Hello, friends.
There are 136 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game, Opening Day 2027. I cannot stress enough that there is no guarantee at this point of there being a game on that day.
The early days of the baseball offseason have not brought much in the way of big news for any team, and certainly not much in the way of news for the Orioles. With the owner-imposed lockout looming, I am curious when that will change, or if it will change. The month of November is usually not full of big moves.
Circumstances are different this time around, with this month probably being the only month where teams can plan for next year’s roster without having to rush around wildly in what will probably be a hectic short time between when negotiations are concluded and a potentially belated spring training starts up. Maybe this week’s GM meetings, usually a low-key affair that’s more about laying groundwork for later conversations and decisions, will spark more activity than usual. Or maybe not. I don’t know.
One thing I do know is that when Mike Elias has something big brewing, there is rarely a steady stream of rumors about it. The moves almost seem to come out of nowhere. If Elias is making an attempt to re-sign Trevor Rogers, we aren’t going to know about it until that’s what happens. It’s unlikely that we’ll know afterwards how close he came, if he even tried. If it’s not your job to sit around and react to Orioles news, I suggest that you don’t hold your breath waiting for anything.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
We are well into the time of year where diligent daily Bird Droppings readers may see repeats. It’s almost certainly not getting better in December.
Could Holliday be an Orioles trade candidate this winter? (Orioles.com)
If you really like Blaze Alexander, really believe in Jordan Westburg’s return, really think Coby Mayo’s second half of the season development is for real, and really feel that Christian Encarnacion-Strand is the next Ryan O’Hearn-type success story by the Orioles… well, Jackson Holliday is the guy who gets left out of that picture, or perhaps should be left out. The question, of course, is what does Mike Elias believe about all of those things?
Posing three questions related to Orioles roster decisions (School of Roch)
Roch is thinking about whether the Orioles have any particular needs for left-handed pitchers or right-handed outfield bats.
Son of Orioles great brings “instant credibility” to Coppin State baseball (The Baltimore Sun)
Steven Bumbry, son of Al, and himself a former Orioles minor leaguer, has joined the Golden Eagles coaching staff.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1966, Frank Robinson was unanimously named the MVP of the American League, becoming the first player to ever win the award in both the AL and the NL. This was the season where Robinson won the batting Triple Crown, the only Orioles player to ever do so.
In 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. was named as the AL MVP for the second time in his career, winning 15 of 28 first place votes. With 11.5 bWAR that season, Cal completely out-classed the league, with no other player even within 3.5 bWAR of himself.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2000 hitter Carlos Casimiro, 1994 outfielder Dwight Smith, and 1955 outfielder Wally Westlake.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: astronomer Edmond Halley (1656), game maker Milton Bradley (1836), Dracula author Bram Stoker (1847), author Kazuo Ishiguro (1954), and actor Matthew Rhys (1974).
On this day in history…
In 1602, Oxford’s Bodleian Library opened to the public. The largest library at the university remains open to the public today.
In 1889, Montana was admitted to the United States, becoming the 41st state.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 8. Have a safe Sunday.
