Author Archives: Domenic Vadala

Welcome to Birdland Crush! Yes folks, for the record it's a spin off of the popular summer beverage native to the Mid-Atlantic Region - "orange crush." Nevertheless, I've been covering Orioles' baseball since 2009 in some capacity, and it's basically the greatest gig of all time so far as I'm concerned! But for those who aren't familiar with my work or bio, I'm familiar with pretty much every sport out there. But baseball is king - we all know that. So my hope is that you come back and check in after every Orioles' game, and throughout the off-season. I'm always on duty!

Baltimore Orioles: You have to value your own players

If there’s one thing the Baltimore Orioles have learned over time it’s that you absolutely have to value your players. At various points over the last ten years when there’s been push to keep a player, they’ve found ways to do it. For the most part.

Down the road we see a team in the Washington Nationals who’s struggling with that as we speak. Washington of course are the World Series Champions. However two of their biggest stars, Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg are up for grabs. Publicly, Washington hasn’t even formally met with either player about an extension (both are represented by Scott Boras.) But plenty of other teams have.

For the sake of their fan base, I would hope that management and ownership isn’t just assuming that winning the World Series gives them carte blanche NOT to spend money. Especially when the guys in question are their guys. World Series or not, if both of those guys walk you could be looking at a fan revolt.

The point here is not to take shots at another team. (Although I suspect fans might accept one of those guys walking; but both?) However the question at hand is why teams overall don’t value their own players. One could argue that the Orioles did the same thing with Nick Markakis. However as you might remember, Markakis was injured at the time, and coming off of neck surgery. There was risk involved, which the Orioles weren’t willing to assume.

Teams such as NY (Yankees), Philadelphia, Boston, and LA (Dodgers) can’t really be blamed for swiping other people’s players. When the players are out there to be had and their former teams are making no effort to get them, you may as well go after them. Does that make for only a few teams being competitive? Possibly. But what exactly are teams who do value players supposed to do? Wait for someone else to swoop in?

Baltimore Orioles: A day that changed baseball

The Baltimore Orioles didn’t exist until 1954. However December 7th is a date that forever changed both baseball and America – in 1941. Today of course is the anniversary of the Japanese sneak attack at Pearl Harbor, which propelled the United States into WWII.

There was much talk about baseball shutting down during the war. And with good reason – many of the biggest names were part of the war effort. The DiMaggio’s, Williams’, etc. of the world were all overseas serving a higher purpose. However President Franklin Roosevelt wrote what became known as the Green Light Letter in 1942. In effect, he thought that having baseball continue would ease the fears of the American public. In essence, it would represent business as usual.

The league played on, but at a decidedly lower quality of play. With so many stars out fighting for their country, the league couldn’t help but be at a disadvantage. But as almost a motif of America and American life, baseball pressed on.

The Green Light Letter also had one other point of interest to me. President Roosevelt offered a friendly suggestion to the league to perhaps offer more night games in the schedule. Americans on the home front were having to work harder to support the war effort, and with games always being during the day, it was difficult for people to get to games. Night games made it easier.

Ironically, I’m of the mindset that baseball should schedule more day games now. I recognize that’s not about to happen for the most part, but it’s a personal preference – partly due in part to the fact that the roots of the game were games played under the sun. But nevertheless, it’s interesting to note that night games began getting phased in due to a an event that set in motion of series of events, 78 years ago today.

Baltimore Orioles: Trust the process

I’ve said this a few times this week to Baltimore Orioles fans: trust the process. Everyone knows the rebuilding process through which the Orioles are going. However there’s been a lot of angst regarding this week’s trades by some fans.

Sometimes sports management can be a line of work that isn’t for the faint of heart. This is one of those times. The likes of Bundy and Villar had a lot of fans in the fan base. And it’s easy to criticize Mike Elias for making those trades if one of those two were guys you really liked. But we have to trust the process.

