Good Morning Birdland,
No one would ever describe the pace of MLB’s offseason as “break neck.” Teams take their time assembling their rosters, and there is no single time period where moves happen in a flurry.
Pre-Thanksgiving tends to be particularly slow.
However, this lull in actual moves does give us all the potential to dream a little bit. The Orioles have already made their biggest change of the “winter” by naming Craig Albernaz as their manager. As the skipper assembles his staff, eyes shift towards Mike Elias and his stated goals of adding a frontline starter, a right-handed bat, and reconstructing the bullpen.
It has been said a few years in a row now, but this really does feel like a consequential offseason for Elias and the Orioles. Their core is talented but coming off of a disappointing season. And some of their biggest names, like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, are only getting more expensive. The front office needs to strike while the iron is hot, and that means getting aggressive this winter.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan agrees. He believes that the Orioles need to make “significant, not stopgap” moves. He names Dylan Cease as the most obvious fit. I can buy that. Cease is volatile on the mound, but can be counted on for innings and has more upside than some of the team’s internal candidates. Since Cease did receive the qualifying offer from the Padres, in order to sign him, the O’s would have to give up their third-highest draft pick in 2026. Could Elias be open to parting with a selection after his big class of picks in 2025?
If the O’s do sign someone like Cease, or any other player that costs a draft pick, it would be a shock to see them also flip big name prospects for the other areas of need. That just would not feel very Elias-y. But we have also never seen an Elias team coming off of a disappointing season like this. Maybe it transforms his thinking a bit.
Links
Dodgers GM Gomes dishes on childhood friend ‘Alby’ | Orioles.com
Yet another ringing endorsement of the Orioles’ new manager. This one is on a far more personal level. Brandon Gomes has known Craig Albernaz since the two were teenagers in Massachussets. It’s pretty remarkable that two kids from the same town rose to such prominent roles in Major League Baseball.
Braves Add Tony Mansolino, J.P. Martinez To Coaching Staff | MLB Trade Rumors
It was previously reported that Mansolino was joining the Braves as their third base coach. However, it is now being said that Mansolino will serve as bench coach instead. That is an important distinction since bench coaches are widely considered to be the second-in-command of the dugout. Filling that role in the Braves organization can better position Mansolino for a full-time manager role at some point.
November isn’t known as busy trade month for Orioles, more Mansolino and mailbag questions | Roch Kubatko
Roch digs through the myriad of legitimate starting pitching options that should be available this winter. It would be neat to see the Orioles add any of them. But Mike Elias has been hesitant to wade into those waters. The guy likes his prospects. We shall see.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Charlie Morton turns 42 today. The tall righty spent this past season in Baltimore. It didn’t get off to the best start, but he turned it around to the point of being a trade candidate at the deadline.
- Sammy Sosa is 57 years old. It remains surreal that Sosa ever played for the Orioles, but it happened. After 13 historic years with the Cubs, the slugger was dealt to the Orioles ahead of the 2005 season. He was bad here (78 OPS+, -1.0 bWAR), but it was still kinda cool.
- The late Don Johnson (b. 1926, d. 2015) was born on this day. He spent the 1955 season on the Orioles pitching staff.
This day in O’s history
1980 – Steve Stone wins the AL Cy Young award. The Orioles pitcher had led the league with 25 wins.
1998 – Relief pitcher Mike Timlin signs a four-year deal with the Orioles.
