Sunday Bird Droppings: Wrapping up an unexpectedly busy Birdland week

Hello, friends.

There are now 53 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game, which is Opening Day. This continues to contain an assumption that nothing will come along to change that between now and then. Only nine days are left until pitchers and catchers are expected to report to Sarasota.

The past week ended up being busier in Birdland than you might have guessed ahead of time. Mike Elias got some work done in the aftermath of last week’s snow, pulling off the trade of Alex Cobb to the Angels. The O’s also had the decision go in their favor in Anthony Santander’s arbitration hearing.

I guess we’ll see if this somehow makes Santander more tradeable, but again, time is running out to pull something off before people are supposed to show up to spring training. I would have said the same thing this time last week, so it’s certainly not too late to do something.

And let’s not forget the team bringing King Felix Hernandez into the camp mix on a minor league contract. Hernandez battled shoulder problems in 2017 and has not been any good ever since, so no one should get their hopes up very high here. We saw with Chris Tillman as the last good years turned into the current bad years that for some pitchers, once your shoulder goes, that’s it and it’s not getting better.

Hernandez might well be in that same category. based on how the last few years have gone for him. It’d be interesting if he somehow had a bounce-back season with the Orioles, though. I’d enjoy a Felix renaissance. More likely he’s around to, at best, soak up some innings before someone like Zac Lowther or Michael Baumann makes his debut.

Around the blogO’sphere

Learning more about Jahmai Jones through his high school coach (School of Roch)
The stage of a new prospect where there’s nothing to do but print various people’s good words about them is a fun stage.

Looking beyond the Orioles win-loss record (Baltimore Baseball)
“If some of these prospects debut successfully later this season or next, there will be measurable improvement in 2022.” That’s a long wait for a big if. It’s what we’ve got, like it or not.

Inbox: What is the O’s plan for Rutschman? (Orioles.com)
Adley Rutschman will start at Bowie “and could rise quickly if he performs well offensively.” Here’s hoping that’s how it shakes out.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 2012, the Korea Baseball Organization lodged a protest against the Orioles for their earlier signing of pitcher Seong-Min Kim, eventually leading to Orioles scouts being banned from amateur events in the country. This was not the final twist in the strange saga.

There are a handful of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2013 pitcher Scott Feldman, 2007 pitcher Jon Leicester, 2012 outfielder Endy Chavez, 2004 pitcher Dave Borkowski, 1979-84 outfielder Benny Ayala, and 1963 outfielder Al Smith.

It’s also the birthday of former Orioles prospect and “would have been an Oriole if the Dan Duquette front office wasn’t idiotic enough to think trading him for two months of due-for-heavy-BABIP-regression Gerardo Parra was a good idea” pitcher Zach Davies.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: agricultural manufacturing pioneer John Deere (1804), novelist Charles Dickens (1812), author Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867), last Chinese emperor Puyi (1906), musician Garth Brooks (1962), comedian Chris Rock (1965), basketballer Steve Nash (1974), and Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland (1975).

On this day in history...

In 1301, future English king Edward of Caernarvon became the first English Prince of Wales.

In 1904, the Great Fire of Baltimore began. Over 30 hours before it was contained, 1500 bulidings were burned.

In 1943, the remaining Imperial Japanese Army forces on Guadalcanal were evacuated, leading to the Allies declaring full control over the island and ending the six month battle two days later.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 7. Have a safe Sunday.