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Thursday, January 8, 2015

Columns:  Who is your Oriole to watch in 2015? The Sun 1/8  Young signing expected today MASNsports.com 1/8  If Mussina gets the call to the Hall, will he go in as an Oriole? MASNsports.com 1/8  For Baltimore sports fans, these are the good old days CSN Baltimore 1/8  Drake hoping for positive impression next week CSN Baltimore 1/7  Wright's place in Orioles bullpen to be determined CSN Baltimore 1/7  What’s next for the Orioles’ Chris Davis, ? USA Today 1/7  Could Colby Rasmus Be The Next Nelson Cruz For The Orioles? PressBoxOnline.com 1/8 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-who-is-your-oriole-to-watch-in-2015- good-or-bad-20150107-story.html Who is your Oriole to watch in 2015?

By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun January 8, 2015

So, the bar was buzzing Wednesday night with the Maryland’s men basketball team on the big screen. And, of course, the anticipation of Saturday’s Ravens playoff game was in the air. You could cut it with a bottle opener.

But, let’s face it: Connolly’s is a joint. Even in January. We know who we are. As part of our New Year’s coverage, Sun reporters were asked to write about the "athlete to watch” on their beat in 2015.

For me, it was an easy answer. I don’t think there is any Oriole who has more to gain or lose this season than first baseman Chris Davis.

Baseball is a team game – one player doesn’t control the fate of the team -- but how Davis does will go a long way in determining the Orioles’ success.

Will he be the Davis that 53 home runs and finished third in the American League MVP race like in 2013? Or will he be the 2014 Davis that batted under .200 in a disastrous season that ended with a failed drug test for amphetamines?

If his production is even in the middle of those two years it would be a big boost to the Orioles offense.

So Davis is my Oriole to keep a close eye on for 2015. But, in talking to others, there are plenty of options, plenty of key players heading into important seasons for their careers.

There’s right-hander Kevin Gausman, who is expected to be in the rotation all year and could become the club’s first homegrown ace since . That’s who my baseball colleague, Ed Encina, chose as his 2015 player to watch.

There’s also starter Ubaldo Jimenez – who signed a lucrativee deal last winter and struggled most of the season. There’s , who like Davis, is a pending free agent and needs to show he is healthy and productive before breaking the bank somewhere.

There’s Zach Britton, who emerged as a quality closer in 2014. The Orioles desperately need him to do it again. There’s Manny Machado, who will be attempting to play a full season after knee injuries and subsequent surgeries ended his previous two years.

You can make a case for Steve Pearce and Jonathan Schoop and . And, obviously, , J.J. Hardy and Wei-Yin Chen are important components of the club, though they’ve been fairly steady over the past few years. You kind of know what you are getting there.

I want to know your pick. Which Oriole will you be watching particularly closely in 2015? Daily Think Special: Who is your Oriole to watch in 2015 – good or bad?

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/01/young-signing-expected-today.html

Young signing expected today

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com January 8, 2015

The Orioles are expected later today to announce the signing of outfielder Delmon Young to a one-year contract.

Young agreed to terms Dec. 24 on a deal that guarantees him $2.25 million and includes a possible $750,000 in incentives.

Who comes off the 40-man roster to make room? Stay tuned.

Here's the roster again. Give me your prediction:

Pitchers Tim Berry Brad Brach Zach Britton Wei-Yin Chen Oliver Drake Jason Garcia Kevin Gausman Miguel Gonzalez Tommy Hunter Ubaldo Jimenez T.J. McFarland Bud Norris Darren O'Day Chris Tillman Logan Verrett Ryan Webb Tyler Wilson Mike Wright Wesley Wright

Catchers Steve Clevenger Caleb Joseph Ryan Lavarnway Mike Ohlman Matt Wieters

Infielders J.J. Hardy Manny Machado Rey Navarro Jimmy Paredes Jonathan Schoop Christian Walker

Outfielders Alejandro De Aza Alex Hassan Adam Jones David Lough Steve Pearce Henry Urrutia

For what it's worth, manager Buck Showalter invited Hassan, Ohlman, Gamboa, Drake and Rule 5 Garcia and Verrett to the minicamp.

