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!

Baltimore Orioles: A ticket’s no longer enough

The Baltimore Orioles and GM Mike Elias are headin for the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. But as they do so I wanted to bring to light an article I read this week. Keegan Matheson of The Score published an interesting piece regarding the fact that teams around the league are being forced to re-think how they market tickets.

You can read the article for yourself, as I’ve linked it above. This is somewhat synonymous with the ongoing discussion between the Millennial Generation and those who came before them. Part of it centers around the fact that younger fans are seemingly wanting games to be more of a social event. 

The article states that many fans are turned off by sitting in stands which are designed for one to be able to socialize with people in their general area. I suppose I would rebut that with, how exactly would they like the seating bowl to look? Speaking for myself, I’m not opposed to ballparks having “party decks,” In fact I think it’s a good idea; it’s something we see at Camden Yards both on the outfield rooftop, and on top of the scoreboard in right field.

I suppose my issue is that everyone seems to now have to market tickets with other amenities. The article also states that many teams are now marketing food among other things with tickets. So…the message is that people only want to go to games now if there’s a freebie involved? Again, I’m not opposed to teams offering ticket packages that include a food credit. I just find it somewhat sad that it’s come to this.

But perhaps that’s the way society is going. Many movie theaters now offer a “discount day,” whereby all moves all day long are $5 or something along those lines. So I suppose that every area of the sports & entertainment industry is now having to re-think it’s marketing. 

Ironically the Orioles are fairly forward-thinking in this area. Last year of course the Angelos family started allowing fans to purchase tickets and bring their kids for free. And I thought that was a great idea because it gave people a reason to get their kids involved in the ballpark experience early. The Orioles also have always had great giveaway promotions, such as Floppy Hat night, hat day, jersey day, etc. 

I suppose however what people are saying is that all of that is no longer enough. To me, buying a ticket to a game and getting a free hat for walking through the gates is a great perk. Heck, you can also bring your kids in for free? Even better! However what it appears is that people would rather get free food and social engagement as opposed to all of that. 

So where does this leave the Orioles? Tough to say. Baltimore’s always been an old school type of baseball town. And I for one don’t think that should ever change. However with all of the changes in the organization and the youth movement on the field, 2019 looks to be a year in which the team might struggle at the box office. What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Baltimore Orioles: Baseball mourns two of their own

The Baltimore Orioles and the rest of baseball were saddened yesterday when it was announced that former big leaguers Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo were killed in a car accident. Valbuena was 33. Castillo was 37. The duo were playing in the Venezuelan league, and the accident occurred after they left University Stadium in Caracas.

I feel as if everytime we turn around each off season, there’s another player being killed in a similar manner. That of course being car accidents. I suppose it just goes to show you that circumstances don’t discriminate between rich, poor, famous, or not famous. Our lives are very precarious, and they can be ended on a wham.

Any and all who knew and loved these two are in my thoughts. I know that I say that on behalf of the entire Orioles family – players, employees, and fans.

Baltimore Orioles: Jonathan Schoop to Minnesota

It appears that former Baltimore Orioles’ second Jonathan Schoop has found a new home. It was reported yesterday that he signed (or is about to agree to and sign) a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins. The contract is reportedly worth $7.5 million.

Schoop is seen as a stop gap at second base for Minnesota, although I’m sure that if he found his stride once again they’d consider retaining him. Schoop’s production at the plate of course fell way off after he was traded to Milwaukee last year. While he was only hitting .244 at the time with the Orioles, his final average with Milwaukee ended up at .202.

Many folks wanted a reunion in Baltimore for Schoop after he was non-tendered. Now it’s obvious that’s only going to happen with him as an opposing player. When he was non-tendered I wrote that the Orioles should consider re-signing him only if they’d be able to trade him at the deadline. 

Either they didn’t want to the run the risk, or they didn’t think he’d be tradeable at that time. Nevertheless, he’s going to Minnesota. But you have to applaud the new Front Office, as the emotional move in a sense would have been to go after Schoop. But they excercised some self-control in not doing so, which is a good sign.

Baltimore Orioles: What’s the focus at the Winter Meetings?

Baltimore Orioles’ GM Mike Elias (and his team) will be heading to Las Vegas in the next few days. That of course is where the 2018 MLB Winter Meetings will take place. Elias will of course be representing a team as a General Manager for the first time. He’ll also be one of the youngest attendees.

Odds are there’ll be no trade rumors or anything along those lines involving the Orioles this time around. I would expect them to once again be active in the Rule 5 draft, but don’t expect any big ticket items coming back to Baltimore. So what exactly is Elias expected to do there?

Unfortunately he’s still growing into the job. So it might be an opportunity for him to just pay attention to what’s going on around him more so than anything else. I know that Orioles’ fans might not want to hear that given that most fans want their team front and center of what’s going on. But this will be a learning experience for Elias, and the fact is that the team still doesn’t have a manager.

On that front, it might be a decent place to continue the search. Maybe even hold an interview or two for all I know. The entire baseball world will be in Vegas – and if not actual candidates, odds are their agents will be there. Ideally I suspect that they would have liked to have a manager in place by now. But the search goes on.

Having said that, if any proposed rule changes are discussed, I would hope that Elias speaks up for whatever the good of the organization would be depending upon the issue. And the fact is that there are a million things which could at some point be tweaked. Replay, slide rules, etc. You never know. Again, I wouldn’t expect too much out of the Orioles in the way of big news at the 2018 Winter Meetings. However needless to say, their new GM will certainly be there representing them as a force moving towards the 2019 season.