World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966

American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969

American League Wild Card 2016, 2012, 1996

Monday, October 31, 2016

Columns:

Orioles' Zach Britton named Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year The Sun 10/29

Taking a look at the Orioles' pitching coach search The Sun 10/28

Orioles announce 2017 FanFest to be held Jan. 28 at Baltimore Convention Center The

Sun 10/28

Britton, Jansen earn Reliever of Year honors MLB.com 10/29

Orioles still deciding on qualifying offer for Wieters MASNsports.com 10/31

Should Orioles consider an eight-man bullpen? MASNsports.com 10/30

Britton named top reliever in American League (updated) MASNsports.com 10/29

Will Britton be named top AL reliever? MASNsports.com 10/29

Date set for FanFest MASNsports.com 10/28

Overlooked no more: Donnie Hart came up big in O’s bullpen MASNsports.com 10/30

Baseball America’s John Manuel on Chance Sisco’s defense MASNsports.com 10/30

The allure of the baseball prospect MASNsports.com 10/29

O's Zach Britton, Dodgers' Kenley Jansen earn relief pitcher awards AP 10/29

Britton and Jansen win Reliever of the Year Awards CSN Mid-Atlantic 10/29

Notable Pending Free Agents For Baltimore Orioles CBS Baltimore 10/28

Orioles' Britton, Dodgers' Jansen honored as top relievers in baseball for 2016

CBSSports.com 10/29

Mark Trumbo Named Comeback Player of the Year Baltimore Magazine 10/28

Caleb Joseph’s unthinkable season — and incredible attitude BaltimoreBaseball.com

10/31

No surprise: Britton wins 2016 Mariano Rivera Award BaltimoreBaseball.com 10/29

Myriad O’s thoughts: The Showalters’ impact on Baltimore; Buck’s tenure; Gold Gloves;

Arrieta’s gem BaltimoreBaseball.com 10/28

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-zach-britton-wins-the-mariano-

rivera-al-reliever-of-the-year-award-20161029-story.html

Orioles' Zach Britton named Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of

the Year

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

October 29, 2016

Orioles closer Zach Britton, who in 2016 turned in one of the best single-season performances by

a reliever, was named Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year before Game 4 of

the World Series on Saturday night.

The Rivera award is given to the league’s top relief pitcher, as selected by a panel of top retired

relievers. The Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year, awarded to the NL’s best

reliever, was given to Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

Britton was a perfect 47-for-47 in save opportunities in 2016, recording the longest save streak to

start a season by a left-handed pitcher in major league history and the third longest all-time for

any reliever.

“I think it’s a credit to the teammates around me,” Britton said during a news conference

announcing the award at Wrigley Field on Saturday night. “Obviously, you’re only as good as

the guys behind you on the field. [With] me relying on ground balls, obviously we have a great

defense back there, so a lot of the credit goes to the teammates [for] putting me in situations to be

successful, too. The coaching staff, everyone really went out of their way [to] put me in

situations to be successful, and that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. You’re

only as good as the guys around you.”

Like Rivera – who became the game’s all-time saves leader relying on his cutter – Britton has

succeeded largely because of one dominant pitch. Utilizing a mid-90s sinking fastball that he

threw 92.2 percent of the time, he induced an unheard-of 80 percent ground-ball rate, often

inducing weak contact and balls that rarely left the infield.

Britton’s 0.54 ERA led major league relievers and was the lowest in MLB history among

pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched. The only two other relievers in major league history to

post 40 saves and a sub-1.00 ERA were Dennis Eckersley in 1990 (48 saves, 0.61 ERA)

and Fernando Rodney in 2012 (48, 0.60).

He allowed earned runs in just four of his 69 appearances on the season, and allowed just one

earned run over his last 58 appearances spanning 57 innings, posting a 0.16 ERA from May 5 to

the end of the season.

"Zach had an unbelievable year," commissioner Rob Manfred said. "He was 47-for-47 in save

opportunities. I had to read this twice. The decimal point is in the right place. His ERA was 0.54.

His last 40 games this year he did not give up a run. I mean, just an unbelievable performance

and congratulations to you."

The awards are chosen by a vote of on by a nine-member panel that includes Rivera, Hoffman,

as well as the four living Hall of Fame relief pitchers – Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage

and Bruce Sutter – and former closers Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner. The panel

includes each of the top six all-time saves leaders.

Based on regular-season performance, the nine panelists submitted their top three relievers and

votes are tabulated on a 5-3-1 point system.

"To the panel for the selection, it's such an honor to be considered for an award like this, but to

win one is even better," Britton said. "So I want to thank everybody that had a say in the vote. It's

just an honor, and I appreciate it."

In 2014, the Rivera and Hoffman awards replaced the Delivery Man of the Year Awards, which

were awarded by MLB to the top reliever in both leagues from 2005 to 2013. Britton is the first

Oriole to win the award.

The awards are not to be confused with the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year award, which was

selected based on a system that awarded points after each save and win and subtracted points for

every loss and blown save. Three Orioles won that award in the American League: Lee Smith in

1994, Randy Myers in 1997 and Jim Johnson in 2012, which was the award’s final year.

Earlier this week, Britton was named to the Sporting News AL All-Star team and he could be a

finalist for this year's AL Cy Young Award when those are announced next month.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-taking-a-look-at-the-orioles-pitching-

coach-search-20161028-story.html

Taking a look at the Orioles' pitching coach search

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

October 28, 2016

Over the next several days, the Orioles' top brass is expected to meet to iron out a short list of

candidates to fill the team’s vacant pitching coach job left empty by Dave Wallace’s retirement

from active major league coaching.

The Orioles will have a significant void to fill following the departure of Wallace, who is a

veteran baseball man with an impressive and lengthy resume of developing pitchers over the past

two decades. His partnership with bullpen coach Dom Chiti was a rare one because it was almost

as if they shared pitching coach duties, but many Orioles pitchers swore by the duo and credited

them for their success over the past three seasons.

Whoever replaces Wallace will be Orioles manager Buck Showalter's sixth pitching coach.

Wallace was Showalter’s pitching coach the longest, offering stability that the Orioles arms

needed.

While Chiti would seem to be a seamless hire to take over for Wallace, Showalter said in his

season-ending news conference that he’s hesitant to take Chiti away from what he sees as an area

of strength. Chiti has worked well with a variety of personalities in the bullpen like Zach Britton,

Darren O’Day and Brach Brach. Showalter expects Chiti and his other remaining coaches to be

back next season.

The Orioles bullpen was again one of the best in baseball, posting a 3.40 ERA that led

the American League and was third in the majors. With lockdown arms like Britton, Brach and

O’Day returning as well as developing right-hander Mychal Givens and situational lefty Donnie

Hart, the bullpen goes into next season as the team’s most stable unit.

“Dom is obviously a real bird in the hand down in the bullpen,” Showalter said at the end of the

season. “It’s been a big reason, he and [Wallace] both, that our bullpen has been really consistent

and strong, and should be one of our strengths next year. I’m going to be careful and we’re going

to be careful not to tinker with that too much.”

