While it was fascinating to see Stephen Strasburg, Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon sign during last week’s Winter Meetings, Adam Jones’ signing with Japan’s Orix Buffaloes was even more interesting. The mega-signings along with a number of others in recent days has shown the return of a robust free-agent market, and...
Last week’s Winter Meetings served to re-emphasize what every Oriole fan should already know. Next season isn’t going to be much different than 2019. The departures of starting pitcher Dylan Bundy and infielder Jonathan Villar could make 2020 every bit as challenging as the 2019 season, but next year might be more...
As you complete your holiday shopping, there are a number of excellent baseball books to consider if you’re looking for a gift for the fan in your life, or some for yourself. My favorite baseball book of the year was “K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches” by Tyler Kepner. Kepner,...
Ryan Flaherty played six seasons with the Orioles as a utility infielder after being selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Chicago Cubs in December 2011. After leaving the Orioles after the 2017 season, Flaherty played with the Atlanta Braves in 2018. He spent most of 2019 with Triple-A Columbus, and...
SAN DIEGO—Orioles Executive Vice President/General Manager Mike Elias has a lengthy shopping list for the Winter Meetings that run through Thursday. After the Orioles traded infielder Jonathan Villar and starting pitcher Dylan Bundy for five pitching prospects last week, Elias said that the Orioles will look for pitching, middle infielders, a catcher...
The Orioles have 18 pitchers on their 40-man roster. Only four are left-handers. All four pitchers received from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Dylan Bundy Wednesday are right-handed. Ordinarily, it might be a given that the Orioles need to add to their left-handed relievers — Richard Bleier, Paul Fry and...
Dylan Bundy, who was traded Wednesday to the Los Angeles Angels for four right-handed pitching prospects, never turned out to be the star pitcher the Orioles envisioned when he was the fourth overall draft pick in 2011. At the time, the Orioles were accumulating a boatload of young talent. They had drafted...
For the second time in three days, Orioles general manager Mike Elias made a deal involving one of the Orioles’ front-line players. After trading infielder Jonathan Villar to the Miami Marlins for 23-year-old left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas on Monday, the Orioles traded starting pitcher Dylan Bundy — the fourth overall pick in...
Despite the warnings, many Oriole fans expressed frustration about the Jonathan Villar trade. He played in all 162 games in 2019, hit for average (.274), hit for power (24 home runs) and stole 40 bases while splitting time between shortstop and second base. He was guilty of lapses on occasion, but he...
About three or four hours ahead of Monday’s 8 p.m. deadline for offering 2020 contracts, the Orioles began getting some interest in Jonathan Villar. With time running out, they traded Villar to the Miami Marlins. Executive Vice President/General Manager Mike Elias is happy about his team’s acquisition of 23-year-old left-hander Easton Lucas...