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 still working on Mark Trumbo

The Baltimore Orioles aren’t trying to waste any time on the Mark Trumbo front. The Birds definitely want him back. Dan Duquette confirmed that the two sides had contact as late as Thursday. It’s a work in progress.

The question is whether or not Trumbo would be able to replicate his production from 2016 – both next year and in the future. However the Birds also don’t want to hamstring themselves down the line. As in when they go and try to re-sign Machado and Schoop.

I suppose I’m resigned to the fact that regardless of what the Orioles do on any front, there will be some criticism. Mark Trumbo may well be worth the money moving forward, but what does that do to the team in the future? These are all things that need to be considered as any team ponders moves.

According to industry sources, Colorado is one of the other teams that’s in heavy on Trumbo. However they appear to be less willing than the Orioles to open up their pockets. For the record, the opportunity to play in that environment and in that ballpark would be attractive to me if I were Trumbo. With his power, I think he could really have a career year.

Of course the downside is that he’d find himself playing in the field a lot if he goes to Colorado. With the Orioles while he’ll play the field here and there, he’ll also DH a lot. And that’s true of any AL team.

At the end of the day, the Orioles have to do right by themselves – both in terms of wins and losses as well as financially. Time will tell what “right” is, however you can bet that Dan Duquette won’t allow them to make the wrong decision.

Baltimore Orioles: Botched semantics with Jose Bautista?

There was somewhat of a hulabaloo this week at the winter meetings when Baltimore Orioles’ GM Dan Duquette supposedly told Jose Bautista that they wouldn’t make a play on him. Duquette cited the fact that Orioles fans didn’t like him. That seemed to touch a nerve with a lot of people – both fans and experts alike.

First off, what Duquette said isn’t a lie. I’m not sure there’s been a player more loathed in Baltimore for some time than Bautista is. Furthermore, I think he may have been onto something; there might have been a fan revolt had he signed in Baltimore.

But I suspect that was also code for the players/Showalter don’t like you. And again, that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. I suspect that Duquette tried to be as diplomatic as he could, however at the end of the day he had to cite a reason to Bautista and his representatives as to why they didn’t want him.

And fans should consider themselves lucky that he put it the way that he did. If he told Bautista that the clubhouse didn’t want him, that would only serve as bulletin board material going into next year. And as most people know, Bautista wouldn’t be the type to take that lying down. He’d probably make a point of showing up the Orioles the first time he hit a homer. Heck, he might still do it to the fans.

The flip side however is whether or not the O’s are being foolish in at least not considering the option of signing him. I would say no, mainly because he’s aging (36) and he’d come with injury concerns. However that’s not something that a lot of people seem to want to consider.

If you don’t want to hear that argument, consider one other thing. It’s fairly easy for players to put mini-rivalries aside when someone comes in via free agency. With how prevelant free agency is these days, you know there’s always a chance that the guy on whom you’re hating this year might be your teammate next year or down the line.

I suspect it’s tougher for fans to look past those types of things. However Bautista may be a special case. He’s seemingly done things on purpose for some time to antagonzie the Orioles and their fans. When you’ve done as many things as he’s done, it’s probably smart to assume you won’t ever fit on that other team.

The Orioles also selected two outfielders in yesterday’s Rule 5 draft. They took Aneury Tavarez from Boston, and Anthony Santander from Cleveland. Dan Duquette was very happy with the selections, as both players can add depth to the outfield and are decent hitters. They will need to remain on the Orioles’ roster all season long, or they go back to their original club.

Baltimore Orioles: How much addition is necessary?

In reading some of the commentary online from fans this week, I think that a lot of folks need to remember that the Baltimore Orioles were a playoff team in 2016. Some will say yes but they only lasted one game, or they backed their way in. All of those things are true, yes. But history will show that they participated in the post season for the third time in five years.

So when I see scathing commentary by folks who desperately want the Orioles to make a move during the Winter Meetings, I often chuckle to myself. I get it, folks – I really do. Boston makes a deal for a high-profile starter, among other teams, and you want to join the party. And perhaps there is a bit of just frustration when fans see the Orioles stand and watch as moves are made.