Showalter said the team will initially look internally for Wallace’s replacement, and Double-A

Bowie pitching coach Alan Mills is one candidate who is highly regarded throughout the

organization as an up-and-comer who has a future on a major league staff. Mills, a former major

league reliever who pitched parts of nine seasons with the Orioles, played an instrumental role in

the development of Givens and Hart at Bowie. He has also been a spring training instructor for

the past several years, so the veterans are familiar with him.

But when you look at the pitching coach hires Showalter has made – Mark Connor, Rick Adair

and Wallace – they were all experienced baseball men with decades of major league coaching

experience. There’s a certain level of authority that comes with that experience that Showalter

tends to like in his pitching coaches.

That’s not to say Mills wouldn’t make a good major league pitching coach, but it’s more likely

that the organization would prefer to introduce him to the major league staff slowly, perhaps as a

bullpen coach.

One possible candidate to keep an eye on is former Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger

McDowell, whose option for next season was declined this month. McDowell was the Braves

pitching coach for 11 years, taking over after longtime pitching coach Leo Mazzone left for the

Orioles before the 2006 season.

Over his time in Atlanta, McDowell worked to groom young pitchers like Julio Teheran, Craig

Kimbrel, Mike Minor, Kris Medlen and Jair Jurrjens, and guided career renaissances for former

Orioles Jim Johnson and Bud Norris.

McDowell offers experience, but maybe most importantly he offers a link to Wallace, who was

the Braves minor league pitching coordinator from 2009 to 2013 and worked closely with

McDowell over that time. McDowell also pitched for the Orioles, ending his 12-year major

league career by making 41 appearances for them in 1996.

Because McDowell was let go by the Braves, he’d be free to be interviewed now, but any coach

that is currently under contract would have to gain his team’s permission before interviewing

with the Orioles. Usually, a team would get about a week to talk to a candidate, so it’s a

challenge lining up interviews with candidates under contract. The end of the month will be an

important date because some coaching contracts expire at the end of October, which could open

the lines of communication to speak with other candidates. So the next two weeks will be

instrumental in making movement on the hire.

Whoever gets the pitching coach job will inherit a different pitching staff than his predecessors.

The Orioles staff will go into spring training with far fewer holes to fill than previous years. The

Orioles return six starting pitchers for a five-man rotation and have one of the most stable

bullpens in baseball.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-announce-2017-fanfest-to-be-held-

jan-28-at-baltimore-convention-center-20161028-story.html

Orioles announce 2017 FanFest to be held Jan. 28 at

Baltimore Convention Center

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

October 28, 2016

After last year’s awkwardly timed December FanFest, the Orioles announced Friday that this

year’s event will return to its regular January slot to drum up support for the 2017 season.

This year’s edition will be held on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Baltimore Convention Center, with

doors opening at 10 a.m. for season-ticket holders and 11 a.m. for the general public.

The event traditionally includes a question-and-answer session with the likes of manager Buck

Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette, autograph sessions with players, and

interactive games and clinics for fans.

Each year, the winter event is seen as a major rallying point for fans to become engaged for the

upcoming season, mingle with players and perhaps pick up tickets for that season's games. With

the event held in early December last year, before tickets went on sale and before the Orioles

made their major move to re-sign first baseman Chris Davis to the richest contract in team

history, the feeling was said to be a bit different.

Tickets for this year’s event aren’t yet on sale, but check www.orioles.com/FanFest for more

information.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/207514622/zach-britton-kenley-jansen-relievers-of-year/

Britton, Jansen earn Reliever of Year honors All-Star closers each had 47 saves in 2016

By Mark Newman / MLB.com

October 29, 2016

CHICAGO -- Zach Britton of the Orioles and Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers were named

winners of the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award and the Trevor

Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award, respectively, in a ceremony by Major

League Baseball and presenting sponsor The Hartford on Saturday before Game 4 of the 112th

World Series at Wrigley Field. Both All-Star closers finished with 47 saves, and they led their

team to the postseason.

Commissioner Rob Manfred and Doug Elliot, president of The Hartford, presented the honors

along with the awards' namesake closers, Rivera and Hoffman. This has become a new tradition

during each Fall Classic, as these Reliever of the Year Awards replaced the Delivery Man of the

Year Award in 2014, which had been presented to one winner from 2005-13. The awards

continue a longstanding baseball tradition of honoring the game's top bullpen arms.

"Congratulations to Zach Britton and Kenley Jansen for their outstanding performances this

season," Elliot said. "Zach and Kenley consistently deliver for their teams during the biggest

moments of a game. At The Hartford, we are committed to doing the same for our customers by

ensuring they prevail when the unexpected happens."

Britton, in his third season as the Orioles' closer and sixth overall in the big leagues, was

virtually unbeatable in 2016. He led Baltimore to the AL Wild Card Game and became only the

third pitcher to post an ERA below 1.00 (0.54) in a season with at least 40 saves.

"I think it's a credit to the teammates around me," Britton said. "Obviously you're only as good as

the guys behind you on the field. Me relying on ground balls, obviously we have a great defense

back there. So a lot of the credit goes to the teammates and putting me in situations to be

successful, too. The coaching staff, everyone really went out of their way to make sure -- or put

me in situations to be successful. That's really what it comes down to at the end of the day.

You're only as good as the guys around you."

Britton converted all 47 save opportunities and posted a 2-1 record in 69 games. In 67 innings,

the 28-year-old left-hander surrendered just 38 hits -- and only one home run -- and 18 walks,

while striking out 74 batters. Opponents hit only .162 and slugged .209 against him.

"It's a privilege when you see youngsters do the type of job that they have done," Rivera said.

"And that [decimal] point was right, in the right spot, you know? Talking about 0.54 ERA. That's

amazing, you know. Zach, congratulations, man. You're on my team."

Jansen's 47 saves were second in the NL to the Mets' Jeurys Familia, but the Dodgers' closer was

dominant in other facets of the role. He led the Majors with an 0.67 WHIP, had the best

strikeout-to-walk ratio in the NL (104/35, 9.45), topped all MLB relievers with a .150 batting-

average against, and helped the Dodgers to a fourth consecutive NL West title.

"Thank you so much for this tremendous honor," Jansen said via video. "I'm so sorry that I could

not be there to receive the Trevor Hoffman Award from the man himself, a pitcher I respect and

always admire. … Thank you for the legends and Hall of Famers to vote for me. To earn that

respect from the greatest reliever of all time means a lot."

Jansen also finished the season with a franchise-record 189 saves. He anchored a bullpen that

combined to set a franchise record with 590 2/3 innings pitched and 607 total appearances, both

of which led the Majors. Now the big question will be whether he stays with the Dodgers as he

prepares to enter free agency this offseason.

