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Good morning, Birdland!
Look, I get it. The Orioles opening day roster is downright depressing. There are only a handful of legitimate major league players present, and Andrew Cashner got the ball to begin the season. That feels like a joke. But this is only a temporary situation. This Orioles team will, in general, add talent from this point forward.
Pedro Araujo will be sent down the minute that he’s eligible. Alex Cobb will be back in less than a week. Austin Hays will get healthy, play a few months in Norfolk and make his way to Baltimore eventually. Hunter Harvey, Branden Kline and Tanner Scott will pitch out of the O’s bullpen at some point. We may even get a chance to see Ryan Mountcastle or Yusniel Diaz. Get hype!
In the meantime, we have to sit through some ugly baseball in April and May, perhaps longer. That will result in a boatload of losses, but that should dissipate (a bit) as the season goes on.
Then again, I tend to be a glass half-full kind of person.
Links
Orioles to celebrate life of Frank Robinson on April 6 - School of Roch
Something like this was expected, of course, but the date was unknown. This will certainly be one of the most memorable nights at Camden Yards all summer.
Orioles Bring In Former Top Prospect Outfielder - Birds Watcher
The headline makes this seem more exciting than it really is. Mason Williams is a 27-year-old with 200 major league plate appearances. That said, he was solid (.293/.331/.398, 94 OPS+) in 51 games for the Reds last season. He may never play a game for the O’s, but he gives them a nice depth piece at Triple-A for the time being.
Orioles announce Williams signing and trade for Gudino - School of Roch
More on the Williams move plus some notes on Yeltsin Gudino, a 22-year-old that the Birds have added to High-A Frederick.
Orioles’ minor league rosters feature new assignments for top prospects - Baltimore Sun
There is no need for the organization to rush any of their prospects, and GM Mike Elias has made it clear that he wants to see youngsters “graduate” before progressing to the next minor league level. That gives added significance to Diaz starting with Double-A Bowie.
Nate Karns Embracing ‘Opener’ Role For Orioles - Press Box
Does he really have an option? The guy needs to rejuvenate his career, and there is a strong likelihood that he will stretch out to a traditional starter at least a couple of times this season. He’s one of the few pitchers on the roster with some sort of track record as a big league starter. The O’s will need him to play a significant role, or the bullpen could be gassed by June.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
I’m sorry to say that no current or former Orioles players have birthdays to celebrate today. A couple of notable baseball-ers that do turn another year old are Alex Bregman (b. 1994) and Chris Sale (b. 1989). So, that’s nice for them.
2011 - Major League Baseball selects two fans to take part in the “MLB Fan Cave.” One of them is Baltimore native and future Orioles PA announcer Ryan Wagner.