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: Free agents hurting themselves

Fans around the mid-Atlantic region complain about the Baltimore Orioles’ off season thus far. However as I’ve said before, with the exception of a couple of teams (such as New York), everyone’s off season has been similar. There are over 200 free agents out there to be signed. And time is winding down.

I’ve heard rumblings to the effect that many of these players might be ganging up and having their own mock spring training if they haven’t signed with teams. But the fact that players en masse aren’t signing means that there must be some sort of tactic on the part of players. And possibly agents.

Why this is happening, I’m not sure. However the fact is that unless some of these guys wise up, they’re going to end up costing themselves a lot of money. Pitchers and catchers report not next week, but the week after. Grapefruit/Cactus League play begins on February 22-23. So sometime between now and then, players are going to ideally want to get signed so they can get into camp. I say ideally because at least that way they can make arrangements as to where they’re going to live and so forth, as well as get some workout time in before games begin.

Players can obviously sign after exhibition games have begun as well, however that’s when the prices go into the bargain basement. Players start realizing that they’d better get themselves a place to play for the season. And that means that a lot of one-year deals on the cheap are handed out.

Could you imagine someone the likes of an Arrieta having to sign a one-year contract for peanuts? That’s what we’re starting to go towards this year, because nobody seemingly wants to sign with anyone.

Baltimore Orioles: Draconian enforcement of unwritten codes

First off some housekeeping; the Baltimore Orioles and their radio flagship station (105.7 WJZ-FM) announced that there would be 13 spring games heard on local radio this spring. Most of these games are home games in Sarasota, but the Orioles’ radio crew will hit the road a couple of times. For the full list visit MASN Orioles.

Major League Baseball leaked earlier this week that they were considering the act of tapping dugout/bullpen phones to ensure that teams aren’t stealing signs. Anyone who’s read my column both here and on other previous sites where my writing has appeared knows that I believe wholeheartedly in baseball’s unwritten codes. One of them of course is that you don’t steal signs.

However this is not to say that I think there should be draconian enforcement of these unwritten codes. And in my view, tapping phones is just that. In short, the rule is that teams can’t use electronic means to steal signs. Years ago the Chicago White Sox utilized a light on their scoreboard during home games to signal pitches, and there have been a few other similar situations. This of course culminated last year with the Boston Red Sox stealing New York Yankee signs by an aide relaying them over an Apple Watch.

Again, these things are inexcusable in my mind. It interferes with the integrity of the game and so forth. And yes, all of the aforementioned tactics are against the written rules, and thus a team could find itself disciplined in the form of a fine, or perhaps a manager suspension. That includes phoning the signs in from the bullpen.

Now that said, stealing signs by the naked eye and using a “secret signal” to relay the sign to a teammate is still a deplorable act in my view. However it’s not against the written rules. One way or the other, baseball has always policed itself in these situations. And yes, I’m talking about burying a fastball in someone’s back, or something along those lines. It’s easy for people to say that type of thing shouldn’t be done. I disagree with that; if you don’t want one of your players to be subject to that, don’t steal signs. But I digress…

…do we really think that tapping phones is going to ensure that these types of incidents don’t occur? Because I suspect that’s MLB’s ultimate goal; preventing beaning incidents and fights. Some would say that’s a good thing, but in reality you just can’t let things like that fester. Because eventually as anger builds up guys will lose their heads and you could end up with a knock-down-drag-out fight like the Orioles and Seattle Mariners had in 1993. Point being, ultimately you sometimes have to allow for a dust-up to avoid a bench-clearing melee.

And here’s the other thing; what happens if in this process phone lines get crossed? Seriously folks, that could happen. Anytime you’re dealing with electronics, there’s always a chance that something like that could occur, or that something could be hacked. What if one team ends up being able to hear conversations between the opposing manager and his bullpen coach as a result?

Sign-stealing is an abhorrent practice in MLB in my opinion, however I’m not in favor of draconian measures to prevent it. You can bet that opposing teams are always watching one another (such as the Apple Watch situation). If there’s anything funny going on, odds are they would know if before the league would.

Baltimore Orioles begin on a five-game losing streak

We’re now under two weeks before the Baltimore Orioles’ pitchers and catchers report for spring training in Sarasota. February 13th is the date, to be exact. But there’s still some time, and as we know the regular season (which is what really counts) begins on March 29th.

And on that day when the O’s take on the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards, they’ll begin on a five-game losing streak. Uh, come again?! Yes folks, you read that correctly. The Orioles were swept in a two-game series in Pittsburgh, and then again in a three-game set in Tampa to close out the 2017 regular season.