"I had a chance to speak with his manager, Dave Roberts," Hoffman said. "And he spoke,

obviously, of his exploits as a pitcher this year, but he said he grew as a man as well. And I think

that says a lot about the young man, and he's going to have many years to come. So [I'm]

certainly proud of his efforts, and I wish he could have been here."

Balloting for the Rivera and Hoffman Awards was conducted among a panel of eight all-time

great relievers. Rivera and Hoffman, both of whom spent their entire careers in the same league

en route to the top of the all-time saves list, were joined by three Hall of Fame relievers -- Dennis

Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter -- as well as Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy

Wagner. The panel includes the six all-time saves leaders who are no longer active players.

The eight voters ranked the top three AL relief pitchers and the top three NL relief pitchers based

solely on regular-season performance and using a 5-3-1 weighted point system.

The AL runners-up were left-hander Andrew Miller (70 games with the Yankees and Indians,

10-1 record, 1.45 ERA, 12 saves, 74 1/3 innings, 42 hits, 9 walks, 123 strikeouts, 0.69 WHIP),

who won in 2015; and right-hander Roberto Osuna (72 games with the Blue Jays, 4-3 record,

2.68 ERA, 36 saves, 74 innings, 55 hits, 14 walks, 82 strikeouts, 0.93 WHIP).

The NL runners-up were right-hander Mark Melancon (75 games with the Pirates and Nationals,

2-2 record, 1.64 ERA, 47 saves, 71 1/3 innings, 52 hits, 12 walks, 65 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP),

who also won in 2015; and Familia (78 games with the Mets, 3-4 record, 2.55 ERA, 51 saves, 77

2/3 innings, 63 hits, 31 walks, 84 strikeouts). The inaugural winners in 2014 were Kimbrel, then

of the Braves, and Greg Holland of the Royals.

"The thing that stands out to me is the unselfishness on the players' part to embrace the

opportunity and know you're in a leverage situation that will impact the game maybe sooner than

you're used to," Hoffman said. "Fortunately there are guys other than just [Andrew] Miller on

[the Indians'] staff. The job [Bryan] Shaw has done this year and [Cody] Allen -- it's pretty

amazing as a group what they've been able to accomplish."

"It's amazing," Rivera said. "Because you're talking about the playoffs, especially now in the

World Series where there's no tomorrow. So those guys are aware of that. They need to do

whatever they need to do to get it done. Both managers have done tremendous jobs."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/10/orioles-still-deciding-on-qualifying-offer-

for-wieters.html

Orioles still deciding on qualifying offer for Wieters

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

October 31, 2016

It comes as no surprise that the Orioles continue to ponder whether they should make a

qualifying offer to catcher Matt Wieters. They’ve had internal debates since he accepted the last

one.

I’ve heard that they’re weighing both sides and I sense that they may be leaning more toward not

giving it to Wieters, who hit .243/.302/.409 with 17 doubles, 17 home runs and 66 RBIs this

season in 124 games. But they’re far from solidifying a decision.

Wieters made $15.8 million after unexpectedly accepting the offer. His salary would jump to

$17.2 million if he accepted it again.

There are members of the organization who view it as a win-win. They’d get Wieters for another

season or the draft pick. The counter argument, of course, is that $17.2 million takes up too much

of the budget while the Orioles brace for raises due their arbitration-eligible players, including

third baseman Manny Machado, starter Chris Tillman, closer Zach Britton and reliever Brad

Brach.

There’s also the matter of negotiating an extension for Tillman, who’s got one year left before

entering free agency, and Machado, who’s under team control through 2018. They also could

consider an extension for Britton.

Is Wieters worth $17.2 million? That’s the center of the debate.

He’d rate as the top catcher on the market and it’s hard to imagine agent Scott Boras being

comfortable with Wieters again taking the offer. However, it’s ultimately Wieters’ call.

I don’t see Wieters taking it, so why let him walk without any sort of compensation?

Maybe that’s just the gambler in me.

Wieters posted the second-lowest average and on-base percentage of his career and he wasn’t

named as a finalist for the Gold Glove, his defensive critics growing louder in 2016. But

compare his production to other players at his position. He’s going to attract interest.

Losing Wieters could force the Orioles to rush Chance Sisco, who’s 21, has played only four

games above Double-A and continues to work on improving his defense. His readiness is another

debate within the organization.

The idea of “force-feeding” Sisco, as one person put it, raises some concerns. But he’s risen to

top prospect status and could compete for a job in camp.

Caleb Joseph figures to remain on the 25-man roster and the Orioles could pair him with a short-

term free-agent signing. Nick Hundley is back on the market and Showalter wanted him to stay

in the winter of 2014, but the Rockies made a better offer by guaranteeing two years.

Another catcher of potential interest is former first-round pick Jason Castro, a career

.232/.309/.390 hitter in six seasons with the Astros. He made the All-Star team in 2013 and

batted .276/.350/.485 with 35 doubles and 18 home runs in 120 games.

Castro, who has some supporters in the Orioles organization, earned $5 million this season after

losing his arbitration hearing. He threw out only 24 percent of runners attempting to steal, down

from 36 percent the previous season.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are expected to make the qualifying offer to outfielder Mark Trumbo,

who in turn is expected to turn it down and test the market after leading the majors with 47 home

runs.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/10/should-orioles-consider-an-eight-man-

bullpen.html

Should Orioles consider an eight-man bullpen?

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

October 30, 2016

Watching how bullpens have been utilized in the postseason, especially by Indians manager

Terry Francona, led to an interesting discussion yesterday on “Wall-to-Wall Baseball” on

MASN.

Will more teams consider breaking camp next year with eight relievers and only three bench

players, or will a fresh season bring a return to normalcy?

It would be tough to manage an entire season yanking your starters in the fourth or fifth innings

and passing the baton, and bringing in set-up men in the middle innings the way Andrew Miller

has been used, but it certainly has worked in the playoffs.

There may not be a lot of teams able to find eight capable relievers, but the Orioles could be an

exception.

We know the four locks - closer Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Brad Brach and Mychael Givens.

Left-hander Donnie Hart would have to be putrid next spring and pitch his way off the staff.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette figures to sign or acquire at least one more reliever. In

the meantime, the 40-man roster currently includes left-handers Brian Duensing, T.J.

McFarland and Jayson Aquino and right-handers Vance Worley, Mike Wright, Tyler

Wilson and Oliver Drake.

Duensing will become a free agent five days after the World Series. Worley and McFarland are

non-tender candidates, but would be more valuable to a team wanting to carry an extra reliever.

Worley may have been the unsung hero this season for handling a variety of roles and unsteady

work.

The Orioles have six starters for five spots and could move one to the bullpen. Dylan Bundy

would make sense because he began the season in a relief role, but he’s likely to stay in the

rotation.

An eight-man bullpen works best with some optionable pieces. Pretty much everything in

baseball is easier with optionable pieces.

