Thursday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles will play their last spring training game

Hello, friends.

There are now just four days until Orioles Opening Day. You don't need me to tell you that this number belonged to Earl Weaver and will never be worn again.

Even more exciting than that is that the Orioles will play their final spring training game today. No more fake baseball to worry about after today! Actually, there will be one more game tomorrow in Norfolk that doesn't technically count as spring training, although it does still count as a game that doesn't count, if that makes any sense. Today's 1:05 game will be televised on MASN.

The team still has decisions to make. If you didn't see yesterday, they've made at least one decision by choosing to place Rule 5 outfielder Aneury Tavarez on waivers. That means he's probably gone somewhere, although we won't know where until later. Maybe we'll even find out today! Still to be settled are a couple of bullpen spots and the extra bench spot opened up by Chris Tillman starting out on the disabled list. Oh, and who will start in the fifth starter spot on April 15.

So that's a lot to still figure out. Nothing that happens today should change their minds, unless what happens today is an injury. Let's hope there's not any of that.

Around the blogO'sphere

Alec Asher on trade: "You never think it's going to be you" - School of Roch
The newest Oriole has been traded before, and it seems he was a bit caught off guard by being traded again.

Orioles set up well to platoon, but that strategy could affect young players' development - Baltimore Sun
This article operates under a curious assumption that there is any development for Joey Rickard that could potentially be hampered by his not playing very much.

With a new baseball season here, longtime writer gets to cover Orioles, revel in his first book - Baltimore Sun
You probably don't think about Baltimore's AP sports guy, David Ginsburg, but you've also probably read more of his articles over the years than you know. One time in the press box he was disappointed when I tried to keep a foul ball, which I did not know I was not allowed to keep.

For his latest trick, Cedric Mullins homered off Craig Kimbrel - Steve Melewski
This was from Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, but it was still awesome. Cedric Mullins is on his way to being everyone's favorite Orioles prospect with how he's performed in spring training.

Orioles' Machado, Trumbo could win awards | MLB.com
Machado for MVP, Trumbo for Silver Slugger, Gausman for Cy Young? Not very likely, no, but it's fun to dream.

2017 Front Office Confidence Survey - Preseason Edition - MLB Daily Dish
Do you have thoughts about Dan Duquette? Help our friends over at MLB Daily Dish out by taking their survey and putting in your thoughts about the O's GM.

Uni Watch breaks down the 2017 slate of MLB uniforms (ESPN)
The Orioles will have a special patch for the 25th anniversary of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. If you'd like to know what some other teams will be doing for uniforms this year, you can find out here.

Birthdays and annversaries

There are no former Orioles with birthdays today.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: Later Jin Dynasty founder Shi Jingtang (892), Constantinople re-namer Mehmed the Conqueror (1432), painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853), movie man Warren Beatty (1937), rapper MC Hammer (1962), singer-songwriter Celine Dion (1968), and singer-songwriter Norah Jones (1979).

On this day in history...

In 1856, the signing of the Treaty of Paris ended the Crimean War. The war had lasted about 18 months and had nearly 400,000 fatalities among all combatants.

In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward arranged the purchase of his ice box - or folly, or Alaska - from Russia for a cost of $7.2 million.

In 1885, following the Battle of Kushka, the Panjdeh incident nearly led to war between the British and Russian Empires due in part to British fears of a Russian invasion of India.

In 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley outside of a hotel in Washington, DC. Hinckley's motive for the shooting is that he wanted to impress actress Jodie Foster.

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And that's the way it is in Birdland on March 30 - or at least, unless something happens later, which it probably will, because the Orioles need to do their final roster cuts sooner or later. Have a safe Thursday.