A Conversation with Former MLB Outfielder Doug Glanville

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on May 7, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Yesterday I had to the opportunity to talk so baseball with former major league outfielder and current ESPN MLB analyst Doug Glanville.  We mostly chatted about Adam Jones and defensive metrics, as well on his thoughts about the Orioles chances in the 2015 season.  Head over to ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot to check out the recap of our conversation.

Direct Link to Article –> A Conversation with Former MLB Outfielder Doug Glanville

Minor League Recap: April 20-May 3

Posted in Minor Leagues, Offense, Pitching, Prospects with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 6, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Last week’s Minor League Recap never got completed, so this “week’s” version will combine the last two weeks of baseball. Think of it as “two for the price of one”! Although, I don’t think that’s accurate because it’s still only one post. “Double for your money” is probably a better assessment of this installment of the recap. So not only are two weeks rolled into one post, but it’s also arriving a day later than usual because I had some podcast duties on Monday night for Camden Depot. If you’re reading this because you like the Orioles minor league baseball, then check out the podcast (it’s linked in the previous post on this website) because we talk to Camden Depot’s Joe Reisel, who is our man down at Norfolk. He sees anywhere from 30-40 games per year and has great insight on the AAA squad.

Weekly Summary

Norfolk (AAA): 5-8 (W-L), 33 Runs Scored, 40 Runs Against

Bowie (AA): 8-4, 61 RS, 37 RA

Frederick (High-A): 6-7, 49 RS, 67 RA Continue reading

The Camden Highball (Episode 9): Greetings from Norfolk!

Posted in Minor Leagues, Podcast with tags , , , , on May 5, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

This week’s episode of the Camden Highball (Camden Depot’s weekly podcast) comes a week and a day late, but it’s better than no podcast at all!  This week, Pat and I talk with Camden Depot’s Joe Reisel about what he’s seen in the Norfolk Tides during the first month of the minor league season.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: Greetings from Norfolk!

Watching a Strange Ballgame in Baltimore

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on April 30, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Yesterday, the Orioles played the White Sox in front of an empty stadium at Camden Yards.  The game was televised, so I watched the majority of it and today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I talk a little bit about how strange that was.

Direct Link to Article –> Watching a Strange Ballgame in Baltimore

Minor League Recap: April 9-April 19

Posted in Minor Leagues, Offense, Pitching, Prospects with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on April 21, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Minor league baseball is back, and with it is the return of the Orioles Proving Ground Minor League recap. Similar to previous years, the recaps will run weekly (for the most part) throughout the minor league season. I’ve said it before, but to reiterate, this exercise is not meant to be a scouting one, as these observations are based on the stat line for the week in question and nothing else. I’m not a scout and I don’t get to enough minor league games to draw a scouting conclusion on the players at hand. Having said that, I will occasionally add a scouting thought to some players based on what I have read or heard about a player’s major league expectations (if they exist).

Here we go.

Weekly Summary

Norfolk (AAA): 7-4 (W-L), 55 RS, 36 RA

Bowie (AA): 5-6, 42 RS, 54 RA

Frederick (High-A): 7-4, 44 RS, 43 RA Continue reading

The Camden Highball (Episode 8): Get to Know Your Orioles Prospects

Posted in Offense, Podcast, Prospects with tags , , , , , , , , , on April 20, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

It’s Monday, so that means there is a new podcast over at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot.  This week’s guest on the Camden Highball is Tucker Blair of the Baseball Prospectus prospect team to discuss Orioles prospects and Baltimore’s minor league system.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball: Get to Know Your Orioles Prospects

The Camden Highball (Episode 7): Talkin’ AL East in the Year 2015

Posted in Podcast with tags , , on April 13, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Head ver to ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot for this week’s episode of The Camden Highball podcast, where Pat Holden and I talk to Matthew Kory from Baseball Prospectus about the Orioles, Red Sox, and the rest of the AL East.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball –> Talkin’ AL East in the Year 2015

Orioles Pull Off a Confusing Trade With the Dodgers

Posted in Trades with tags , , , , on April 10, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

Yesterday, the Orioles made a very unsurprising trade with the Dodgers, sending the recently designated for assignment Ryan Webb and minor league catcher Brian Ward to Los Angeles for minor league catcher Chris O’Brien and right-handed pitcher Ben Rowen.  The Orioles roster crunch in the bullpen meant someone had to go (we can probably expect another one to go soon too), and Webb (who for whatever reason fell out of favor with the Baltimore front office) was the odd man out.  What made this trade so confusing though was the inclusion of the Orioles 2015 Competitive Draft Pick (number 74 overall).  Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I take a deeper dive into this trade, trying to figure out just what the Orioles were thinking.

Direct Link to Article –> Orioles Pull Off a Confusing Trade With the Dodgers

Th Camden Highball (Episode 6): The Return of the Camden Highball

Posted in Podcast with tags on April 6, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

The Camden Depot podcast (The Camden Highball) returned today for it’s first episode in 2.5 years.  Today, Pat and I talked with Camden Depot founder Jon Shepherd about the Orioles opening day roster.

Direct Link to Article –> The Camden Highball (Episode 6): The Return of the Camden Highball

2015 Orioles Opening Day: Live Blog!

Posted in Live! with tags on April 6, 2015 by oriolesprovingground

For the second year in a row, we’re doing a live blog of Orioles opening day!  Let’s get started…

(3:12 PM) – Technical difficulties, but De Aza starts off the Orioles season with a swinging bunt hit.  Better to be lucky than good.

(3:15) – Check that, error on De Aza’s “hit”.  Still good to be lucky!

(3:16) – Camden Depot writer Pat Holden’s favorite Oriole, Steve Pearce.  If he can be half as good as he was last year, I think the Orioles would be thrilled.

(3:20) – TB’s Chris Archer’s stirrup game is on point, so was that pitch to strike out Pearce

(3:21) – Travis Snider! Beats the shift (which is what he planned to do I’m sure)

(3:22) – Palmer calls Delmon Young a “slasher”, which I think is nicer than calling him a hacker?  I’m seriously asking. Continue reading