Saturday’s Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles only have 10 days left in spring training

Good morning, Birdland!

There are only 10 days of spring training left. The Orioles wrap up their time in Sarasota on March 25 against the New York Mets and then head north to begin the games that count against the New York Yankees in the Bronx on March 28. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The weather in the Baltimore area has finally started to feel like spring. If you went out at about 12:30 p.m. on Friday, the signs were everywhere. The sun was shining, car windows were down, and office workers were shuffling down the sidewalks like vitamin D-deprived zombies. It was glorious.

Now all we need is some Orioles baseball. We will get our wish today. The O’s take on the Blue Jays in Dunedin at 1:07. The team’s website indicates that you can tune into the Orioles Radio Network at that time to hear Jim Hunter and whoever is doing color commentary in place of Ben McDonald narrate the action.

Links

O’s beef up analytics team as culture shifts - MLB.com
I read “Astroball” this offseason, so I already know exactly how this rebuild is going to go. That’s all it takes. Say hello to your 2023 World Series champions.

Cobb gets tuneup; Givens pitches sim game; Hess rocked - Baltimore Baseball
David Hess has been considered a candidate for one of the spots in the starting rotation throughout the spring. His performance on Friday (2.2 innings, nine hits, nine runs, four home runs) will not help his case.

Martin navigating through first spring slump - School of Roch
The Rule 5 picks, Richie Martin and Drew Jackson, are two players that I’m most excited to receive regular playing time once the season begins. Mostly on account of their athleticism and expected fielding prowess. Those are attributes that the Orioles have lacked for a several years now. It may not leading to many wins just yet, but it should be more exciting than the plodding type of baseball for which the club has become known.

Spring Training Overreactions: Baltimore Orioles - CBS Sports
A video in which Buck Showalter is described as a “lunatic” and “intense” and Brandon Hyde is seen as “cerebral” and “calm.” Not sure I agree with that first take on Showalter, but Hyde has appeared very relaxed this spring. For a team that’s going to lose a lot, that should work well. We won’t know until the season gets going.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Two former Orioles that, I’m sorry to say, I’ve never heard of are celebrating their birthdays as well. First is 89-year-old Hobie Landrith, a catcher in Baltimore for 62 games between the 1962 and ‘63 seasons. Along with him is another catcher, the late Clint Courtney (b. 1927, d. 1975), who was one of the original O’s after the St. Louis Browns franchise relocated following the 1953 season.

1953 - Bill Veeck’s proposal to move the Browns from St. Louis to Baltimore is rejected by his fellow owners by a 6-2 vote. Veeck then announces his intention to sell the Browns for $2.5 million. The team would move to Baltimore ahead of the following season.

1954 - The O’s purchase Eddie Waitkus, a first baseman, from the Philadelphia Phillies. Waitkus would go on to play in 133 games for the Orioles, hitting .278/.342/.364 with two home runs during that time.