Now that’s most certainly in the distant past. Even if the Orioles lose on Opening Day, it certainly isn’t going to be looked at as a six-game losing streak. However more realistically, it shows that this is a team that has extreme peaks and extreme valleys. When the Orioles’ offense is going poorly, it’s going really poorly. Live by the home run ball, die by the home run ball. This much we know.

However the flip side of that commentary is that when they’re going well, things are going really well. The idea is that teams look to achieve consistency, which is not something the Orioles were capable of doing last year. While most people are going to remember the valleys, this is also a team that had some high peaks as well. And hey, it’s a heck of a lot better than consistency in the sense that you’d rather be inconsistent than consistently poor.

By the time this team entered that final week last year, they were out of contention and really just a shell of their former selves. There were a lot of tired bats and arms. Odds are, that won’t be the case come March 29th. However again, as much as a loss won’t indicate a six-game losing streak, a win on Opening Day won’t snap a five-game losing streak. Although I suppose on paper it would.

Baltimore Orioles: Spring promotions in Sarasota

Baltimore Orioles’ spring training in Sarasota is basically a season all on it’s own. And that’s true of most teams. The Orioles sell “season ticket” packages for spring training, and they have different categories of games – much like they do at Camden Yards for the regular season. For information, fans can visit http://www.orioles.com/spring, or call the Ed Smith Stadium Box Office (hours: 10 AM – 4 PM) at 941-893-6300.

Most of these spring games are in the afternoon, which makes it very convenient for local seniors and for fans traveling down from Baltimore to get a look at their team this season. However the Orioles do have four (out of sixteen) home games that are 6:05 PM first pitches. And I think that’s a good thing given that the majority of the games in the regular season are under the lights.

That aside, like any “season,” there are some games down in Sarasota which come with promotional giveaways. On “opening day” against Tampa on February 23rd, all fans in attendance will receive Orioles Spring Training magnet schedules. (Incidentally, all fans who attended this past weekend’s FanFest already have one.) The first 1K female fans through the turnstiles will also be given a Birds of Paradise Flower.

The next night vs. Minnesota, the first 7 K fans will receive an Orioles Greyscale Cap. March 10th vs. Pittsburgh is Manny Machado Starting Lineup Figure day for the first 5 K fans, and March 11th vs. Philadelphia is Youth Baseball Night. The final home game of the “season” (March 24th vs. Minnesota) is Fireworks Night – following the 6 PM game that night.

Similarly to the regular season, all three Sunday home games will feature kids run the bases after the game, for fans ages four to fourteen. Additionally in a special “Florida twist” to that, February 26th, 28th, and March 8th will be Seniors run the bases games, for fans over sixty. Ultimately the idea is to get people excited for Orioles baseball, and all of this is just evidence of how the Orioles and the Sarasota community have embraced one another since the Birds have trained there. It really is one of the best partnerships in the major leagues, which is to the benefit of all involved.

Baltimore Orioles: Is ambiguity haunting the Birds?

Dan Duquette isn’t the most open book in the world when he’s talking to the media about the Baltimore Orioles. Neither are any of the coaches, and neither are most of the players. That’s just how the Orioles roll.

But is that to their detriment at times? First off, there’s no GM or team that’s 100% up front about everything that they do; in public, at least. If Duquette announced that he was going after this player or that player, he would give those players’ agents a leg up in negotiations. Or he would give opposing GM’s a leg up in trade talks. So instead we get quotes like we’re going to add starting pitching.

Yet if you listen to fans talk, they’re sickened by what they interpret as a lack of activity. Many of them say that they could even deal with the lack of activity, if not for the appearance that the team doesn’t know what it’s doing or where it’s going. However I would remind fans that in essence they aren’t getting the truth. Nor will they – until deals and transactions start happening.

But again, does this type of ambiguity work against the Orioles? If fans are feeling left out of the process, could they cease to be fans at all? Sure, I suppose that everything is possible. But I somehow don’t see “Johnny from Dundalk” growing up with a Boston Red Sox pennant on his wall, or anything to that affect.

Here’s my point; a lack of action doesn’t mean that Duquette is sitting in the Warehouse twiddling his thumbs. Furthermore, fans should also recognize that very few free agents have come off the board at all at this point. That would indicate to me that the next two weeks are going to see players dropping like flies. You know, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training on February 13th and all!

Baltimore Orioles: Infield shuffle at FanFest

The Baltimore Orioles held their annual FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center yesterday. As I said yesterday, it’s a great event and it always plays well with the Baltimore community. Regardless of the outlook for the team that coming year, the fans always turn out. This year was no exception.

