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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

 Orioles' working cutter back into repertoire after healthy 2016 The Sun 1/31  Sisco checks in on Top 100 Prospects list MLB.com 1/28  Brach’s knack for picking up wins MASNsports.com 1/31  A special FanFest “Mo-ment” and other notes MASNsports.com 1/31  Orioles Fans Gear Up For 2017 Season At FanFest CBS Baltimore 1/28  Orioles Will Feature A Familiar Cast Of Characters In 2017 CBS Baltimore 1/30  Orioles Fans Score Dream Week on the Suncoast SNN News 1/26  Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Outfield D; contract talks; rotation depth; FanFest BaltimoreBaseball.com 1/30

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-dylan-bundy-working-cutter-back- into-repertoire-after-healthy-2016-20170130-story.html

Orioles' Dylan Bundy working cutter back into repertoire after healthy 2016

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun January 31, 2017

"My goal is to come into spring training and work and prove everybody that I belong there in the starting rotation," said Dylan Bundy when asked about helping this year's Oriole team.

Dylan Bundy is working to add his cutter back to the mix in 2017, but says he can get by without it.

Late last season, Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy had enough major league experience under his belt to know that his most valuable weapon as a prospect might be helpful to have at the game’s highest level, too.

Bundy came up throwing a cut fastball, but in his first fully healthy season since 2012, he decided not to throw it. It was that, he posited in the fall of 2015 at the , that was causing soreness in his right arm, and he decided he’d rather get through a season without physical problems before deciding the pitch’s fate in his arsenal.

At FanFest on Saturday, Bundy said he’d been throwing it without soreness so far as he builds up his arm for his first full season as a major league starter.

“I’ve been throwing it for about two weeks now, and so far, it feels great,” Bundy said. “I’m not throwing at the full speed or anything right now, but it’s feeling good. I’ll bring it into spring, but I’m going to try to limit it in games, and not throw it every single 0-2 pitch.”

The pitch could be crucial to Bundy fulfilling his goal of pitching deeper into games and having enough offerings to get through a lineup a third or fourth time. As a starter, Bundy allowed a .637 opponent OPS in the first time through the batting order, but that climbed to .787 and .960 in the second and third trips through.

Bundy said it’s not imperative that he has a fourth pitch to add to his mix and give batters another thing to think about, though it certainly can’t hurt.

“I think I can do it, but it’s command, it’s sequencing, it’s pitch location and having consistency every single start with three pitches,” Bundy said. “The fourth one will help, but I don’t think I need it.”

That need for improvement, however successful his debut season was, is something he took from a 2016 that Bundy relishes.

“It was great, mainly just all the stuff I got to learn, the whole season, ups and downs of it — the hard times and also the good times,” he said. “You can learn from the good times just as much as the bad. But it was fun. We didn’t get where we wanted to go. We want to win the last game of the year, that’s our goal. And as starting , we’ve got to do a better job. And I’m looking forward to trying to do a better job.”

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/214551404/chance-sisco-named-on-top-100-prospects-list/

Sisco checks in on Top 100 Prospects list

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com January 28, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Orioles catching prospect Chance Sisco was named on MLB's Top 100 Prospects list, which was released on Saturday night. The left-handed hitter came in at No. 99.

The annual ranking of MLB's Top 100 prospects is assembled by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status entering the 2017 season are eligible for the list. Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.

Sisco is expected to start the season at Triple-A Norfolk, but he is definitely on Baltimore's radar.

With ' departure, the O's went out and signed Welington Castillo with the idea that he would take over the catching duties and not rush Sisco's development.

The Orioles' second-round pick in the 2013 Draft, Sisco .320/.406/.422 and led the Eastern League in on-base percentage for -A Bowie as a 21-year-old. He owns a career .323/.402/.434 in four Minor League seasons and he is Baltimore's top-ranked position-player prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Chance Sisco delivers a solo in the 4th of the Futures Game to increase Team USA's lead to 3-0

Sisco homered in the Futures Game this past July, and he has made solid improvements behind the plate. He'll be closely watched this spring as part of Major League camp, and the organization has been pleased with his work ethic and development so far.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/01/brachs-knack-for-picking-up-wins.html Brach’s knack for picking up wins

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com January 31, 2017

With Brad Brach headed to an arbitration hearing, the Orioles still determined to file-and-trial, we’re going to learn about the relevance of a reliever’s win total in the process.

