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: How would an MLB lockout affect fans in the long term?

Nobody wants a work stoppage in MLB, neither the Baltimore Orioles, the rest of the league, the players, or the fans. However if a deal isn’t done by next Thursday, that’s a very real possibility. Personally my recommendation to everyone involved is to get a deal done – even if it means signing a contract that extends the current deal an additional month or something along those lines. Just get it done.

Nobody wants to see what happens in a work stoppage in the modern day. As I said yesterday, I would submit that some of the issues the NFL is now having began with their lockout a few years ago. Granted no regular season games were missed, however that put them on the radar of labor unrest.

Baseball struggled to force itself back into the national spotlight following the 1994 players’ strike. That year’s fall classic was canceled, as was the beginning of the 1995 season. Finally the season started following teams missing 18 regular season games. And fans took out their frustrations at the turnstiles, with empty seats attending games en masse.

This is why many people credit the great Cal Ripken Jr. for saving baseball when he broke the consecutive games played streak that September. It gave people a reason to come back and pay attention. Obviously we don’t know how things would have unfolded if not for the streak, however whether the sport would have bounced back the way it did is unclear.

My point here is that there’s no streak or subsequent home run record chase on the horizon this time around. If anything, the contemporary version of that might have been this past world series, which was a feel-good story on both sides. So…does MLB really want to leverage that in an attempt to win at collective bargaining?

Obviously we can’t know what the short or long-term affects of a work stoppage would be. But if games are missed, you can imagine that there would be people who wouldn’t come back to the ballpark right away. And that would be a disaster for the sport. Baseball is an everyday affair; if suddenly people aren’t coming to or watching games, that will affect not only the league’s bottom line, but it’s PR as well.

One might argue that a work stoppage could in theory make MLB the most obscure of the four major leagues. In summertime, it’s the only game in town. The good news is that I don’t see it happening. Even if there is a lockout next week, there’s still a long way to go before the regular season begins.

Baltimore Orioles: Is MLB about to go through labor unrest?

The Baltimore Orioles and the rest of MLB might well have their world rocked at some point in the near future. Earlier this week, FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported in this article that all is not necessarily well on the labor front in baseball. The current CBA expires next week on December 1st, and there’s a real possibility that the owners might lock the players out if no deal is reached by then.

I’ll let you read Rosenthal’s article and draw your own conclusions as to who’s right and wrong. However mind you that there’s never been a sniff of labor unrest since the conclusion of the 1994 players’ strike which canceled the World Series. Baseball had  a tough time coming back from that, and many say if not for Cal’s streak the sport might have never recovered.

So the very idea that there could be a work stoppage is a scary prospect for baseball fans. First off however, a lock out could occur right now and some folks might not even know it. December’s winter meetings might be more low-key than they otherwise would be, however a work stoppage is only a work stoppage if there’s work to be stopped. Right now, we aren’t talking about games being played.

So a lockout next week wouldn’t be the end of the world. It wouldn’t be good, but it’s easily fixable. But if it starts to go into the later months of the winter, that could be a problem. If actual games start getting affected (even spring training games), I’m not sure how patient people will be.

I would submit that some of the bad PR the NFL has began with their lockout years ago. Granted no regular season games were affected, but that’s where labor strife began. MLB needs to take note of that, because a lot of people are now turning more and more cynical of the NFL. Now the majority of that is due to the fact that Roger Goodell is inept. However that goes back to their lockout, as that’s where it seemingly began.

To piggyback on that point, I would submit that baseball is as popular now as it’s been since that 1994 strike. Some of that has to do with the fact that we just completed a true feel-good post-season and World Series. But…does the league really want to risk that turning south?

Admittedly, I usually side with labor over management in these situations. However your average fan doesn’t care if it’s a lockout (where the owners lock the players out of the facilities) or if it’s a players’ strike (where the players’ union refuses to play). The ends are the same: no games. So my message to MLB and the MLBPA is to get this fixed. If not by next week, certainly in time for the season to start.

Incidentally, what would a work stoppage mean for this region? Teams like the Frederick Keys and Bowie Baysox would probably see an attendance spike, as would the Potomac Nationals. But do we really want it to get to that?

Baltimore Orioles: Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I’m going to keep this incredibly brief today, as Baltimore Orioles’ fans have better things to do than read The Orange Crush. But from me to yours, I want to wish one and all a Happy Thanksgiving. Yes folks, Thanksgiving Day is upon us!

The Orioles and Orioles fans have a lot for which to be thankful this year. First and foremost, the team returned to the post-season. Yes some will point out that it was a short-lived stint. But hey, they were there. And one would hope that would drive interest going into next year.

