Orioles Sign Oliver Drake to a Major League Contract

Posted in Free Agency, Offseason, Pitching with tags , on November 20, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

On Tuesday, the Orioles signed RHP Oliver Drake to a contract. Drake, who was drafted in the 43rd round of the 2008 draft by the Orioles out of the United States Naval Academy has spent his entire professional career in the Orioles minor league system and had become a minor league free agent following the 2014 season, which he spent entirely in Bowie (AA). In fact, Drake has only appeared in AAA once, throwing 2 innings for Norfolk in 2011. The fact that the Orioles signed Drake isn’t all that interesting (they signed a bunch of guys who aren’t expected to see much time in the major leagues yesterday). What’s interesting is that they signed him to a major league deal.

The fact that Drake gets a major league deal, doesn’t mean that he’ll be on the major league club, but it does mean that he’ll be occupying a spot on the 40-man roster (at least for the moment). Kiley McDaniel, the lead prospect analyst for Fangraphs gives the details of the deal.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Orioles Trade Target: Michael Saunders

Posted in Offense, Offseason, Trades with tags , , , , on November 18, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

Since the Orioles officially declined the team option on Nick Markakis, they’ll have some decisions to make.  Since it looks like he may require a four-year contract, it may be best for the Orioles to move on.  If they decide to take that route, they could go into the 2015 season with an Adam Jones, Steve Pearce, Alejandro De Aza, and David Lough outfield, or they could replace Markakis through a trade (as I mentioned in a previous post, upgrades on the outfield free agent market are virtually non-existent).  Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network affiliated Orioles blog Camden Depot, I explain why the Orioles should look into acquiring Michael Saunders from the Seattle Mariners.

Direct Link to Article –> Orioles Trade Target: Michael Saunders

Leave a comment »

Should the Orioles Trade Matt Wieters?

Posted in Offseason with tags , , , on November 7, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

After an elbow injury (requiring Tommy John surgery) ended Matt Wieters‘ 2014 season in the middle of May, Caleb Joseph filled and provided enough value to potentially make Matt Wieters expendable.  Joseph didn’t hit he ball, but his defensive skills, specifically his pitch framing saved enough runs to more than offset his offensive shortcomings.  Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I take a look at whether the Orioles should look into dealing their All-Star catcher to make room for Caleb Joseph, pitch framer extraordinaire.

Direct Link to Article –> Should the Orioles Trade Matt Wieters?

Leave a comment »

Nick Markakis and Why the Orioles Should Pick Up His Option

Posted in Offense, Offseason with tags , , on October 23, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

After the loss to the Royals in the ALCS, the Orioles offseason is officially underway, and they have several items they need to take care of prior to the start of the 2015 season.  One of the decisions that needs to be made deals with the team option that they hold for Nick Markakis.  Even though the media is reporting that the Orioles are likely to decline his option, I explain why I think they should exercise it today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot.

Direct Link to Article –> Nick Markakis and Why the Orioles Should Pick Up His Option

2 Comments »

2014 World Series Preview

Posted in Playoffs with tags on October 21, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

The 2014 playoffs have been some of the most exciting postseason series’ that I can ever remember, which is amazing since the end results have been so lopsided (we’ve had 3 sweeps and 3 other series where the losing team only won a single game). After all that, the World Series begins tonight, featuring the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals. It’s the first time that two teams who won less than 90 games in the regular season have met in the World Series (at least I think that’s the case). Additionally, since both teams got here via the wild card game, we’ll have our first World Series wild card winner in the new 2-team wild card format. This postseason has already been one of the best ever, but hopefully the best series is yet to come. Here’s a preview of the 2014 World Series. Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

It Wasn’t Bad Luck that Ended the Orioles Season

Posted in Playoffs with tags , on October 17, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

The season of the Baltimore Orioles ended on Wednesday, after they were swept out of the American League Championship Series by the Kansas City Royals.  Since then, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the idea that the Royals won because they were lucky.  Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I explain why bad luck isn’t the reason the Orioles aren’t playing baseball anymore.

