The Orioles announced a slew of front office promotions and swung a minor trade on the first day of the MLB offseason.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The 2024 baseball season has been over for all of one day, and the Orioles have wasted no time kicking off the hot stove action.
OK, maybe “action” is a bit strong. They didn’t land a prominent free agent or swing a major trade. Those things hopefully will be on the agenda for later this offseason. For now, the O’s made a minor deal, reacquiring outfielder Daz Cameron from the Athletics for cash considerations.
This is the second time the Orioles have acquired Cameron, whom Mike Elias drafted in the first round as the Astros’ scouting director in 2015. Cameron spent the 2023 season in the O’s organization but never got a major league call-up, posting a .798 OPS in 110 games for Triple-A Norfolk. Last year he got a more extended opportunity with the Athletics but batted just .200/.258/.329 in 66 games. Cameron’s MLB career also includes three underwhelming seasons with the Tigers, who obtained him in the Justin Verlander trade in 2017.
Just as in 2023, Cameron will probably just serve as minor league depth for the Orioles next year, if he even lasts the whole offseason on the 40-man roster. He doesn’t seem like the type of player you need to pounce on immediately when the offseason starts, but I guess the O’s just like him. If they want to keep up their one-trade-a-day pace for the remainder of the offseason, I’d be fine with that. At least there’d be plenty of Orioles content to write about.
Links
Is this one way the O’s offense could take a step forward next season? – Steve Melewski
The eye test tells us that the Orioles were overly aggressive with two strikes this season, but what do the stats say? Melewski investigates.
Could Westburg sign an extension with Orioles? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
I was going to say that Jordan Westburg would be a great candidate to sign a reasonable extension before I learned that Scott Boras is his agent. Oh well.
Chris Holt leaves role as Orioles’ pitching director – The Baltimore Sun
This departure surprises me a bit. Holt seemed to do a decent job as the Orioles’ pitching coach a couple years ago. But speaking as someone who wouldn’t recognize him if he came up to me and said, “Hi, I’m Chris Holt,” perhaps I’m not the most informed authority on this matter.
Orioles announce series of front office promotions (Holt leaves organization, Cameron acquired) – School of Roch
The Orioles announced a slew of other front office moves, too, and Roch Kubatko has the details. Best of luck to all these folks in their new roles.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Today would have been the 64th birthday of Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, who sadly passed away last week, just before his longtime team went on to win the World Series. That one’s for you, Fernando. The lefty spent the 1993 season with the Birds. Other former Orioles born on Nov. 1 include right-hander Eric Hanhold (31), infielder Steven Tolleson (41), and the late utility man Jim Pyburn (b. 1932, d. 2011).
On this date in 1960, infielder Ron Hansen became the first Oriole to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, thanks to a 22-homer, 86-RBI season. Hansen garnered 22 of the 24 first-place votes — and the other two also went to Orioles, Chuck Estrada and Jim Gentile. It was a good year to be an O’s rookie.
And on this date in 1979, the Orioles got a new owner when Edward Bennett Williams bought the team from Jerold Hoffberger, who had owned the club for its first 24 years in Baltimore. Williams, who paid a reported $12.3 million for the team, held ownership of the Orioles for nearly a decade until his death in 1988.