Category Archives: Baltimore Orioles News

Baltimore Orioles: The Ripken Way

Pending the weather, the Baltimore Orioles will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr breaking the consecutive games played streak before tonight’s game against Los Angeles. We all know what’s going on; throngs of former Orioles, dignitaries, and even former Oriole play-by-play man John Miller will be in attendance for the festivities. This to mark the moment that saved baseball across multiple generations.

First off, has it really been 30 years?! I was a freshman in high school, and I didn’t know a world without Cal Ripken Jr on the Orange & Black. Or in the lineup. When you think of everything that’s happened between then and now, it’s sort of crazy – both in and outside of baseball.

The numbers on the Warehouse counting the consecutive games played are an iconic sight to many people of a certain generation – certainly my generation. But personally, the part I’ll always remember more than anything else is the image of Cal Ripken Sr applauding and waving from the skybox. The Orioles have always had that Field of Dreams sort of feel about them. And put in that context in terms of baseball being a game between fathers and sons…that “Ripken moment” was perhaps the most meaningful of that entire sequence of events.

People think of a lot of things when the concept of The Oriole Way comes up. I suppose it’s fair to say that the guy who ties that into a beat bow is Earl Weaver. However The Oriole Way in truth begins and ends with the Ripken’s. And I would submit that there’s no city like Baltimore and no family that means as much to it than the Ripken’s. And we saw it that night.

For his part, both Cal Ripken’s would probably say that it’s more about the team than anything else. And it is. But there are certain moments and certain people who always rise to the occasion – birds of a certain feather. The Ripken’s are just that. And it was that bond between father and son which made the image of the numbers on the Warehouse possible.

On the day of my death, Cal Ripken Jr will still be baseball’s Iron Man. I’m sure there’s some analytic which would say I’m mistaken. But the human element of baseball says I’m correct. Nobody’s ever playing in 2,633 consecutive games. The same is true with Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak – nobody’s hitting in 57 straight games. I say that as sure as crabs and beer are to the shores of the Chesapeake, and to the state of Maryland.

I’ve had people ask me, why is it such a big deal? So the guy shows up everyday – he’s PAID to do that. But as we know, it is a big deal. Because Maryland itself is a blue collar and hard-working state. So the Ripken Way is truly a symbol of that. Do the Orioles do everything right? No. But that moment 30 years ago showed the rest of the country that you can call it what you will…The Oriole Way, The Ripken Way, etc. But the value system of showing up and giving it all you have everyday? Those are Maryland Values. And it was never symbolized better in the form of the Orange & Black than it was in that sequence of events 30 years ago.

Baltimore Orioles: #RIPFlanny

On this day in 2011 the Baltimore Orioles lost former pitcher Mike Flanagan. We all know the story – Flanny was an Oriole through and through. He was beloved by fans of a certain age, including me.

I’ll never forget the day he passed. It was uniquely personal to this fanbase, which treats its star former players as royalty. And rightfully so. May he rest in peace. And as the last Oriole to stand on the mound at Menorial Stadium, mat time never dim the honor of his deeds.

Baltimore Orioles send Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano west

Ryan O’Hearn was the Baltimore Orioles’ lone all star representative. Now he and Ramon Laureano are on their way to San Diego. The Orioles traded them this afternoon.

In return the O’s are getting the following prospects:

LHP Boston Bateman
INF Cobb Hightower
INF/OF Victor Figueroa
RHP Tyson Neighbors
INF Brandon Butterworth
RHP Tanner Smith

Bateman especially is sort of a big one. Only at single-A, but he’s one of San Diego’s top prospects. The O’s may have sold a lot today. But they got a decent return.

I’m surprised they traded Laureano, who’s still under team control. However that may have been the X-factor in getting what they got back. The haul they got on all of their trades is heavy on pitching, but the core of the team and the future is still in tact.

Interesting move by San Diego also. At first glance, it looks like the Orioles kind of fleeced them. If you’re their GM, you’re running a huge risk in saying this year or bust. When you take a leap of faith like that, you’d better be right.

Baltimore Orioles send Cedric Mullins to Queens

The Baltimore Orioles have traded center fielder Cedric Mullins to the New York Mets. This in advance of today’s 6 PM trade deadline. In return, the O’s are receiving RHP Raimon Gomez, RHP Anthony Nunez, and RHP Chandler Marsh.

This at first glance appears to be decent return for a player or Mullins’ caliber. Especially given that he’s a rental. Granted New York is now the only team who can offer him a contract, so there’s that risk for the Orioles. But the O’s can bring him back next year if they want to and are able.

Two of those three are top 30 prospects. So there’s that. And it’s good to restock the minors a bit. That said, youth doesn’t help the Orioles at the big league level for 2026.

Baltimore Orioles trade Ramon Urias and Andrew Kittredge

The Baltimore Orioles continued their deadline moves following yesterday’s 9-8 loss to Toronto. First off, they sent Ramon Urias to Houston in exchange for minor league RHP Twine Palmer. Palmer has spent parts of two seasons with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, and has a career ERA of 2.62.

