Monday Bird Droppings: O's head into another uneventful week

I'm not going to sugarcoat things, here: there are 127 days until Opening Day. Did you find some Black Friday deals? Avoid the whole, ugly ordeal altogether? Enjoy any rivalry weekend college ball? I'd like to tell you about exciting goings on in Birdland, but...yeah. If you're anxious about transactions, we're still about a week away from the annual nothingburger known as the Winter Meetings, though the league and the union are reportedly hammering the details of the new CBA in Dallas.

Orioles deciding on a leadoff hitter - School of Roch

Uhhh...FREE KIM!

Pleskoff - What Makes The Arizona Fall League Special
Noted prospect writer Bernie Pleskoff waxes nostalgic on the recently completed Arizona Fall League.

Heat Come Back Late | Australian Baseball League News
You will be hard pressed to find such rhapsodic praise of the Australian Baseball League, but two young Birds figured into Friday's final result as the Perth Heat overcame the Brisbane Bandits, defending Claxton Shield champs.

The long history of Colorado’s pitch-framing woes - Beyond the Box Score
If you're looking to Nick Hundley to improve on the framing of Matt Wieters, you will be sorely disappointed.

On this day in 1973, Al Bumbry was named AL Rookie of the Year. Steve Stone signed a free agent deal with the O's on this day in 1978. While two of his three years in Charm City weren't all that great, he DID win a Cy Young Award in 1980.

It's the birthday of Jeff Datz, who coached on the 2010 O's and also Jim Fuller.