The other consideration, of course, is whether manager Buck Showalter would be comfortable

with only three reserves. He doesn’t do a whole lot of pinch-hitting. Adam Jones, Manny

Machado, J.J. Hardy, Jonathan Schoop and Chris Davis have to be dragged off the field - no one

got a firm grip on Schoop this season - and the same is true of Mark Trumbo, a free agent this

winter.

The backup catcher could get more regular duty if Matt Wieters leaves as a free agent, but it

doesn’t matter in this discussion. The Orioles will carry a backup catcher like everyone else.

The bench would be completed by a fourth outfielder and a super utility player capable of

handling the infield spots and moving to the outfield if needed. We can use former Rule 5

pick Joey Rickard as an example of the extra outfielder, but we also need to know what the

Orioles are doing with right field and the designated hitter slot.

Ryan Flaherty is ideal as a super utility player because he can play any position, but he’s also a

non-tender candidate with MLBTradeRumors.com projecting his 2017 salary at $1.7 million.

He’s approaching a level that’s got the Orioles contemplating whether they should search for a

cheaper alternative.

A full-time DH makes a three-man bench more enticing. Pedro Alvarez was a platoon player this

year. Trumbo could re-sign and get the majority of his at-bats as the DH while the Orioles seek

to improve their defense in right field.

I’m just thinking out loud here and I don’t expect the Orioles to break camp with an extra

reliever unless they go with only four starters due to the off days in early April. It won’t last and

Showalter will have a four-man bench. But it’s certainly worth debating while we wait for the

free-agent market to open and more awards to be handed out.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/10/britton-named-top-reliever-in-american-

league.html

Britton named top reliever in American League (updated)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

October 29, 2016

While Orioles left-hander Zach Britton awaits his Cy Young fate, he’s been recognized as the

best reliever in the American League.

Insert Captain Obvious reference here. The use of the word “duh” also is permissible.

Britton received the Mariano Rivera Award tonight that goes to the top AL reliever. The

Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen was given the NL’s version, named after Trevor Hoffman.

It would have been a major upset for Britton to be denied.

In case you missed it, here’s what I wrote about him this morning:

Britton recorded 47 consecutive saves this season, going 47-for-47. According to STATS,

Britton has the longest save streak in as many chances to start a season by a left-handed pitcher

in major league history and ranks third all-time. He led the AL and tied for second in the majors

in saves and his 0.54 ERA - four earned runs in 67 innings was the lowest in history among

pitchers with at least 50 innings.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two other pitchers in history have posted an ERA

below 1.00 in a season with at least 40 saves - Dennis Eckersley in 1990 (0.61, 48 saves) and

Fernando Rodney in 2012 (0.60, 48 saves).

Britton is the active major league leader with 49 consecutive saves dating back to Oct. 1, 2015.

He stranded 16 of 18 inherited runners this season, and ranked first among all relievers in

groundball/fly ball ratio (9.77) and in groundball percentage (79.4).

The Indians’ Andrew Miller and Blue Jays’ Roberto Osuna were the runners-up.

The Cy Young winners will be announced on Nov. 16.

Update: “I think it’s a credit to the teammates around me,” Britton said at a news conference at

Wrigley Field. “Obviously, you’re only as good as the guys behind you on the field. Me relying

on ground balls, obviously we have a great defense back there, so a lot of the credit goes to the

teammates putting me in situations to be successful, too.

“The coaching staff, everyone really went out of their way to put me in situations to be

successful and that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. You’re only as good as

the guys around you.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/10/will-britton-be-named-top-al-reliever.html

Will Britton be named top AL reliever?

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

October 29, 2016

As the World Series continues tonight with Game 4 at Wrigley Field, it’s also important to note

that we’ve entered awards season.

Sporting News has dished out its hardware and the Rawlings Gold Glove finalists were revealed

on Thursday. The Relievers of the Year will be announced later today, with one winner in each

league.

The American League award is named after Mariano Rivera, and the NL award is named after

Trevor Hoffman. Somewhere, Heathcliff Slocumb is fuming.

The awards were first issued in 2014 and replaced the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of

the Year Award, which had been presented since 2005. The name change was important after

another driver from China Garden inadvertently won it.

According to the Wikipedia page - and anyone can contribute to it, so it must be accurate - the

Reliever of the Year Awards are determined based on a vote of a nine-member panel made up of

Rivera, Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith,

John Franco and Billy Wagner. This represents the four living relief pitchers who are in the Hall

of Fame and the top five relievers in career saves.

Each voter selects three pitchers from each league based solely on their performance in the

regular season. A 5-3-1 weighted point system is used to determine the winner.

The Royals’ Greg Holland was the AL winner in 2014 and then-Yankees left-hander Andrew

Miller won it last year. No Oriole has been honored going back to 2005, but that should change

today.

How can it be anyone except Zach Britton?

Let’s review:

Britton recorded 47 consecutive saves this season, going 47-for-47. According to STATS,

Britton has the longest save streak in as many chances to start a season by a left-handed pitcher

in major league history and ranks third all-time. He led the AL and tied for second in the majors

in saves and his 0.54 ERA - four earned runs in 67 innings was the lowest in history among

pitchers with at least 50 innings.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two other pitchers in history have posted an ERA

below 1.00 in a season with at least 40 saves - Dennis Eckersley in 1990 (0.61, 48 saves) and

Fernando Rodney in 2012 (0.60, 48 saves). And only one of them wore his cap crooked, but I

digress ...

Britton ranks third on the Orioles all-time saves list with 120 and is one of only two left-handers

in club history with at least 100 career saves, joining pickoff artist Tippy Martinez.

Britton is the active major league leader with 49 consecutive saves dating back to Oct. 1, 2015.

He could be the 10th reliever to win the Cy Young and the first since the Dodgers’ Eric Gagne in

2003.

My guess is the Cy Young comes down to Britton, the Red Sox’s Rick Porcello and the Indians’

Corey Kluber, but as always, I could be wrong.

Britton’s 120 career saves are the third-most in club history. Jim Johnson is second with 122.

An overlooked Britton stat: He stranded 16 of 18 inherited runners this season.

The least-surprising Britton stat: He ranked first among all relievers in groundball/fly ball ratio

(9.77) and in groundball percentage (79.4).

So who’s the biggest threat to Britton today? Francisco Rodriguez ranked second in the league

with 44 saves in 49 chances, but he also posted a 3.24 ERA. Miller went 10-1 with a 1.45 ERA

and 0.69 WHIP, and he struck out 123 batters in 74 1/3 innings.

Miller sounds like runner-up material to me.

Shameless plug alert: I’ll be at Camden Yards this morning for the seventh annual KidsPeace

Trick-or-Trot 5K/1-mile walk before changing clothes and appearing on “Wall-to-Wall

Baseball” that airs from noon-2 p.m. on MASN.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/10/date-set-for-fanfest.html

Date set for FanFest

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

October 28, 2016

A “save the date” isn’t just for weddings. There’s also the baseball winter version.