Never judge a pitcher by his won-loss record. is a prime example of how run support and other factors wield a heavy influence. But Brach’s record in 2016 is going to be placed in front of the three-person panel like a five-star meal.

Digest this:

Brach became the ninth reliever in team history to reach double digits in victories in a single season, going 10-4 with a 2.05 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in 79 over 71 appearances. He averaged 10.5 per nine innings, stranded 24 of 27 inherited runners, led the club in holds with 24 and made his first All-Star team.

Stu Miller won 14 games for the Orioles in 1965, the club record for wins by a reliever. won 11 games in the same season.

Brach, Hall (1970), Don Aase (1985), Tippy Martinez (1979), Arthur Rhodes (1997), Mark Williamson (1989) and George Zuverink (1957) each won 10 games. “I think that just goes to show how many close games we’ve been in,” said Brach, who’s 22-8 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in three seasons with the Orioles.

“Obviously, I have no control over that. It’s just going out there and not giving up a run and we just happen to score a run to win the game. I think as a reliever later in the game, it’s not something you think about, but I didn’t know it’s only happened nine times. That’s pretty cool to be part of that.”

According to STATS, the 1966 world championship team had the most relief wins in club history with 39 in 55 decisions. The 1965 bullpen went 35-21.

Last year’s relievers combined for a 30-13 record, matching the win total of the 2015 bullpen.

While fielding questions from the media at FanFest, setup man Darren O’Day talked about the bond that develops among the relievers who are isolated from the rest of the team during games. They have their own rituals and friendly rivalries, their jokes, their backpack full of candy.

“It’s a competition. It’s a healthy competition among us,” O’Day said.

“We joke with each other all the time and motivate each other. We don’t talk about what our individual goals are, but it’s exciting having this competition - Brad and Mychal (Givens) and Zach (Britton) and all the guys who make their home down there. So it brings us .

“We’re buddies off the field and on the field. The team spends so much time together over the seven and a half, eight months of the season, and then you get the bullpen guys who are off on their own for three hours a day. You don’t have any choice but to like the guy and to want to beat him.”

It won’t be easy to top Brach’s win total.

Brach is seeking $3.05 million for the upcoming season and the club has countered at $2.525 million. He made $1.250 million last season.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette repeated at FanFest that the club intends to go to arbitration with Brach, Gausman and Caleb Joseph.

“The club took the stance that if you file, there’s a trial. We took file-to-trial this year,” he said.

“We were able to resolve six of the nine cases and it looks like we’re going to have to go to arbitration with a couple of them, but we were prepared. We’re not afraid of the process. The Orioles have done well in arbitration. That’s not our first choice. We tried to get a deal with all of the players, but we weren’t successful in this case, and to the extent that we’re at this stage of the season, I expect that we’ll go to trial.”

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/01/a-special-fanfest-mo-ment-and-other- notes.html

A special FanFest “Mo-ment” and other notes

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com January 31, 2017

Regular listeners to the Orioles’ flagship radio station, 105.7 FM The Fan in Baltimore, certainly know the youngster’s voice. They surely know his knowledge of and passion for Baltimore sports. And they are certainly familiar with that wonderful laugh.

But a few hundred fans got to see and meet 11-year-old Mo in person on stage Saturday at FanFest. Everyone in the room cheered loudly when they saw the Orioles’ come out to greet Mo. That is everyone but Mo, who is blind and had to guess which O’s star was hugging him.

Baltimore radio listeners know Mo well from his many times calling in to speak with his favorite hosts, Scott Garceau and Jeremy Conn from “The Scott and Jeremy Show,” heard weekdays from 2-6 p.m.

Saturday’s “Mo-ment” was pretty special, as the youngster met two of his favorite players while surrounded by his favorite hosts. I hear that Mo seemed to have as many fans there as the players.

“The Orioles deserve a ton of credit for making this happen,” Conn said. “I never expected him to interview and Adam Jones. The Orioles made him a jersey with his name on the back.

“It could not have been a cooler experience. His teacher got to come see it and his mom and aunt were there. He must have taken a thousand pictures with fans and people were screaming his name when he was walking around.”

Mo met other Orioles besides Machado and Jones.

“We were walking down the hall with Mo and saw ,” Garceau said. “Jeremy said, ‘Hey Mo, it’s Chris Davis.’ Mo just yelled, ‘Deputy!’ and Chris came over and gave him a big hug. It was just terrific. He’s such a super kid to have gone through some things and have the attitude he has. He is always so upbeat.

