Hello, friends.
There are now 116 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2016. It has been over two months since the last season ended, and still it's nearly four months until the next one begins.
The Winter Meetings are ongoing. Wild rumors abound. We spent part of yesterday in a panic over some Chris Davis/Blue Jays rumor that was probably a load of nonsense to begin with. There was some news, but it was news we already thought that we knew, namely that Darren O'Day and the Orioles had reached an agreement. Will there ever be anything worth getting excited about? I'm not holding my breath. I hope you don't either.
Other teams are out there making trades for real major leaguers. The Orioles, as we'll see below, are admitting to having people calling about... Christian Walker and Jason Garcia.
Let's get on with some links.
Around the blogO'sphere
Orioles hoping to add second-tier starting pitching - Baltimore Sun
One tidbit to come from Duquette yesterday is that he sees the trade market as a more viable place to add a starter than the free agent market. But who do they have to offer? Tough to imagine Garcia, if teams are really interested, landing a real starter, even if it's a one year salary dump.
This article calls Steve Clevenger a trade chip, for crying out loud.
Could Brian Matusz Serve As Cheap Option In Orioles' Rotation? (Press Box)
No.
School of Roch: Neil Walker still on Orioles' radar
Honestly, though, what the heck is the fetish with Pirates castoffs?
Steve Melewski: O's scouting director Gary Rajsich on DJ Stewart, Tanner Scott and next year's draft picks
In a surprising development, the guy responsible for making a first round pick six months ago thinks that pick is going to definitely be a big leaguer.
Duquette On Davis, Matusz, Walker - MLB Trade Rumors
The best thing here is the Duquette troll response about Alex Gordon. "He's a free agent, right? He's a left-handed hitter."
Birthdays and anniversaries
On this momentous day in 2011, the Orioles completed the trade that brought clutch-hitting legend Taylor Teagarden to Baltimore. They also drafted Ryan Flaherty in the Rule 5 draft on that day. That's something!
Also on this day in 1996, the Orioles signed free agent pitcher Jimmy Key.
There are two former Orioles with birthdays today. One is Jose Leon, who popped into 88 games from 2002-04. The other is one of the greatest Orioles, Mike Mussina, who will be in the baseball Hall of Fame as soon as the voters get their heads out of their butts and start paying attention to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies include: Mary, Queen of Scots (1542), cotton gin inventor Eli Whitney (1765), General Motors and Chevrolet founder William C. Durant (1861), The Doors singer Jim Morrison (1943), The Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Gregg Allman (1947), The Wire actor Wendell Pierce (1962), NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick (1975), footballer Philip Rivers (1981), rapper Nicki Minaj (1982), and basketballer Dwight Howard (1985). Not a bad list. There are others.
On this day in history...
In 757, Chinese poet Du Fu returned to the capital of Chang'an following the An Lushan Rebellion. You can read a fictionalized version of this period of history in Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven.
In 1660, a woman appeared on an English public stage for the first time. She (it was one of two women, unknown which) played Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello.
In 1813, Beethoven's Seventh Symphony premiered in Vienna, conducted by Beethoven himself.
In 1962, four newspaper staffs in New York City went on a strike that expanded to nine papers and lasted 114 days.
In 1974, the Greek monarchy was abolished by a referendum, 69-31 in favor.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on December 8 - at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday.