The offseason continues with little action so far.
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters. And happy Veterans Day to the anyone reading who has served our country. We appreciate you and thank you for your service.
There has still been little movement for the Orioles on the offseason front and nothing happened this weekend. On Friday, Baseball Digest named their 2024 Rookies of the Year. Paul Skenes took home the award for the National League with the Yankees’ Luis Gil getting the award for the American League.
The BBWAA Rookie of the Year awards will be handed out in a week, on November 18th. The AL race is considered to be down to Gil and Colton Cowser. In the Baseball Digest award, Gil edged Cowser by just four points. Gil received six first-place votes and Cowser received three. We’ll have to wait a week to see if the BBWAA voters value Cowser’s solid season over Gil’s.
Cowser had an OPS+ of 123 and showed himself to be valuable defender. It wasn’t a season for the ages, but very solid and more than many expected from the rookie. Gil pitched to a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts for the Yankees, though much of that was fueled by an incredible May in which he gave up just three runs across six starts.
Coming up even sooner are the Silver Sluggers, which will be awarded tomorrow. Three Orioles are in the mix as Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, and Anthony Santander are finalists at their positions. Henderson and Santander are up against Bobby Witt, Jr. and Juan Soto, so hopefully they are honored to just be nominated. But Westburg has a good shot in the utility category.
Links
Orioles will adjust to new role in free-agent market – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Rich Dubroff’s thoughts on the Orioles 2024 offseason.
Mets’ free agent lefty is the wrong choice for Orioles this winter – Birds Watcher
Just say no to Sean Manaea, says Tim Smart.
O’s fans will be watching to see if the Yankees lose a big free agent fish – MASN Sports
With no Orioles news to report, Steve Melewski takes a look at the Juan Soto offseason frenzy.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Vinny Nittoli turns 34 years old today. If you were paying close attention to the Orioles on July 13th and July 23rd, you might remember him. Those were the two days he pitched for the Orioles this past season.
Also born on this day are J.R. House (45) and Ike Delock (b. 1929, d. 2022). House was on of those players who fans during the dark days thought might be some kind of answer. But like the rest of those guys, he wasn’t. He appeared in 19 games for the 2007 team as part of a 32-game career.
Ike Delock spent 11 seasons pitching for the Boston Red Sox and the finished his career with seven games for the 1973 Orioles.
On this day in 1953, Jimmy Dykes was hired to be the manager for the inaugural 1954 Orioles. He managed the team for just that year.
In 1970, Boog Powell was named the AL Most Valuable Player. Powell hit 35 home runs with a .412 OBP. His win came one year after he was runner-up to Harmon Killebrew in 1969.
In 1982, Joe Altobelli was named as the replacement for retiring Earl Weaver. He inherited a pretty good team.
And in 2014, Buck Showalter was named Manager of the Year after leading the Orioles to their first division title in 17 years. Big day in history for Orioles managers!