“When we finished, people came up to say hello to me and Jeremy and maybe get a picture, but about 10 times that many came up to Mo. It was really cool.”

Mo may not know it, but he has probably had as much impact on the listeners that have become his fans as anyone has had on him.

“I once said on the air, ‘Mo is everything that is right with the world.’ Then Saturday, I had a man come up to me at the event and he said, ‘You’re exactly right about that.’ You just feel good when you are around him,” Conn said.

Sonsy Gaba, Mo’s mom, wrote this on her Facebook page: “What a day!!! My son had the experience of a lifetime and I can’t thank the Orioles and the awesome people of 105.7 The Fan enough. We met so many people that absolutely adore my son and really meant a lot to me to hear how happy they were to actually get to meet him.

“He said today was the best day of his life.”

He ranks Chance Sisco No. 1 for the Orioles; Sisco was No. 69 on ESPN’s top 100 prospects list. Pitcher is his No. 2 O’s prospect and Law wrote that Sedlock just missed out on his top 100. Rounding out his top 10 are , ,Chris Lee, , Jomar Reyes, , and Austin Hayes. Here is the list of prospects 11 through 20: Matthias Dietz, D.J. Stewart, Ofelky Peralta, Randolph Gassaway, Brian Gonzalez, Garrett Cleavinger, Drew Dosch, , and David Hess.

Cards lose two picks: The St. Louis Cardinals have lost two draft picks - selections No. 56 and 75 next June - which now go to the Houston Astros. announced this ruling yesterday because a since-fired Cardinals official hacked into Houston’s proprietary database and stole information. St. Louis had already lost its first-round pick for signing outfielder Dexter Fowler.

Former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa, who was sentenced to prison time for accessing the Astros’ database, has been placed on the permanently ineligible list, thus banning him from baseball.

St. Louis also loses the bonus pool amount from each pick. They lose pick No. 56 ($1,122,400) and No. 75 ($730,800), thereby dropping their overall bonus pool to $2,072,300 - far and away the lowest in the majors. Houston adds that pool money and now has a total of $8,608,300. Houston went from the 18th-largest bonus pool to No. 11 among all major league teams.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/01/28/fans-gear-up-for-2017-baseball-season-at-fanfest/

Orioles Fans Gear Up For 2017 Baseball Season At FanFest

By Marcus Washington / CBS Baltimore January 28, 2017

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A day of fans, fun, and a full convention center. Orioles FanFest took over Downtown Baltimore Saturday, as fans got a chance to get up close and personally meet some of their favorite players during the annual event.

“Oh goodness, we’ve been to FanFest for 15 years at least,” says Orioles fan Frank lhotsky.

“In our family, we say there are only two seasons: baseball and winter,” he says.

Generations of excited fans came with a line the lead up to the Baltimore Convention Center for Orioles FanFest, where a fan could get a chance to see a little of everything — and lots of it in orange and black.

Including a suit worn by diehard O’s fan Ryan King.

“A lot of orange, I love to see that,” says King.

He’s wearing a bright orange suit, complete with orange top hat.

“Only a few occasions I bring it out, it’s for formal wear: FanFest, , and god willing, post-season,” he says.

While as eye-catching as it is, the day was not about decked-out fans, but the Orioles players too. And everywhere you looked you saw fans getting a chance to meet the players they to root for all season.

Those same fans also got to see some of the faces they see every day on WJZ. As part of our continuing community commitment, many of WJZ’s on-air staff, like Rick Ritter, Bob Turk,

Devin Bartolotta and Tim Williams took pictures with O’s fans.

FanFest is a day that many wait for all year.

“And get a lot of free stuff too, which is good.” says Ihotsky.

Orioles FanFest has been around since 1988. Since 2011, there has been an autograph policy, where the money collected goes towards OriolesREACH, which has raised $700,000 dollars for the foundation’s charities. http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/01/30/orioles-will-feature-a-familiar-cast-of-characters-in- 2017/

Orioles Will Feature A Familiar Cast Of Characters In 2017

CBS Baltimore January 30, 2017

BALTIMORE (AP) — Quite by design, there were plenty of familiar faces on stage Saturday at the ’ annual offseason event for their fans.

The Orioles haven’t changed much since the end of the 2016 season, when they went 89-73 before losing to Toronto in the AL wild-card game.

Baltimore’s biggest move since last October was retaining major league home run leader , who agreed to a $37.5 million, three-year contract. Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette also secured free-agent catcher Welington Castillo and dealt starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo to Seattle for outfielder Seth Smith.

