Baltimore Orioles: Felix Hernandez coming to the O’s

The Baltimore Orioles yesterday signed former Cy Young award winner Feliz Hernandez to a one-year minor league deal. Hernandez of course had many great seasons with the Seattle Mariners, earning him the nickname, King Felix. His last season was 2019, as he opted to sit out last season due to the pandemic.

This sounds like the Orioles signing washed up stars once again. However bear in mind that it’s a minor league deal. Very low risk to the organization. Hernandez will presumably have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot during spring training, and could well end up an innings eater, back-of-the-rotation type of guy on the 2021 Orioles.

Baltimore Orioles: MLBPA rejects delayed and shortened season

It appears that Baltimore Orioles baseball will be returning in 2021 at the previously prescribed moment. Last night the MLBPA rejected MLB’s proposal of a 154-game season, starting roughly a month later than scheduled. The proposal also included expanded playoffs, universal use of the DH, and the players being paid based on 162 games.

In my view this is the best outcome in general. I personally don’t see how delaying the start of the season would do anything in regards to COVID. As of now, camps are set to begin on February 17th. Opening Day is set for April 1st. Teams are being instructed by the league to prepare to get things going based on that original schedule. And again, I see that as a good thing.

Baltimore Orioles trade Alex Cobb to Los Angeles

The Baltimore Orioles are sending RHP Alex Cobb off to Hollywood. The Birds this morning traded Cobb to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Formerly known as the Anaheim Angels. But known to my generation as the California Angels. You get the idea.

Cobb has one year remaining on his contract, which is set to make him $15 million this year. The O’s will in essence eat half of that salary, or in other words send it to Anaheim along with Cobb. In exchange, the Birds will be getting second baseman Jahmai Jones.

The Orioles had been looking for some infield depth, which Jones will provide. He’s set to make $1.1 million this year, and has seven total at-bats at the big league level – going 3-for-7. He was once a second round draft choice for Anaheim, and most recently was rated as that organization’s seventh best prospect.

This is a salary dump more than anything else. While it won’t shock me to see Jones at the big league level with the O’s this year, it’s a low-level acquisition. Now in fairness, it also opens up more of a competition for rotation spots going into spring training. It’s a curious move since the Orioles are looking for solid starting pitching, but as I said it’s a salary dump. Nothing more.

Baltimore Orioles: MLB proposes 154-game season

MLB is proposing a 154-game season to the Baltimore Orioles, the rest of the teams, and the MLBPA. This per Jon Heyman of Foxsports. This of course after last year’s labor issues on the heels of COVID, and what ended up being a 60-game season.

The bare bones of the proposal as reported are a 154-game season, which would start roughly a month late. There would be expanded playoffs, which this year would reach into November, and a universal DH in both leagues. The players would also receive their full salaries as based on the 162-game schedule.

Obviously these alterations are being proposed due to COVID. My hope is that the MLBPA doesn’t agree to it. Now I’ll admit that in total it is a reasonable proposal. But my point would be why is it needed?

I get trying to keep everyone safe from COVID. And I’m in no way suggesting that the league shouldn’t be attempting to take precautions for players and coaches. But we should also keep in mind that as the vaccines are being administered, COVID numbers are going to go further and further down as time goes on – presumably. So will it be the threat that it was in 2020?

I know that sounds arrogant or even foolish to some. And I say all of this as the son of a COVID survivor. My father was in the ICU for two weeks battling for his life. I don’t wish it on anyone. Also keep in mind that the NFL was able to play it’s season with relatively few issues. The NBA and NHL just started up recently, but they’re doing their thing as we speak. As is college basketball.

So I guess my point is, why isn’t the 2021 season being treated as business as usual? That may be a bit strong; it won’t be business as usual. Teams will have to decide on an individual basis whether to admit fans. And how many at that. But given the relative success of other sports, does the 2021 season really need to be altered?

