In his first press conference since naming Mike Elias GM in November 2018, Orioles chairman and CEO John Angelos — the eldest son of longtime O’s owner and Baltimore stalwart Peter Angelos — addressed several topics of note, including the ongoing lockout, the club’s confidence in Elias and manager Brandon Hyde, and the future of Oriole Park at Camden Yards (per Dan Connolly of The Athletic). The younger Angelos didn’t announce anything concrete at the conference (aside from plans to host Paul McCartney at Camden Yards in June, while the Orioles are on the road), but he did discuss ongoing negotiations with the Maryland Stadium Authority regarding a long-term lease on the stadium that would see it used more frequently as a concert venue. The club’s current lease on Camden Yards — long considered the jewel of the ’90s and ’00s “retro” ballpark era, as well as one of the most affordable for fans — runs through 2023.
Angelos, a known advocate for increased revenue sharing and a robust competitive balance tax, officially took over day-to-day operation of the club in 2019 (alongside his brother Louis) and assumed his current titles in 2020. He didn’t break any news with regard to CBA negotiations but did express optimism that the season would start on time; the Orioles are slated to host the Blue Jays on March 31st. He also gave a fairly direct vote of confidence to both Elias and Hyde, saying that “all news is good” as the team — which has one of the best farm systems in the game but one of the weakest big-league rosters — begins to emerge from a half-decade rebuild.
- Speaking after Angelos at the same press conference, Orioles GM Mike Elias expressed excitement to get the season started but declined to discuss roster plans, saying only that “we’ll get into talking about roster composition when the time is right” (via Roch Kubatko of MASN). He did acknowledge, however, that the club’s infield plans remain very much in flux, with only first base (where Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle will likely share time, presuming Mancini isn’t traded) and perhaps second (the O’s signed Rougned Odor to a one-year deal just ahead of the lockout) settled at this point. Elias and manager Brandon Hyde will bring a slew of minor-league left-side infield options to camp (third baseman Gunnar Henderson headlines the bunch in a system that’s stacked at just about every position), though only Terrin Vavra and Jahmai Jones are likely to compete for an Opening Day roster spot; Joseph Ortiz and Cadyn Grenier could also see time in the bigs at some point in 2022. As things stand, Kelvin Gutierrez (acquired in a July trade with the Royals last year) is likely in pole position to open the season at the hot corner, with Jones and Ramon Urias (a 2020 waiver claim from the Cardinals) set to duke it out at short.