Hello, friends.
There are now 46 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. This was the uniform number most recently of Jeremy Guthrie and most famously by the late Mike Flanagan.
Many Orioles position players have reported to camp early over the last couple of days, but today is the day where they all must officially report so there can be the first full-squad workout tomorrow. Hopefully, no position players have a situation like Chris Tillman where they show up at camp and it's suddenly revealed that they've been injured for at least two months and will not be ready for Opening Day.
We can't be too sure about this, since as the Tillman thing showed, the Orioles reporters don't have any idea until someone tells them. But hopefully there are no more surprises. There are no good spring training surprises. Hope for a boring day tomorrow, and every other day of spring training, for that matter. Well, unless you want to hope for a surprise contract extension for someone you want to stick around. That would be a good surprise. But it probably won't happen today.
Around the blogO'sphere
Orioles reliever Darren O'Day back in routine, plus roster moves and more - Baltimore Sun
Speaking of players the Orioles need to be healthy this year, there's O'Day. He says he's healthy so far, so that's something.
Chris Tillman on rehab from shoulder injury | MLB.com
Tillman says that he has a good feeling right now, but isn't going to try to rush back just to be the Opening Day starter. Yes, take your time so that you don't get hurt even more, Chris.
Francisco Peña clears waivers and outrighted (updated) - School of Roch
If over the last several days you spent any time agonizing over the fact that the Orioles DFA'd Peña, you will rejoice to know that he cleared waivers and will be remaining in the organization, just in the minor leagues.
Baltimore Orioles 2017 preview | FOX Sports
This preview posits a worst case scenario of Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy regressing while Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley pitch like Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley. That sounds spot on.
The Orioles' early minor league camp roster (plus a Tillman take) - Steve Melewski
The full complement of minor leaguers does not have to report until March 3, but there are a bunch of guys who are there and working out already.
Which team made all the right moves to win in 2017? (ESPN)
It's ESPN Insider only. Sorry. But, not surprisingly, the ZiPS machine doesn't think the Orioles did enough to improve this offseason compared to other teams.
Orioles VP warns county not to bite off more than it can chew with Braves | Local News | mysuncoast.com
This headline is kind of weird, but it seems that the Braves are thinking about moving their spring training site into Sarasota County and the Orioles would rather the county not run out of money.
Birthdays and anniversaries
Nothing interesting happened with the Orioles on this day in history, although there was one thing of minor interest to baseball: In 2013, two players settled arbitration cases with their teams and it became the first year to have no hearings at all.
There are a few former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: Blink-and-you-missed-him 2015 reliever Jorge Rondon, 2005 outfielder and current MLB Network talker Eric Byrnes, and one player who, from what I've heard, was lucky to be in f---ing baseball, Terry Crowley.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies for today include: Cadillac and Lincoln founder Henry Leland (1843), McDonald's co-founder Richard McDonald (1909), half of Sonny & Cher and later congressman Sonny Bono (1935), novelist Richard Ford (1944), Star Trek: The Next Generation's LeVar Burton (1957), actress Elizabeth Olson (1989), and singer-songwriter The Weeknd (1990).
On this day in history...
In 1646, English Parliamentarians defeated a Royalist force in the Battle of Torrington, marking the last major battle of the first English Civil War. They would have two more Civil Wars in the next five years.
In 1804, Maryland's own Stephen Decatur, fighting in the First Barbary War, led a night-time raid to burn a pirate-held American frigate at anchor.
In 1933, with the passage of the Blaine Act, prohibition was officially ended in the USA.
In 1960, the US Navy's submarine, USS Triton, departed from New London, Connecticut to begin Operation Sandblast: the first-ever submerged circumnavigation of the globe. It took 60 days and 21 hours.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on February 16 - or at least, until something happens later. On top of all the position players reporting today, this will also be the arbitration hearing for Brad Brach - though the result probably won't be announced until tomorrow. Have a safe Thursday.