Monday Bird Droppings: Waiting on the wheeling and dealing

Nov 21, 2022 - 12:00 PM

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Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving? I am in charge of pies this year, I’ll be whipping up pumpkin, chocolate, and pecan for a large group at my parents’ house. Just a few more days of work and then a long weekend with lots of family and food.

It was a quiet weekend for the Orioles and this week will likely be more of the same. With the holiday coming up, traditionally it’s a quiet week. But coming out of the holiday we’ll get the winter meetings, which run 4-7 December in San Diego. Is that where Mike Elias will start wheeling and dealing?

Per the below link from Roch Kubatko, the Orioles have been setting up meetings with multiple free agent pitchers. That’s exciting! But don’t expect to get details on those anytime soon, as the Elias administration is notoriously leakproof. One bit of cold water is Kubatko’s assertion that the Orioles won’t be going after the top tier of pitching free agents.

It’s not that we couldn’t have assumed that would be the case, but it still is disappointing to read about. For the first time in a long time we’ve been given the chance to dream and it is fun to dream big.

Speaking of dreaming, our free agent target posts will continue this week even with the holiday this week. Four more free-agent posts will go up between today and Wednesday. Maybe one of them will even be about a future Oriole! Which free agents would you target if you were in charge?

Links

Denoyer on making the 40-man roster and enjoying the journey - MASN Sports
Noah Denoyer has made great strides recently, and now he has a spot on the 40-man roster.

Taking another look at Orioles’ offseason interests - MASN Sports
More from Roch Kubatko on what kind of players the Orioles could be going after. Lots of speculation in here with a bit of source info. Lefty corner outfielders, first basemen, and designated hitters are on the wish list.

The Top 10 Landing Spots for Giants' Carlos Rodón in MLB Free Agency | Bleacher Report
This article ranks the Orioles as the 7th most likely team to sign Carlos Rodón. That's a chance!

Where will MLB’s Big 4 Free Agent Shortstops Land? - Belly Up Sports
I don’t know who Belly Up Sports is but I can only assume they are super credible and dialed in to some good sources as they predict that Carlos Correa will sign with the Orioles.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have two minor Orioles’ birthday buddies. Jason Garcia turns 30 today. Garcia was one of the many rule 5 draft picks that Dan Duquette tried out. The Astros took Garcia in the rule 5 draft, then sold him to the Orioles.

Garcia spent 2015 with the Orioles, pitching in 21 games with a 4.25 ERA. Garcia was optioned to the minors after the Orioles held on to him through 2015. He never appeared in the majors again.

Also celebrating today is Quintin Berry (38). Berry appeared in 10 games with the 2014 Orioles, eight of those as a pinch runner. He was also a noted childhood friend of Orioles legend Adam Jones.

On this day in 1977, Eddie Murray was awarded the AL Rookie of the Year award. He did not get the coolest Orioles award, but he should have.