Category Archives: Baltimore Orioles News

Baltimore Orioles introduce Brandon Hyde as new manager

The Baltimore Orioles formally introduced Brandon Hyde as their new manager yesterday afternoon. Hyde was hired by new GM Mike Elias, and is the 20th manager in franchise history. Hyde on the hire:

Being named manager of the Orioles is a dream come true, and I’m incredibly humbled to be here today. When [Elias, Sig Mejdal and I] met, it was immediately clear to me that we share the same vision and passion toward building a winning culture, an elite organization and a championship ballclub.

Quote courtesy of Matt Kelly, mlb.com

Let me say this; Hyde came across as a stand-up guy. He also came across as incredibly straight-forward, which perhaps is what the franchise needs as things progress. Either way, Hyde’s the man to lead the charge.

It’ll be awhile before fans and writers such as myself get a feel for Hyde and what he’s about. With Showalter we seemingly knew what to expect from the beginning. But this will take some time, perhaps even after spring training has completed.

It’ll be awhile before fans and writers such as myself get a feel for Hyde and what he’s about. With Showalter we seemingly knew what to expect from the beginning. But this will take some time, perhaps even after spring training has completed.

One way or the other, Hyde seems to understand the job he’s going to be taxed with doing. He said that his first order of business will be to assemble a coaching staff, and then to learn the roster a bit. So yes, he’s as green as green can be. And that might well be precisely what the Orioles want.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Michael meeting with New York this week

There’s not much drama with what the Baltimore Orioles are doing today. Brandon Hyde is being introduced as the team’s new manager at noon today. All that’s in doubt is what he’ll say to the media. One way or the other I would expect him to be gracious.

One name neither he nor GM Mike Elias will have hanging over their heads is Manny Machado. However we find Manny in the news this week, as he’s expected to visit the New York Yankees. Yeah, every Orioles’ fan’s seeming nightmare.

Honestly I’m surprised by this. New York seemed to make it fairly clear that they didn’t want a guy who readily admits he doesn’t always hustle. Now suddenly they want to talk contract terms?

I suspect that they see a slowly-developing market, and think they might be able to get Machado on a steal. What’s unclear is whether or not this is more of a contract talk, or a meet/and-greet. Given the proximity to Christmas and New Years, I think it might be the latter.

Time will tell, but the Orioles can’t let Manny’s schedule distract from what they’re doing. Today is a big day in Birdland. The O’s are hoping that they’ve found the guy to get them “off their Hyde’s” (yes, you read that right!) and out of the doldrums. And eventually back to the promise land.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado meeting with New York this week

There’s not much drama with what the Baltimore Orioles are doing today. Brandon Hyde is being introduced as the team’s new manager at noon today. All that’s in doubt is what he’ll say to the media. One way or the other I would expect him to be gracious.

One name neither he nor GM Mike Elias will have hanging over their heads is Manny Machado. However we find Manny in the news this week, as he’s expected to visit the New York Yankees. Yeah, every Orioles’ fan’s seeming nightmare.

Honestly I’m surprised by this. New York seemed to make it fairly clear that they didn’t want a guy who readily admits he doesn’t always hustle. Now suddenly they want to talk contract terms?

I suspect that they see a slowly-developing market, and think they might be able to get Machado on a steal. What’s unclear is whether or not this is more of a contract talk, or a meet/and-greet. Given the proximity to Christmas and New Years, I think it might be the latter.

Time will tell, but the Orioles can’t let Manny’s schedule distract from what they’re doing. Today is a big day in Birdland. The O’s are hoping that they’ve found the guy to get them “off their Hyde’s” (yes, you read that right!) and out of the doldrums. And eventually back to the promise land.

Baltimore Orioles: Will Brandon Hyde reach out to Buck Showalter?

As we know, new Baltimore Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde will be introduced to the media tomorrow. The O’s have called a noon press conference. But there is an ever-so-small white elephant in the room still…

…will Hyde reach out to former Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter? Perhaps white elephant in the room is the wrong way to put it. However Buck of course was universally beloved by both fans and writers such as myself alike. Many folks think he should still be the manager. Perhaps a call from the O’s skipper to their former skipper would help to put everyone on the same page.

That said, Buck Showalter was never big on publicity stunts. And I suppose that a call from Hyde would be just that. However there could also be another reason for a call. Buck knows the organization and the roster pretty well. Could Hyde not benefit from that knowledge?

Keep in mind folks, if you’re in the camp which thinks Buck should still be here, it isn’t Brandon Hyde’s fault that he isn’t (here any longer). Buck, that is. Hyde’s going to do the best job that he possibly can – win or lose. Fans owe him their support, as well as the benefit of starting with a blank slate.