The Orioles announced today that their annual FanFest event will be held on Jan. 28, 2017 at the

Baltimore Convention Center. Or exactly three months from today.

More information will become available later, including the list of players, coaches and former

players in attendance and a breakdown of the autograph stations.

The event runs from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., but season plan holders will have access beginning at 10

a.m.

FanFest also includes clinics, exhibits and interactive games. Additional information also is

forthcoming. But at least you can circle the date on your calendars.

Admittance to FanFest will be located at the Charles Street Lobby of the Baltimore Convention

Center, located on the corner of Pratt and Charles streets. Fans will enter the event through the

doors on Pratt Street. Will Call tickets can be picked up through the doors on Charles Street.

Last year’s FanFest was held on Dec. 12, but it’s back in its more traditional spot near the end of

January. The crowd eclipsed 11,500, according to a team official.

We were introduced to reliever Vance Worley at last year’s event. Who will be the next newbie?

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/10/overlooked-no-more-donnie-hart-came-up-

big-in-the-os-bullpen.html

Overlooked no more: Donnie Hart came up big in O’s

bullpen

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

October 30, 2016

Can a player drafted in the 27th round - one who was never considered a top prospect and has

never advanced to Triple-A - help the Orioles?

He can if that player is pitcher Donnie Hart. The lefty reliever is used to being overlooked. He

saw 818 players taken ahead of him in the 2013 draft until the Texas State product heard the

Orioles call his name.

Desperate for a dependable matchup left-handed reliever, the Orioles turned to Hart mid-season.

He made his big league debut July 17 at Tampa Bay, made three scoreless appearances and then

went back to Double-A Bowie. In August, returned for good.

Next year, we find out if Hart can follow up his stunning success from this season. He threw 18

scoreless outings to begin his major league career and gave up one run over 22 appearances. He

had an 0.49 ERA. Over 18 1/3 innings, he allowed 12 hits with six walks and 12 strikeouts.

At Double-A this year, lefty batters hit .188 against him and right-handers batted .267. With the

Orioles, he held lefties to an average of .132 and right-handed batters hit .292.

For Bowie, Hart went 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA and seven walks to 50 strikeouts over 46 1/3 innings.

He won the Jim Palmer Award as the Orioles’ 2016 minor league Pitcher of the Year.

Throwing sinking fastballs from his sidearm delivery, Hart also featured a plus slider. He got

plenty of swings and misses with that pitch and big league hitters batted .050 off his slider. He

got nine of his 12 strikeouts with that pitch and used it to hold David Ortiz and Bryce Harper to a

combined 0-for-5 against him.

In addition to throwing some pretty solid pitches, Hart showed plenty of poise and guts as well.

Manager Buck Showalter was fond of saying, “Hart is not afraid out there,” a clear sign that the

skipper was fond of his moxie.

As I came to learn in several conversations with him during the second half, Hart is a real student

of the game.

“Every day that I’ve been up here, I’ve learned something new,” he said in August. “Every

single day. Whether it be from the pitching side of it, the defensive side of it or how to study

hitters. Have learned something new every day.”

Hart used that cerebral approach to make a big play against the Washington Nationals on Aug.

22. He came on in the eighth inning to protect a 4-3 lead and Daniel Murphy doubled. When

Harper hit a comebacker to the mound, Hart spun and looked at second base. Murphy had

strayed off the bag and Hart threw behind him to get a key out and take a runner out of scoring

position. After that game, Hart mentioned that, when looking at video, he noticed Murphy had

strayed too far off second earlier in the year on a similar play. So when Hart fielded the ball, he

looked that way. Sure enough, the pregame prep work paid off for a big out.

So his first exposure to the majors was a rousing success for the 26-year-old lefty who is

suddenly no longer overlooked. He’s gone from little known Double-A pitcher to a key member

of the Baltimore bullpen.

Hart is smart enough to know his big league roster spot is by no means established after just 22

games. He’ll have to show up in Sarasota in February and do it all over again. If he can come up

with ways to defend himself a little better against right-handed batters, he could become more

than a specialist.

But he sure did a nice job in that role this year. You probably don’t notice a matchup reliever

until you don’t have one with the game on the line in the seventh or eighth inning. Sometimes

the game can truly be saved in that big spot, even well before Zach Britton gets the final three

outs.

Will Hart have what it takes to continue as key pitcher in the Orioles bullpen?

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/10/baseball-americas-john-manuel-on-chance-

siscos-defense.html

Baseball America’s John Manuel on Chance Sisco’s defense

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

October 30, 2016

He may not be hitting with big power right now, but no one is questioning O’s catching

prospect Chance Sisco’s ability to hit for a high batting average on the farm. It is a big reason he

was named by Baseball America on Monday as the Orioles’ No. 1 prospect.

Baseball America’s John Manuel called him “a true No. 1 prospect. You have a guy that, for

more organizations than not, would be a No. 1 prospect.”

At just 21, Sisco rises to the top of the list of Orioles prospects after being ranked No. 10

following his first pro season and then No. 4 and No. 3 over the last two years.

Sisco hit .371 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, .340 at Single-A Delmarva (winning a

battle title), .308 at Single-A Frederick and this year .320 at Double-A Bowie. His career slash

line is .323/.403/.435.

As he gets closer to the big leagues, he is also improving his defense as a catcher. He played

to solid reviews at Bowie for his game-calling, communication with the pitching staff, and his

blocking and receiving. He threw out 24.8 percent attempting to steal after nabbing 20.3 percent

at Single-A Frederick the year before. That is certainly not a great percentage, but we don’t know

how well the pitchers held runners on and/or how much of a chance he had to record a higher

percentage.

I asked Manuel if Sisco could advance to the major leagues and be an average defensive catcher.

“I think he will be,” he said. “The sliding scale always tilts the more you hit. I think (Atlanta

catcher) Tyler Flowers this year only threw out two base stealers in 58 attempts. Teams don’t run

as much anymore in the big leagues. The running game has come down.

“One way to look at it is that the left arm can matter as much as the right arm for a catcher. There

is more talk now about the left arm - how you receive and pitch frame and steal some strikes.

That probably matters more over 162 games than how many runners you throw out.

“Chance Sisco has shown the scouts we talked to, inside and outside of the organization, that he

has made some progress. I don’t think he is ever going to be Joe Mauer, a plus offensive and

defensive catcher. But he has some similarities to Mauer’s game - he draws walks and hits for a

high average. Sisco is almost like a poor man’s Mauer. The separator is Mauer was a premium

defensive player and a premium athlete. I think Sisco is a good athlete that has a chance to be an

average defender.”

The Baseball America staff has always seemed to be pretty bullish on Sisco and now he tops

their rankings of Orioles farmhands, even if there still are some questions about his defense.

“He’s never going to be a guy that erases running games,” Manuel said. “But he just has to be

capable back there. To me, the focus should be on the left hand. Making sure he receives quality

and steals some of those strikes. To me, defense behind the plate is talked about less the more

you hit.

