Saturday’s Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are back in Sarasota

Morning, Birdland!

Spring training begins next month. Oh yeah! The juices are already flowing, and I am excited. Sure, this season could end up a total disaster on the field, but it’s Orioles baseball, so I am all in.

Before that, however, there is the team’s annual minicamp. Apparently, this year’s minicamp, which takes place this weekend, will be different than year’s past. Far fewer players will be in attendance, but some familiar names will be in the vicinity working out and looking nothing like one part of a 47-win team.

Allow the expected influx of Sarasota pictures to cleanse your baseball pallet. Anything is possible when the O’s are in the south Florida. There are no official wins and losses, only hope and potential.

Links

Orioles Claim Hanser Alberto, Designate Andrew Susac - MLB Trade Rumors
The latest in a string of small moves sees the Orioles 40-man roster go down to just two catchers, Austin Wynns and Chance Sisco. Alberto, on the other hand, is an infielder, joining fellow newbies Drew Jackson, Richie Martin and Rio Ruiz on the dirt.

Inbox: Any chance Jones returns to Orioles? - Orioles.com
New O’s reporter Joe Trezza answers fan questions. There isn’t any new information here, but he does go a little more in depth about Adam Jones’s possible return and the chance of top prospects reaching Baltimore this year.

O’s don’t raise season-ticket prices for ‘19; introduce membership plans - Baltimore Sun
For the third straight season, season ticket prices will remain the same. Good! The Orioles hardly have any ground to stand on should they jack up prices. Sure, things off the field have been going well lately, but there is a long way to go on the field before they can expect fans to fork over more money to attend games.

Wright on workouts, what went wrong and “fresh eyes” on him - MASN Sports
Mike Wright Jr. is probably going to be in the Orioles bullpen again this year. Things did not go that well for him last season, but it was better than what we saw as a starter. He’s also 29 years old and about to work with a new coaching staff. Spring training will be a big deal for him, and it’s unlikely he has too long of a leash during the actual campaign.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy Birthday!

Perhaps the greatest player in Orioles history celebrates his 31st birthday today. Hyun Soo Kim hit .281/.359/.381 over far too few plate appearances during the 2016 and ‘17 season. He now plies his trade back in the KBO, where he is crushing both baseballs and hearts (mine).

To a lesser extent, we celebrate the 37th birthday of 2005-09 reliever Chris Ray, the 41st birthday of 2012-13 reliever Luis Ayala, the 59th birthday of 1989-94 infielder Tim Hulett, the 63rd birthday of 1986 infielder Juan Bonilla and the 74th birthday of 1967 southpaw Paul Gilliford.

1900 - John McGraw, the manager of the National League’s Baltimore Orioles, threatens to form an American League team if the O’s are dropped from the NL. McGraw follows through a few weeks later when the O’s are bought out.

1954 - The International League’s Baltimore Orioles transfer to Richmond, Virginia and become known as the Richmond Virginians.

1991 - The Orioles trade catcher Mickey Tettleton to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitcher Jeff Robinson.