Creed Willems and Douglas Hodo III had successful AFL campaigns, though their team lost last night’s championship.
Hello, friends.
There are currently four months and 10 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2025, where they will be in action in Toronto against the Blue Jays. We’re under three months(ish) until the not-yet-officially-announced date for pitchers and catchers reporting to Sarasota to mark the start of spring training.
Last night marked the final end to any kind of domestic MLB-connected game of baseball. Orioles prospects were among those on the Arizona Fall League’s Surprise Saguaros who were playing for the league championship last night. The team qualified as the top seed of the six teams in the league to make it straight into the final game. Surprise came up short to the Salt River Rafters, losing a 3-2 game.
There are Orioles prospects who can take something positive away from the AFL campaign. The highest-ranked guy in the system sent out there was catcher/first baseman Creed Willems, who put up a nice .891 OPS across 19 games played. Outfielder Douglas Hodo III walked 19 times in 21 games to post a .443 OBP. Hodo also showed off his speed with six doubles, a triple, and nine stolen bases. Not too shabby results.
Pitching-wise, there was not as much to write home about. The best-performing pitcher among the Orioles contingent was a reliever, Zane Barnhart, who struck out seven batters in seven games pitched. Young Juan Rojas, who doesn’t turn 21 until January, pitched 18 innings for the Saguaros, battling some command problems: He walked 12 guys. It’s too many walks! This is common among O’s pitching prospects lately.
From here, if you want baseball, you’ve got to get into winter league baseball. Friends, I don’t have that kind of energy. I’ll be continuing to enjoy the next few months where I have no games to watch.
Around the blogO’sphere
Which Orioles benefit from Walltimore being toppled? (Orioles.com)
The Statcast numbers are in, and they show that Ryan Mountcastle was hosed the most by the wall dimensions, losing 11 home runs over the last three seasons. Recall that the 2025 changes will not put things all the way back to where they were from 2021 and earlier – this is more of a halfway between the old and new change.
Four starting pitchers who make sense for the Orioles (Press Box Online)
Stan Charles surveys a list of starting pitchers whose next contract might not be any longer than three seasons, which could be to Mike Elias’s liking.
Cal Ripken Jr. says a player can find ‘intangible values’ in staying with one franchise (The Baltimore Banner)
Without naming any names, the Orioles franchise legend and now part-owner offered some thoughts on the benefits that come from having a long career with the same team.
Creed Willems on playing for the Arizona Fall League title (Steve Melewski)
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1953, as part of the process of moving to its new city, the baseball team formerly known as the St. Louis Browns officially adopted the name Baltimore Orioles for itself. We’ve been first place alphabetically ever since.
There are a number of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2015 infielder Everth Cabrera, 2008-10 infielder Scott Moore, 2006-14 outfielder Nick Markakis, 2004 outfielder Darnell McDonald, 2005 outfielder Eli Marrero, 1985-86 pitcher Brad Havens, and 1971-73 pitcher Orlando Peña. Today is Peña’s 91st birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: mathematician August Ferdinand Möbius (1790), World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887), folk rocker Gordon Lightfoot (1938), Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels (1944), baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver (1944), TV host RuPaul (1960), and actress Rachel McAdams (1978).
On this day in history…
In 1558, Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, became queen of England following the death of her half-sister, Mary I.
In 1800, the first session of Congress to be held within Washington, DC began.
In 1869, the inauguration of the Suez Canal, which links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea through Egypt, took place. The canal was initially controlled by France.
In 1989, students in Czechoslovakia demonstrated against the Communist government. This protest, once suppressed, launched a broader uprising, the Velvet Revolution, that succeeded in forcing out the government by year’s end.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 17. Have a safe Sunday.