Let’s try this again; the Baltimore Orioles report to Spring Training today. Let that sink in. I’m not sure if we’re calling this Spring Training, or Spring Training 2.0. I’ve also heard the term Summer Camp thrown around. But ultimately you know what I’m talking about!
Camp will be held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and potentially at one of the Orioles’ minor league facilities as well. I’m thinking either Bowie or Frederick. Needlesss to say, it all starts today.
We’ve been over much of this, but the Orioles will be able to schedule up to three formal exhibition games between now and Opening Day on July 23rd or 24th. I would assume that those will be scheduled against Philadelphia and Washington. The regular season schedule hasn’t been released yet.
But here’s some connecting of the dots; don’t be shocked if the second series of the year (Presumably starting Monday, June 27th) is against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards. I say that with no prior knowledge, but just a suspicion. MLB has already announced that New York will open the season at Washington that first weekend. So it makes sense that they would just come up the pike to Baltimore for a series while already in the mid-Atlantic region.
The Orioles, the State of Maryland, and the City of Baltimore are all looking into whether or not there’s a way they can admit fans this year. I would suspect that at least for starters that won’t be possible. But nothing has been announced.
We know what many of the rule changes are this year already, such as a universal DH. But another thing that the league is doing is mandating no fraternizing of players on opposing teams before games inside of six feet. No handshaking, spitting, or fighting. And apparently they’re serious about this, because it’s under a penalty of ejection. Players and coaches who confront umpires on the field will also be ejected if they come within six feet of the umpire. This might make arguments look strange, but it’s a new world in which we live.
Regarding coverage on this site, we’ll slowly rev back up to daily columns. Back in March when everything closed down I said that while I wouldn’t write daily columns because I felt it was inappropriate (given the circumstances), I’d cover news as it came in. I’ll certainly do the same as Spring Training 2.0 revs up, just maybe not daily. Until games start, of course.
Birdland Crush 