after a long year in Baltimore
In recent weeks, the man I call the most interesting manager in the world has looked like the most irritated manager in the world as he scowls away in the Orioles dugout. Then again, I would be pretty ticked off, too, if the Yankees put up double digits in the first inning against my team's latest fading pitching prospect. Read more ...
Why does Felix Pie celebrate walk-off home runs like this?
Here comes your daily random blog post about something that might only fascinate me and a few others. Read more ...
Farewell to one of my favorite Orioles, Mr. Koji Uehara
When Koji Uehara, the Orioles' first dip into the Asian talent pool, arrived in Baltimore in 2009, one of my favorite things to watch that season was Koji interacting with his new Orioles teammates, especially the awkward high fives like the one pictured above (a photographer snapped that one last August). Read more ...
Who had a better weekend -- the Ravens or the Orioles?
It was a wild, wacky weekend in the world of American pro sports with NFL free agency hitting full swing on Friday and Major League Baseball’s annual non-waiver trade deadline passing on Sunday afternoon. Read more ...
Your turn: What does the future hold for Brian Matusz?
Pitching in the minor leagues and still struggling to get hitters out, Brian Matusz, who was thought to be the Orioles' best starting pitcher entering the 2011 season, admitted to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday that he wasn't mentally prepared at the start of spring training. Read more ...
Video: Orioles speak out against bullying of LGBT youth
Kudos to the Orioles for jumping on board with the It Gets Better Project and the Trevor Project, which bring awareness to the bullying of LGBT youth, by releasing a video featuring Jake Arrieta, Jason Berken, Zach Britton, Kevin Gregg and Michael Gonzalez that encourages victims of bullying to hang in there. Read more ...
Will the slumping Mariners save the 1988 Orioles from infamy?
The 1988 Orioles may soon get their names erased from the record books, and that's a good thing. Read more ...
The silver lining for Scott's injury naturally involves gunpowder
I love this quote from Luke Scott, who was scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on his injured right shoulder Tuesday morning in Florida: "I'll learn to be ambidextrous with firearms, so I look at it as a positive." Read more ...
Photo caption challenge #1: Buck understandably goes wild
I'm bringing back the more official photo caption contests. Come up with a funny, clever and clean caption for this photo of Orioles manager Buck Showalter from Sunday for a chance to win two tickets to Saturday's Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert. I have two pairs to give away. The deadline is Thursday at noon. Read more ...
Was Sunday's hard-luck loss Guthrie's last Orioles start?
Jeremy Guthrie's frustration is understandable. If I was perennially among the league leaders in losses while being a staple at the bottom of the run support rankings, the water jugs in the Orioles' dugout would have to get a restraining order against me. But to Guthrie's credit, he usually just beats himself up after losses. Read more ...
Video: Michael Gonzalez's 'Not Top 10' moment on 'SportsCenter'
After stringing together five straight scoreless appearances and picking up his first save of 2011 in the Indians series, Michael Gonzalez allowed three runs in Monday's 15-10 loss to the Red Sox. To make matters worse, the Orioles reliever was picked for this week's "Not Top 10" segment on SportsCenter after falling off the mound Monday while throwing a pitch. Poor Gonzalez. The guy just can't win. He is the Orioles' Charlie Brown. Read more ...
Your turn: Who will be in the O's rotation at season's end?
Before the season, the consensus among local and national baseball analysts was that the Orioles' young starting rotation would either make or break their season. Most of "the cavalry" had major-league experience under their belts, and their progression needed to continue for the Orioles to have a chance in the AL East. Read more ...
Matt Hobgood: 'Sometimes people don't shoot through the ranks'
Fans who haven't already given up on Matt Hobgood can check out the Orioles' 2009 first-round draft pick this summer in Aberdeen, where he is trying to salvage his 2011 season after being sidelined for most of it with a strained rotator cuff in his throwing arm. The 20-year-old right-hander made his first start for the Single-A IronBirds over the weekend, and he is scheduled to start Thursday night’s game at Brooklyn. Read more ...
Tim Kurkjian thinks the Orioles should trade Jeremy Guthrie
Jeremy Guthrie no doubt impressed enemy scouts during Tuesday night's win over the Red Sox. The Orioles' top starter allowed two earned runs in seven innings of work, picking up (sadly) his fourth win of 2011 and improving his ERA to 4.35. Some contending teams are interested in acquiring Guthrie, whom Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun believes is "someone the Orioles likely would deal this month for the right offer." Read more ...
What does Felix Pie love about Baltimore? A chain restaurant
The folks over at Sun Magazine had a cool feature in their latest issue where 100 Charm City celebrities shared what they love about Baltimore, and a handful of sports figures were among those who chimed in. Read more ...
