Paul Folkemer
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May 21, 2018 at 7:00 am
Looking at the worst road teams in club history — and where the 2018 Orioles fit
The Orioles’ season-long ineptitude on the road continued over the weekend in Boston, where the Red Sox bagged three wins in the clubs’ four-game set at Fenway Park. The Orioles now hold the worst road record in baseball at 4-19, giving them a whopping .174 winning percentage. They are 1-18 (.053 winning...
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May 10, 2018 at 7:00 am
Myriad O’s Thoughts: Refreshing competence; Richard Bleier’s All-Star bid; Darren O’Day’s costly injury
On Wednesday night, the Orioles finally did something they haven’t in a while: They looked like a major league team. Sure, it came against a piddling squad, the Kansas City Royals (12-24). And sure, it won’t vault the Orioles into playoff contention anytime soon. They still hold MLB’s worst record at 9-27....
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April 26, 2018 at 7:00 am
Myriad O’s Thoughts: Cobb’s collapse; near-historically bad start; an inspiring return
If Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb is still trying to find his footing this season, then Wednesday night was like slipping on a banana peel. Coming off disastrous outings in Boston and Detroit in his first two starts, Cobb appeared to be showing signs for optimism Wednesday in his Orioles’ home debut. That...
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April 18, 2018 at 7:00 am
The Ex-Os Report: Looking at the 2017 Orioles that are elsewhere — or nowhere — this season
While the Orioles’ scheduled game in Boston was rained out Monday, their regional rivals in Washington caught my eye. The Nationals’ starter was right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who pitched 10 mostly disastrous games for the Orioles in 2017, going 2-6 with a 6.97 ERA. Hellickson signed a minor league deal with the Nationals...
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April 5, 2018 at 8:00 am
It may have crashed, but the ‘Chris Davis Leadoff Experiment’ reaching 5 games is nearly unprecedented (sans one MLB Hall-of-Famer)
The Chris Davis leadoff experiment has been put on hold — and could be abandoned altogether — after the first baseman went 1-for-20 with five strikeouts in the Orioles’ first five games. Davis hasn’t seemed comfortable in the leadoff spot, and Buck Showalter’s decision to pencil him into that role to start...
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March 31, 2018 at 7:00 am
Ranking the Orioles’ home-opener walkoffs
When Adam Jones cranked the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th inning into the left-field seats Thursday, he delivered the Orioles’ third straight Opening Day walkoff win. It was also the 10th home-opener walkoff in the modern organization’s 65-season history. But was it the most significant home opener walkoff? Here’s...
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March 28, 2018 at 7:00 am
AL East Positional Rankings: Pitching, managing
It’s time for the grand finale of my three-part, AL East position rankings series, where I’m grading how the Orioles compare to their division opponents. Part one covered the infield and part two the outfield. Now, on to the pitchers and managers. You can probably guess where the Orioles’ starting rotation ranks.
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March 27, 2018 at 9:01 am
AL East Positional Rankings: Outfield, DH, bench
Welcome back to my AL East position rankings, where I’m comparing the five division teams at every position on the diamond. Previously, I ranked the infields. Enough small talk. Let’s move right to part two: the outfields, designated hitters and benches. You won’t find an Oriole atop any of these lists.
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March 26, 2018 at 12:00 pm
2018 AL East Positional Rankings: Infielders
All 30 major league teams kick off the 2018 regular season Thursday, which means it’s time for my second annual AL East position rankings series. The premise is simple. I’m comparing the Orioles to their four divisional opponents at every position on the field. Today I’m covering the infielders; tomorrow, the outfielders,...
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January 29, 2018 at 7:00 am
More thoughts from Fanfest: Machado’s contract; baseball’s slow offseason; Britton’s return; Joseph’s mentoring
While much of the attention of the Orioles’ 2018 FanFest was on those who declined to attend, there were a few notable story lines. Here’s a look at a few: The Orioles boxed themselves into a corner with Manny Machado — and know it It’s no secret that Manny Machado, who’s entering...