Baltimore Orioles: Brandon Hyde officially the Birds’ manager

Brandon Hyde has officially been named the new manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Officially, this time! Of course the news broke earlier this week when GM Mike Elias was at the Winter Meetings. Elias said that the rumors were “premature,” however at the end of the day anyone who follows the Orioles knew them to be true.

The Orioles have called a press conference for noon on Monday to introduce Hyde to the media, however Elias has already released a statement:

After conducting an intensive search, I believe that we have found the ideal leader for the next era of Orioles baseball. Brandon’s deep background in player development and Major League coaching, most recently helping to shape the Cubs into a world champion, has thoroughly prepared him for this job and distinguished him throughout our interview process. I look forward to introducing him to our fans next week and to working together with him to build the next great Orioles team.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Hyde of course was the bench coach for the Chicago Cubs, but previous to his stint on the south side he managed for five seasons in the Marlins’ organization. Hyde of course has big shoes to fill in those of Buck Showalter. Obviously where the franchise goes from here on the field is entirely the accountability of Hyde. My hope is that regardless of the fact that he’s replacing a beloved legend, Orioles’ fans will welcome him. And give him a fair shake at the future.

Baltimore Orioles take home two Rule 5 players

The Baltimore Orioles selected shortstop Richie Martin from the Oakland Athletics’ organization with the first overall pick in yesterday’s Rule 5 draft. This is course is the traditional “final act” of the annual Winter Meetings, which broke up after the draft concluded. GM Mike Elias on Martin:


With Richie, we saw him as an above-average defender with plus range and a plus arm at short, somebody that can also move over and play second base. He had a resurgence offensively this year in Double-A. He hit .300, he posted an .807 OPS, so we think that the bat is trending up. He might be an option for us at the shortstop position coming into spring training and we’ll see what he can do.

Quote Courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Later in the day Elias also made a trade, acquiring a second Rule 5 player in Drew Jackson. Philadelphia had taken the infielder from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system earlier in the draft, and the Orioles sent international bonus slot money to Philadelphia for his rights. In five seasons in the minors, Jackson’s a career .269 hitter. He’s also swiped 106 bases over time, and is a solid middle infield prospect.

No team has taken the Rule 5 draft as seriously as the Orioles over the years, although that was in an effort to win now. At this point the Orioles are trying to build a team, so in fact it is a bit different. Now they’re exactly the type of organization that should be drafting Rule 5 players, whereas before they probably should have focused on making higher level trades and free agent signings.

Just as a reminder, both Martin and Jackson will need to remain on the Orioles’ roster all season. Otherwise they’ll be offered back to the Athletics/Dodgers. I suspect that this year that won’t be a problem given the fact that the O’s are simply looking for talent to plug in for the future.

Baltimore Orioles: Chris Davis, Scott Boras, and Mike Elias

Chris Davis was a glaring and gaping hole in the lineup of the 2018 Baltimore Orioles. This much we know. Davis hit a career low .168 at the plate, with only 16 home runs. His presence on the 2019 team runs contrary to what the Orioles are trying to do. However his contract guarantees his presence on the roster.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I suppose it is if Davis can’t rekindle some of his previous form, however he’s also been known to this point as a clubhouse leader. Not to mention that he still has a very sure glove at first base. That’s not to say that he doesn’t commit errors here and there, but there are much worse first basemen out there than Chris Davis.

According to Davis’ agent Scott Boras, he met with Orioles’ GM Mike Elias on Tuesday evening to discuss Davis, and his hopeful resurrgence this coming year. That should come as welcome news for Orioles’ fans, as a Chris Davis getting back to form would help the team moving forward. Elias has already said that he would be involved in Davis’ off season training program, something that Davis apparently welcomed. However it’s unclear what Boras and Elias discussed – other than simply that they’re looking to get Davis’ production back up.

If we’re able to pencil Davis as a big bat back into the middle of the Orioles’ lineup, that’s only going to help the youngsters around him. The Mancini’s and Mullins’ of the world will benefit greatly. If Davis can raise his average and overall production back to semi-acceptable levels, the Orioles WILL win more than 46 games in 2019. That much I can all but guarantee.

Today’s the final day of the Winter Meetings, and all signs point to the franchise introducing a new manager at some point in the near future. Probably next week. However Elias will also choose the best player on the board at this morning’s Rule 5 draft. We know the routine by now – that player must be on the Orioles’ roster for the entire season or they’re sent back to their original organization. 

While it’s been somewhat of a running joke in terms of how much the Orioles have used the Rule 5 draft over the years under Dan Duquette, they’ve also potentially gotten more production out of Rule 5 players than any other franchise in history. Some of those players actually played for the O’s in postseason games. How unlikely is that to happen?! Needless to say, it’ll be interestin to see who they select.