Matt Albers understands how he ticked off his former teammates
Red Sox reliever Matt Albers ticked off Orioles fans and his former teammates on July 8 -- you know, Friday night fight night -- with a few furious fist-pumps while striking out four Orioles in two innings of garbage time. Read more ...
Your turn: Was the final ruling on Gregg's suspension fair?
Major League Baseball reduced Kevin Gregg's suspension from four games to three and made his fine easier on his wallet after the Orioles closer appealed the league's initial ruling. But Gregg is still frustrated that he is suspended as long as Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, who charged his mound back on July 8. Read more ...
What would be your wedding gift for Roethlisberger and his bride?
Football fans have waited all summer, and this weekend it should finally happen. We’re talking about Ben Roethlisberger’s wedding, of course. This Saturday in Pittsburgh, Big Ben is set to tie the knot with Ashley Harlan, a native of New Castle, Pa., who works in the Cardiac Surgery Department of Presbyterian Hospital. Read more ...
Your turn: Which Orioles players and prospects are untouchable?
The MLB trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Orioles have pulled one of their most valuable trade chips, shortstop J.J. Hardy, off the table. With a three-year extension, Hardy isn't likely to be dealt at the July 31 deadline. But the new contract -- well-deserved, by the way -- doesn’t make him untouchable. Read more ...
Buck Showalter thinks the Home Run Derby is 'unwatchable'
I'm not sure what Buck Showalter did during his three-day vacation over the All-Star break. But I know one thing the Orioles manager didn't do: watch Robinson Cano win the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night. Read more ...
Video: Future Oriole Prince Fielder borrows a fan's sunglasses
The headline pretty much says it all. Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, who should be the Orioles' top target during the offseason, came to the ballpark unprepared Thursday. With the sun in his eyes, he rushed to the Brewers dugout for sunglasses. When his teammates had nothing to give him, he got a little help from a fan. Read more ...
Law: Orioles should trade 'every veteran who's not nailed down'
Remember before the baseball season when I chatted with ESPN's Keith Law about the Orioles, and he fired up the fan base by saying that the Orioles were "clearly the worst team" in the AL East? Well, right now, it looks like Law got that one right. But to his credit, he made a point not to rub salt in the wound when he appeared on 105.7 The Fan with Ken Weinman and Vinny Cerrato to discuss the Orioles on Wednesday. Read more ...
Throwback Thursday: Cal and A-Rod at the 2001 All-Star Game
We have countless awesome sports photos in the archives here at The Baltimore Sun, and I have decided to share one with you each week in a regular feature called "Throwback Thursday." It’s All-Star week -- aka the most boring week on the sports calendar -- so I’m going with an Orioles All-Star memory this time. Read more ...
Matt Wieters can thank Russell Martin for All-Star Game action
Matt Wieters entered Tuesday night's MLB All-Star Game in the sixth inning, getting a couple of innings to soak in first All-Star experience. But if it wasn't for Russell Martin, who reportedly did something selfless for his Orioles catching counterpart, his experiences might have been limited to the American League dugout. Read more ...
Mark Reynolds' Photoshopped photo is burning up the Internet
A random photo of Mark Reynolds has quickly become an Internet sensation in Birdland. Unfortunately, we don't have said photo in our archives, so you're going to have to use your imagination on this one. Or your mouse to click this link. But expending all this energy is guaranteed to make your lunch break much more enjoyable. Read more ...
Your turn: Should each team get an All-Star representative?
Matt Wieters made his first All-Star Game appearance on Tuesday night, grounding out in his only at-bat and letting a pitch squeak by him for a passed ball. Hopefully it didn't take the luster off a well-deserved spot in the Midsummer Classic. Wieters wasn't a slam-dunk choice for the game, but it's hard to argue against his selection after he was strong defensively and serviceable at the plate in the first half of the 2011 season. Read more ...
Your turn: Has the Baltimore media gone soft on the Orioles?
Our media critic, David Zurawik, ruffled some feathers on Monday when he wrote a piece about how the recent struggles of the Orioles have made the games completely unwatchable on television. Bad baseball is one thing, he said, but he can no longer take MASN analysts sugarcoating the team’s poor performance. Read more ...
Jeter to skip All-Star Game after joining the 3,000-hit club
Two days after joining the 3,000-hit club in about the coolest way imaginable, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will reportedly skip Tuesday night’s All-Star Game because of "emotional and physical exhaustion." Read more ...
So yeah, the 2011 Orioles haven't hit rock bottom yet
Ten days ago, I asked on the blog if the 2011 Orioles season could get any worse. Nine losses, 75 runs allowed and one demotion of Zach Britton later, the answer is a resounding yes -- a Marv Albert-type yes. Read more ...