Elias has gone through this before, mind you. He went through it as the Asst. GM in Houston. And Houston’s won a World Series in the last three years, and have played in two. And Elias has been clear with where he thinks this process could end:

I want to see a playoff team at Camden Yards, and we want to see a playoff team at Camden Yards. There’s only one way to get there, given where we’re at, where we’re starting from. We all know the strategy, the process. This is not easy. This is not something we want to happen again, but coming into the organization in late 2018, with the roster construction what it was, where the talent base was, where we were in the standings — this was the only path

Quote courtesy of Jon Meoli, Baltimore Sun

Elias isn’t coming in here trying to make the Orioles worse. He wants to win, and he understands how to get that done. And it’s not something through which he wants the Orioles to have to go through again anytime soon:

I don’t want to have to see a selloff process again. It’s something that we want to get through, build our organization and our base, and maintain a high-quality, competitive franchise, even in the American League East. We feel it can be done. We see franchises around the league that pull it off, and we want to build that here. This is part of the road to getting there.

Quote coutesy of Jon meoli, Baltimore sun

So we have to trust the process. It’s not a quick one, but history shows that it works. In all sincerity, is there any other way?

Baltimore Orioles: Return on the Dylan Bundy trade

The Baltimore Orioles received four minor league prospects in return for starter Dylan Bundy, who was traded to Anaheim. All four are pitchers: Kyle Bradish, Zach Peek, Kyle Brnovich, and Isaac Mattson (who I mentioned yesterday. All four are right handers.

To the group of fans who are enraged that the Orioles traded Bundy, I would remind you that while Bundy was fairly solid this past season. He also experienced a drop in velocity. Odds are that isn’t coming back. It also speaks as to why he gave up so many home runs on the year.

This isn’t to say that he wasn’t tough for the Orioles to give up. However they did get a decent return on their investment in Bundy, as was addressed by GM Mike Elias after he made the trade:

That said, it’s a bittersweet thing, parting with Dylan. He’s been in this organization since he was drafted in 2011, been nine years with the Orioles. He’s done a lot for the Orioles. He has laid it all on the line at all times for the Orioles and has always taken the ball and this dates well back beyond my short time here, but everything I’ve heard leading into that and his history and the respect that teams around the league have for him. And we’re going to miss him and we have a hole in our rotation to fill.

But as we’ve been doing with every move and every decision we’re making, we are eyeing the long-term benefit of the club and for us to get four pitchers back whom we view as real prospects was too good to pass up.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Keep your eye on the prize; that’s what Elias is saying. Trust the process.

Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy Traded to Anaheim

Another piece has fallen; the Baltimore Orioles have traded RHP Dylan Bundy to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The news was just broken within the hour by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal also said that one of the pieces that the Orioles will be getting back will be RHP Isaac Mattson, who’s had a cup of coffee in the bigs.

The deal is expected to include more minor leaguers from Anaheim, so stay tuned. There had been rumors that the O’s would pull the trigger on trading Bundy, as he was going to be able to yield them a decent return based on the amount of years he’s under team control. However it still has to be tough to part with a top draft pick such as Bundy. But to Anaheim he goes.

While Bundy had a decent 2019, he also had been victim of the long ball over most of his time in Baltimore. Being more of a pitcher’s park, Anaheim might be a good place for him. However this move also brings another influx of young players into the organization. And while Mattson has primarily been a reliever to this point, it wouldn’t shock me to see them stretch him out and work him into a starter. More as we hear it.

Baltimore Orioles: Why Jonathan Villar was traded

There were a wide range of reactions from Baltimore Orioles’ fans regarding the trading of Jonathan Villar. Many are questioning why he was traded. Many are saying that the Angelos’ don’t want to pay him, all among other things.

And the fact is that the Angelos’, by way of GM Mike Elias, don’t want to pay in fact. If he isn’t going to help them win a World Series, he’s taking up a roster spot. So they got something in return for him, a player who wasn’t going to be here anyways when the Orioles were ready to contend again.

First and foremost, Elias was a part of this exact same process in Houston. And look where they’ve ended up. So I think you just have to keep trusting the process, no matter how much a move might raise your eyebrows. Maybe something doesn’t make sense at the moment. But it might in the future.

