Sunday Bird Droppings: The leftover Halloween candy edition

Hello, friends.

There are now 151 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2021, which is scheduled for April 1. As you already know, this is contingent on Opening Day happening as scheduled.

It’s unlikely there will be many eventful days of the offseason for the O’s this year, just like last year. Today could be a day where something happens: The Orioles still have the pending decision of whether or not to exercise the $3.5 million 2021 option for Jose Iglesias.

Many teams have declined options for many players across the game over the last few days; a smaller number have been exercised. The Orioles have to decide soon, as this deadline is five days after the end of the World Series. I think that might be today, since the series ended on Tuesday, but I am not sure if weekends don’t count.

After the Iglesias decision is made, the next important deadline for the Orioles will be November 20, which is when they have to decide the Rule 5 draft-eligible prospects who they want to add to the 40-man roster. Clearing four players off the 40-man roster on Thursday seems to have been done with that in mind.

Around the blogO’sphere

Offseason outlook: Baltimore Orioles (MLBTR)
MLBTR’s Steve Adams with the breakdown on the choices the O’s face this offseason. This does not seem to include the recent waiver claim of Yolmer Sanchez, which could impact the infield situation.

How much will Sanchez addition alter O’s infield? (Steve Melewski)
Melewski doesn’t have any firm answers to the question, but since Sanchez has played both second and third base, he reasonably wonders what it means for Hanser Alberto and/or Rio Ruiz.

Could Kohl Stewart stay with Orioles? (and other notes) (School of Roch)
This is not a question that’s going to keep me up at night.

2021 top 50 free agents (Fangraphs)
One of the fun (not actually fun) things about being an Orioles fan right now is the team is probably going to sign none of these guys. If you want to look on the bright side, some of them will be bad, and it’s not certain which of those guys that is yet.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 1960, Orioles shortstop Ron Hansen won the American League Rookie of the Year award. Hansen won all but two votes, which went to fellow O’s Chuck Estrada and Jim Gentile. This was the first of six O’s ROY winners.

There are a handful of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2012 infielder Steve Tolleson, 1993 rotation member Fernando Valenzuela, and 1955-57 reserve Jim Pyburn. I have no memory of Fernando Valenzuela having been on the Orioles.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: allied Revolutionary Wary admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte (1720), golfer Gary Player (1935), Hustler publisher Larry Flynt (1942), and Apple CEO Tim Cook (1960).

On this day in history...

In 1520, explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, now bearing his name: the Strait of Magellan.

In 1604, Shakespeare’s Othello premiered, having its first performance at Whitehall Palace in London. Exactly seven years later, The Tempest premiered in the same way.

In 1800, President John Adams moved into the Executive Mansion, becoming the first president to live in what we today call the White House.

In 1922, Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI abdicated his title, bringing an official end to the Ottoman Empire, which had reigned since 1299.

In 1938, Baltimore’s Pimlico played host to a special match race between Triple Crown winner War Admiral and a then-unheralded horse named Seabiscuit, who pulled off an upset victory.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 1. Have a safe Sunday.