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Good morning, Camden Chatters.
To borrow Mark Brown’s countdown, there are now 83 days to go until Orioles Opening Day. And if every one of those days is as boring as the last couple weeks have been, it’s going to feel like an eternity until we get there.
Nobody was expecting non-stop action from the Orioles this winter, considering that they’re light years away from competing and were never going to be players in the free agent market (Kohl Stewart notwithstanding). But yikes, the days are really just dragging along for us transaction-starved O’s observers. Turning the calendar to 2020 hasn’t changed that.
At some point, the Orioles will need to start adding a few warm bodies just to fill out some uniforms for the 2020 roster. I look forward to the day when I can breathlessly analyze the Orioles’ acquisition of (insert random roster-filler here). Until then, we wait. And wait. And wait.
Links
Three ways the last decade could set the Orioles up for success in the new one - Baltimore Sun
The 2010s ended on a pretty sour note. But, as Jon Meoli notes, the Orioles laid some groundwork that could pay off in the 2020s. Just don’t ask me how far into the 2020s it’ll take.
Your All-Time Orioles team: The pitchers - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Rich Dubroff unveils the 10-man pitching staff on his all-time Orioles team. Any surprise inclusions, in your opinion? Any snubs?
Another reason to watch in 2020: Hunter Harvey - Steve Melewski
Melewski looks back fondly on Hunter Harvey’s impressive high-wire escape against the Nationals on Aug. 27. Because I’m a cynic who can't enjoy nice things, my main takeaway from that night was, “Why are they letting Hunter Harvey throw 33 pitches???”
Connolly’s Tap Room: What improvements would you make to Camden Yards? – The Athletic
What say you, Camden Chatters? Me, I’m a big fan of an open concourse, but it’d probably be a logistical nightmare to put one in Camden Yards at this point. My second choice: better service at the concession stands.
Orioles birthdays
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your lone O’s birthday buddy is one whose Baltimore career ended last year, right-hander Mike Wright, who turns 30. He finished with a 5.95 ERA in parts of five seasons for the Orioles before he was jettisoned in April. This winter he signed with the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization, making him one of five pitchers from the 2019 Orioles who will play in Asia next year. I’m starting to think the Orioles didn’t have a major league caliber pitching staff, you guys.