FanFest wasn’t without it’s drama, however. First off it was announced Friday evening that both Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop would not be attending the event. (Zach Britton and Chris Davis were also not in attendance, but those were excused absences – Britton for rehab and Davis due to his wife having birthed twins earlier in the week.) Buck Showalter offered a little bit of clarity on the situation during FanFest (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

I’ve communicated with both of them. Jon’s is tough. He goes through four or five (phones) in an offseason, so getting ahold of him is kind of tough. Usually we go through his mom. But I talked to his agent and he made me aware of the advice he gave Jon, so we’ll live with it and move on.

…

Manny has … it’s one of those things I’ve learned through the years, before you kneejerk with stuff, so I’ve gotten a feel for what Manny’s absence is about and I have a pretty good understanding of that. Jon’s I don’t. The reasons I’m being given, not very good.

So in short, Schoop’s agent advised that he not attend the event. Would this be a silent protest to the way that the Orioles’ off season has progressed? (And I’m not even going to delve into the bit about the four or five phones…that was just a strange thing to say in Showalter’s part.) But ultimately he was advised not to attend by his agent. And in fact, it seems out of character for Schoop, who’s become a fan favorite.

Whatever Machado’s reason was for not attending, Buck Showalter accepted it as legitimate. If there was a personal or family problem, I suspect that most people would understand that. The fact is that some things are just more important than flying into town and attending FanFest. Odds are we’ll never know the true reason why he wasn’t there, but if the likes of Buck Showalter are okay with it that should be good enough for fans.

Speaking of Machado, he made news in absentia during the event. Buck Showalter announced that Machado would be moving to shortstop, his natural position, this year, and Tim Beckham to third base. Machado made it clear earlier this off season that he wanted to move back to shortstop, and the Orioles apparently are making that happen. Beckham himself addressed this news at yesterday’s FanFest event, and for the record he said all of the right things (quote courtesy of Jon Meoli, Baltimore Sun):

I’m open to it, especially if it helps the team and it’s a better fit for the team. The end goal is to win ballgames and you don’t want to lose sight of that, and I don’t want to make this a big deal. I’m just going to transition over there and continue to make the plays and be consistent.

Whether or not it’s truly the best fit for the team is another story. I’m not sure that having a guy who’s played in exactly five big league games at third in his career guarding the hot corner on Opening Day is what’s best for the team. However regardless of the methodology in getting to this decision, it’s been made. The Orioles will go with it.

Incidentally, don’t sleep on Beckham’s future with this franchise. Obtaining him was a good move last summer, and one for which Dan Duquette doesn’t seem to get a lot of credit. His attitude’s been great from day one; he just wants to play, and is willing to do whatever he needs to do in order to help his team win. That’s a Buck Showalter type of guy if I’ve ever seen one.

Needless to say, Beckham will rely heavily on his time in Sarasota both in drills and in games so as to get accustomed to playing third. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in some road games from the very beginning of spring training, because the more reps he gets at third in spring games, the better. Incidentally, happy 28th birthday to Beckham, who opted to spend his special day (yesterday) with his teammates and the fans at Orioles FanFest. Again, he’s all about the team.

 

Baltimore Orioles host their annual FanFest today!

Baseball season is here for the Baltimore Orioles! Well, at least for today at least. Starting at 11 AM (10 AM for season ticket holders) fans can take a respite from winter and begin their Birdland summer with Orioles FanFest. (Check out the Orioles’ office FanFest site by clicking here.)

The event is, as always, at the Baltimore Convention Center, and admission is $12 (if you don’t already have tickets, that is). I tell people every year that FanFest is a great event for kids of all ages – yes, even very old kids who love the Orioles and who love baseball! There are exhibits, silent auctions, merchandise sales, ticket sales, autograph booths, and much more. It’s truly a well-produced event, and it’s put on every year by the Sarasota Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

FanFest is everything you get to experience at an Orioles’ game at Camden Yards – except the game. Fans will also get the opportunity to ask questions of players and coaches, so as to get their take on the upcoming season. As I said, it’s a great event.

So consider joining us down at the Convention Center today, between 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM. This is always the kick-off of the new season in a sense. And that’s especially true this year, as pitchers and catchers report on February 13th. That means that before you know it you’ll be seeing real game recaps here on The Orange Crush – as opposed to fluff articles such as this one!

Baltimore Orioles destined to get Chris Tillman back?

Chris Tillman, formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, is still a free agent. Many industry people believe that he’ll end up back in Balimore – at least for 2018. Tillman of course is coming off a rather disappointing season, but one in which he was never 100% healthy. The market hasn’t exactly developed on Tillman to this point.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be back. However the Orioles did allow him to work out and attend their annual mini-camp in Sarasota during the first week of January. I suspect that if there wasn’t a serious push to keep him in the organization they wouldn’t have done that. But who knows?