As an example, look down the road a couple of years. The Orioles are going to find themselves in a position whereby they’ll need to pony up to keep Trey Mancini. What would you say if I told you the money they’re saving on paying Villar was going directly towards that goal? I’m not saying that it is, but…as yourself, is Mancini not more valuable to the organization than Villar?

That isn’t to say that Villar didn’t represent any value to the organization. He most certainly did. But some players become more valuable on the trade market to a team than they are on the field. The move frees up salary for the Orioles, and it allows them to reallocate resources to players who are more going to be bedrocks for the future.

Ultimately, as I said, trust the process.

Baltimore Orioles: Jonathan Villar traded to Miami

The Baltimore Orioles have officially parted ways with infielder Jonathan Villar. We pretty much knew that was going to happen yesterday with Villar already having been waived, however the good news is that the Birds consummated a trade. Villar was traded to the Miami Marlins for LHP Easton Lucas.

Chalk this up to well at least they got something back for him. Lucas was drafted by Miami in the 2019 player draft (14th round), and was immediately assigned to the Batavia Muckdogs. He was later sent to the Gulf Coast League Marlins. Overall in the minors he was 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA.

For a team that’s rebuilding and is in need of as many young arms as they can get, I suppose this was a good move. Again, at least they didn’t give Villar away. It’s still going to be a tough pill to swallow not having him in the lineup, as he produced well last year. But sometimes these types of decisions have to be made.

Baltimore Orioles: Contract tender day

The Baltimore Orioles and the rest of MLB have arrived at Tender Day. What that means is that teams have until 8 PM Eastern Time this evening to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. Those who can’t come to an agreement will have arbitration scheduled, which is generally during or just before Spring Training.

The other option of course is to non-tender a player and to let him become a free agent. That’s precisely what the O’s did last week with Jonathan Villar, who appears destined for free agency. But that’s last week’s news.

Arbitration is one of the more ridiculous things in which players and teams engage. The player is of course arguing that he should be paid more based on his production, and the team is arguing against that. In effect it’s devaluing your own players. Why do that?

Incidentally, just because parties can’t come to an agreement today doesn’t mean that they’re slated for arbitration. A date with an arbitrator will go on the calendar, however teams can and often do reach deals with players before the date arrives. It’s just one of those procedural things front offices have to do.

Baltimore Orioles: Trey Mancini carrying one a Baltimore tradition

Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles is hosting this year’s Purple Tailgate in anticipation of this afternoon’s Ravens/49ers game at M & T Bank Stadium. This of course is a tradition that was started by former Oriole Adam Jones, who would donate the proceeds to The Boys and Girls Club of Baltimore. Mancini is donating the proceeds to the MoStrong initiative and Kamryn Lambert Foundation.

Mancini befriended Orioles and Ravens fan Mo Gaba, who is battling cancer for the fourth time. He’s also 13 years old. Speaking for myself, I’m glad that Mancini is picking up the mantle that Jones left. You could see this process beginning back in February when Mancini took on an obvious leadership role in spring training.

People can question moves the Orioles make or the manner in which they do things all they want. But the footprint they have in the community is impeccable. While this event isn’t through OriolesReach (the team’s charity wing), they do a lot in the community and ensure that the team has a positive reputation in that regard. And having guys like Mancini (and Jones before him) be so visible in the community doesn’t hurt.

Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy on the trade block?

It’s been reported that the Baltimore Orioles are interested into trading starting pitcher Dylan Bundy. While a deal hasn’t been done as of yet, multiple reports are that one could be “close.” It’s unclear how close or what that means. But “close” is the term being used.

I suppose it matters what the O’s could potentially get in return. While he’s had some injury issues, Bundy’s also an established major league starter. Point here being that if I were the Orioles I would hope to get back more than just a couple of low level prospects.

Obviously you wouldn’t expect to get someone’s top prospect either. But someone who could help the organization right away would be nice. And in fact I would submit that it would be somewhat of a mandate.

The issue then also becomes what do the Orioles do for pitching? I would submit that the O’s would be ill-advised to go into spring training looking to fill more than one starting pitching slot. I think you can get away with having one open slot that someone in theory would have to earn, but more than that makes things tough. More as we hear it.