However, how much addition is really necessary? The big piece coming off their board in theory is Trumbo, who’s engaged in talks with the Orioles to stay in Baltimore. (And I’m not going to lie, but that surprises me.) Obviously Wieters is thought to be another departure, however we also know that the Orioles have depth at catcher. So do they really need a high-ticket item?

Starting pitching is their big weakness, and while the likes of Tillman were certainly solid last year, it will probably be struggle again in 2017. So someone like a Sale might well have gone over well for the Orioles. However it still goes back to the price.

So my question to folks who want them to make a move is would you want a move made regardless of the price? A big topic during the meetings has been Machado, and what it will eventually cost to keep him. Would you want the Orioles to step up and trade him and get a huge haul in return? Because the Orioles could in fact do that, I just don’t see it happening.

Speaking for myself, I think they’ve actually played it smart in a way. The only people with whom they’ve had conversations have been players that would fill a need. Not some high-ticket item whereby the Birds are going to make a huge splash and so forth. That’s not who they are. If someone’s still on the board later in the off season that might be a different story. But for right now I think they’ve played it safe, and played it smart.

Baltimore Orioles: MLB needs a salary cap, and quick

The Baltimore Orioles could at some point find themselves back in a rut like they were in from 1998-2011. That is if something doesn’t change at some point. MLB needs a salary cap – and fast.

I recognize that it’s not going to happen folks. I’m not naive, I know how things work. However over the course of this week we’ve heard of players like Bryce Harper asking for 10 years, $400 million in their next contract. From the Orioles’ standpoint, that calls into question what the likes of Manny Machado will want in his next deal. Will the O’s be able to give it to him?

For what it’s worth, Washington has already said that Harper won’t get that type of money. And I applaud them for that. However the flip side of the coin is that someone will give it to him – possibly someone in the AL East. And regardless of where Machado is or who’s guarding the hot corner in Baltimore, that could affect the Orioles.

So what MLB needs is a salary cap. If they had a cap like what they have in the NFL, players wouldn’t have the liberty to ask for salaries that outlandish. Because a team wouldn’t be able to sign that guy at that price and remain under the cap. So players would be forced to take perhaps $15 million per year as opposed to $40 million. (How tough of pill to swallow would that be?!

As it stands now without a cap, it all but ensures that only 3-4 teams can realistically have a shot at signing a player like Machado. (Note that I said realistically – there are exceptions to everything.) Does MLB not realize that effectively means that only 3-4 teams might have a legitimate shot at winning it all? Are they okay with that?

Ironically, Washington’s probably one of the teams that could afford to pay a player that much. However as I said above, they said they wouldn’t be doing it. And that’s smart. First off, players try to use a poker face during these negotiations – why not do the same? However players need to realize that there’s only so much money that teams an give you.

I suspect that at the end of the day neither Machado nor Harper will get contracts of that magnitude. The Birds certainly don’t want to be stuck in a contract deal for ten years either. But again, if you have a salary cap, none of this is truly an issue.

Baltimore Orioles: What’s Manny Machado worth to you?

The Baltimore Orioles weren’t a part of one of the bigger stories in the first day of the Wineter Meetings yesterday. But they can be made a part of it. Washington annouced that it wasn’t willing to pay the cash that Bryce Harper is demanding after 2018. Harper is said to want somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 over ten years.

It’s rare for something like this to be said two years before the guy hits free agency, however it got me to thinking what the Orioles would do with Manny Machado. Are they a better team with Manny at the hot corner? I think everyone knows the answer to that. But would Orioles fans be okay with that salary number and length of contract?

The smart ones would not – be satisfied with that number, that is. Everyone knows how special Machado is – that goes without saying. However everything has a price. There are those out there who feel that if the Orioles choose not to re-sign Machado no matter what the price is, shame on them. But again, should the Orioles blow everyone on one player?

Keep in mind that this is merely the price that Harper is asking. There’s no gaurantee he’ll get that. Furthermore if he does, that’s not to say Machado will as well. As is the case in all things, you have to do a cost-analysis. Is Manny Machado worth a lot of money and should he get a large contract when the time comes? Yes. Is he priceless? Probably not.

