Sunday Bird Droppings

Orioles great Earl Weaver: 1930-2013 - The Washington Post
A Washington Post slideshow of photos from Earl Weaver's career.

The Orioles and their fans pay homage to Earl Weaver - baltimoresun.com
Kayleen Reese walked slowly into the garden just beyond center field at Camden Yards on Saturday afternoon, attempting to explain to her son exactly who, and what, the statue in front of them represented. "His name was Earl Weaver, he was the Orioles manager," Reese, of Catonsville, told 6-year-old Hudson Reese.

Legendary Orioles manager Earl Weaver was always ahead of the game - ESPN
"We were watching an Orioles intrasquad game from the first row of seats in Sarasota, Fla., when manager Buck Showalter quietly called me over to alert me to a play, a tribute of sorts to Earl. Seconds later, the Orioles ran a pickoff play, one Earl had invented in the late '60s. "Hey," Earl yelled at me, "that's my pickoff play!"

Six Surprising Things About Orioles Manager Earl Weaver, Dead at 82 - Forbes
"We tend to think of Weaver as an old guy, and, indeed, he was the prototype for the grizzled manager in Bull Durham. But Weaver was only 37 years old when he got his first managerial job–only five years older than his star player Frank Robinson. He was only 55 years old when he retired in 1982."

Former umpire Steve Palermo treasures run-ins with late Orioles manager Earl Weaver | MLB.com: News
"He was tough with umpires, but he was a very good manager," one of his umpire adversaries, Steve Palermo, said. "A little pun intended -- you had to give the devil his due. He was a very good manager. But you were always on red alert with him because you never knew what he was going to do next. He was very unconventional."

And now, news concerning the current edition of the Orioles:

Orioles draw huge raves during FanFest | MLB.com: News
"The line stretched around the Baltimore Convention Center and then some, as a group that eclipsed 18,500 -- more than twice last year's crowd --- came out on Saturday in a bittersweet day for Orioles fans, who mourned the passing of Hall of Famer Earl Weaver and showed their support for the resurgence of Baltimore baseball."

Dan Duquette says Orioles open to long-term discussion with Matt Wieters - baltimoresun.com
"The Orioles agreed to terms with catcher Matt Wieters on a one-year $5.5 million deal Friday, avoiding arbitration in Wieters’ first year of eligibility. But Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the organization would like to pursue the possibility of signing Wieters to a long-term deal."

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton regaining arm strength this offseason with help of Brady Anderson - Baltimore Sun
"I didn’t have an offseason [last year] and I really didn’t have a spring training really. I lost a lot of strength and I think it showed in my performance. I probably wasn’t where I needed to be to be successful in the big leagues. It’s been great with Brady getting that strength back in my arm. I threw a bullpen [Thursday] and it was worlds better than I felt even pitching in the big leagues last year." BSOHL alert!!!!

Newcomer Trayvon Robinson admired Orioles from afar - baltimoresun.com
"Being on the other side playing against them, I see their energy," Trayvon Robinson said. "They were playing with a purpose. They were trying to get in it. Being on the other side again, just seeing the way they went about their business, even BP, going into the game to the last out, it was amazing. I was actually watching them throughout the whole season. In mid-summer, they just turned up another gear."

Orioles news and notes on Brian Roberts, Dylan Bundy and more from FanFest - baltimoresun.com
Addressing his sports hernia: "When I found out that day, it was a pretty rough night, sitting in a hotel room with my wife in Philadelphia, thinking, ‘Can I go through this again?’" Brian Roberts said Saturday at FanFest. "I wasn’t sure, mentally, if I really did have it in me for a couple hours there. … If it had been a four to six month surgery [and recovery period], I couldn’t have done it, I don’t think. But a four-week [recovery], I knew, ‘OK, I can do this.’ If this is what I need to do to be healthy, I am in.’"