“I have a high level of confidence in this guy’s offensive game. That homer in the Futures Game

at Petco Park was impressive. That was a nice moment for Sisco and a little public confirmation

in the prospect realm that this guy is for real.”

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/10/the-allure-of-the-baseball-prospect.html

The allure of the baseball prospect

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

October 29, 2016

There is something intriguing about a baseball prospect. He provides hope of what he might

become and how he can help the team. The highly-ranked prospect gets fans excited. They dare

to dream that these players may become All-Stars or even something more like an elite talent that

can lift up an entire franchise.

There is always hope of a brighter future and that the young kid getting some hype now might

later be the next big thing.

Two days ago, I wrote this story and it got a lot of reaction. We had an interesting day-long

discussion about the immediate future of the Orioles. Some fans feel it is already time to start

trading players like Zach Britton and Manny Machado. They feel the players will soon be pricing

themselves right out of Baltimore, so the club should get a nice package of prospect now while

their value is so high. All-Star talents with two years of team control will command a big price

via a trade.

But my contention was that it’s too soon for that. The Orioles, in win-now mode, need to see it

through with their current group of core players. They’ve made the playoff three times in five

years and need to see how far they can go with the current group. Especially at a time when their

2017 rotation - expected to be headed by Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy -

looks solid.

Sometimes prospects do turn into All-Stars. But many times they don’t. Some never even see

one day in the majors. But their appeal is strong, it seems to me. There is always the next flavor

of the month.

As fans and readers here ponder the Orioles immediate future, is adding prospects now for

current major league talent just too risky? Is the allure of the prospect driving some in their

opinions on this topic?

Minor league deals: The Orioles have re-signed four players to minor league contracts for 2017.

They are first baseman Aderlin Rodriguez, shortstop Erick Salcedo, right-handed

pitcher Franderlin Romero and catcher Audry Perez.

Signed as a minor league free agent in January, the 24-year-old Rodriguez had a big year for

Single-A Frederick, batting .304/.359/.532 with 26 homers and 93 RBIs. He led all O’s

farmhands in homers and RBIs, and ranked fourth in batting average. Rodriguez was ranked

among the Mets’ top 30 prospects four times by Baseball America between 2008 and 2012.

The 23-year-old Salcedo was acquired by the Orioles along with outfielder Natanael Delgado

last March for left-handed pitcher Chris Jones. In 133 games for Frederick, he hit .270/.319/.369

with three homers and 39 RBIs. He could advance to play shortstop for Double-A Bowie next

season. Salcedo was rated as the Angels’ No. 27 prospect after the 2013 season.

The 23-year-old Romero was acquired by the Orioles last May 23 from the Cincinnati Reds for

two international bonus slots totaling close to $700,000. Romero, whose fastball touched 94

mph, went 6-4 with a 6.16 ERA in 16 starts for Frederick. Over 76 innings, he allowed 96 hits

with 22 walks and 54 strikeouts. He began the year going 1-4 with a 2.87 ERA in eight starts for

Single-A Dayton in the Midwest League before the trade.

The 27-year-old Perez was acquired by the Orioles for cash considerations from Colorado in

March of 2015. He was a non-roster spring training invitee last March and then went to Triple-A

Norfolk, batting .291/.343/.386 with six homers and 38 RBIs for the Tides. Perez, who hit .301

in the second half, ended the year on the disabled list with an oblique strain.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17921370/zach-britton-baltimore-orioles-kenley-jansen-los-

angeles-dodgers-honored-top-relievers

O's Zach Britton, Dodgers' Kenley Jansen earn relief pitcher

awards

Associated Press / ESPN.com

October 29, 2016

Baltimore's Zach Britton earned MLB's Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award, and

the Los Angeles Dodgers' Kenley Jansen was given the Trevor Hoffman NL reliever honor.

The two were presented with the awards before Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday at

Wrigley Field.

Britton converted all 47 save chances and had a 0.54 ERA, and Jansen also had 47 saves.

Winners are selected by eight former relievers: Rivera, Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie

Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner.

http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/10/29/britton-and-jansen-win-reliever-of-the-year-awards/

Britton and Jansen win Reliever of the Year Awards

By Ashley Varela / CSN Mid-Atlantic

October 29, 2016

Orioles’ left-hander Zach Britton and Dodgers’ right-hander Kenley Jansen received accolades

as the AL and NL Relievers of the Year during a ceremony preceding Game 4 of the World

Series.

The 2016 awards ceremony represents just the third year in which MLB has recognized the top

bullpen arms in each respective league. From 2005 to 2013, one outstanding relief pitcher was

selected for the Delivery Man of the Year Award, with previous winners including 2013

nominee Craig Kimbrel and three-time winner Mariano Rivera. Since 2014, the NL winner has

been presented with the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award, while

the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award goes to the best AL relief

pitcher.

Britton was a force to be reckoned with in 2016, logging 67 innings for the Orioles with an 0.54

ERA, 74 strikeouts and 47 saves. His ERA ranks lowest among any Reliever of the Year winner

to date, eclipsing even Fernando Rodney‘s mark of 0.60 during the 2012 season. He also set a

new record for the lowest ERA among any pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched in a single

season.

Jansen converted 47 saves for the Dodgers alongside a 1.83 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 68 2/3

innings. His strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.45 was the highest among MLB relievers in both

leagues, and his second-half 0.70 WHIP and 10.60 K/BB rate were instrumental as the Dodgers

chased their fourth consecutive NL West championship.

President of The Hartford and award sponsor Doug Elliot helped Baseball Commissioner Rob

Manfred deliver the awards on Saturday evening, and had this to say about the two relievers:

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/10/28/notable-pending-free-agents-for-baltimore-orioles/

Notable Pending Free Agents For Baltimore Orioles

CBS Baltimore

October 28, 2016

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Free agency in MLB begins not long after the World Series ends, and

most teams, along with the Baltimore Orioles, will be weighing the options of who to keep

around for Opening Day next spring.

Four notable pending free agents for the Orioles are: DH Pedro Alvarez, OF/INF Steve Pearce,

OF Mark Trumbo, C Matt Wieters.

DH Pedro Alvarez

Alvarez ended the year with a .249 average and .322 OBP, his best marks in both areas since his

first MLB season in 2010. His strikeout rate was on the high end (25.8%), but he did earn a 9.8%

BB percentage that worked in the team’s favor throughout the year.

OF/INF Steve Pearce

Steve Pearce was reacquired by Baltimore via a midseason trade after signing with Tampa Bay

Rays in the offseason. Pearce hit .288 in 2016 and became a strong player for the team

before suffering a season-ending injury. He was signed to a one-year, $4.75M contract and will

hit the market again this winter.

