Orioles Proving Ground

Blueprint for the 2016 Orioles (Option 3): Building Major League Depth and a Minor League System

Posted in Draft, Free Agency, Offense, Offseason, Pitching, Rule 4 with tags 2016 Baltimore Orioles, Camden Depot, Denard Span, Gerardo Parra, J.A. Happ, Matt Joyce, Mike Napoli, Steve Pearce on October 9, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Over the course of this week and next, the writers of ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot have been putting forth their plans on how they would construct the 2016 Orioles given a budget of $120 million. After everyone has given their thoughts, editor and founder Jon Shepherd will decide which direction to take (or which combination of directions to take). The first two options have been posted earlier this week and I’m up next. My strategy involves building depth at the major league level by adding free agents who aren’t tied to draft pick compensation. This allows the Orioles to keep their picks and add additional draft selections through the loss of their own free agents.

Direct Link to Article –> Building Major League Depth and a Minor League System

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Observations from the New York-Penn All-Star Game

Posted in Minor Leagues, Uncategorized with tags Camden Depot, Dexture McCall, Joe McCarthy, Jordan Holloway, Mitch Gueller, NY-Penn League All Star Game, Ricardo Andujar, Ryan Meisinger, Stone Garrett on August 20, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Tuesday night I travelled with a couple of friends up to Aberdeen to catch the Short-Season New York-Penn League All-Star game. I wrote about some of my observations from the game for ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot. The post includes notes on the two Orioles representatives as well as a couple of other players, including a former 1st round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Direct Link to Article –> Observations from the New York-Penn League All-Star Game

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Orioles Deal Tommy Hunter for Outfield Depth

Posted in Offense, Trades with tags 2015 Trade Deadline, Camden Depot, Gerardo Parra, Junior Lake, Tommy Hunter on August 12, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

This post is a little bit late, but the Orioles were busy during the hours leading up to the trade deadline. They ended up swinging deals for Gerardo Parra of the Brewers and Junior Lake of the Cubs. I wrote about the latter for ESPN Sweetspot Orioles blog Camden Depot.

Direct Link to Article –> Orioles Deal Tommy Hunter fr Outfield Depth

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Ben Revere Could Help the Orioles

Posted in Offense, Trades with tags 2015 Trade Deadline, Ben Revere, Camden Depot, Chris Parmelee, David Lough, Nolan Reimold, Travis Snider on July 29, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

I’ve been on hiatus for some time now, but I’m back in the blogging game just in time for the 2015 trade deadline. The Orioles corner outfielders have been terrible this year, so it’s no surprise that they would be looking for an upgrade in left or right field before the trade deadline. Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I explain why I think the Phillies’ Ben Revere would be a good (if unexciting) target for Baltimore.

Direct Link to Article –> Ben Revere Could Help the Orioles

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The Camden Highball (Episode 13): The Rosters They Are a-Movin’

Posted in Offense, Pitching, Podcast with tags Brian Matusz, Camden Depot, Jeff Long, Manny Machado, Oliver Drake, Steve Pearce on June 9, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Yesterday, there was a new episode of the Camden Highball podcast over at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot to help you get the week started. Pat and I talked to Jeff Long of Baseball Prospectus and Baltimore Sports and Life about Oliver Drake, Steve Pearce, and Manny Machado.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: The Rosters They Are a-Movin

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The Camden Highball (Episode 12): Previewing the 2015 MLB Draft

Posted in Draft, Podcast, Rule 4 with tags 2015 MLB Draft, Camden Depot, Kevin Gausman, Mike Wright, Nick Faleris on June 1, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

There is a new episode of the Camden Highball up today. Pat and I talk to former Camden Depot writer Nick Faleris about next week’s MLB Rule 4 Player Draft and get his general thoughts on what he sees in the 2015 Baltimore Orioles.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: Previewing the 2015 MLB Draft

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Outfield Reinforcements Won’t Be Coming from the Minors

Posted in Minor Leagues, Offense with tags Camden Depot, Chris Parmelee, Mike Yastrzemski, Steve Pearce on May 27, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

The Orioles have had a roughly average offense so far in 2015, but they are getting very little production from their corner outfielders. Today at ESPN Sweespot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I take a look at what they have in their minor league outfields and why there isn’t anyone who will be able to come up and help out in the major leagues.

Direct Link to Article –> Outfield Reinforcements Won’t Be Coming from the Minors

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The Camden Highball (Episode 11): Talkin’ Bats with Juan Baret

Posted in Pitching, Podcast with tags Baret Bats, Brian Matusz, Camden Depot, Mike Wright on May 25, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

This week on the Camden Highball (the weekly podcast for ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot), Pat and I talk with local bat maker Juan Baret (of Baret Bats), who specializes in the construction and production of handcrafted customized wood baseball bats. We also talk about how no one can score a run off of Mike Wright and the Brian Matusz ejection.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: Talkin’ Bats with Juan Baret

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The Camden Highball (Episode 10): “That’s Not Good”

Posted in Offense, Pitching, Podcast with tags Bud Norris, Camden Depot, Chris Tillman, Jimmy Paredes, Kevin Gausman, Ryan Lavarnway, Steve Clevenger, Steve Pearce on May 12, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

This week on the Camden Highball, Pat and I wonder if Steve Pearce can be a super utility player and talk about Jimmy Paredes‘ hot bat. We also talk to Ryan Romano of Camden Depot and Beyond the Boxscore about the less than ideal starts of Bud Norris and Chris Tillman. This week’s episode also features music from Brad Engler.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: “That’s Not Good”

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