The difference I suspect is that baseball does series’. In those other sports teams fly into a city the day before a game, and are on the way home immediately following it. In baseball teams are in a cut for between 2-4 days. And in essence guys can’t leave the hotel. However despite a few major hiccups with various teams at the beginning, even MLB was able to sustain a fairly safe level of play last year.

So I see no reason the season should be delayed or shortened. However time will tell if the MLBPA accepts this offer.

Baltimore Orioles sign Freddy Galvis

The Baltimore Orioles appear to have found their new starting shortstop for the 2021 season. Earlier this week they inked SS Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal. This isn’t a move that’s going to make many waves or raise any eyebrows, but Galvis is decent enough as a placeholder.

Galvis signed for $1.5 million – again, just for one year. The contract also pays him an additional $250,000 if he’s traded during the season. GM Mike Elias on Galvis (quote courtesy of Joe Trezza, MLB.com):

He definitely looked like a really good fit all along. We wanted to target some proven veteran middle infield presences, and I think Freddy Galvis is an ideal solution for us to that end, with what he brings to the table with his accomplishments, being a proven commodity and how we feel he’s going to fit in with this young lineup.

At 31 years old, Galvis is a career .247 hitter with 95 homers over nine seasons. However he’s best known as a solid defensive shortstop. And that might be just what the Orioles need to anchor the infield defense in 2021. This as they continually look for their shortstop of the future.

Baltimore Orioles: Changes in the booth

Late last week it was found out that the Baltimore Orioles (in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) were making some major changes in how they’re covered starting in 2021. Gary Thorne, Jim Hunter, Tom Davis, Rick Dempsey, Dave Johnson, and Mike Bordick are no longer with the team. Their contracts expire at the end of January, and they will not be renewed.

MASN also announced that they will no longer be producing pre and post-game shows (O’s Xtra) for the Orioles and Washington Nationals. Instead there’ll be a 15 minute lead-in mainly with the game announcers prior to every game. The team will have the option of paying to produce it’s own pre and post game shows, however again that comes at their cost.

I think this is all a real shame. Gary Thorne is a pro’s pro behind the microphone. Speaking for myself, I remember him calling National Hockey Night games in the NHL back when I was in Junior High. I always felt having an announcer of his caliber was an asset to the franchise. Jim Hunter and Tom Davis have been affiliated with the Orioles for years, and it will certainly be a change not hearing their voices in team coverage.

Obviously the other three names on that list are former players. Specifically Rick Dempsey, who’s put most of his professional life into the Orioles in some capacity. Unfortunately however, these are business moves. And often business can get in the way of a good thing. And all of the affected parties know that. Everything’s a business, including sports.

The Orioles also announced today that their broadcast team would be Scott Garceau, Rob Long, Geoff Arnold, Kevin Brown, Brett Hollander, Melanie Newman, Jim Palmer, and Ben McDonald. There’s no differentiation between television and radio, however I would assume that Garceau will be the primary play-by-play guy on MASN. Palmer and McDonald are obviously familiar to fans, especially Jim Palmer. Any broadcast is going to be better with him on it.

Again, it’s a shame that so many talented people who meant so much over so many years to the organization are no longer there. However again, these sorts of things happen in companies across America all the time. Needless to say, you’ll still be able to see and hear the Orioles on television and radio this year. It’ll just look and sound a little different.

Baltimore Orioles avoid arbitration with Trey Mancini

The Baltimore Orioles of course were without Trey Mancini for the entirety of the 2020 season. Well, save for perhaps a few spring training games – if you count that. Mancini of course underwent treatment for colon cancer, keeping him away from baseball activities for the entire year. Or the semblance of the year, at least.

But now that we’re in 2021, he’ll be back. The Birds tendered him a contract last month, however they still had to agree on a salary for the season, unless they wanted to go to arbitration. Luckily, it appears that neither side wanted that.

Mancini and the Orioles agreed earlier today on a salary of $4.75 million for 2021. As I’ve said in the past, I would submit that arbitration is one of the most damaging and ridiculous processes through which a player and a team can go. It causes nothing but ill feelings on both sides, and generally the sides are only arguing in principle over a couple hundred thousand dollars. Chump change in the baseball world.

