Oriole fans have Rays’ rooting interest in World Series

When the Orioles’ season ends, many fans lose interest in postseason baseball and turn their full attention to the Ravens. This season might be different. Several fans I’ve talked to have temporarily adopted the Tampa Bay Rays, and are rooting for them against the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series that begins on Friday. It’s […]

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Bird Tapes Photo Album: Baltimore’s Blonde Broomgirl

In the years when games at Memorial Stadium felt like a family affair, a Baltimore police lieutenant’s daughter became everyone’s kid sister. A classic photo evokes the era. When the Orioles were at their on-field peak in the late ’60s and early ’70s, every game at Memorial Stadium felt like a family affair. The crowds […]

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New GM Banner draws rave reviews: ‘The Orioles made a tremendous hire’

Oriole fans were surprised by the hiring of 40-year-old Jared Banner as general manager on Monday. President of baseball operations Mike Elias, who made the hire, had said the team needed help in the front office at the team’s season-ending news conference on September 28th. “The answer is ‘good people,’ and it’s case-by-case and it’s […]

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Would a No. 1 starter have turned around Orioles’ season? | MAILBAG

Question: If the O’s signed any of the top free-agent pitchers — Dylan Cease, Ranger Suárez, Framber Valdez — would the team results been any better? Cease was signed so quickly that they never really had a chance, but Toronto struggled, same as the O’s.  Suárez had a nice season with Boston, but not sure […]

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Orioles are hiring Jared Banner as general manager

The Orioles are hiring Jared Banner as General Manager. Banner had been with the Chicago Cubs since December 2020, most recently as assistant general manager. President of baseball operations Mike Elias said that he was looking for new ideas from outsiders in the front office. Elias was promoted from general manager to his current position […]

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Orioles have intriguing outfield prospects, but need outside help for 2027

The 2026 season wasn’t a good one for Oriole outfielders. They didn’t have an outfielder who hit 15 home runs, drove in 60 runs or batted over .230. Taylor Ward, their most productive outfielder, was traded to Seattle on August 3rd after hitting .246 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs. Ward hit 36 home […]

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Would Orioles trade Henderson, Holliday or Westburg? | MAILBAG

Question: Do you think Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg or Gunnar Henderson would be traded? Since the club traded Adley Rutschman, I think that the everyone is available. From: Rick Potlock Answer: Rick, I don’t think the Rutschman trade indicates that everyone is available, but I think it shows that Mike Elias isn’t reluctant to trade […]

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Reviewing the surprising Orioles’ bullpen of 2026

The Orioles’ disappointing season can be attributed to poor offensive and defensive performances by key players, and injuries to some others. It can’t be attributed to the bullpen. Perhaps the most surprising stat about Oriole relievers is that they pitched the fourth-fewest innings in baseball, 573. Only the Dodgers, Phillies and Mariners used the bullpen […]

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Calling the Pen: Influencing the next generation of Oriole fans

The day after the Orioles had officially been eliminated from postseason play, Pete Alonso was still playing as though he hadn’t gotten the memo. In what turned out to be their final day of the 2026 season, the 31-year-old first baseman hit two more home runs in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Yankees. […]

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Rubenstein on owning the Orioles: ‘It’s not as easy as I thought’

Few professional sports owners write books about their teams. Orioles owner David Rubenstein is an exception. Last month, Rubenstein’s book, “Inside the Owner’s Box” was published, and on Thursday night, he joined three owners of Washington sports teams in a forum at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., which he chairs. Rubenstein, who declined interview […]

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Who should Orioles protect in Rule 5 draft? | MAILBAG

Question: How does the expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement impact the Rule 5 draft and which minor leaguers do you think the O’s should protect? From: TheObxr. Answer: Stu, if there’s a lockout, it’s likely that the Rule 5 draft will be canceled. In the lockout of 2021-2022, there was no Rule 5 draft. However, the […]

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Peter Schmuck: Orioles can’t let possibility of a lockdown lull them to sleep

I’m pretty sure Mike Elias already knows this, but the Orioles need to proceed into this important offseason as if the 2027 season is going to begin on time. Because it probably will. The doomsayers think otherwise, of course. The current labor agreement between the 30 club owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association […]

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Bird Tapes Podcast: A New Interview with Fred Manfra

The retired broadcaster chronicles his journey from a blue-collar Baltimore childhood to his quarter-century as ‘Voice of the Orioles.’ I don’t know how many games Fred Manfra worked during his 25 years as one of the Orioles’ radio voices, but it’s a big number, well into the thousands — so big that Manfra became as […]

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Oriole priorities in a likely shorter offseason

When Mike Elias makes a major move, there’s little or no advance warning. Over the last 14 months, the Orioles president of baseball operations signed catcher Samuel Basallo and pitchers Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish and Yennier Cano to extensions, first baseman Pete Alonso to an enormous five-year contract and pulled off three surprising trades. None […]

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What’s the biggest mistake the Orioles have made since 2024? | MAILBAG

Question: The question of what mistakes were made and what went wrong with the Orioles has to be traced back to the All-Star break in 2024. Prior to that date, the O’s were performing very well. Thus, what mistakes did Mike Elias and the various managers make from the All-Star break in 2024 to now? […]