However fans have something bigger for which to be thankful as well: the team itself. There are so many places in America that don’t have access to Major League Baseball, and thus don’t know what a boom it is in their everyday civic lives. Look at cities like Charlotte, Portland, Las Vegas, etc. Even smaller cities such as OKC, Jacksonville, etc.

Not only are Orioles fans blessed to have the Birds, but also two National League teams within close proximity. Not everyone has that. And yes folks, it is in fact a blessing – from a sports perspective, that is.

Again, best wishes to all of Birdland for a great Thanksgiving!

Baltimore Orioles tap into the past to fill vacancies

Most Baltimore Orioles fans probably remember Alan Mills, as he’s a veteran of nine seasons with the O’s. However one of his teammates on the 1996 team was Roger McDowell, who was hired yesterday as the Birds’ new pitching coach. Mills will fill into a new role as well, as the Orioles’ new bullpen coach.

McDowell’s been Atlanta’s pitching coach over the last 11 years, helping to lead their rotation to a rank of fourth in the majors. His staffs had a 3.88 ERA over that time span. He replaced Leo Mazzone in 2005, who ironically left Atlanta to come to the Orioles at that time.

Mills has spent five years as a pitching coach in the Orioles’ organization, returning to the team with whom he spent the lion share of his career. He was somewhat of a fan favorite when he was with the Orioles over the aforementioned nine years, and was always one of the more well-known members of the bullpen. A bullpen that he’ll now lead.

The biggest challenge that McDowell will have is working with the likes of Bundy and Gausman – the Orioles’ young starters. That and managing guys like Jimenez, Tillman, and Gallardo, and trying to figure out where they each belong. Mills’ biggest challenge is going to be keeping the quality of the staff where it’s been.

The Orioles of course got this done just in the nick of time for the Warehouse to close for the Thanksgiving holiday. So Birds’ fans can now be thankful that the pitching staff has leadership this year!

Baltimore Orioles: The line between freedom and tyranny

Luckily for the Baltimore Orioles and MLB, the league doesn’t appear to have the issue that the NFL currently has whereby players are protesting the national anthem. An I suspect that moving forward we won’t see anything like that in baseball. It’s too tied to the fabric of our country, and too synonymous with holidays such as Memorial Day and the 4th of July.

There are lots of people however calling for the NFL (and perhaps even MLB) to pass a rule saying that players and coaches have to stand for the national anthem. And I can’t say that I myself wouldn’t support that, because as an American I do resent the fact that any of my fellow countrymen could turn their backs on the liberties and freedoms that we’ve all been given. Those freedoms are symbolized in our flag and in our National Anthem.

However where’s the line exactly between freedom and tyranny? When the Collin Kaepernick argument was hot, there was an internet meme going around saying that forced patriotism existed across the globe…in countries like North Korea. And that in and of itself is something that should give Americans pause.

Would it in essence be tyrannical to force MLB players to stand for the national anthem? Mind you folks, we’re not talking about true tyranny in the sense of kneel down and kiss the king’s ring at a penalty of death. However as Americans we also believe in freedom of expression. So would forcing someone to stand when they may not want to do so be violating that freedom of expression?

It’s really a tough call. However there’s also a distinction that needs to be made. MLB and the NFL are private organizations – in essence, private companies. Your place of employment does have the right to regulate certain aspects of your life, like it or not. You can’t NOT wear a coat and tie to work if that’s required as part of the dress code and then claim it’s a violation of your freedom, as an example.

So if a league such as MLB identified that players sitting for the anthem would offend a large portion of it’s clientele (which it undoubtedly would), one could argue that they could and should make a rule against it. And while that’s kind of where I fall in this discussion, I’m also wary of the flip side of the coin. It does come off to me as an invasion of one’s freedoms in a sense – possibly.

However in closing, I would mention that at some point, we as a nation need to reclaim our very status as a nation. Since the end of WWII, anti-nationalism has taken hold in Europe. Now in no way am I suggesting that people should blindly follow everything their government does and says regardless of anything else. However at a certain point you have to have some sort of national pride – on a minimal level, respecting your nation’s flag and anthem. Otherwise you go from being a country to a group of people who share a geographic region.

Baltimore Orioles: Deal from a position of strength?

There’s a school of thought out there which says that the Baltimore Orioles should consider dealing closer Zach Britton. So let me preface this by saying that I think that’s one of the most ridiculous ideas that anyone could have. When you have a closer that just finished the season 47 out of 47 in save attepts, your goal should be to keep him on your roster – not deal him.

