A breakdown of the Irvin deal, the anniversary of the Bedard trade, and Holliday heads to Sarasota.
Good morning, Birdland!
Prepare for the promotional emails. The Orioles are making single-game tickets available for purchase at 10 a.m. today. And even if you don’t have any games picked out just yet, it’s a good opportunity give the schedule another once-over.
The home opener on April 6 against the Yankees is an obvious standout, as is just about every major giveaway day. You can nab various bobbleheads on April 9, May 27, June 10, August 5, and August 26. Mark covered all of these in more depth last month.
Aside from the giveaways, there are plenty of games with on-field relevance or intrigue. The Angels come to Camden Yards from May 15-18, and it’s always worth watching Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. The Rangers come to town May 26-28 if you want to get a look at their new high-priced roster, including Jacob deGrom. Jordan Lyles returns with the Royals June 9-11. Buck Showalter’s Mets stop by August 4-6. And the World Series champion Astros are here August 8-10.
Of course, it’s never a bad time to go to Camden Yards. The stadium continues to be a draw by itself, regardless of the matchup. Plus, with the new concessions vendor coming in there could be a few new snacks to check out. But more than anything, the Orioles roster is better than it has been in some time. No matter what the matchup might be, this feels like a team worth spending some time on.
Links
Orioles top 20 prospects 2023: Keith Law | The Athletic
The love for Frederick Bencosme has been neat to see. He’s a name that started popping up last year. The guy seemed to have two hits and a walk nearly every time it was my turn to write the minor league recaps, and I had never even heard of him. Turns out the O’s signed him for just $10,000, which looks like a shrewd bit of business. He’ll need to conquer Aberdeen first, but a summer stay in Bowie for the 20-year-old may be in his near future.
Orioles Bolster Rotation in Trade with Oakland | FanGraphs
My position on the Cole Irvin trade is that it was smart and logical, but it doesn’t make the Orioles better in a significant way. Provided he stays healthy, the team should have to do less deck shuffling to cover innings, which is certainly a positive, and his lengthy team control is an asset. I’m just not sure that whatever Irvin produces will be too different from what the existing cavalcade would have done in the same innings. That said, the Orioles haven’t worked with him yet, so perhaps there is additional upside to uncover and make me eat these words. I would be fine with that!
Orioles position preview: Starting rotation features best floor, ceiling in years | The Baltimore Sun
One of the biggest reasons for the Orioles’ improvement in 2022 was that the rotation evolved from putrid to competent. Another leap to league average could be transformational, and it’s a goal that seems attainable.
Jackson Holliday heads to early camp to continue winter work with coaches | Steve Melewski
I’m expecting the Orioles to be rather aggressive with Jackson Holliday’s development this year. The 19-year-old probably starts the year with Low-A Delmarva, but an eventual progression to Double-A Bowie by summer’s end seems attainable with a big league debut sometime in 2024 not out of the question. Of course, it all depends on health and performance. Given some of the organization’s more seasoned options at shortstop, there is no reason to over-torque their top pick from 2022.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Félix Pié turns 38 today. He spent three seasons in the Orioles outfield from 2009 through 2011 and became the fourth player in team history to hit for the cycle when he did so on August 14, 2009.
- Bob Oliver (b. 1943, d. 2020) was born on this day. His O’s stint lasted just nine games in 1974.
- The late Hoot Evers (b. 1921, d. 1991) was also born today. He appeared in 108 total games for the Orioles between 1955 and ‘56.
This day in history
2008 – The Orioles trade pitcher Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Adam Jones, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman, Tony Butler, and Kam Mickolio.