Watching some prospects, Eflin starts the opener, and pitcher friendships.
Good Morning Birdland!
Spring training is nearing its end. There’s a full week of games left, and then the teams head out to begin their respective regular seasons. It’s about time. By this point in the spring, the excitement that baseball of any kind has returned wanes a bit, and in it’s place is a yearning for games that actually count. Let’s get this show on the road.
One addition that has broken this monotony is the introduction of the Spring Breakout games. The prospect feature debuted last year, and it seemed like a big success. It’s back again in 2025. Some teams have already had their turn, but the Orioles get their chance tonight in Sarasota.
Prospects of the Orioles and the Yankees will face off at 6:05 tonight. The game can be watched on MLB Network or heard on MLB Audio. Clearly, this is a game that the league wants people to take in, and that is good with me.
The entire roster was already announced, and as expected it is chock full of familiar youngsters. Samuel Basallo is the one with the reputation, but the Orioles haven’t exactly hidden him this spring. The guy’s tools and performance speak for itself. He will be in Baltimore sometime this summer.
It could prove more interesting to get eyes on the players that have spent most of their time in minor league camp. That includes recent draft picks like Vance Honeycutt or Griff O’Ferrall, or one of the many unheralded pitchers set to appear.
A season ago, Jackson Holliday and the the Orioles played Paul Skenes and the Pirates in this spot. The Orioles lost 3-1, and only managed one hit (Enrique Bradfield Jr.), but Cade Povich did well (three innings, one earned run, four strikeouts). Hopefully the offense provides a bit more support this time around.
Links
How to watch the Orioles’ Spring Breakout game | MLB.com
A national TV audience for the Orioles (and Yankees) youngsters is pretty cool. Go impress some people, fellas!
‘Blast off!’ Eflin’s family tells him he’s O’s Opening Day starter | MLB.com
Adorable! Also, not a terribly surprising outcome. Who else was going to start Opening Day for the Orioles? Grayson Rodriguez may have been a contender prior to his injury, but even then Eflin was the most likely choice.
Orioles notes and thoughts on Eflin, Rutschman, position players, baserunning, Mateo and Bautista | Roch Kubatko
I love that the Orioles are planning to run more this season. The ran early last year and then largely abandoned it. It sounds like they will try to keep their foot on the gas this season.
The breakfast club: How a daily ritual has shaped these Orioles pitchers’ careers | The Baltimore Banner
It’s always interesting to hear which guys are besties on the team. On top of the Kremer/Bradish friendship we have the six guys sharing a house in Siesta Key this spring.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Freddie Bynum is 45 years old. He was a utility option for the Orioles between the 2007 and ‘08 seasons.
- Mike Pagliarulo also turns 65 today. The infielder spent the final month-and-a-half of the 1993 season with the O’s, and put up big offensive numbers (143 OPS+).
- Harold Baines celebrates his 66th birthday. The Hall of Famer had three stints with the Orioles, first from 1993-95, then again from 1997-99, and again in 2000. In total, he spent parts of seven seasons in Baltimore and was worth 9.5 bWAR in that time.
This day in history
There’s no major Orioles history on March 15, according to Baseball Reference. So, instead, here are a few happenings from beyond Birdland:
1783 – George Washington, then the commander of the Continental Army, gives a speech to ask his officers not to support the Newburgh Conspiracy.
1820 – Maine is admitted as the 23rd state.
1877 – The first official cricket test match is played. It’s Australia vs. England in Melbourne.