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Summing up the Orioles’ season with Rico Garcia

Rico Garcia appeared in 75 games, tied for third most in the American League, and tied for fifth most in the majors. Those 75 appearances were the most by an Oriole since Jamie Walker’s team record 81 in 2007. Garcia had a brilliant start to his season, not allowing a hit in his first 11 […]

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Do small-spending teams have an advantage over Orioles? | MAILBAG

Question: Looking at the playoff teams, the ones in and the ones out, there doesn’t seem to be a good correlation between money spent by teams and their performance. Do you think that good management is more important than money spent by teams? Take Baltimore, for example, compared to Cleveland, Chicago, and Tampa Bay, all […]

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Calling the Pen: Remembering when 21 strikeouts was a big deal

The futility of the Chicago White Sox in their 2-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night made me think of a night in Baltimore in 1962. It was the September night when the Washington Senators’ Tom Cheney struck out 21 Orioles in a 2-1 win. One notable difference: It took the White Sox […]

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Was Frank Robinson an overlooked Oriole? | MAILBAG

Question: Why is there very little mention about Frank ‘s Robinson’s extraordinary season in 1966 when he won the Triple crown — 326 average, 49 home runs, 122 RBIs, .410 on-base percentage and 367 total bases. He was also the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues. From: Oscar Nottingham Answer: Oscar, […]

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Major decisions face Orioles in upcoming weeks

On Monday, the Orioles’ offseason will be two weeks old, and while nothing has happened publicly, decisions are being made. With a lockout almost assuredly approaching on December 1st, November is likely to be a frantic month. If the lockout goes as it did in the 2021-2022 offseason, it will leave the Orioles with little […]

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Wondering how Orioles would have fared in the postseason

If you’ve been watching the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians grapple through four interminable games, you might wonder how the Orioles would have matched up with them. The Orioles spent the last weeks of the season chasing these two teams, and finished 4 ½ games behind the White Sox, who were the final wild-card […]

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Orioles prospect Ethan Anderson turned on the power at Chesapeake

One of the nicest surprises of the Orioles’ minor league season was the power displayed by Ethan Anderson. A native of Hawaii, who grew up in the Norfolk area, Anderson was drafted as a catcher/first baseman from the University of Virginia in the second round in 2024. In 2025, Anderson’s first full season of professional […]

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Do you think Albernaz should have publicly criticized Oriole players? | MAILBAG

Question: With the Orioles’ 2026 year ending, I’m interested in your thoughts about mangers criticizing players publicity. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has been critical of several players, including Jeremiah Jackson, Rece Hines and Samuel Basallo. It seems unprofessional to me. Accountability is important but should be addressed privately. I was impressed by the way Brandon […]

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Blaze Alexander is the other MVO, Most Versatile Oriole

Pete Alonso was unanimously voted the MVO, Most Valuable Oriole. There’s another MVO on the team, Most Versatile Oriole, and that’s Blaze Alexander. Alexander was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks just before spring training, and despite playing only 11 games in the second half of the season because of stints on the injured list for […]

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Have the Orioles traded away too many good prospects? | MAILBAG

Question: The poor draft choices and/or ongoing development of prospects has been well documented, but it is interesting to ponder the prospects that we have traded elsewhere who then blossomed or at least matured into viable players. Kyle Stowers comes to mind as he never fully received an opportunity at the big league level until […]

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Calling the Pen: There was wisdom in Palmer’s suggestion for Albernaz

I’ve been fortunate to have good doctors throughout my life, and that includes the dentists, even though it concerned me when they removed my wisdom teeth. There was one visit I regretted, though, and it had nothing to do with what happened in the dentist chair. I had an appointment on October 6th, 1966. I […]

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Throwback to 1991: Orioles in the Dominican Republic

I went there to write about the Orioles’ scouting efforts. It was an unforgettable trip. This post includes an audiobook-style reading of my award-winning article. (Note from John: In 1991, the Baltimore Sun sent me to the Dominican Republic to write about the Orioles’ scouting efforts there. It was among the most memorable and poignant […]

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Calling the Pen: Chourio’s clutch hit for Brewers is his Delmon Young moment; Small ball big for Rays

The stadium was shaking, maybe more than it ever did before. The hit was clutch, and perhaps a bit unexpected. October 4th, 2026 in Milwaukee? Or October 3rd, 2014 in Baltimore? In both cases, the fans celebrated in a way that won’t be forgotten. The postseason produces moments that outshine those that happen in the […]

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Why do Orioles have to pay Gunnar Henderson such a large salary in 2027? | MAILBAG

Question: Are sports one of the only “businesses” [maybe tech, finance or auto CEO?] where you can perform poorly and still get a massive raise?  I’m thinking especially of Henderson with the jump from $8.5 to $14.1 million, but some other O’s players fit this category as well.  And someone gets a raise even without […]

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Blink 21–These players were Orioles for a short time in 2026

The Orioles used 60 players this season, 10 fewer than last season’s record of 70. That’s still a lot of turnover. Twenty-one of those 60, more than a third, had bit roles, position players who appeared in fewer than 20 games or pitchers who threw in six games or fewer. A handful of those 21 […]

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