Hassan apparently is recovering from an injury and the Orioles want to check on him in Sarasota. The Orioles will be back at the Ed Smith Stadium complex next month for the start of spring training. Pitchers and report on Feb. 18. Positions players are due on Feb. 23, with the first full-squad workout the following day.

Veteran left-hander Johan Santana reportedly will pitch next week for Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette told me in November that he was open to re-signing Santana and the club would watch him throw. They signed Santana to a minor league deal in March and were prepared to call him up in June before he tore his left Achilles.

Santana's surgically repaired shoulder is fine. He's just got to show teams that he's recovered from the Achilles injury.

The question for the Orioles is whether they'd have room for him. They could use a veteran starter for Triple-A Norfolk as insurance in case of injury, but they already have six starters for five spots in their rotation.

Shameless plug alert: I'm in studio today for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on MASN.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2015/01/if-mussina-gets-the-call-to-the-hall-will- he-go-in-as-an-oriole.html

If Mussina gets the call to the Hall, will he go in as an Oriole?

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com January 8, 2015

Former Orioles Mike Mussina has some work to do in his bid to make the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

In his first year of eligibility in 2014, Mussina was named on 20.3 percent of the ballots with 14 players getting a higher percentage. On Tuesday, Mussina was named on 24.6 percent of the ballots with 13 players getting more votes. A player needs to be named on 75 percent to make the Hall.

If Mussina does someday make it - and I do think he has a good chance eventually - then we'll find out if he goes in as an Oriole or a Yankee. He played 18 seasons in the majors, 10 as an Oriole.

Mussina went 147-81 with a 3.53 ERA as an Oriole. He actually posted better pitching stats with the Orioles than the Yankees, despite playing on five losing teams in Baltimore and six first- place clubs in New York. His ERA (3.53 to 3.88), win percentage (.645 to .631) and WHIP (1.18 to 1.21) were all better with Baltimore.

When a player is elected, the six-member Hall of Fame senior staff makes the decision on which cap a player wears on his plaque when inducted, not the player.

The Hall's spokesman, Brad Horne, explained the process to me when Mussina was elected to the O's Hall of Fame in 2012.

"For anyone that is elected, the decision of which logo appears on his Hall of Fame plaque is the decision of the museum and not the player," Horne said. "Our role, as a historical institution, is to preserve the integrity of the team that is most representative from an individual's career.

"If someone's career is split between two or three franchises, numbers alone do not necessarily tell the story of where the greatest impact was made. The process is, once an individual is elected, and only at that time, does the Hall of Fame begin the process of which team is represented on the plaque.

The individual is elected in January, but not inducted until July.

"The senior staff of the Hall makes that determination. The numbers are a big factor, but also intangibles come into play, as well things like awards and postseason. Sometimes, the process is resolved in a matter of hours. Sometimes it can take a couple of months before we are ready to announce the decision."

If Mussina gets in the Hall, do you think he goes in as an Oriole?

Buck draws a crowd: The Orioles Single-A Delmarva affiliate announced that its 14th annual Hot Stove Banquet featuring O's manager Buck Showalter is sold out. A record attendance is expected at the event which will be held at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Who might breakout?: Will the Orioles have a breakout player in 2015 - that is one who takes his game to a level not seen before in his career?

In 2013, Chris Davis filled that role. He hit .286 with 53 homers, 138 RBIs and saw his OPS jump from .827 to 1.004. He was third in the MVP voting. While Davis had hit 33 homers the previous season, he went from slugger to MVP candidate with his huge season.

Last year, Steve Pearce was a breakout player. Entering the season as a guy that usually had to battle just to make a roster, he stepped up his game.