Poll: The Orioles are the 13th most popular team in baseball
The Orioles haven't had a winning season in 13 years, and they are well on their way to making it 14 this summer. But they are the 13th most popular team in Major League Baseball -- and are on the rise -- according to a recent online poll by Harris Interactive, which surveyed 2,163 adults on the topic between June 13 and 20. Read more ...
Video: Manny Machado's slick fielding in MLB Futures Game
Orioles infield prospects Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop played in the MLB Futures Game on Sunday night. Schoop, a second baseman, had a single in his only at-bat as the United States team beat the World, 6-4. Machado, one of the top prospects in baseball, went 0-for-2, but he made a fine defensive play at shortstop. Read more ...
Your turn: Has your opinion of Gregg or Gonzalez changed?
Things got pretty chippy between the Orioles and the Red Sox over the weekend. Sure, it was a one-sided series on the scoreboard, with the Red Sox sweeping all four games, but the Orioles showed some character in a bench-clearing brawl Friday and during an ejection-filled loss Sunday in the last game before the All-Star break. Read more ...
Dylan Bundy's odds of signing with the Orioles are '50-50'
Dylan Bundy’s stock is rising, and he knows it. Last week the Orioles’ first-round pick was named the "Baseball America" High School Player of the Year and "USA Today" National Player of the Year. Add those honors to Bundy’s Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award, and he is just the fifth player since 1994 to sweep the trio of awards. Read more ...
Video: Boston fan gets frisky as the Red Sox beat the Orioles
Despite six Red Sox home runs, their 10-4 win over the Orioles on Thursday night was so boring that Boston fans resorted to groping their significant others for the television cameras to stay entertained. Imagine what would have happened if Pedro Viola and the O’s hadn’t kept fans on their toes by serving up all those homers. Read more ...
Five for Friday: Five Orioles silver linings
Watching their season go up in flames, the last-place Orioles have stopped, dropped and are now rolling into the All-Star Break. They are 13 games below .500 and 15 behind the Yankees in the AL East. The blue skies we saw over Camden Yards at the home opener have been replaced by smoke clouds, but those clouds do have a few silver linings. In this week's Five for Friday, Matt Vensel of Baltimore Sports Blitz lists five of them. Read more ...
Your turn: What's the one thing the Orioles must do differently?
The Orioles are plummeting out of contention, having lost four in a row, nine of their past 10 games and 18 of their past 24. They are 15 games back in the AL East -- can you believe that it's up to 15 now? -- and most of their recent losses haven't been close as they have lost three of their past four games by a touchdown. Read more ...
Here's video of former Orioles player Aubrey Huff dancing
Aubrey Huff has continued his antics in San Francisco, where he has been a hit in the Giants clubhouse. His magical thong helped them make the playoffs last year and he had some big hits on their run to the title. He also enjoys crying after wins and showing off his moves from the dance club, which he did for Showtime's “THE FRANCHISE: A Season with the San Francisco Giants,” which will be like “Hard Knocks” for baseball. Read more ...
Transition from Connor to Adair has been tough for the Orioles
Mark Connor surprisingly stepped down as Orioles pitching coach three weeks ago, prompting manager Buck Showalter to promote bullpen coach Rick Adair to oversee the pitching staff in his place. I'm not laying the blame on Adair -- the mishmash rotation was already starting to crack when Connor left the team -- but the pitchers have really struggled since the midseason switcheroo. I could just be coincidence, but check out the numbers. Read more ...
Your turn: Will 3B Mark Reynolds finish with more homers or errors?
Eighty-three games into the 2011 season, Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds has hit 20 home runs and committed 20 errors, the most in baseball. The Orioles didn’t acquire Reynolds for his glove, but if not for his 13 home runs since June 1, his adventures in fielding would be scrutinized much more than they have been. Read more ...
Who are the Orioles' biggest chips for the trade deadline?
Oh, the mediocre have fallen. The Orioles, who a month ago were staying somewhat relevant and hanging around in the AL East, now have the second-worst record in the American League and are a dozen games behind the Red Sox in the wild-card standings. So now besides next week’s All-Star Game, where Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will get his moment in the spotlight, the next important date on the calendar is July 31. Read more ...
Your turn: Should Wieters have been the Orioles' lone All-Star?
Matt Wieters' selection to next week’s All-Star Game was sweet, sweet redemption for the young catcher, who was labeled as one of the biggest busts in baseball history by Baseball Prospectus before the start of the season -- just his third in the major leagues. That claim was met with criticism in Birdland and beyond, and the Orioles backstop has proved that the rumors of his looming mediocrity were greatly exaggerated. Read more ...
Your turn: Have the floundering Orioles reached rock bottom?
For much of this season, the Orioles met reasonable expectations by treading water around the .500 mark and sometimes playing very good baseball against some of the league's best teams. But they have been slowly sinking in the standings in June, and they reached a new low Thursday night against the Cardinals. Read more ...
