Sunday Bird Droppings

School of Roch: Former Orioles pitcher Steve Johnson signs with Rangers
"Former Orioles pitcher Steve Johnson, the local product who made his major league debut four years ago at Camden Yards, has signed a minor league deal with the Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training."

Royals sign former Orioles OF Snider to minor league deal - USA Today
"The Kansas City Royals have signed former Orioles outfielder Travis Snider to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training."

School of Roch: Does Efren Navarro's arrival potentially impact Chris Davis?
"The acquisition of outfielder/first baseman Efren Navarro from the Angels has raised a few questions in relation to the Orioles' motives for making the deal. Why a player who's regarded as a plus-defender at first base? Should we read anything into it?"

Two Years of Jomar Reyes Progress - The Baltimore Wire
"Young teenage third baseman Jomar Reyes has had two good seasons in the Baltimore Orioles minor leagues to begin his professional career."

Nest Notes: Qualls hints to future Shorebirds at Hot Stove - The (Salisbury) Daily Times
"We don’t know exactly who is going to be here," Kent Qualls, Orioles' director of minor league operations, said. "But a couple of guys on the radar that have a good chance are actually two of our top draft picks." Those draft picks are D.J. Stewart — a 22-year-old outfielder who was the Orioles’ first draft pick a year ago out of Florida State — and Ryan Mountcastle, an 18-year-old shortstop who was also selected by the Orioles in the first round as well in 2015.

Orioles well-represented in Cleveland Indians' 2016 Hall of Fame class - Baltimore Sun
"One is already honored with a statue at Camden Yards, and the other two don't have a shot for similar recognition by the Orioles, but the three former O's will be inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame on July 30."

Happy Birthday to former Oriole Joel Bennett. He shares it with famous people like 1543 Tokugawa Ieyasu, Shogun of Japan; 1797 Franz Schubert, composer; 1903 Tallulah Bankhead, actress; 1919 Jackie Robinson, Hall of Fame baseball player and civil rights pioneer; 1923 Norman Mailer, author; 1931 Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub; 1937 Philip Glass, minimal composer, born in Baltimore; 1937 Suzanne Pleshette, actress; 1938 James G Watt, US Secretary of Interior and music critic; 1947 Nolan Ryan, Hall of Fame pitcher and destroyer of Robin Ventura; 1956 Johnny Rotten, musician; and 1981 Justin Timberlake, singer-songwriter and SNL host.

On this day in Baltimore baseball history...

2010 - The Rockies sign 3B Melvin Mora to a one-year deal. The 38-year-old was released by the Orioles earlier this offseason and will take the roster spot of Garrett Atkins, whom the O's signed as a free agent.

In world history on this date...

1865 - Congress passes 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in America (121-24)
1865 - General Robert E. Lee named Commander-in-Chief of Confederate Armies during US Civil War
1950 - US President Harry Truman publicly announces support for development of Hydogen bomb
1961 - Ham the chimpanzee is 1st primate in space (158 miles) aboard Mercury/Redstone 2
1964 - US report "Smoking & Health" connects smoking to lung cancer
1985 - South African President PW Botha offers to free Nelson Mandela if he denounces violence

Consider this your discussion space for NCAA Mens' Basketball - Maryland at Ohio State.