Baltimore Orioles reported have their man in Brandon Hyde

The Baltimore Orioles have unofficially found their new manager. Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported last night that GM Mike Elias was going to hire Chicago Cubs’ bench coach Brandon Hyde as their next manager. Multiple outlets have reported the new, however there’s one glaring exception: the Orioles.

The Orioles normally operate in secrecy, and this new regime appears to be no exception. That frustrates a lot of people, and it has for some time. However I see no issue with that, as first off things are going to eventually leak anyways (this being a prime example). However as Elias himself admitted last night, these are very sensitive situations – we’re talking about someone’s employment. While things will leak at some point, the franchise needs to treat these situations with the appropriate sensitivity.

While Elias was denying the rumors to the Baltimore media, the news apparently flashed across the television which happened to be on in his hotel suite. Which really is the Orioles’ luck in a way; they’re trying to treat the situation appropriately, but instead they end up with a pay no attention to that man behind the curtain type of moment.

Nevertheless, Hyde is 45 years old, and managed for six seasons in the Marlins’ organization. He had also served as the first base coach, and the Director of Player Personnel in Chicago. Similar to the Elias hiring, if you’re going to poach talent you might as well get it from winning organizations. Hyde undoubtedly knows the task he’s going to have here in Baltimore. He also has to know that there’ll be a lot of frustrating nights and days in the Orioles’ dugout. However the Orioles saw something in him that they liked, and they think he’s the guy to lead the next era of Orioles’ baseball on the field.

And frankly it’s tough for a guy who’s never managed at this level before to find himself in a situation much better than the Orioles’ situation. Usually you’re chosen to lead a losing team – hopefully out of the doldrums. Elias of course said that the rumors are premature, which is probably accurate. This is a learning experience as well for him, as he’s now had to see how news can leak out. But he said that there won’t be an announcement during the winter meetings. I would expect that next week in Baltimore.

Baltimore Orioles: Mike Elias making progress in manager search

The big elephant in the room for the Baltimore Orioles at this year’s Winter Meetings is the lack of a manager. GM Mike Elias admitted as much in saying that it’s always good to have your manager involved in the meetings. But that isn’t possible this year. Keep in mind that the organization is starting from the bottom.

The names are out there, and recently the name of former Washington manager Manny Acta was added to the list. A lot of folks will remember what he did with Washington and hope the Orioles take a pass. However I would urge fans to keep an open mind. One way or the other, a household name manager isn’t walking through the door.

Lots of sports figures have failed at coaching, only to go somewhere else and hit it big. Look no further than Bill Belichek in the NFL. However that aside I wouldn’t expect a hiring at the Winter Meetings this week. What happens after that however could be another story.

I wouldn’t expect the Orioles to make many waves at the meetings this week until Thursday’s Rule 5 draft. However this year it’s not the worst thing in the world that they’re going to participate. In the past it didn’t make much sense because they were trying to win now. That’s not the case now. So if they can get some talent that can possibly see the field right now, that isn’t a bad thing.

Baltimore Orioles: Harold Baines and Lee Smith elected to the hall

Two former Baltimore Orioles are going to the MLB Hall of Fame as of yesterday: Harold Baines and Lee Smith. The duo were voted into the hall by the “Today’s Game Committee. They will be inducted in July.

Baines of course is a native of St. Michael’s, MD. While he spent most of his career with the ChiSox, he had some great years with the Orioles. And there was always a special relationship so to speak, because Baines loved playing in Baltimore since the Orioles were his hometown team. Baines of course was primarily a Designated Hitter, and retired in 2001 with a career average of .289, 2866 hits, and and 384 homers.

Smith played for eight teams in his career, most prominently the Chicago Cubs. He spent 1994 in Baltimore however, which of course was a truncated year due to a players strike. He finished his career with an ERA of 3.03.

Anyone of my generation is going to remember Harold Baines very well, and probably be incredibly happy and proud that he’s going to the hall. He only played for the Orioles for a few seasons, although he seemingly found himself back here several other times after playing in Baltimore for a few seasons in the mid-1990’s. He always loved playing for the Orioles as I said, because he never forgot his Maryland roots. 

Baines will undoubtedly go into the Hall as a member of the ChiSox, and rightfully so. But he’s also a Marylander who spent some years with his hometown team. He was always a positive force in the clubhouse, and he was always willing to share his wealth of knowledge with younger players as a veteran. End of the day, whether he’s an Oriole or a White Sox guy, he’s a Marylander. And he’s going to Cooperstown!