OF Mark Trumbo

Of course the Orioles would like to keep the guy who hit the most home runs in the entire league,

but holding onto Trumbo could cost them. He earned $9.15M in 2016. The Orioles will likely

make a qualifying offer to Trumbo and would gain a compensatory draft pick if he departs. But

sticking around could be a good thing for both sides, Trumbo seemed to mesh well in the

clubhouse and was able to play in the postseason for the first time in his major league career with

the Orioles.

C Matt Wieters

Matt Wieters is a free agent after earning $15.8M in 2016 and the demand for a player like

him likely prices him out of Baltimore’s range. This time is could cost closer to $16.7 million,

which is a lot to pay for a catcher. He’s one of the team’s longest tenured players, a leader in

the clubhouse and has been clutch for the Orioles in many games. He would be difficult to

replace, but the Orioles do have Caleb Joseph to fall back on.

The Orioles also have a few other guys headed toward free agency not mentioned. Paul Janish,

Drew Stubbs, and Brian Duensing are a few.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/orioles-britton-dodgers-jansen-honored-as-top-relievers-in-

baseball-for-2016/

Orioles' Britton, Dodgers' Jansen honored as top relievers in

baseball for 2016 Britton took home the Mariano Rivera award, while Jansen landed the Trevor Hoffman

award

By Matt Snyder / CBSSports.com

October 29, 2016

CHICAGO -- A few years back, Major League Baseball created two new awards in honor of

arguably the two greatest closers in baseball history. The top reliever in the NL moving forward

was to be the winner of the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year award while

the AL version is the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award.

This year's recipients: Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers and Zach Britton of the Orioles.

Britton comes as no surprise whatsoever. He was the best reliever in the world this year. A

perfect 47 for 47 in save chances, Britton posted a ridiculous 0.54 ERA and 0.84 WHIP along

with 74 strikeouts in 67 innings.

On the NL side, Jansen was 47 of 53 in save chances with a 1.83 ERA and 0.67 WHIP (hoo

boy). He struck out 104 while walking only 11 (two were intentional, too) in 68 2/3 innings. It's

worth mention that Jansen is a free agent this coming winter, so he's about to be paid

handsomely to ply his trade.

As has been the case the past few years, both Hoffman and Rivera were on hand to honor the

winners, though Jansen was not on hand, due to "unforeseen travel issues."

http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/2016/10/28/friday-replay-trumbo-named-comeback-player-

of-the-year

Mark Trumbo Named Comeback Player of the Year Michael Phelps secretly weds and other news in sports this week.

By Ron Cassie / Baltimore Magazine

October 28, 2016

Come back, comeback player of the year.

The Sporting News named slugging O’s outfielder Mark Trumbo the American League’s

Comeback Player of the Year after bashing 47 homers and driving in 108 runs to put us back into

the playoffs (albeit briefly) this season. Those numbers were a huge improvement from what

he’d posted in 2015—22 HRs and 64 RBIs—in a season split between Arizona and Seattle. The

question now, however, is whether the front office will sign the free agent. It’s basically the

same quandary the Orioles faced after Nelson Cruz, another one-year, free agent signee,

delivered a monster year in 2014 and then was off to the Mariners. If the O’s don’t fork over the

dough for Trumbo, baseball operations chief Dan Duquette will be tasked with trying to pull

another rabbit out his cap to replace Trumbo, who carried the team’s offense for long stretches.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2016/10/31/caleb-josephs-unthinkable-season-incredible-

attitude/

Caleb Joseph’s unthinkable season — and incredible

attitude

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com

October 31, 2016

It was one of the more compelling storylines of the Orioles’ 2016 season.

It was also one of the most surprising, most head-shaking, most ‘are-you-kidding-me?’ situations

I’ve ever covered.

Somehow, some way, Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph had 141 big-league plate appearances and

132 big-league at-bats this season and didn’t drive in a run.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first person since RBIs became an official

MLB stat in 1920 to complete a season of at least 100 at-bats without driving in one run.

I talked to Joseph about this on the last weekend of the regular season at Yankee Stadium. He

was hoping to get into another game, get one more chance to stop his name from entering the

baseball book of infamy. But he didn’t. With the postseason hanging in the balance, starter Matt

Wieters played all three games in New York and in the AL Wild Card loss at the Rogers Centre

in Toronto.

Joseph joked back then that he was considering buying a small stuffed monkey and shoving it in

the back pocket of his uniform pants just in case he picked up an RBI. Then he would rip the

stuffed animal out of the pocket and toss the monkey off his back – literally. He actually

pantomimed such a stunt when he drove in a run at Triple-A Norfolk in August.

In a twisted way, Joseph said there might have been a bit of a letdown if he had actually broken

his streak at the end of the season.

“I kind of don’t want it to happen, because it’s a source of entertainment (in the clubhouse),” he

said that final weekend. “Seriously. It keeps people loose, giving them the opportunity to rag

me.”

They ragged him plenty. And he took it. And he ragged on himself.

And maybe that’s why I’m telling you this story now, roughly a month after the season ended.

Because now that all the Orioles’ games are over, the disappointment of a one-game playoff has

subsided some and free-agency talk is about to start in earnest, the thing that may stick with me

most from the 2016 season is the way Joseph handled such a disaster of a year. His attitude was

nothing short of remarkable. Part of that, he said, was because the Orioles were winning, so his

lack of offensive production wasn’t as critical. But part of it is just Joseph’s DNA.

“It’s frustrating, of course. But what are you gonna do about it? Go into the corner and cry and

moan and mule-lip and want people to feel sorry for you?” Joseph, 30, said.

“Nobody really cares. You go out there, cheer your teammates on, do what you can. Bring what

you can bring to help the team and hopefully you’ll win.”

He said it’s an attitude he was taught as a kid. And he’s kept it while playing a kid’s game. He

maintained that same attitude while grinding through the minors for seven, never-ending seasons

before getting his first big-league call-up in 2014.

“My mom and dad and your coaches growing up, they’d tell you the two things you can control

are attitude and effort, you know? It’s so silly, but it really is true,” Joseph said. “OK, things may

not be going exactly how I would want it to go personally. But I can control my attitude, and it

shouldn’t be that hard. It’s not that hard.”

Let’s be clear: Joseph didn’t enjoy having a RBI-less campaign. But, honestly, it wasn’t even the

most painful part of his year.

On May 30, he took a foul tip to the groin and stayed in the game. Afterward, he was taken to the

hospital and immediately underwent testicular surgery. He missed more than a month of the

season. While he was on a rehab assignment at High-A Frederick, he was in a car accident. He

wasn’t injured in that incident, but still … Really? What a year – one that ended with setting an

infamous record.

“I’m also in the books for playing 470-some games at Double-A. I’m in the books for getting hit

in the testicles on national TV and having surgery. You’re gonna be remembered for something.

I mean, it’s not funny, but what are you gonna do? This has been like the story of my life,

basically since I was really young,” Joseph said. “These types of things seem to happen to me;

I’ve quite a long list of experiences. You deal with it.