Baltimore Orioles showing interest in Mark Trumbo?

In one of the first pieces of news at the Winter Meetings, GM Dan Duquette told reporters yesterday that the Baltimore Orioles have been in talks with Mark Trumbo. In fact, the Birds have made him two competitive offers since the end of the season. That’s something that should be big for fans; the Birds aren’t immediately cutting their losses on Trumbo. They’re tying to keep him.

While Duquette didn’t get into specifics, he made it clear that the Orioles were engaged wtih Trumbo and that they’re love to have him back (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

We’ve had several conversations with Mark Trumbo, but we haven’t been able to cinch a deal with him. In the past, we’ve made a couple offers to him. We’ve had a dialogue going with him for several weeks.

Again, that’s something that should give Orioles fans some hope. None of this of course means that Trumbo will stay in Baltimore, mind you. In fact, I would submit that that odds are still greater that he leaves than they are that he stays. But the O’s aren’t takin this lying down, they’re trying to continually find a solution for their 2017 team.

There were also rumors yesterday to the effect that the Orioles had re-signed third baseman Manny Machado, which were immediately dispelled. Duquette even said that the Birds weren’t in active negotiations with Machado at the moment, which sent shock waves around the twitterverse. The Birds aren’t actively trying to re-sign Machado – right now. Calm yourselves, people. That doesn’t mean that in the future they won’t try t re-sign him!

Going back to Trumbo for a moment, apparently Colorado has emerged as a team that’s also showing interest in him. The knock on Trumbo is that his production this past year with the O’s could have been an anamoly, and of course that as he ages more and more it will go down. Going to a place like Colorado could safegaurd against that, as we know the ball really flies there.

The Orioles of course have the fact that they’ll get a draft pick from whomever signs him going for them. But here’s a spin on that which could hurt – what if he signs late in the game and the team has already signed someone for whom they’ve given up a draft pick? When the O’s signed Jimenez they had already given up their first round pick, so they only surrendered a second rounder…

…if a similar thing happened here, the Birds might not get the first rounder they’re expecting. But at the end of the day, fans should know that the Orioles are in the mix on Trumbo – for now.

Baltimore Orioles: What to expect from the Winter Meetings?

What should fans expect out of the Baltimore Orioles at this coming week’s Winter Meetings? I’m going to say not much; aside from the normal Rule 5 pick, at least. But I’m not expecting the Birds to make the short trip home from DC (or Oxon Hill, MD to be techincal) with any big ticket items. That’s just my view at least.

Mark Trumbo is probably the biggest prize out there, and I’m not sure how realistic it would be to expect him to sign in Baltimore again. Last year of course the buzz was all about Chris Davis, and in fact we said the same thing – how realistic is it really that he’ll re-sign with the O’s? Now of course we know that while he certainly didn’t sign during the Winter Meetings, he did end up back in Baltimore. This of course after a curtain call in front of the Camden Faithful on the final day of the 2015 season!

Nevertheless, I’d honestly be surprised if Trumbo signed anywhere this week. I suspec that a lot of teams and even agents will use this week to either begin or come close to closing deals. Seeing that things got down to the wire with collective bargaining this past week, that took the attention of quite a few people away from free agency.

But I would also remind fans that it’s not just free agency that comes up during the Winter Meetings. Trades sometimes go down as well. And it makes sense given that the entire baseball world converges on that one place for the entire week. The Orioles are in the hunt for a corner outfielder/DH, potentially to replace the aforementioned Trumbo. Might they take that route instead?

Again, I’m not expecting anything more than a Rule 5 pick to go down this week. I might be wrong, but that’s just my hunch. The Orioles are rarely active during this time period. For sure they’re out there wheeling and dealing, however Dan Duquette’s “hot stove” season really doesn’t start until February – and it often stretches into March. And that includes once Grapefruit League play has begun.

But this is always an interesting week around baseball to say the least. It gives people like me something about which to write in the sense that there’s often news or waves coming out of the meetings. Needless to say, it sure beats most other weeks during the off season!