He began 2014 with a career .377 slugging percentage and .695 OPS, but then Pearce hit .293 with 21 homers, 49 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .556 and .930 OPS.

Do the Orioles have a breakout candidate for 2015?

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/baltimore-sports-fans-these-are-good-old-days For Baltimore sports fans, these are the good old days

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore January 8, 2015

These are the good old days for Baltimore sports fans. Not only did the Orioles make it to the American League Championship Series, but the Ravens have qualified for the Divisional round.

How unusual for Baltimore is this? Since the Ravens arrived in 1996, only twice have the teams both had winning records, in 2012 and this year. In 2013, the Orioles had a winning record, but didn’t make the postseason, and the Ravens finished at .500.

While the Ravens have made the playoffs 10 times in the last 15 years, and yes, mathematically it’s slightly easier to make the NFL playoffs, the Orioles have been there just twice.

How good has this season been for Baltimore sports fans? Baltimore’s MLB and NFL teams have each won a round in the playoffs, something no other city’s teams have done this season. Only Detroit and Pittsburgh had baseball and football teams make the playoffs, and they didn’t go as far as the Orioles and Ravens.

It’s safe to say that Baltimore is the hottest sports town in the U.S.

Baltimore is unlike Detroit and Pittsburgh. It is one of a handful of major league cities that has just baseball and football. (Cincinnati, Kansas City, San Diego and Seattle are the others.)

Cities have had more success than Baltimore. In 2004, the Red Sox and Patriots won the World Series and Super Bowl. It happened in 1986 when the Mets and Giants both win, and in 1979, to the horror of Baltimore sports fans, the Pirates and Steelers both won.

As great as this time is for Baltimore sports fans, 1970 was even better. The Orioles beat the in the World Series, and three months later, the Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl.

In April 1971, the Baltimore Bullets tried for an unprecedented trifecta, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals.

The Colts made the playoffs four more times after that Super Bowl win, but they faded badly in the late 70s and early 80s before leaving town in 1984.

The Orioles won their most recent World Series just a few months before the Colts left, and from 1984-95 had the town to themselves.

In the first two years after the Ravens’ arrival, the Orioles qualified for the postseason, then abruptly stopped winning until 2012.

How long will success continue to visit the Orioles and Ravens? No one knows, but Baltimore sports fans should appreciate these good old days.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/drake-hoping-positive-impression-next-week

Drake hoping for positive impression next week

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore January 7, 2015

Buck Showalter will get another look at Oliver Drake next week. The Orioles are holding their fourth annual minicamp in Sarasota, Fla., and Drake, who was surprisingly added to their 40- man roster in November, is coming.

Drake was once a hot prospect and an interesting story around the team. Three years ago, Drake, who left the Naval Academy after two years to play baseball, was on the 40-man roster, but then he hurt his shoulder and missed most of two seasons.

By last year, Drake was feeling strong, and the Orioles had converted him to a reliever. He had 31 saves for Bowie, struck out more than 12 batters per nine innings and allowed just two home runs in 52 2/3 innings.

Other clubs had shown interest in Drake, who was a minor league free agent, so the Orioles added both him and Eddie Gamboa to the 40-man.

There’s little chance that Drake, who will turn 28 during the minicamp, will come north with the Orioles. For now, their bullpen looks set with a familiar cast, and that’s not counting Ubaldo Jimenez and Ryan Webb. Two picks, Jason Garcia and Logan Verrett are also in the way.

But, Drake could be up during the season. He’s only pitched two innings in Triple-A, and that was in 2011.

He’ll hope to make a positive impression for Showalter, who has always been intrigued by Drake.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/wrights-place-orioles-bullpen-be-determined Wright's place in Orioles bullpen to be determined

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore January 7, 2015

It will be interesting to see what kind of a role Wesley Wright has in the Orioles bullpen in 2015. Wright, who was signed to a one-year contract last month, is another left-hander in the bullpen.

If the Orioles don’t trade any of their bullpen pieces, Wright could be one of four left-handers in the bullpen along with Zach Britton, Brian Matusz and T.J. McFarland.

They also have minor league left-hander Pat McCoy, who was claimed on waivers from Detroit. Last year, Andrew Miller joined the Orioles on July 31 and was extremely effective. Wright is no Miller, but the team clearly wanted another left-hander.

Brian Matusz has been offered in trades, and if he leaves, Wright’s role may become more prominent.

What does Wright do best?

He’s durable. In three of his seven seasons, Wright has appeared in 70 or more games.

Wright is also much better against left-handed hitters than right-handers. In his career, left- handers hit .238 against him while right-handers bat .264. His /walk ratio is twice as good against left-handers (3.20) as compared to right-handers (1.60).

In 591 plate appearances, Wright has allowed just seven home runs to left-handers. Last year with the , he didn’t give up a to a left-handed batter though they hit slightly better against him than right-handers (.273 vs. .255).

Matusz was often called upon to get tough left-handers out. He has practically owned David Ortiz, and if Matusz is gone, someone would have to take his place.

Wright has spent just one of his seven seasons in the American League. In 2013, he was with both Houston and Tampa Bay, so the AL won’t be novel.

NOTE: The annual OriolesREACH Birdland Golf Classic will be held on Feb. 23 in Sarasota, Fla. It will benefit the Miracle League of Manasota County.

http://fantasy.usatoday.com/2015/01/baseball-preview-orioles-chris-davis-manny-machado

What's next for the Orioles' Chris Davis, Manny Machado?

By Tim Heaney / USA Today January 7, 2015

Baltimore’s corner infielders are looking to rebound. Davis endured a painful return to earth following an MVP-level 2013. Machado missed 24 games while recovering from left knee surgery, but in August he underwent right knee surgery, which ended his season.

His disappointing season included a suspension, resulting from a positive test for Adderall. Davis will miss a few more games, but he received an exemption to take the ADHD-suppressing drug this year. Clear conscience….

Even during his slumps, Davis frequently left the yard — the chief reason you draft him. His batting average should fall somewhere between his inflated 2013 (.286) and sub-Mendoza 2014 (.196), thanks a probable recovery of his average on balls in play (.336 and .242 the last two years, respectively).

It’ll prove a tougher path if he can’t adjust to the increasing amount of defensive shifts performed against him.

He might not be ready for . He’ll probably start slowly. Just like last year. But the 22-year-old extra-base machine displayed more power, hitting nine homers combined between June and July. His raw power is the type that can overcome high ground-ball rates and, in turn, post above-average rates of turning fly balls into home runs.

He doesn’t take many walks, and his swinging-strike rate increased last year. Yet these flaws haven’t yet hindered his batting average. If he trades some contact for more thunder, that could expose him more.

Still, he has budding plate skills and a favorable home park … as well as a palpable chance of surpassing his 2014 pace.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/2015/01/08/could-colby-rasmus-be-the-next-nelson-cruz-for- the-orioles

Could Colby Rasmus Be The Next Nelson Cruz For The Orioles?

By Paul Folkemer / PressBoxOnline.com January 8, 2015

The Orioles haven't done much free-agent shopping this offseason, but recent reports indicate they might find a match with outfielder Colby Rasmus. Manager Buck Showalter recently flew to Rasmus' home for a face-to-face meeting, which could be a precursor to the Birds offering him a deal.

Rasmus is reportedly interested in signing a one-year, make-good contract, hoping that he can put up a strong season and attract more interest on the free-agent market next winter. It's a strategy that worked well for designated hitter Nelson Cruz last offseason. Shunned on the free- agent market prior to 2014, he signed a one-year deal with the Orioles, smashed 40 home runs, and landed a four-year, $57 million contract with the Seattle Mariners after the season. So can Rasmus be the next Cruz for the Orioles?

