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Morning, Birdland!
It’s working. The dorky social media videos. The positivity surrounding the team. The promise of a brighter tomorrow. The Orioles have me excited for what is likely to be an extremely bad team.
It happens every year. I’m a sucker. But I suppose I already knew that. I loved this team when they routinely lost 90 games per year during my childhood. I can handle a couple of bad seasons as an adult. I’ll even like it if I’m given the smallest hint of progress.
This off-season has provided just that. Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde seem to be the right people for the job. They have followed through with their promised analytical approach by setting up tracking equipment during bullpens, and that is surely just the tip of the iceberg.
Links
Q&A: Taking a closer look at the Orioles farm system - The Athletic
Tons of good information here, especially about some of the less talked about prospects in the O’s system. It feels like 2019 is going to be a big year for the farm. There will likely be a ton of guys making their major league debut at some point this summer, and there is potential that a few key international signings and a strong draft class catapults the O’s up the overall pecking order of minor league rankings.
Everything in Orioles camp is about optimism - The Baltimore Sun
Jon Meoli focuses in on southpaw Chris Lee and how he struggled in his first bullpen of the spring. Lee has an outside shot at making this team, but has the pedigree of a once-highly-rated prospect. He will be an interesting name to track throughout his time in Sarasota.
Davis on his health, workouts and hushing the skeptics - School of Roch
All of the Chris Davis-related quotes you could ever want! One that particular stands out is where Davis says he refused to give credit to analytics, sabermetrics and numbers over the years that pointed out flaws in his game. Dude...why?
Orioles birthdays and history
Is it your birthday? Happy Birthday!
- Former reliever Jorge Rondon turns 31. The righty played in eight games for the 2015 Orioles.
- Journeyman outfielder Eric Byrnes celebrates his 43rd birthday. He played just 52 games for the Orioles after coming over in a deadline deal in 2005 with the Rockies that sent Larry Bigbie to Colorado.
- It is the 72nd birthday for Terry Crowley. The left-handed hitter spent parts of 12 seasons with the Orioles throughout his 15-year playing career, and then had two stints as the club’s hitting coach. First, he returned from 1985 through 1988, and then came back again from 1999 through 2011.
According to Baseball Reference, February 16 has not been a significant date in Orioles history. Maybe something wild will happen today that changes that.