Baltimore Orioles non-tender Vance Worley

If you had Vance Worley as being a part of the 2017 Baltimore Orioles, YOU LOST! Worley was officially non-tendered by the club yesterday, meaning he won’t be an Oriole in 2017. Well, I suppose there’s a chance he could be on the team, but not anywhere remotely near likely.

Worley at times played a big role on the Birds in 2016, and at times looked good. However he always seemed to have the potential to blow up in the Orioles’ faces as well, which is potentially why he was non-tendered. Worley is now a free agent in a sense.

Wednesdays acquisition of Logan Verrett from the Mets seemed to seal Worley’s fate, as the Orioles feel that they can now get younger and better in a bullpen that was already potentially the best in the league. Whether the Orioles are done adding to the bullpen however is another story.

As we progress into the Winter Meetings next week, what they are trying to do is add a corner outfielder/DH. There are a few players on Dan Duquette’s radar, however it remains to be seen whether or not any of them are brought back to Baltimore this year after the Winter Meetings.

Aside from Worley, every other arbitration-elibible player was tendered a contract by the Orioles. Their goal is to not have to go to arbitration with anyone next spring, which certainly makes things a lot easier. However with that said, it should probably be the players saying that, because as we know the O’s don’t lose arbitration cases!

Baltiore Orioles: Anyone need a General Manager?!

It was two years ago on the eve of the Winter Meetings that the world found out Toronto wanted the Baltimore Orioles’ Dan Duquette. And when I say the eve of the Winter Meetings, I literally mean “the eve.” As in, the news broke while most of th executives were flying to the meetings on Sunday.

We all remember that unfortunate exchange, and the venom that it spewed. The two Birds’ camps weren’t exactly friendly on the field before, but that didn’t help. The Orioles dug their heels in, making them look like the bad guys for not letting Duquette go. Yet most people seemed to look the other direction when it came to Toronto and how they seemed to violate every unwritten code in the book in terms of talking to someone else’s employee.

And the way that they got away with it of course was that in theory the position for which they wanted Duquette was technically a promotion. As opposed to a VP of Baseball Ops, he would be a President of Operations. However the fact is that Toronto simply structures their front office differently than do the Orioles. In effect, it was the same or a similar job.

But that was two years ago – I don’t anticipate anything like that happening this weekend. But you never know…! And if it did, the Birds would probably react the same way.

Baltimore Orioles: Lockout averted, Logan Verrett returns

The Baltimore Orioles have re-acquired a former Rule 5 pick in Logan Verrett. They traded cash considerations to the NY Mets for their former Rule 5 draft choice, and he now slides into either the starting rotation or bullpen. I would presume that latter.

The Birds selected Verrett during the 2014 Winter Meetings, however he was exposed to waivers during spring training, and claimed by Texas. He was later returned to New York, and is now back with the Orioles. He registered a 1.88 ERA that spring with the O’s, accumulating 12 K’s and zero walks.

Verrett fell on some hard times as part of the Mets’ minor league system this past year, with a 5.20 ERA at triple-A. However the Orioles are glad to have him back in the organization, and even more so that they didn’t have to give up anything to get him. We’ll see where he lands come Opening Day.

However the real news today is that MLB and the MLBPA reached a deal on collective bargaining, which preserved the labor peace in baseball. While it went down to the wire, a lockout has been averted. That also means that next week’s winter meetings will go on as scheduled.

There are a few parts of the new labor deal that will be of interest to fans, however the main part is that a work stoppage has been avoided. With the season beginning four days earlier than previously, the schedule will now have some additional days off built in. There are also going to be provisions that will force teams to play more day games on getaway days.

So basically you can look for more starts during the 12 or 1 PM hour on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Speaking for myself, I think that’s a good thing. As I’ve said before, the Orioles are one of the teams who rarely seem to do that. First off while perhaps it does provide a hassle for fans in that they might have to take a day off, it’s a nice change of pace. But it also makes things easier for teas across the board, as one or both teams will be in transient on a getaway day.

But the main story is that a deal has been done, and a crisis averted in Major League Baseball. Whereas the other three major sports have had work stoppages since the 1994 MLB players’ strike, baseball has not. And it’s going to stay that way.