Brian Ebel exits the organization, preparing to spend this winter, and spring speculation.
Good Morning, Birdland,
Even more changes are coming to the Orioles’ clubhouse. It was reported by The Athletic on Tuesday that head athletic trainer Brian Ebel would be departing his role.
At the moment, it is unclear if Ebel is leaving on his own accord, or if the organization has fired the 40-year veteran. The Orioles have been hit by several high-profile injuries in the last year or so, but many of them were elbow injuries to pitchers. Would it make sense to hold a trainer responsible? It does not feel like it, but who knows.
This could also be a place where the Orioles wanted to change the voice in the room a bit. Players spend a lot of time with trainers over the course of a 162-game season. Ebel had been with the Orioles, in some capacity, for a long time. Some staleness can set it from both sides.
And of course, it is entirely possible that Ebel himself was over the grind of being the head athletic trainer for a Major League Baseball team. It’s a huge commitment, he had been doing it for seven years, and had been part of the major league staff for even longer than that. Maybe he was personally ready for a change.
We won’t know for sure until more reporting comes out. All things considered, a change at athletic trainer does not feel like a seismic shift for the organization. Injuries cannot be chalked up to any one person, and all public indications are that Ebel was fantastic at his job.
But in late October, when the team is sitting at home, there are only so many things to talk about. So, here we are.
Links
The Orioles pulled off the rebuild. Now they plan to spend. | The Baltimore Banner
It should be an exciting winter for the Orioles. They have money to spend, and a talented roster. This is not a situation we have seen Mike Elias navigate yet as the boss. The Orioles need to win a playoff game in 2025. What they do in December and January will have a bit impact on if that can happen.
Some early ideas about spring training storylines | Roch Kubatko
It is quite tough to think about this prior to free agency even opening. But I think that I will personally be watching the young players: Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, and throw Heston Kjerstad in there. Will the team leave openings for them? Elias has never been one to let an unproven player walk into a job, but those three could be different.
Fernando Valenzuela Passes Away | MLB Trade Rumors
Better known for his tremendous run with the Dodgers in the ‘80s, Valenzuela was an Oriole in 1993. We can surely expect the Dodgers to honor Fernando mania at the World Series in the days ahead.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Kyle Gibson turns 37 today. The veteran righty spent just one season in Baltimore (2023), but it was a fun one. He served as a leader and steady hand for a club that won 101 games.
- The late Vern Stephens (b. 1920, d. 1968) was born on this day. He came to Baltimore with the St. Louis Browns organization, and then went on to play in 104 games for the Orioles between 1954-55.
This day in O’s history
1998 – Former Orioles manager Davey Johnson is hired to be Dodgers skipper. Despite being named Manager of the Year with the O’s in 1997, Johnson left the position after an extended feud with team owner Peter Angelos.