However the flip side of the coin is that Britton would potentially net a nice return for the Orioles. A closer of that caliber doesn’t come around everyday – which is why he’d bring them a good return. Or would he?

For the record, Dan Duquette is on record as saying that he’s not dealing Britton. One of the Orioles’ biggest strength is their bullpen. While guys such as Brach or Givens may well do fine in the closer’s role, weakening the ‘pen by dealing it’s marquee member is a bad idea.

Furthermore, I’m not sure that other teams would be as willing to play ball with the Orioles on Britton as some might think. As I said above, Britton would potentially net the Orioles a nice reutrn. Nothing is gauranteed in life, as we know. Every team, including the Orioles, is going to try to get as much as they can out of a trade while giving up as little as possible.

Teams would know that the reason Dan Duquette would be shopping Britton is because he thinks he can find an everyday right fielder or DH. Are we truly to believe that teams aren’t going to balk at dumping an everyday player for a guy that pithes one inning?

Granted Britton only pitches one inning a game. However right now there’s nobody better than he in the game at what he does. And we knew that before he had  a perfect season. But the fact remains that he’s a one inning guy.

I could see another team leveraging the fact that they’d only be getting perhaps 4-5 innings a week out of Britton (best case scenario) by trying to get away with offering the Orioles less. For a guy like Britton, one would expect big leauge ready talent. In fact, one would expect someone with big league experience – and at a high level at that. Whether or not another team would view it the same way would remain to be seen.

The good news is that Dan Duquette isn’t going to deal Britton away for peanuts. In fact, if his comments are to be believed he isn’t going to deal him away at all. Howver the point is that other teams will often give the impression of undervaluing your players just so they can get them cheaply. But again, I don’t see Britton going anywhere anytime soon.

Baltimore Orioles: Does MLB have a marketing opportunity?

As the Baltimore Orioles’ offseason has kicked into full gear, one topic on which I’ve spent some time is some of the ratings problems being seen in the National Football League thus far this fall. Let’s be clear; the ratings aren’t by any means taking a nosedive for football every week. But they’re seemingly trending downwards, and that’s something that a lot of people thought could never happen.

Last week was the first week after which the Presidential election had finished. So I’ll be interested to see what the ratings are moving forward. I do think it’s very possible that’s something which may have affected viewership here and there. I won’t lie; as the autumn went on, I found myself watching CNN/FOX/MSNBC on Sunday evenings when I would have otherwise been watching football or baseball. The election riveted millions of Americans.

However the flip side is that some of the PR problems, over-officiating, and over-regulation probles the NFL has are what’s partially causing the downtick. I suspect that if that’s true, what’s happening is that people are still watching their favorite teams week in and week out. I know that I do! However I would submit that perhaps it’s viewership with the national games that are down. Why watch two other teams play on Monday Night Football when it’s only going to be a flag-fest?

So here’s my point this morning; while baseball is always going to be known as America’s Pastime, the NFL has also been “king” for the past 30 years or so. Therefore, does MLB perhaps now have an opportunity to re-make itself? In saying that, keep in mind that for the most part these two sports don’t compete against one another. The beginning of the football season competes with the pennant stretches and playoffs, but the meat of the two seasons are mutually exclusive

I think that baseball is in a unique spot because of it’s title of America’s Pastime. It bonds with the very fabric of the history of our country. Furthermore it’s a summer game, which people associate with vacations, BBQ’s, and good times. It’s also an everyday affair, whereas the NFL is once a week. That’s always been to the NFL’s advantage, as it keeps people in suspense so to speak.

Given the fact that baseball is so embedded in the fabric of our culture, I’m not sure you’ll ever see players kneeling for the national anthem. And the fact that the most recent World Series included two teams that were true feel-good stories in the sport doesn’t hurt. Furthermore the invent of the new Wild Card format has given the month of September and the playoffs themselves a shot in the arm.

So with all of this said, if the NFL truly has a PR problem of sorts now, baseball is in a perfect spot to re-market itself once again as America’s Pastime. Again, it will always be that, and it always has been. But they might now find themselves in a spot to shift people’s sports dollars from football back to baseball. Time will tell.

Baltimore Orioles still searching for a pitching coach

The Baltimore Orioles are going into the first part of the final weekend before Thanksgiving still in search of a pitching coach. According to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports, there’s a shot that an announcement could be made on a hiring before the Warehouse closes for the holiday. In case you’ve forgotten from past years, Thanksgiving week is a dead period for MLB.

