Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you’re staying warm after yet another Sunday snowstorm. The difference between yesterday’s snow and the storm a few weeks ago is that, at least now we have spring training to distract us.
The good news is that there has been no more injury news to add to the list, if you don’t count Payton Eeles coming out of yesterday’s game after colliding with Enrique Bradfield, Jr. And no offense to Mr. Eeles, but I do not.
Yesterday, the Orioles and Tigers kissed their sisters with a 4-4 tie at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland. The Orioles took a 4-3 lead into the ninth, but someone named Andrew Magno could not lock down the win.
There were pitchers you have heard of in yesterday’s game as well. Kyle Bradish made his first start of spring. It started well with a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 first inning. But things fell apart a bit in the second as he allowed three hits and walked a batter. Manager Craig Albernaz liked what he saw, as quoted in Roch Kubatko’s game story. Per Alby, “Sinker had some good movement on it, slider shape was really good. To me it was an encouraging first outing for KB.”
Bradish was followed by Brandon Young, who allowed a run on a home run to former Oriole Austin Slater. Relief pitchers on the 40-man roster, Cameron Foster and Anthony Nunez, pitched a scoreless inning each.
On offense, the Orioles got home runs from Pete Alonso and Heston Kjerstad. Kjerstad continues to impress this spring. If he can keep it up over the next month, might he even break camp with the team? As for Alonso, we were promised dingers and we are getting dingers! The Polar Bear has now homered in as many games as he has played as an Oriole. I am in favor of him keeping that up.
The Orioles are back home in Sarasota today to face the Atlanta Braves. Cade Povich is scheduled to start for the Orioles. If you want to watch this game, however, you are out of luck. There is no television or local radio broadcast. If you want to tune in, your only option is the Braves radio broadcast. I have to warn you, though. Listening to an away team’s radio feed during spring training is real sicko behavior.
Finally, today is Monday. That means there is a new episode of Good Morning, Birdland waiting for you! Tune in to hear Mark Brown’s thoughts on the current state of the Orioles.
Links
Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg on his elbow injury: It ‘wears on you mentally’ – The Baltimore Banner
It’s hard not to feel bad for Westburg. I didn’t know he had been feeling elbow pain for years.
Wondering whether Wolfram could be third lefty in relief – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko takes a look at the possible bullpen makeup. Grant Wolfram was not a great in 21 games last year, but he may get another chance.
Conger brings playing, coaching experience to Orioles’ bullpen – Baltimore Baseball
Rich Dubroff catches up with the new bullpen coach, Hank Conger.
Why the Baltimore Orioles are having a Tupac Shakur bobblehead giveaway – The Athletic
The Orioles’ promotion department thinks this will be the most anticipated giveaway they have ever had. Even more than the Buck Showalter snow globe??
Frederick Keys announce a 2026 promotional schedule – The Frederick News-Post
The Orioles and Keys are reunited after several years apart.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have two Orioles birthday buddies, John Shelby (68) and Bobby Bonilla (63). Shelby played for the Orioles from his Major League debut in 1981 until he was traded to the Dodgers in May 1987. He was the first base coach for the Orioles from 2008-2010. Bonilla was traded to the Orioles by the Mets at the trade deadline in 1995 and played with them through the 1996 season.
On this day in 2016, news broke that the Orioles were signing Dexter Fowler to a three-year contract. Two days later, Fowler appeared at the Cubs spring training having signed a one-year deal with them. It was one of the more perplexing non-deals I can remember. It worked out well for Fowler, who had the best year of his career as the Cubs won the World Series. Hard not to imagine how much better the 2016 Orioles could have been with Fowler and his .393 OBP at the top of the lineup.