Paid Advertisement

Orioles

Fourteen Orioles thoughts counting down to Opening Day

With Opening Day just 14 days away, I’ve offered 14 Orioles-related thoughts, each in 50 words or less: 1. Even if it proves to be minor, Kevin Gausman missing time due to shoulder tendinitis for the second straight year is concerning and once again makes you question the Orioles’ handling of their prized pitching prospect over the last few years. 2. J.J. Hardy hitting .370 and continuing to say his left shoulder feels good this spring are positive signs as the veteran shortstop attempts to rebound from the worst season of his career. 3. Speaking of Orioles middle infielders, Brian Roberts sounded like a natural as part of Sunday’s MASN telecast, and I look forward to hearing more from him this season. His in-game discussion with third base coach Bobby Dickerson about infield shifts was particularly enlightening. 4. Buck Showalter is the first to warn against being fooled by spring training, but it’s difficult not to be intrigued by Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard — and his .426 on-base percentage this spring — based on the Orioles manager’s positive comments about the 24-year-old outfielder. 5. I didn’t love the Pedro Alvarez signing because it shifted Mark Trumbo to right field,

Gausman receives cortisone shot for shoulder tendinitis

On the same day that Matt Wieters resumed throwing, the Orioles have another health concern with just two weeks remaining until Opening Day. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Sarasota that starting pitcher Kevin Gausman received a cortisone injection for tendinitis in his right shoulder on Sunday morning. The right-hander had been scheduled to make a minor-league start on Monday, but he won’t pick up a baseball for at least a couple days. “I don’t know if it’s a big concern,” Showalter said. “He’s had some inflammation in there, and we just want to get rid of that. We feel good about it structurally, [but it] hasn’t managed to go away completely. When we have some time here, try and clear it up before we break camp. Hopefully, that’s all it is. See where we are in two or three days.” Gausman spent time on the disabled list last year with a similar issue. With plenty of uncertainty in the starting rotation entering 2016, the Orioles are counting on the 25-year-old to take a major step forward in his first full season as a starter. The 2012 first-round pick pitched to a 4.22 ERA in his 17 starts last season

Wieters’ elbow “looked good structurally” after MRI

Two days after leaving a spring training game due to right elbow soreness, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters received good news from a magnetic resonance imaging exam. No structural concerns were discovered after the 29-year-old underwent an MRI on Monday, according to manager Buck Showalter. Wieters is 21 months removed from Tommy John surgery, and it remains unclear when he will return to action. “It looked good structurally,” Showalter told reporters in Sarasota. “I know Matt felt good about it today.” The Orioles had previously said Wieters would not have an MRI if swelling and soreness subsided — he reported improvement on Monday — but they decided to go ahead with the exam to be on the safe side. Expected to serve as the backup catcher this season, Caleb Joseph went 1-for-2 with an RBI double in the Orioles’ 8-7 win over Philadelphia on Monday.

Wieters leaves Saturday’s game due to elbow soreness

The Orioles won their first game of the spring on Saturday, but with the victory came concerning news about their starting catcher. Just 21 months removed from Tommy John surgery, Matt Wieters left the 8-1 win over Minnesota with what the club described as right elbow soreness. The 29-year-old felt discomfort attempting to throw out Eduardo Nunez trying to steal in the top of the first and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the inning. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Sarasota that X-rays did not reveal any concerns, and Wieters will be reevaluated over the next couple days. “Doctors examined him and everything, and we’ll see,” Showalter said. “I think everybody gets alarmed because of, rightfully so, with the surgery there. Hopefully, it’ll manage and be OK.” For now, the Orioles remain hopeful that Wieters is merely experiencing soreness that many catchers do at this point in spring training. However, it’s worth noting that Wieters caught consecutive games for the first time this spring earlier in the week, and the three-time All-Star selection caught on consecutive days just five times last season after returning to action in early June. Though he was set to become

