Thursday Bird Droppings: Where Orioles pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training

Hello, friends.

There are now 46 days until Orioles Opening Day. It is also a milestone day on the baseball calendar for those who can appreciate the symbolic nature of pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. I've got to be honest, I am not one of those people. Spring training is freaking boring, although it was kinda fun last year, what with the signings of Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz.

This year's late date signing is potentially going to be a former Padres shortstop who was also a member of Team Biogenesis. That did work out OK for the O's when they took on one player with that kind of baggage. Could it possibly do so again? I guess we will find out.

Here are some news and links from around Birdland that will hopefully keep you warm when the temperatures drop below zero Fahrenheit tonight...

Plenty of familiar faces for Orioles at spring training - Yahoo Sports
You might at first expect this to be one of those Orioles profiles written by someone who hasn't watched them play in the past decade, but it's actually written by longtime AP Baltimore writer David Ginsburg, who does a much better job.

Progress report: Baltimore Orioles | UTSanDiego.com
In that other category, the Union Tribune of San Diego deigns to weigh in on the Orioles as spring training begins. Why do they even care? Actually, I wish our own local newspaper still cared so much about baseball to dedicate some resources to MLB generally, rather than just the O's.

New Orioles Reliever Wesley Wright Ready To Pitch Where Needed (Press Box)
Friend of Camden Chat Paul Folkemer is here to drop some knowledge on you about Wesley Wright, who might even manage to make the Orioles when spring training comes to a close.

Sports Rehab: Steve Melewski Talks Orioles Baseball " CBS Baltimore
If you're really hungry for anything to do with baseball, here's Steve Melewski dropping on to talk some O's on the new flagship station, 105.7 The Fan.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Orioles, but just look at this 100% true headline:

A-Rod ignored Barry Bonds's advice and wore a purple, skintight Batman onesie - McCovey Chronicles
If that doesn't make you want to look at the article, I really don't know what to tell you. It's an anecdote from a recent ESPN profile of Alex Rodriguez, which you should really go ahead and read. It is great work.

There are no former Orioles with a birthday today. In the anniversary department, we are one year removed from the official signing of Jimenez. Here's hoping his 2015 makes us more inclined to like that contract than we are right now.

And that's the way it is in Birdland on February 19 - at least, unless something changes later, which it could well, since pitchers and catchers reporting means there may actually be news of some kind. Now, wouldn't that be something? Have a safe Thursday.