But will they find it?
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! If you’re in the central Maryland area, you are hopefully hunkered down for what should be a good-sized snowstorm. I am writing this before a single flake has fallen, but I anticipate a day with a snowball fight with my kid, hot chocolate, and movies on the couch.
A day like today makes baseball seem very far away, but the fact is that spring training is just over a month away. When that day arrives, it’ll be green grass and blue skies. It’ll be here before we know it. But what will that Orioles team look like?
A story from Ken Rosenthal came out yesterday in The Athletic with the title, “Orioles’ tepid offseason makes them unlikely to unseat Yankees as AL favorites.” People like to hate on Rosenthal but, honestly, find the lie in that headline. In the article, Rosenthal details what we already know about the Orioles’ offseason thus far and the ways they have missed out on improving.
One thing he does say, though, is that a source says the Orioles hope to add more pitching before the season starts. Despite signing Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton, we all know they still need more. Maybe they could try acquiring someone under 35 the next time?
Jack Flaherty, Dylan Cease, Pablo López, and Luis Castillo are all mentioned as options, with only Flaherty being a free agent. After his performance with the Orioles in 2023, most fans would rather not see a reunion between the two. The biggest issue with Cease is that he’d require prospects for just a one-year return.
MLB Trade Rumors took note of Rosenthal’s article and added additional analysis. One of their specific points is that while the Orioles do need better pitching, the fact is right now they have kind of a lot. They suggest the possibility of using Dean Kremer as part of a trade package to bring back either Castillo or López.
Kremer has been a steady presence in the rotation the past few years, but his results have been that of someone you want at the very back of the rotation rather than in the middle or higher. I have a soft spot for Kremer and I keep hoping he’ll turn a corner. He has shown the ability but he cannot keep it together over a full season. I would miss him if he were traded, but suspect I’d get over it rather quickly if it meant the rotation were in a better place.
Of course, with our luck Dean would go on to have a great season for the Twins or Mariners or wherever he ended up.
Links
Eight teams with the most work to do before 2025 season – MLB.com
Everywhere you look, someone is telling the Orioles to do more.
Another trio of Orioles questions to ponder – MASN Sports
The MASN mailbag questions are getting bleak. Who is the person asking about Nick Gordon?
How the Charlie Morton signing affects the outlook for the Orioles – The Baltimore Banner
Jon Meoli is like, “It could be worse!” Great.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies. Kevin Gausman, a pitcher the Orioles could certainly use right now, turns 34 years old today. Gausman is headed into the fourth year of his five-year contract with the Blue Jays. He pitched for the Orioles from 2013-18.
Also born on this day in history are relief pitchers Brian Bass (43) and Norm Charlton (62), and outfielder Lenny Green (b. 1933, d. 2019)
On this day in 2004, the Orioles signed Javy López to a three-year contract. It was part of a big offseason for the Orioles that didn’t turn out as hoped.
In 2009, the Orioles signed Koji Uehara to a two-year contract. Uehara came to the Orioles from Japan. Uehara struggled as a starter but thrived once moving to the bullpen. In 86 games in relief, he pitched to a 2.27 ERA while averaging over 11 strikeouts per nine innings.
In 2011, Derrek Lee signed a one-year deal with Baltimore. It did not go well. After 85 games that year he was traded to the Pirates.
In 2017, the Orioles traded Yovani Gallardo to the Mariners for outfielder Seth Smith. Gallardo was terrible for the Orioles and continued to be terrible for the Mariners. Smith had a cromulent year with the Orioles with a .340 OBP in 111 games. 2017 was his final year in the majors.