Alvarez, Orioles agree to one-year deal

After spending much of the offseason trying to add another outfielder such as Dexter Fowler or Austin Jackson, the Orioles have called an audible to add another left-handed bat to the 2016 mix. According to multiple outlets, the club agreed to a one-year, $5.75 million contract with former Pittsburgh corner infielder Pedro Alvarez. Of course, the deal is pending a physical. Given the 29-year-old’s well-documented defensive limitations at both first base and third base, the Orioles are expected to make Alvarez their designated hitter with Mark Trumbo likely serving as the primary right fielder. The move certainly adds more power to a lineup that was already strong in that department, but how much it might negatively impact the defense with Trumbo in right is a fair question. Alvarez, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, has hit 27 or more home runs in three of the last four seasons. In 150 games for the Pirates last year, he hit .243 with 27 homers, 77 RBIs, and a .787 on-base plus slugging percentage. His best season came in 2013 when he clubbed 36 homers and drove in 100 runs to make the All-Star team, but Alvarez is also prone to

Fowler spurns Orioles to re-sign with Cubs

Less than two days after the Orioles reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Dexter Fowler, the veteran outfielder surprisingly re-signed with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. It was believed that the Orioles had a $35 million agreement with the 29-year-old outfielder, but multiple outlets have reported that Fowler wanted an opt-out after the first year and the Orioles balked at giving up the 28th overall pick of the June draft for potentially only one season of service. The Cubs announced a one-year deal for a reported $8 million salary for 2016 with a $9 million mutual option for 2017 that includes a $5 million buyout, giving Fowler $13 million guaranteed for his return to Chicago. Fowler told reporters in Arizona that he never agreed to a deal with Baltimore despite local and national reporters saying an agreement was in place on Tuesday night. Adam Jones was even quoted in Sarasota on Wednesday saying that he had communicated with Fowler and the switch-hitting outfielder had said he was excited to join the Orioles. Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said in Sarasota that there was not an agreement due to Fowler insisting on an opt-out clause.

As spring opens, Orioles still working on Gallardo, Fowler

A week ago, it appeared a deal between the Orioles and starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo was all but complete and a contract with outfielder Dexter Fowler was coming together rapidly. But the two free agents remain unsigned as the club is set to open spring training in Sarasota on Thursday, leaving fans to wonder what’s taking so long and whether the signings will still happen. According to multiple outlets, the Orioles remain confident that they’ll sign both Gallardo and Fowler, but money remains an issue for both players. Fowler and the Orioles are discussing a contract in the range of $12 million to $13 million annually for two or three years, according to ESPN. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time this offseason in which the Orioles have taken longer than expected to complete a signing as initial reports of a new contract with Darren O’Day were shot down by the reliever himself in early December — the contract was finalized a week later — and high-profile negotiations with first baseman Chris Davis stretched for several weeks before the slugger signed a seven-year, $161 million last month. The good news for fans rooting for these signings to happen is

Orioles add veteran reliever Thayer on minor-league deal

The Orioles agreed to a minor-league deal with veteran relief pitcher Dale Thayer on Wednesday. The 35-year-old right-hander will receive an invitation to major league spring training, bringing the total number of pitchers in this year’s camp to 30. Most recently with the San Diego Padres, Thayer pitched to a 4.06 ERA in 37 2/3 innings in 2015, but he holds a 3.47 career mark in seven major league seasons. From 2012-2014, he pitched to a 3.02 ERA and averaged just under 63 innings per year as an effective member of the Padres bullpen. Of course, Thayer enters a crowded bullpen picture that already includes two 2015 All-Star selections — closer Zach Britton and primary setup man Darren O’Day — as well as Brad Brach, Mychal Givens, Brian Matusz, Chaz Roe, Dylan Bundy, and T.J. McFarland. He will be competing for a roster spot with other non-roster invitees with major league experience such as lefty Jeff Beliveau and right-hander Todd Redmond.

8

Paid Advertisement

Podcast Audio Vault

8
8
8

Paid Advertisement

Scroll to Top
Verified by MonsterInsights