But the good news is that Mancini and the club decided to stay away from that route. Hopefully that makes for a smooth camp for Mancini, and an even smoother transition back into the regular season.

Baltimore Orioles: Welcome to this year

Happy anew Year to Baltimore Orioles fans across the globe! Starting today we can officially talk about 2021 as “this year.” And to me that’s always meant something.

We all know what 2020 was, and luckily the book’s closed on that. Needless to say, a 60-game season with no fans was strange. But hopefully as COVID vaccines ramp up, “this year” will be different.

We don’t know what “this year” will bring in the way of a season. Or in the way of fan admittance. But there’s only one way to find out. Happy New Year, Birdland!

Baltimore Orioles hire Tony Mansolino as third base coach

The Baltimore Orioles yesterday hired former Cleveland infield instructor Tony Mansolino to be their third base coach starting in 2021. Mansolino is a former career minor leaguer, and has managed at the minor league level as well. Along as I said with being the infield instructor in Cleveland.

Mansolino coached and is friends with former Oriole Ryan Flaherty, who gave his friend a rousing endorsement (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports:

He’s good, he’ll be a good add. From my own personal standpoint, I was fortunate to have Bobby (Dickerson) as an infield coach and then the year I spent in Atlanta I had Wash (Ron Washington). From an infield standpoint, he preaches a lot of the same things that both Wash and Bobby preach and he coaches hard. And I say that in the most respectful way.

The year I was in Triple-A and having a friendship with him, he’d still be getting on me about my secondary leads at third, and I think he pushed me extremely hard even when we had that relationship. And he’s worked in the Cleveland organization that I think is just extremely well run from the top all the way to the bottom.

From a data standpoint, coaching standpoint, I think they do a really good job of blending all the aspects. And he grew up in the game.

Third base coach has been a semi-controversial spot for a few years. Many fans think that the aforementioned Dickerson, for example, was too happy in sending guys. But you can go too far the other way also. The fact that a former Oriole (that’s a fan favorite) gave such a rousing endorsement should speak volumes. Time will tell once the Birds get to spring training and into game action.

Baltimore Orioles: Newly named opponent?

The Baltimore Orioles are slated to take on Cleveland seven times in June of 2021. Three times at Camden Yards, and four at Progressive Field. The teams didn’t meet during the truncated 2020 season. But what will Cleveland be calling itself at that time?

It was announced last night that the Cleveland Indians will cease to be the Cleveland Indians. The franchise is dropping it’s name, similar to the NFL’s now late Washington Redskins. It’s unclear exactly how this process will work. They might go the route of Washington and become the “Cleveland Baseball Team” for 2021. Or they could play as the Indians for one “farewell season.” Odds are against them having a new permanent name for 2021.

Personally I think that any of those options are fine. The Cleveland Indians are a very historic franchise. I think that giving the fans one last year under that name (whereby they know it’s the last year) is a fair move. Obviously just dropping the name and going with Cleveland would be an option also.

One thing I hear occasionally in regards to the Washington Football Team is why couldn’t they just change the name and move on? Why the temporary name? Well in that specific case, someone had trademarked literally every potential name the franchise could have ever considered. So that’s a problem, and it wouldn’t shock me if the same ended up being true for Cleveland. People can be very resourceful when it comes to something that could make them money.

However generations of fans are going to root for this team – both in Washington and in Cleveland. They need to get this right. From picking a good name and mascot, to designing a new logo. Furthermore they’ll want to do it in a way that still pays homage to the franchise as the Cleveland Indians. This for the sake of the throngs of fans who won’t like the change. You have to find a way to keep those people engaged.

So they should take their time. Get it right, and pick a name that people will like. Granted it’s not my place to say anything, but I’d go with the Cleveland Spiders. That was the name of the team before it was the Indians. It was a long time ago, but that was what they called themselves. It taps into the history of the franchise, and they could probably still keep their colors. Just a thought.