In the article I linked above, Kubatko mentions how it’s a fine line that teams have to walk because you don’t want to make a rash decision, but you also don’t want to lose a candidate to another team. And that’s a sentiment with which I agree entirely. The Orioles aren’t the only franchise that needs a pitching coach, and there are only so many qualified candidates. The longer you wait the more you risk.

And we can’t understate how important of a decision that this is for the Orioles. The starting rotation is so precarious at times, and it’s tough to know which version of it is going to show up each game. So they really need to ensure that they get this hire right.

My personal opinion is that they need someone who’s going to strike a balance between being firm and not accepting excuses, and being a shepherd of sorts. Time will tell who that person ends up being. But according to the Orioles, that decision hasn’t quite been made yet.

Baltimore Orioles: Matt Wieters to New York?

With Matt Wieters being a free agent, the Baltimore Orioles need to be aware of who’s in need of a catcher. Their American League East rival, the New York Yankees, made a move yesterday that could impact the Orioles and Wieters. They traded catcher Brian McCann to Houston for two promising young pitching prospects.

McCann had apparently been on Houston’s radar for some time, and he’s a player that they had really wanted to add to their mix. For sure, he’ll provide some veteran leadership to a young team who seems to be up and coming. However while my personal opinion is that they gave up too much to get him, that seems to be how New York flies. So now they have a hole at catcher.

So my point would be why would they not be interested in Wieters? Since the likes of Wieters, Machado, and even Schoop have broken into the bigs with the Orioles, the muted running joke has been that at some point they’d be in pinstripes. (The same is true with Washington’s Harper down the pike.) So again, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t be interested in Wieters, but assuming they are in some manner they now have a golden opportunity to get him.

And given the fact that the market for catchers isn’t as good as it could be, Wieters is looking to get decent coin for his services. So what exactly can the Orioles do? The fact is that the Birds have about as much of a shot as anyone else at landing their now former catcher. It all depends on whether or not they’re willing to spend the cash to keep him.

In general, I think they’re fairly set at catcher with Joseph and Pena. But while there’s no gaurante that Wieters ends up in the Bronx right now, you have to imagine that he’s on their radar. And here’s the kicker; he doesn’t come at a price more than his price in a sense. This is exactly why the Orioles should have made him a qualifying offer, because now any team can sign him without surrendering a draft choice.

New York is in the rare spot of rebuilding and being able to compete at the same time. So if they had interest in Wieters, are we to believe that surrendering a precious first round pick might not give them some pause? If the goal is to continue building for the future, that pick would in theory be of supreme importance. That’s not something with which they need to be worried now.

Ultimately, whether he ends up in the Bronx or not remains to be seen. But I don’t think he’ll be back at Camden Yards, except as a visitor at some point. And while the Orioles are a better team with Matt Wieters than they are without him, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They’re keeping some extra cash stashed away for the likes of Manny and Schoop at some point down the road. These decisions aren’t easy sometimes, however they have to be made.

Baltimore Orioles add a stop in Norfolk

The Baltimore Orioles announced yesterday that they’re extending their spring training schedule by one game. This final game won’t count towards “Grapefruit League standings” of course, however the Birds have scheduled what to me amounts to a glorified intersquad scrimmage. On their way up to Baltimore after breaking camp, they’ll stop at Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA to face their triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides.

Again, to me this is similar to an intersquad scrimmage, as it’s the big league team against the triple-A team. The game will be on Friday, March 31st with first pitch slated for 3 PM. How much a role it will play in final cuts is unclear, however needless to say it’s a game that’s now on the schedule. Tickets will go onsale at 10 AM on March 4th at norfolktides.com.

Bearing that in mind, I would highly recommend that any Orioles fan consider taking a trip and going to this game. First off, Hampton Roads, VA is a really cool and really nice area. My sister went to school in nearby Newport News, and I always enjoyed going down to visit when she was down there in college.Harbor Park is also a great ballpark in which to watch a game, with the James River passing directly behind the right field grandstand.

In that sense the Orioles uniformly have great facilities in their organization. We know the merits of Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. However at each stage in the organization Orioles players find themsevlves playing in great facilities such as Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, Prince Georges County Stadium in Bowie, and Harbor Park in Norfolk.

The O’s have played their triple-A team on two other occasions at Harbor Park. They also hosted the Washington Nationals in Grapefruit League action at the facility twice, most recently in 2009. And to piggyback on what I said above, it you happen to frequent Virginia Beach in the summer, make a point at stopping in Norfolk for a game. According to my sister, the Tides do promotions such as Turn Back the clock Night, whereby hot dogs are sold for $.25. I mean, can you really beat that?!