That pretty much sums up the offseason for the Orioles.

“We’re returning not the exact same cast, but a similar strength on this ballclub for 2017,” Duquette said.

Welcome back, Manny Machado, Chris Davis, J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop, who hit a collective 109 home runs in 2016.

Good to see you again in the outfield, Adam Jones, Hyun Soo Kim and Mr. Trumbo. Farewell catcher Matt Wieters, who earned $15.8 million last year. Now a free agent, Wieters is the only starter who won’t be back.

Duquette got Castillo at less than half the price of Wieters and resisted the urge to add additional talent by swapping it for members of an exceptional bullpen.

“We did explore some interest from other clubs for some of those relievers,” Duquette said. “That’s something we can have an open mind about, but that’s a real strength for the ballclub and I’m happy we have that strength intact going into the season.”

After suffering through 14 straight losing seasons, the Orioles have reached the postseason in three of the last five years. The message conveyed to the more than 15,000 people who attended FanFest was that the goal in 2017 is to go the distance.

“I keep telling the fans today, and the players know it, that just being competitive and being in the playoffs isn’t good enough for us anymore,” Showalter said. “You can talk about how tough our division is and what the other clubs have done. But our guys have heard that every year.”

Showalter appreciates having Trumbo back, especially because it extends a trend. Trumbo joins Davis, Jones and reliever Darren O’Day as players who have signed long-term deals to remain with the Orioles.

“There’s some continuity there,” Showalter said. “They’re very much the same theme: There are ways to stay here, and we can make it happen.”

Davis, who hit 38 homers last year, intends to be playing baseball deep into October this season.

“That’s really the attitude and mentality of everyone in the clubhouse,” he said. “We’re not just out there to slide in at the last minute. Obviously, if we have to play a wild-card game, we’ll do it. But we want to win the division.”

Although spring training begins next month, Duquette isn’t done working. Like it or not, arbitration hearings with catcher Caleb Joseph, reliever Brad Brach and starter Kevin Gausman loom.

“It’s not our first choice. We’ve tried to get a deal with all the players, but we weren’t successful at this point,” Duquette said. “I expect that we’ll go to trial.”

In seeking to fill out the roster, Duquette will be looking for speed in the outfield and another pitcher or two. He acknowledged making an offer to free agent Vance Worley, who went 2-2 with a 3.53 ERA in 22 games with Baltimore in 2016.

http://www.snntv.com/2017/01/26/orioles-fans-score-dream-week-suncoast/

Orioles Fans Score Dream Week on the Suncoast

SNN News January 26, 2017

SARASOTA COUNTY- It’s not every day baseball fans get to play with their big league heroes, and for Orioles fans it’s a week!

“It truly is dream week. You put on your uniforms that your heroes wore,” Dream Week player Alan MacEachin said.

One hundred and twenty O’s fans are suiting up and playing games at Ed Smith and Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota as part of Orioles’ Dream Week.

“We try to give them the best of Sarasota and show Sarasota off as well,” Orioles Alumni Director Bill Stetka said.

The players are coached by Baltimore royalty including Champ and 1983 MVP , who wouldn’t miss a chance to back the birds.

“You still get down here and get a feel of this uniform, and you want to get out and play a little bit and you realize your day is long over with,” Dempsey said. But Dempsey still knows a thing or two about winning, and he’s making sure his Dream Week team takes home the championship.

“We are heading in the right direction so far this year…again. We are undefeated,” Dempsey said.

And it’s not all about winning baseball games.

“They like to hear the old stories about the old stories about when ball players you know pulled pranks on each other,” Dempsey said. “I tell some old stories and they still love them.”

Dempsey bonds with the players…and they realize the pros are just like them!

“We do the same things, like the same things that they do too,” He added.

Alan MacEachin remembers his first time attending dream week six years ago.

“Oh my God all you want to do is bow down and worship the ground that they walk on,” MacEachin said.

But now the pros are like old pals, and he looks forward to hanging with them every year on the suncoast.

“We know about each other’s families, kids, grand-kids, it’s just a lot of fun,” MacEachin said. “Super group of guys, I can’t say enough about them.”

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2017/01/31/myriad-orioles-thoughts-outfield-d-contract- talks-rotation-depth-fanfest/

Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Outfield D; contract talks; rotation depth; FanFest

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com January 30, 2017

We’ll call this the FanFest version of “Myriad Orioles Thoughts.”