Throwback Thursday: Angelos and Schaefer share a ... laugh?
We have countless awesome sports photos in the archives here at The Baltimore Sun, and I have decided to share one with you each week in a regular feature called "Throwback Thursday." Since I fantasized about Peter Angelos -- let me finish this sentence -- using his Exxon money to sign slugger Prince Fielder in this Thursday morning post, I decided to do an extensive search of Mr. Mesothelioma in our photo archives. Read more ...
Peter Angelos should spend his Exxon money on Prince Fielder
Orioles owner Peter Angelos will be adding a sizable chunk of change to all of his mesothelioma money after his law firm successfully convinced a Baltimore County jury to force Exxon Mobil to pay more than $495 million in damages to local families and business from a 2006 underground gasoline leak in Jacksonville, Md. Read more ...
Orioles starters are putting their bullpen counterparts in jeopardy
It has been more than two weeks since an Orioles starter went seven innings. It last happened on June 10 when Jake Arrieta managed to keep his pitch count down long enough to hand the ball over to the bullpen before the eighth inning, and it was the only time an Orioles starter has lasted past the sixth inning in June. Read more ...
Did you see Luke Scott's catch in left field on Tuesday night?
I guess since I am now able to share videos of baseball highlights on the blog, I should probably embed Luke Scott's leaping catch that denied Matt Holliday of a home run in Tuesday night's loss to the Cardinals. I still say Felix Pie is the better defensive option in left field, but props to Scott for a pretty impressive catch out there. He banged his right knee on the wall while making the grab. We'll find out more on that injury on Wednesday. Read more ...
Video: This Cubs fan tried to throw Miguel Tejada out at home
I’m glad Major League Baseball has changed its stance on sharing video, because I wouldn’t have been able to pass along this video of a Cubs fan trying to gun down Miguel Tejada at home plate after a home run. I know, Tejada, now with the Giants, couldn't be tagged out because he smashed the ball into the bleachers -- and because fans can't throw players out -- but check out the throw as Miggy is rounding the bases. [Via Deadspin] Read more ...
Is Camden Yards attendance really reeling from Pujols injury?
On Tuesday night, Albert Pujols missed his first road game this season, much to the chagrin of Baltimore baseball fans who had hoped to see one of the sport's best players at Camden Yards. Following a collision at first base nine days ago, Pujols -- an impending free agent who is reportedly seeking a contract in the neighborhood of $300 million -- is out four to six weeks with a small fracture in his left forearm. Read more ...
Orioles home runs make fans happy and my job more difficult
The Orioles are really starting to hit their stride offensively. One of the reasons I know this is because I am the one who had to add each of the nine homers they hit in this weekend's series win over the Reds into our nifty home run database. You probably noticed all the balls that flew into the Camden Yards bleachers, too, and if you haven’t checked the stats recently, the Orioles are rising fast in many offensive categories. Read more ...
Video: Cirque du Soleil dancer throws an impressive first pitch
This clip was probably on all the highlight shows this morning, so my apologies if you have seen it already, but check out this Cirque du Soleil performer throwing out the first pitch before a game in San Diego on Monday. Dude does some sort of 720-degree twist then fires a strike to the catcher. Take note, Orioles relievers. Read more ...
Your turn: How concerned are you about Matusz's velocity?
Brian Matusz got slapped around again on Saturday night, allowing nine hits, three homers and six earned runs before manager Buck Showalter had seen enough and removed the Orioles starter in the fifth inning. In his past three outings -- all Orioles losses -- the 24-year-old left-hander has a 15.58 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. Yikes. Read more ...
Five for Friday: Baseball's most beautiful ballparks
The Orioles are lucky enough to play in two gorgeous ballparks this week. Maybe they are used to gazing at the Warehouse and the Baltimore skyline at Camden Yards by now, but the players probably took a moment to check out the scenery at Pittsburgh's PNC Park. And who would blame them? In this week's Five for Friday, Matt Vensel ranks the five most beautiful ballparks in baseball, based purely on aesthetics alone. These two gems made his list. Read more ...
Blogger on Blogger: Heath Bintliff of Orioles blog Dempsey's Army
Baltimore is blessed with a bunch of talented sports bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. I often link up to these local writers in my morning Coffee Companion posts, but instead of just exchanging anti-social links with them, I have decided to be slightly less anti-social by exchanging emails with them in a somewhat regular feature called Blogger on Blogger. Read more ...
Throwback Thursday: Frank Robinson puts his feet up
We have countless awesome sports photos in the archives here at The Baltimore Sun, and I have decided to share one with you each week in a regular feature called "Throwback Thursday." With the Cincinnati Reds coming to Camden Yards this weekend for an interleague series, I decided to search for old photos from 1970, the year Frank Robinson and the Orioles beat the Reds to claim their second World Series title. Read more ...
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