Wednesday Bird Droppings: Where things are rather quiet in Birdland

Good morning, Birdland!

Christmas is one week away. As is customary, the baseball offseason has noticeably slowed ahead of the holiday. We, as fans, will have to savor moves like the Corey Kluber trade or the Madison Bumgarner deal to tide us over until 2020. No other headline-grabbing transactions appear to be on the horizon, though that could always change.

Instead, we will surely be inundated by various publications and reporters with year-end top 10 lists, “Best moments of the 2010’s” articles, and other similarly empty but fun-to-read blog posts in the final two weeks of the year. That’s fine with me. In fact, it’s what I expect and want from this time of year.

Most of us have thrown in the towel at work over the next couple of abbreviated weeks. We are eating far too much, watching the same holiday-themed movies, and frantically shopping and wrapping gifts. Keeping up with blockbuster baseball moves may be enough to put many of us over the edge.

Links & Notes

Orioles Winter Fan Event About as Grim as It Sounds - FanGraphs
It did seem like a sad affair, and the weather didn’t help matters. Moments like this will be worth it if the rebuild bears fruit. If everything falls apart, though, this could become a more common occurrence.

Jones, Machado highlight O’s top plays of 2010s - Orioles.com
This is the palate cleanser every Orioles fan needs following a second consecutive disastrous season for the Birds. The top spot goes to a play that didn’t count for the Orioles, but it was awesome all the same. I’m partial to the Manny pump fake in 2012 and also feel like Ryan Flaherty’s diving play in the 2014 ALDS deserved a spot as well, but only 10 could make the cut.

AL East Notes: Jays’ Rotation, Orioles, Rays - MLB Trade Rumors
There has been a lot of talk about the Orioles catching situation. It is understandable that the front office wants to add depth wherever possible, but the team is pretty set behind the plate. Pedro Severino is likely to be the number one with Chance Sisco or Austin Wynns spelling him at times. Adding a veteran on a minor league deal is pretty small potatoes, and yet there seems to be an article about it once a week.

If Trey Mancini and Mychal Givens are next to be traded, the Orioles have shown what they’ll be asking in return - Baltimore Sun
The Orioles are out of major trade chips. At this point, it is up to the organization to develop their own talent in order to build a winner. Sure, Trey Mancini and Mychal Givens would each be worth something in a trade, but neither is going to land some massive, club-altering package in return.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Journeyman pitcher Jeremy Accardo turns 38 today. The righty played eight seasons in the big leagues, but spent 31 games in 2011 with the O’s. During that time he had a 5.73 ERA, striking out 23 batters in 37.2 innings.

It is also the birthday of the late Gino Cimoli (b. 1929, d. 2011). The outfielder played in 38 games for the 1964 Birds, hitting .138/.164/.259 in the process.

2011 - Free agent outfielder Endy Chavez signs a one-year deal with the Orioles.

2013 - The Orioles agree to a trade with the Kansas City Royals, sending infielder Danny Valencia to KC in exchange for outfielder David Lough.