Calling the Pen
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March 9, 2019 at 11:00 am
Calling the Pen: Bonus baby arrives on the eve of spring training
The Monday before pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report for spring training, another arrival was on the way. We don’t know if this one will be a left-hander or a right-hander. We don’t even know if he’ll play baseball, because his dad plays soccer and his mom is a dancer. We...
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February 23, 2019 at 10:00 am
Calling the Pen: 10 questions about spring training with Orioles beat writer Rich Dubroff
Rich Dubroff joined BaltimoreBaseball.com as Orioles beat writer last July, just in time to report on the team’s flurry of trades that marked the beginning of its massive rebuilding project. He took time out from his busy schedule to provide readers with an inside look of what it’s like to cover the...
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February 8, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Calling the Pen: To be Frank — 1966 was my favorite season as an Orioles fan
I lost my favorite Oriole and my favorite player with the death of Frank Robinson on Thursday. Today, I wanted to share an essay I wrote last May about the impact Frank had on me when he came to Baltimore in 1966. RIP, No. 20. It was a sunny afternoon in early...
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February 2, 2019 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: There’s still a soft spot here for Mussina
I believe the Orioles, and their fans, have a golden opportunity to repair an awkward relationship with newly inducted Hall of Famer Mike Mussina. After a number of years of pitching dominance with the Orioles, Mussina took a below-market deal in 1997 (getting paid less than $7 million a year from 1998...
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January 26, 2019 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: One season, one meltdown, one redemptive moment
It’s fairly safe to say that most kids, regardless of demographics, had some sort of experience playing youth sports. It’s also just as safe to say that some of these kids had better experiences than others. I’d consider myself firmly in that “others” category. This wasn’t for a lack of talent —...
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January 19, 2019 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: One Oriole fan’s perspective as FanFest approaches
A week from today, Oriole fans will be almost within a snowball’s throw of Camden Yards. Standing in the cold outside the Convention Center should spark warm thoughts of shedding the winter coat for an Orioles jersey, the wool hat for a baseball cap, and the gloves for those that catch baseballs....
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January 12, 2019 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: You May Be Right – It’s time for the Piano Man
John Angelos wasn’t playing the Big Shot, but the Orioles’ executive vice president was talking about a Matter of Trust when he announced that Billy Joel would play the first concert in Oriole Park’s 27-year history. “This is the perfect marriage of baseball and live music,” Angelos said Thursday about the July...
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January 5, 2019 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: Resolution is just a word
The day after the new year started, my wife, Barb, said the gym at which she works, Anytime Fitness in Jacksonville, was busier than usual. She hadn’t thought about New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never paid attention to them, either. Well, maybe a little bit. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier,...
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December 29, 2018 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: With a little help from my friend
It has been three years since I left The Sun, since I started on a journey for which there was no defined path. It has led to BaltimoreBaseball.com and Athletes Serving Athletes, but first it led to a friendship that was a gift. I wanted to share that gift, and a story...
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December 22, 2018 at 7:00 am
Calling the Pen: A Christmas story
It’s difficult when you’re a kid to grasp the concept that it’s better to give than to receive. To be honest, it’s difficult to grasp that concept when you’re an adult. There are people who not only seem to get it but live it every day. And while I enjoy giving more...