The Orioles also appear to be sending Andrew Kittredge to the Chicago Cubs. Neither club has confirmed the deal, and it’s unclear what the Birds are getting in return. Of course we saw Seranthony Dominguez switch clubhouses the other day. Now Kittredge appears to be flying to Chicago with the Orioles only to compete against them with Chicago.

Kittrege is of course a rental for Chicago, as his contract is expiring. Urias was under team control through 2026. It’s a curious trade, especially given that the pitcher they got in return is only 20 years old. Urias is also a Gold Glove winner with the Orioles.

Admittedly Palmer has some promise. But he isn’t someone who appears to be capable of helping the big league club for awhile. More as it comes.

Baltimore Orioles: Seranthony Dominguez switching clubhouses

The Baltimore Orioles have made a trade. They’re sending reliever Seranthony Dominguez to Toronto in exchange for RHP Juaron Watts-Brown. He was previously the 10th best prospect in the Toronto farm system.

Dominguez of course is only switching clubhouses. This in the middle of a doubleheader. I’m always interested to see if he has a jersey and a uniform ready to go in the other clubhouse for the second game when things like this happen. I guess we’ll find out. At this time neither team has confirmed the trade.

Baltimore Orioles trade Gregory Soto

The Baltimore Orioles have traded reliever Gregory Soto to the New York Mets. In return, they received RHP Wellington Arecena and RHP Carmen Foster. Soto is a free agent after this year.

Both relievers the Orioles are receiving are minor league farm hands. Arecena has been in single A, and Foster both at double and triple A. It’s unclear where the O’s will be sending these players, or if one or bother of them will be sent to the big leagues. For what it’s worth, both players have sub-3.00 ERA’s at their respective levels.

Baltimore Orioles: Curtain comes up on the second half

The Baltimore Orioles will open the second half of the season this evening at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Needless to say, there are a lot of things the Birds hope are different than the first half. Beginning and ending with injuries.

Perhaps this season was cursed last year when the Orioles had three pitchers undergo Tommy John’s. I would put that thought forward, along with an obtuse over-reliance on analytics. This to the point of opposing teams actually using that to their own advantage. If the computer says you’re going to do this, you know your opponent is prepared for it. So instead you work on doing that and you catch them off guard.

Nevertheless, there are still games to be played. That begins tonight. If the Orioles feel they can somehow make a run back into the playoff race, that effort does as well.

The series with Tampa begins this evening at Steinbrenner Field. Charlie Morton gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Taj Bradley. Game time is set for just after 7:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles banking on the luck of the Irish

The Baltimore Orioles selected Ike Irish this evening out of Auburn University with the 19th pick in the MLB draft. At first glance it’s a curious pick – Irish is a catcher, and the Birds already have Adley Rutschman. But at second glance, he’s also an outfielder.

Irish is a career .350 hitter at Auburn, which boasts the likes of Frank Thomas and perhaps the greatest pure athlete in my lifetime, Bo Jackson. (Also Charles Barkley of the NBA.) Not to mention Orioles’ hall of Famer Gregg Olson. He also has a career .987 fielding percentage.

Irish is a catcher by trade, but he also plays right field. I suspect he won’t be catching in the farm system anytime soon with the logjam the Orioles have at that position. But time will tell. Either way, Irish is the team’s first pick.

Baltimore Orioles: Too deferential

The Baltimore Orioles have had issues with umpires all season. Yesterday for instance – Tampa’s Simpson got a borderline ball four call and took first base. That began a big inning.

Sometimes calls have been putrid. Other times they’re borderline calls that are persistently going the other way. But often times we’re seeing Oriole hitters giving the stink eye back towards the home plate umpire as they walk away. Yet, they toe the line.

Increasingly I see fans calling for someone to lose it with an umpire. Or perhaps for that reaction to come to the dugout. Admittedly, to my knowledge (and I’m going off my memory here), Tony Mansolino hasn’t had an argument with an umpire since taking over. And the end of Brandon Hyde’s tenure didn’t see much of that either.

We all know the Orioles have embraced analytics the past few years. I’ve often wondered if there’s a statistic somewhere showing that teams known as “arguers” actually get fewer calls than teams who toe the line. Needless to say, one thing that’s certain is that ejections, suspensions, and fines are minimized.

Whether there’s a statistic for that is another story. But at times it seems that things happen with the Orioles either way regard to umpires. Whether it’s sloppy umpiring or awful calls, it seems that the benefit of the doubt always seems to go the other way.

So I suppose the question is whether umpires almost respect the teams who do protest a little more. This as opposed to the Orioles’ at times deferential approach to game officials. I do believe that there have been circumstances that would have warranted a manager going out and protesting – maybe to the point of ejection. Yet, all that happens is the aforementioned stink eye.

And maybe that in and of itself is part of the issue. The walking away stink eye is passive-aggressive. In today’s world, that almost ticks people off more than being overtly angry.

Where the disconnect or what the issue is, I don’t know. But the one thing that’s for sure is that the Orioles get short-changed a lot in terms of calls. And they would love for that to change.