Hello, friends.
There are now 101 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2018. Are the Orioles going to trade Manny Machado today? Roch Kubatko says it’s not likely to happen this weekend, so I guess that’s what we can go with. I mean, have you ever known the Orioles to move quickly about anything?
This is not what you would have expected to be hearing about this weekend at this time last week. It was supposed to be about what starting pitchers the Orioles did or didn’t sign at the winter meetings. And as it turned out, they didn’t sign anyone, which may be why the idea of trading Machado has popped up.
Is your Christmas shopping done yet? Don’t worry, mine isn’t either. And if you’re celebrating Hanukkah instead, may your eight days and nights continue to be happy ones.
Around the blogO’sphere
Quick update on Machado and the trade discussions (School of Roch)
Roch says it’s not happening this weekend, so we’ll see how that goes! He also has some thoughts on who is interested, including who might interest the Orioles on some of the teams who’ve been reported to be involved, like the Cardinals and Yankees.
Who can make a Manny Machado offer the Orioles can’t refuse? (ESPN)
ESPN’s David Schoenfield thinks the Indians and Cubs are two teams who should go for Machado. I’m thinking those are longshots.
Inbox: Will Machado, Britton be dealt? (orioles.com)
Brittany Ghiroli sees a Machado trade as “more likely” but given all the O’s neuroses (not the word she uses, of course) doesn’t currently predict it will actually happen.
Showalter Q&A: Future as Orioles manager up to ownership, and the fans: ‘This is their club’ (Baltimore Sun)
It’s the last year of Buck’s contract too.
Scouting the 2017 Rule 5 picks (Fangraphs)
Nestor Cortes sounds interesting. The other guys, well... hopefully they end up being better than these scouting reports.
Birthdays and anniversaries
On this day in 2003, the Orioles signed Miguel Tejada to a six year, $72 million contract. I thought surely this meant I was safe to buy his jersey. In the long run, I was wrong.
In 2008, the Orioles signed Cesar Izturis, or as the MASN commercials of the era liked to remind us - Maximum Izturis. Maximum Baseball. Oh, and in 2009, they signed reliever Mike Gonzalez. Andy MacPhail was bad at signing relievers, you guys.
There are three former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 2006 pitcher Chris Britton, 1987-92 infielder Billy Ripken, and the late Mike Flanagan.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: noted first wife Catherine of Aragon (1485), composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770), novelist Jane Austen (1775), anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901), science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke (1917), science fiction author Philip K. Dick (1928), Southern Poverty Law Center co-founder Morris Dees (1936), comedian Bill Hicks (1961), and Jessica Jones actress Krysten Ritter (1981).
On this day in history...
In 755, Chinese general An Lushan rebelled against the reigning Tang Dynasty emperor. Over the course of this eight year rebellion, at least 13 million people are believed to have died - about 5% of the world’s total population at that time.
In 1653, Oliver Cromwell became the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, a title he would hold for about five years until his death.
In 1773, colonists protesting the Tea Act disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians, then dumped hundreds of crates of tea into the harbor in Boston.
In 1944, German forces launched a surprise invasion of the Ardennes, what would prove to be their last major attack of the war. We now call this the Battle of the Bulge.
In 1979, Libya and four other OPEC nations raised prices on crude oil, setting off gas shortages in the United States.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on December 16 - or at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Saturday.