Direct Link to Article –> It Wasn’t Bad Luck that Ended the Orioles Season

Leave a comment »

Darren O’Day’s Game 1 Mistake to Alex Gordon

Posted in Pitching, Playoffs with tags , , , , on October 13, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

After playing two close games to start out the ALCS, the Orioles find themselves down 2-0 to the Kansas City Royals as the series resumes tonight in Kansas City for Game 3.  With the first two games being played so closely, there were several key moments that ultimately altered the outcome of each game.  One of those moments was when Darren O’Day faced off faced off against Royals LF Alex Gordon in the top of the 10th inning in Game 1.  Today over at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I examine how what looked like a good pitch from O’Day, actually wasn’t a good pitch at all.

Direct Link to Article –> Darren O’Day’s Game 1 Mistake to Alex Gordon

Leave a comment »

2014 National League Championship Series Preview

Posted in Playoffs with tags on October 11, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

Well, it finally happened. Our national nightmare of a Cardinals/Giants NLCS is happening, much to the dismay of everyone outside of St. Louis and San Francisco. I think the boys at Cespedes Family BBQ summed up best with this.

So what makes the Cardinals so hate-able? Well aside from the fact that they find themselves in the postseason just about every year, and have been to the NLCS for 4 straight years, it’s mainly from their fans and their media considering themselves God’s gift to baseball. This article from SB Nation is pretty much all you need to see (LINK). As for the Giants? I love the city of San Francisco, but little things about the Giants seem to irritate me. Maybe it’s that they’ve also been very successful recently, winning the World Series in 2010 and 2012, despite each year having a team that makes you say, “yeah, they’re good, but how are they still winning?” That’s even more true this year, as they’re pitching isn’t as dominant as the 2010 and 2012 teams and they started a guy named Juan Perez in left field of Game 4 of the NLDS, someone I have never heard of before and I like to think I follow baseball pretty closely. I’d be lying as well if I didn’t add that I may be harboring some ill-feelings towards the Giants due to the fact they knocked the Phillies out of the playoffs in 2010. This whole intro is a little depressing, so let’s get to the preview. Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

How Orioles Pitching Can Limit Eric Hosmer in the ALCS

Posted in Playoffs with tags , , , on October 10, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

Starting tonight, the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals will meet in the American League Championship Series (I have a series preview up here).  It will be the first time that either team has made it that far in the postseason since 1983 (Orioles) and 1985 (Royals).  Both team’s have been great stories this year, but someone’s magical season is going to end here.  The Orioles will have to do a number of things to be successful in this series, and one of them will be for the pitching staff to limit the damage produced by Eric Hosmer‘s bat.  He’s hitting .500/.632/1.143 in 4 playoff games and is a big reason as to why their offense has been so potent in the postseason.  Today at ESPN Sweetspot Network Orioles blog Camden Depot, I examine how the Baltimore pitching staff can slow him down.

Direct Link to Article –> How Orioles Pitching Can Limit Eric Hosmer in the ALCS

Leave a comment »

2014 American League Championship Preview

Posted in Playoffs with tags , , , , , , , , on October 10, 2014 by oriolesprovingground

Despite both teams sweeping their opponents in the ALDS, each series was fairly close, and if a few breaks had gone the other way, each series could have easily gone to a 4th or 5th game. But that’s not what happened. The Royals came up big twice in extra winnings to notch wins, while the Orioles had two REALLY big 8th innings in their first two games to take control of their series against the Tigers. Now we have an ALCS with two teams that are in a lot of ways, very similar to each other.   The Kansas City Royals haven’t seen the World Series since 1985 and the Baltimore Orioles haven’t been since 1983. Just the fact that one of these teams (and their fans) will finally make it back there after such a long time is pretty exciting. Continue reading →

1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »