Orioles News - Is Roberts Outta Here?

Could Baltimore Oriole second baseman Brian Roberts be leaving Baltimore? Apparently talks between the Orioles and the Chicago Cubs have gotten very serious. The talks have gotten so serious that the O's have actually contacted Rocky Hall, the agent of free agent second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. They have done this to see if Iguchi would be interested in playing for Baltimore, so the O's know they would have an option at second base should Brian Roberts be traded. It could be a three player deal, including a starting pitcher coming to the O's. But, this could be all talk. Roberts is a fan favorite, and owner Peter Angelos has killed deals in the past that would send Roberts to another team. I say that the Orioles should hold onto Brian, unless the deal being offered is too good to pass up. Roberts is a great player, (one of the few good players on the O's), and a fan favorite. Without him, what player would people come to Camden Yards to see? Erik Bedard could likely be traded, and he only plays every 5 days anyway, so what player would put the fans in the stands? Nick Markakis can't do it alone...

Bottom line: Keep Roberts unless the Cubs are giving some top pitching prospects away. - John T.

Orioles News - 11/6/07 - Schedule Released

The Baltimore Orioles have released their 2008 season schedule. The highlight is that the Orioles will make their first ever trip to Wrigley Field to play the Chicago Cubs. The series begins on June 24, and goes through June 26. The O's will open up their season against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on March 31. The O's will also face the Brewers, Astros, Nationals, and the Pirates as a part of their inter league play. Here is the rest of the schedule:

(Date then Team. The times are still to be announced.)

March 31 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 2 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 3 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 4 Seattle Mariners
April 5 Seattle Mariners
April 6 Seattle Mariners
April 7 Seattle Mariners
April 8 at Texas Rangers
April 9 at Texas Rangers
April 10 at Texas Rangers
April 11 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 12 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 13 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 14 Toronto Blue Jays
April 15 Toronto Blue Jays
April 16 Chicago White Sox
April 17 Chicago White Sox
April 18 New York Yankees
April 19 New York Yankees
April 20 New York Yankees
April 22 at Seattle Mariners
April 23 at Seattle Mariners
April 24 at Seattle Mariners
April 25 at Chicago White Sox
April 26 at Chicago White Sox
April 27 at Chicago White Sox
April 28 at Chicago White Sox
April 29 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
April 30 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
May 1 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
May 2 at Los Angeles Angels
May 3 at Los Angeles Angels
May 4 at Los Angeles Angels
May 5 at Oakland Athletics
May 6 at Oakland Athletics
May 7 at Oakland Athletics
May 8 at Kansas City Royals
May 9 at Kansas City Royals
May 10 at Kansas City Royals
May 11 at Kansas City Royals
May 13 Boston Red Sox
May 14 Boston Red Sox
May 16 Washington Nationals
May 17 Washington Nationals
May 18 Washington Nationals
May 20 at New York Yankees
May 21 at New York Yankees
May 22 at New York Yankees
May 23 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
May 24 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
May 25 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
May 26 New York Yankees
May 27 New York Yankees
May 28 New York Yankees
May 30 Boston Red Sox
May 31 Boston Red Sox
June 1 Boston Red Sox
June 2 Boston Red Sox
June 3 at Minnesota Twins
June 4 at Minnesota Twins
June 5 at Minnesota Twins
June 6 at Toronto Blue Jays
June 7 at Toronto Blue Jays
June 8 at Toronto Blue Jays
June 9 at Boston Red Sox
June 10 at Boston Red Sox
June 11 at Boston Red Sox
June 13 Pittsburgh Pirates
June 14 Pittsburgh Pirates
June 15 Pittsburgh Pirates
June 17 Houston Astros
June 18 Houston Astros
June 19 Houston Astros
June 20 at Milwaukee Brewers
June 21 at Milwaukee Brewers
June 22 at Milwaukee Brewers
June 24 at Chicago Cubs
June 25 at Chicago Cubs
June 26 at Chicago Cubs
June 27 at Washington Nationals
June 28 at Washington Nationals
June 29 at Washington Nationals
June 30 Kansas City Royals
July 1 Kansas City Royals
July 2 Kansas City Royals
July 3 Kansas City Royals
July 4 Texas Rangers
July 5 Texas Rangers
July 6 Texas Rangers
July 8 at Toronto Blue Jays
July 9 at Toronto Blue Jays
July 10 at Toronto Blue Jays
July 11 at Boston Red Sox
July 12 at Boston Red Sox
July 13 at Boston Red Sox
July 14-16 All-Star break
July 17 Detroit Tigers
July 18 Detroit Tigers
July 19 Detroit Tigers
July 20 Detroit Tigers
July 21 Toronto Blue Jays
July 22 Toronto Blue Jays
July 23 Toronto Blue Jays
July 24 Toronto Blue Jays
July 25 Los Angeles Angels
July 26 Los Angeles Angels
July 27 Los Angeles Angels
July 28 at New York Yankees
July 29 at New York Yankees
July 30 at New York Yankees
Aug. 1 at Seattle Mariners
Aug. 2 at Seattle Mariners
Aug. 3 at Seattle Mariners
Aug. 4 at Los Angeles Angels
Aug. 5 at Los Angeles Angels
Aug. 6 at Los Angeles Angels
Aug. 8 Texas Rangers
Aug. 9 Texas Rangers
Aug. 10 Texas Rangers
Aug. 11 at Cleveland Indians
Aug. 12 at Cleveland Indians
Aug. 13 at Cleveland Indians
Aug. 14 at Cleveland Indians
Aug. 15 at Detroit Tigers
Aug. 16 at Detroit Tigers
Aug. 17 at Detroit Tigers
Aug. 18 Boston Red Sox
Aug. 19 Boston Red Sox
Aug. 20 Boston Red Sox
Aug. 22 New York Yankees
Aug. 23 New York Yankees
Aug. 24 New York Yankees
Aug. 25 Chicago White Sox
Aug. 26 Chicago White Sox
Aug. 27 Chicago White Sox
Aug. 29 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Aug. 30 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Aug. 31 at Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Sept. 1 at Boston Red Sox
Sept. 2 at Boston Red Sox
Sept. 3 at Boston Red Sox
Sept. 5 Oakland Athletics
Sept. 6 Oakland Athletics
Sept. 7 Oakland Athletics
Sept. 8 Cleveland Indians
Sept. 9 Cleveland Indians
Sept. 10 Cleveland Indians
Sept. 11 Cleveland Indians
Sept. 12 Minnesota Twins
Sept. 13 Minnesota Twins
Sept. 14 Minnesota Twins
Sept. 16 at Toronto Blue Jays
Sept. 17 at Toronto Blue Jays
Sept. 18 at Toronto Blue Jays
Sept. 19 at New York Yankees
Sept. 20 at New York Yankees
Sept. 21 at New York Yankees
Sept. 22 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Sept. 23 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Sept. 24 Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Sept. 26 Toronto Blue Jays
Sept. 27 Toronto Blue Jays
Sept. 28 Toronto Blue Jays

Hopefully the Orioles will be playing long after September 28... - John T.

Orioles News - 11/3/07 - Orioles Released - Trachsel: Coming Back?

The Baltimore Orioles released Sammy Snider and Rudy Arias. Never heard of them? Most people haven't and that's because these are the guys who do the dirty work. Their jobs would be to throw batting practice, to warm up pitchers that were in the bullpen, etc. They were the behind-the-scenes people who took care of odd jobs. But, why release them? It's not like they are players who aren't performing anymore and that they have become a distraction. They weren't hurting the team, so leave them to their jobs.

Pitcher Steve Trachsel was released by the Chicago Cubs. He was with the O's for a while last season but was traded to the Cubbies in a deadline deal. I'm pretty sure I remember Steve as a good pitcher who just needed more run support. Ain't that the story of all the Baltimore Orioles pitchers? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/16/07 - Kranitz Named Pitching Coach

The Baltimore Orioles named Rick Kranitz pitching coach, a move that should pay off for the O's immediately. Kranitz spent 22 years in the Chicago Cub's organization. When he was there, he spent time with Dave Trembley (The Orioles current manager) and Andy MacPhail who is Baltimore's president of baseball operations. He also worked with bullpen coach Alan Dunn. His experience with these people was a big reason that he was hired. Besides the fact that he was named Baseball America's 2006 Major League Coach Of The Year. And the fact that he took a very young Florida Marlin's pitching staff to the 5th best ERA in the National League. And that in 2007 he led the Marlins bullpen to their 3rd best ERA in team history. But this all comes with an extra advantage: Since he worked with all of these men when he was with the Cub's organization, he has chemistry with all of these men. If he's already got chemistry with them, that is a huge advantage over another coach who would have to build up their chemistry with the team first. Maybe we will have a decent pitching staff this year.... - John T.

Orioles News - 10/15/07 - O's Claim Pitcher From Cubs

The Baltimore Orioles claimed pitcher Roberto Novoa (Above with Chicago) off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Novoa spent all of the 2007 season on the disabled list after suffering a right humeral head fracture in spring training. Wow. That shows how cruel Major League Baseball can be. Suffer a fracture in your head, and your canned by the team. Ouch. Roberto has a 7-7 career record with a 4.51 ERA. This was in 131 relief appearances. All in all, not a bad pick up. But after suffering an injury such as a fracture in your head, some pitchers are never the same...