Let's be clear -- that's not the same as asking "Can Colby Rasmus hit 40 home runs?" That question has an easy answer: no. Rasmus hasn't hit more than 23 homers during a season, and he has a career slugging percentage of .438 compared to Cruz's .501. Cruz is more of a pure power hitter than Rasmus, and nobody is expecting Rasmus to replicate Cruz's prodigious home run total with the Orioles.

Rather, the question is: Can Rasmus deliver a strong season on a short-term deal like Cruz did in 2014?

There's certainly a chance. Rasmus is a talented player, a former first-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals whom Baseball America ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball in 2009. Rasmus seemed to be on his way to a standout career when he posted an .859 OPS and 132 OPS+ during 144 games with the Cardinals in 2010, his second year in the majors.

But Rasmus hasn't reached those lofty heights since, and his career has sputtered amidst rumors he has been a malcontent in the clubhouse. In 2011, he reportedly clashed with then-Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who accused Rasmus of not listening to his coaches and frequently benched him. Rasmus' outspoken father, Tony, exacerbated the personality clash with his public criticisms of La Russa. The conflict became so untenable that the Cardinals dealt a then-24-year- old Rasmus to the that July.

With the Jays, Rasmus was mostly a disappointment. He had one strong year -- 2013, when he batted .276/.338/.501/.840 during 118 games -- but that was sandwiched between two years of below-average offensive results. The Jays have shown little interest in re-signing Rasmus this winter, and he hasn't found many interested suitors on the free-agent market.

Still, it's too early to stick a fork in Rasmus' career. At 28 years old, he could still have a breakout performance left in him. His 2010 and 2013 seasons -- plus his one-time status as a top MLB prospect -- proved that he's capable of being a strong offensive performer. Even with his share of lousy seasons, Rasmus holds a career OPS+ of 103, indicating that his OPS has been slightly better than the league average.

What about defense -- what will Rasmus contribute there? It's hard to say. All but 11 of his 742 career games in the outfield have been in center, where FanGraphs isn't sure how to rate him; his Defensive Runs Saved marks from 2009 through 2014 have been 8, -6, -4, 7, 11 and -7. In other words, he's been alternating good defensive seasons and bad ones seemingly at random, which probably means he's an average defensive center fielder overall. But with the Orioles, he won't have to worry about playing center -- that position is filled by Adam Jones for the foreseeable future. Rasmus would instead shift to a corner outfield spot, which is a less demanding defensive position than center. That could give Rasmus' defense a boost.

In addition, Rasmus could be well served by playing for a manager like Showalter, who trusts his players to hold themselves accountable. If Rasmus plays hard and buys into the team philosophy, Showalter will give him every chance to prove himself on the field. If Rasmus becomes a distraction in the locker room, Showalter and other O's clubhouse leaders will set him straight -- but unlike La Russa, they'll do so behind closed doors rather than in the media.

Certainly, Rasmus brings his share of question marks. In addition to his alleged clubhouse baggage, Rasmus has struggled at getting on base, holding a career .313 on-base percentage. His OBP has been below .300 during three of his past four seasons, bottoming out at .287 in 2014. Rasmus, a lefty swinger, is also weak against southpaws, posting a career .213/.287/.361/.648 batting line against them. If he joins the Orioles, the O's might be well served to have a right- handed outfielder on their bench to spell Rasmus against tough lefties.

Signing Rasmus would be a risk for the Orioles, no doubt. His career has been so erratic that the O's can't be sure what to expect from him. There's a chance the gamble could blow up in their face, leaving the O's with an unproductive and unhappy veteran in their clubhouse.

On the other hand, though, a union between the two could pay off handsomely for both sides. Rasmus could find his career rejuvenated by homer-friendly Camden Yards and a positive clubhouse atmosphere -- not to mention the possibility of parlaying a hot season for the Orioles into a more lucrative free-agent deal, as Cruz did.

It may be a long shot for Rasmus to be the next Cruz, but he could still be a productive addition to the 2015 team. For the Orioles, it's probably a risk worth taking.