Start with one of the more interesting items to come out of Saturday’s annual event at the Baltimore Convention Center – which was absolutely packed, by the way.

Center fielder Adam Jones was asked about the team’s moves this offseason and Jones, as he usually does, offered his honest opinion.

He said he thinks Seth Smith and Mark Trumbo are excellent athletes and their presence will bolster the lineup, but he’d like to see a strong defensive player with good speed occupy one of the spots next to him.

My take on that: Yup.

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has talked about wanting to upgrade the outfield defense this offseason, and he hasn’t yet. There are a few solid fits that are still on the board – Angel Pagan and Michael Bourn, for instance – and I’m sure finances play a part as to why the Orioles haven’t added a defensive outfielder yet. Hard to argue with Duquette’s track record when it comes to getting solid, late-offseason buys at a good price.

But it is the most important void that Duquette hasn’t filled yet. And though Jones isn’t the assistant general manager, I have no problem with him expressing his thoughts here. He didn’t name names, just what he thought was a pressing need.

Jones, after all, is the one who has been most affected by the Orioles’ lack of strong defensive outfielders over the past few years. Think about it. Who was the last speedy corner outfielder the Orioles have had for the majority of a season? Nate McLouth, back in 2013. I don’t count , who played the right field wall at Camden Yards better than anyone in the stadium’s history, but is not known as a speed-burner.

Jones has had to make up for that lack of range to his left and right – and that has taken a toll on his body. He has every right to want an upgrade around him – and, frankly, someone who can back him up at center field on occasion – for 2017.

Joey Rickard could be the answer, but let’s not put too much responsibility on him. Rickard certainly has talent, but he’s played 85 games in the majors. The Orioles could use a veteran with a defensive track record until Rickard shows he can be a consistent, all-around performer.

One of the constant themes of FanFest is that the Orioles really aren’t in active talks to extend any of their key players who are nearing free agency. That concept was confirmed by starter Chris Tillman, who can be a free agent at the end of this season, and third baseman Manny Machado, closer Zach Britton and Jones, all of whom are free agents after 2018.

I’m sure that doesn’t sit well with fans, but it is to be expected. The front office is putting its 2017 team together, and those decisions affect the 2018 and 2019 clubs.

That said, talking contract extensions during arbitration negotiations is natural, and it appears that was only done – and done briefly and without resolution – with Britton’s camp.

Machado said he’s heard of absolutely no recent negotiations between his representatives and the club, but he quickly pointed out that he understands the front office has more urgent priorities.

My take on this is that the Orioles’ No. 1 issue – now that the roster is nearly together and no big pieces likely will shake loose — should be making an earnest effort to re-sign Tillman. Give him one less thing to think about before he enters this season as the club’s top starter and as a pending free agent. Tillman said at FanFest that he doesn’t want to negotiate in-season, He said it’s not fair to his teammates if he is distracted.

I believe that. I believe that Tillman isn’t just parroting the typical ballplayer line. There are very few players I have been around that are more unselfish than Tillman. I believe he thinks he’ll ultimately get what he is worth from some team, and will let things play out. Tillman, after all, has believed in himself even when many, many others didn’t.

I don’t know what is fair market price for Tillman. I could only guess. But I do think the Orioles should determine what that is and make him a legitimate offer soon – and if it gets turned down, well, then at least both sides can progress into the season knowing that there was a real attempt.

Duquette said at FanFest that he is still pursuing a starting pitcher and admitted that it could be someone the club signs to a minor-league deal. That would seem to take them out of the running for the best pitchers still available such as and Doug Fister.

As I’ve written before, the Orioles are at a disadvantage when quality pitchers are forced to take one-year deals, because no one wants to base their future on a year pitching in the AL East with half their games at hitter-friendly Camden Yards.

So, my guess is the Orioles’ veteran starter acquisition is more reclamation project than steady performer. Unless, of course, they offer a whole lot more money than other contenders.

By the way, my apologies to the fan who asked at our FanFest media forum about the Orioles interest in Fister. I mistakenly said I thought he had just signed a deal. I was getting him mixed up with Scott Feldman, another immensely tall right-hander who also pitched in Houston in 2016 (before being dealt to Toronto). Feldman signed a deal with the last week. Fister is still available.

The Orioles said more than 15,000 people attended FanFest. Not all of them stopped by the BaltimoreBaseball.com booth, but, at times, it felt like it. It was tremendous meeting so many of you, signing books, answering questions and helping you download our free app.