The Tap Room has had to travel this week. When you are a cyberbar, you can do that. So, Connolly’s is coming to you from Sarasota today. We have a simple question, one that, to me, is the most interesting Orioles’ battle in spring training: Who should be the club’s fifth starter?...
All 15 of Maryland’s four-year colleges have returned to the diamond to start their 2018 campaigns. Some programs look to rebuild following rough seasons while others hope to continue last year’s momentum. A handful of teams have already made trips to warmer climates and now have opened at home – or will...
Barely into his fourth decade, Rob Vaughn has already lived a baseball lover’s fantasy. He was a starting catcher at Division 1 Kansas State University, helping lead the Wildcats to their first NCAA tournament. He was selected in the 30th round of the 2009 amateur draft by the Chicago White Sox and...
Welcome to a weekend edition of the bar bog. We’ve opened Connolly’s doors on a Saturday for a special occasion: The Orioles have finally signed someone. They’ve finally signed a pitcher. And a legitimate major league pitcher that we’ve all heard of. Not some guy who pitched fairly well at Greenville last...
We’ve discussed all kinds of issues here at the Tap Room since we opened in March 2016. Mostly, the conversations have centered around the Orioles, but sometimes we look at issues that affect Major League Baseball overall. Let’s make today one of those days. With the completion of last night’s Super Bowl,...
Of all the players the Orioles are counting on next season, Tim Beckham is probably the biggest mystery. We here at Connolly’s like a good mystery. Like what’s floating in the plastic jar of whiskey at the corner of this fake bar. What’s a good tip for a phony barkeep? And what,...
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...
As members of the Orioles greeted fans at the club’s 2018 Fanfest, much of the focus was on the players who weren’t there. Third baseman Manny Machado and second baseman (and 2017 Most Valuable Oriole) Jonathan Schoop dropped out of the event just days earlier, leaving Orioles’ management disappointed by their absences....
Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter officially confirmed at FanFest what had been rumored for months: Manny Machado will be switching positions in 2018. “He’s going to play shortstop,” Showalter said. Machado has played primarily third base since the Orioles promoted him to the majors in August 2012, starting 715 games at the hot...