Ryan Mountcastle might get some votes for the American League Rookie of the Year award. He also might be a favorite for the award next year, too. Mountcastle, who played in 35 of the Orioles’ 60 games this season (60 percent), remains eligible in next year’s voting because he fell four at-bats...
We had a lot of good questions this month, and while I can’t get to all of them, we decided that since it’s the offseason to answer as many as we could in two days. If your question wasn’t answered this month, please resubmit it next month. Some questions were edited for...
Editor’s note: The 2020 season for the Orioles might be over, but readers had a lot of questions for reporter Rich Dubroff, so many that he thought it would be best to present them in two parts. He’ll have Part 2 on Friday. (Questions are edited for style.) Question: My question is...
The Orioles have made two changes to their coaching staff. Pitching coach Doug Brocail and third base coach José Flores will not return in 2021, according to industry sources. The news was first reported by MASNsports.com Brocail, who worked with executive vice president/general Mike Elias in Houston, and Flores, who worked with...
The 2020 season was an important one for catcher Chance Sisco and outfielder DJ Stewart. It didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. Sisco and Stewart were highly touted draft choices from the Dan Duquette regime. Sisco was a second-round choice in the 2013 draft and hit well in the minors....
One area that the Orioles showed substantial improvement in 2020 was relief pitching. In 2019, their bullpen had a 5.79 earned-run average. This year, relievers compiled a 3.90 ERA. The three most experienced Oriole relievers — Richard Bleier, Miguel Castro and Mychal Givens — were traded. Bleier, dealt after two scoreless outings,...
The season many thought wouldn’t be completed because of Covid-19 is over. As executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias inferred during his 25-minute session with the media on Saturday, it is hard for Oriole fans to feel happy about a losing record and failing to qualify for an expanded postseason. With a...
Ending an unusual and difficult season, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde acknowledged that it was a trying time, dealing with a team during a pandemic. “We’ve all gone through a lot this year,” Hyde said after the Orioles’ 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Sahlen Field in Buffalo on Sunday. In...
Oriole starter John Means ended the 2020 season with a loss. However, he could hardly have pitched any better. Only a two-out, sixth-inning home run by Cavan Biggio spoiled Means’ night. Means had arm fatigue to begin the season and then lost his father to pancreatic cancer on August 7th. His fastball...
Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said he’s thankful for his players’ health during a season that was shortened by Covid-19, but that he isn’t satisfied with what he saw on the field. “It’s very difficult for me to label any season a success where we have a losing record and...