The Birds are obviously waiting as long as they can so as to avoid having to pay Tillman top dollar. The longer the wait, the more the price presumably comes down. Tillman could even end up a guy who might sign a minor league deal. That would be ideal for an Orioles team that looks for value as opposed to a big splash. Tillman on a one-year deal worth $1 million or so (maybe plus incentives) would certainly be value.

However that’s also a risky game to play. At some point someone will sign Tillman – meaning that the rug could always be yanked out from under the Orioles. It’s kind of like waiting until that optimal moment to ask someone to the prom. If you want too long, even if it’s “understood” that the person you’re asking is the person you’re asking, someone else might jump in. Not that I speak from experience there or anything…

Baltimore Orioles: Two former Birds to Cooperstown

Two former members of the Baltimore Orioles were elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame yesterday: Jim Thome and Vladimir Guererro. They are joined by Chipper Jones and Trevor Hoffman. If you put the four of them together, that’s one heck of a 2018 class.

Keep in mind however that neither Thome nor Guererro are Orioles’ Hall of Famers. They’re Hall of Famers who happened to play for the O’s. In Guererro’s case it was just one season: 2011. In Thome’s case, they traded for him at the deadline in 2012. He was injured for some of that second half which culminated in the Orioles making their first playoff appearance since 1997. However I would submit that he provided leadership and experience in that clubhouse that was incredibly valuable.

There’s little controversy about these players – they both deserve to be there (as do the other two). Guererro justifiably should go in as a Montreal Expo. He’s a career .318 hitter who averaged 34 home runs a year. While with the Orioles he only hit .290 (in what was the final year of his career), similar to Thome I would submit that he provided leadership that helped that clubhouse play to a superior September, culminating with knocking Boston out of the playoffs on the last day of the season.

Though only a career .276 hitter, Thome averaged 39 homers a season, and 108 RBI. He smacked three homers with the Birds in 2012 over 28 games. The Orioles were also his final team, which in effect makes them the answer to a trivia question. I suspect that he’ll go into the hall as a Cleveland Indian.

In Thome’s case however it goes a bit beyond his on-field accomplishments. There was no greater citizen in MLB than Jim Thome during his tenure. Cleveland and Baltimore are very similar in that they’re somewhat smaller cities, both with a lot of passion. And they carry themselves very close to their teams. They also like their athletes humble, and they appreciate community-minded guys. That was Thome for his entire career.

Whenever he’d change teams, he’d almost always engross himself in local charities, and lent his name to fundraising for them. He’s maintained the relationships with many of those charities after leaving that team, and is a part of at least one or two charities to this day in every city in which he played.

But it goes beyond that with Thome. He paid (or is paying) in full for each of his ten nieces and nephews to attend any four-year college of their choice. That’s one heck of a gift to get from your uncle! Jim Thome gets it in a sense. He wasn’t an Oriole for long, but he’s a guy that I suspect most Baltimore fans appreciated as having come their way.

All four players selected yesterday are worthy of being in the hall. But the one criticism I’d make of the class overall is that it didn’t include Edgar Martinez. He’s well worthy of being in the Hall of Fame. There’s always next year, I suppose.

Baltimore Orioles add stop in Norfolk to spring schedule

The Baltimore Orioles close Grapefruit League play on Sunday, March 25, 2018. They’re scheduled to take on the Philadelphia Phillies that day in Clearwater, FL. (Their final home game in Sarasota will be Saturday night, March 24th against Minnesota – also their opponent the follow Thursday afternoon for Opening Day at Camden Yards.) They will then break camp…

…and technically head for home. But there’ll be one more stop before they get there. The Orioles will play one final spring game, on Monday, March 26th at Harbor Park in Norfolk against their triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides. First pitch is scheduled for just after 3 PM.

This will be the seventh time that the O’s will have played an exhibition game at Harbor Park – 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2017 being the other years. In those first two years they played the Washington Nationals. This will be their eighth time playing at Harbor Park, and the fourth in which they’ve played Norfolk. In reality, it amounts to an intersquad scrimmage.

Norfolk Tides General Manager Joe Gregory released the following statement regarding the game (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports:

The Orioles have such an outstanding fan base in the Hampton Roads area, and we’re extremely fortunate to have a major league affiliate committed to growing baseball in our local community. This is yet another example of the terrific relationship we have with the entire Orioles organization. We’re excited for this event to kick off our 2018 season.

For what it’s worth, this game will not count towards the unofficial Grapefruit League “standings.” But it will be the team’s final tuneup before Opening Day. And as interchangeable as the Tides’ and Orioles’ rosters can be at times, it could well be a very important game to a lot of people.