“Some people would just crawl in a hole. Of course, I don’t go home and smile at night all the

time. Yeah, it weighs on you. But there’s a choice to be made when you wake up in the morning.

I can let this Charlie Brown cloud hang over me or am I gonna try and get past it?”

For the record, Joseph’s isn’t the longest RBI-less streak in baseball history; not even the longest

this century. In 2006, Chicago Cubs’ leadoff hitter Juan Pierre drove in two runs in his first three

games of the season and then didn’t get another RBI until the team’s 49th game. Pierre played in

all of them, and amassed 204 plate appearances without an RBI during that stretch. But Pierre

still had 40 RBIs total that season.

Known for his bat early on in his pro career, Joseph had 28 RBIs as a rookie for the Orioles in

2014. He had 49 RBIs in 100 games in 2015. He had 11 RBIs in 88 plate appearances when he

was in the minors this year.

But in the big leagues in 2016, Joseph was 2-for-27 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt in 29 plate

appearances with runners in scoring position. Both of those hits were singles in which the lead

runners – Ryan Flaherty and Chris Davis – stopped at third base.

Then there was the second inning on Sept. 7 at Tropicana Field. With one out and runners on

first and second, he absolutely crushed a Drew Smyly pitch to deep center. It looked like a

homer, or at the least a run-scoring, extra-base hit. But Gold Glove center fielder Kevin

Kiermaier made a tremendous leaping grab to keep Joseph’s futility ongoing.

Technically, Joseph will enter the 2017 season on a RBI-less streak of 172 plate appearances; he

didn’t drive in a run in his last 31 times to the plate in 2015, either. His last RBI came in the sixth

inning on Sept. 11, 2015, when his groundout against Kansas City’s Ryan Madson scored Davis.

(Joseph actually had two RBI groundouts that scored Davis in that game.)

At some point in 2017, he’ll drive in a run. That monkey will come off his back, and we’ll all

move on. The impressive thing, though, is that Joseph never let it get to him – at least not when

teammates, fans and media were around. That’s just the guy’s philosophy on life.

“Stuff like that that you can’t control. You can control being a good teammate. And, first and

foremost, that’s what you want to be known by,” Joseph said. “Because, believe it or not, 50

years from now the guys I’ve played with, they may remember that I didn’t have an RBI. But

hopefully they remember more what kind of a teammate I tried to be every day.”

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2016/10/29/no-surprise-britton-wins-2016-mariano-rivera-

award/

No surprise: Britton wins 2016 Mariano Rivera Award

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com

October 29, 2016

One of the reasons I was excited to take on this new endeavor at BaltimoreBaseball.com is that it

would allow me to do more analysis of all things Orioles.

I wouldn’t necessarily have to be responsible for the news all the time; now I could focus more

on interpreting the news and explain what it means.

On Saturday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago before Game 4 of the World Series, Major

League Baseball named Orioles closer Zach Britton the 2016 Mariano Rivera American League

Reliever of the Year Award winner.

My deep analysis on this one: Britton is really, really good. And he had a tremendous – historic,

really – season.

Yeah, I nailed that one.

Seriously, not much to say about Britton winning this award except that it was a no-brainer.

There would have been lots more to say if he hadn’t won the award.

You know the numbers: 47 save opportunities without blowing one. An ERA of 0.54, which is

the lowest in baseball history for someone with at least 50 innings pitched. And he threw 67

innings (and allowed just four earned runs).

Cleveland’s Andrew Miller, a good buddy of Britton’s, had a great season – and a tremendous

postseason – was a runner-up and so was Toronto’s Robert Osuna. In the National League, Los

Angeles Dodgers’ closer Kenley Jansen won the 2016 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever

of the Year Award.

Britton, whose wife Courtney is expecting the couple’s second child in early November, attended

the ceremony in Chicago and he brought along his older brother, Clayton, a police officer in

Texas.

During the news conference, Britton was asked about what it was like to complete a perfect

season of save opportunities. His answer was typical Britton, passing the accolades around.

“I think it’s a credit to the teammates around me. Obviously, you’re only as good as the guys

behind you on the field. Me relying on ground balls, obviously, we have a great defense back

there,” Britton said. “So a lot of the credit goes to the teammates and putting me in situations to

be successful, too. The coaching staff, everyone really went out of their way to … put me in

situations to be successful. That’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. You’re

only as good as the guys around you.”

The guys around Britton were good in 2016. But he was exceptional. How’s that for analysis?

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2016/10/28/myriad-os-thoughts-showalters-impact-baltimore-

bucks-tenure-gold-gloves-arrietas-gem/

Myriad O’s thoughts: The Showalters’ impact on Baltimore;

Buck’s tenure; Gold Gloves; Arrieta’s gem

By Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com

October 28, 2016

A lot has been said and written about Buck Showalter the manager – most of it positive.

Glimpses of Showalter, the man, however, come out of every now and then, primarily when he is

talking about something that is important to one of his younger players.

Once a year, after the season ends, however, there is a snapshot of Showalter, and his wife,

Angela, that makes an indelible impression on the Baltimore community. One that is worth

passing on.

On Saturday, the Showalters will host their annual Trick-Or-Trot 5K run/one-mile walk

fundraiser for KidsPeace, a nonprofit organization that offers emotional and physical health care

to foster children.

Angela Showalter, who has been involved with the organization for years, said this is the eighth

year the event has been held and the seventh in which the Orioles manager and his wife have

been the hosts. For the last few years, the Orioles have donated use of Camden Yards and their

support staff so the race can start and finish at the club’s iconic ballpark.

“It does give me goosebumps, big time,” Angela Showalter said. “Just the whole fan base, and,

of course, when you are in the middle of it and people come and you see their excitement, and

finishing on the field … It’s very touching, very touching.”

This is one of those strange things about professional sports – you know how much money the

participants make and there’s this expectation that they should give back to the community. Yet

when they do, it’s still noteworthy, still important, still inspiring.

“It kind of shocks me when people are thanking us so much for being involved. And they are so

appreciative. And they continually tell you how much they appreciate you coming out and being

a part (of the community),” Angela Showalter said. “I guess that really shocked me, because I

think ‘Why wouldn’t you do that?’ The best way to know the city and the town you live in is to

be involved.”

Buck Showalter’s managerial career was rather nomadic before he came to Baltimore. He

managed three other big-league organizations and never lasted more than four full seasons with

one. He’ll be entering his eighth campaign with the Orioles in 2017 – and he and his family have

become an integral part of the greater Baltimore community.

“I don’t think we’ll ever — Angela and I both feel the same way — be able to repay the impact

that Baltimore has had on our lives and on our children. It’s not always take; it’s got to be about

the (give),” Showalter said. “It’s the right thing to do. It’s got nothing to do with making you feel

better about yourself or whatever. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Although they maintain a residence in Dallas as well, the Showalters have a home in Baltimore

County and live much of the year there. They do plenty of other behind-the-scenes things for

charities, but the KidsPeace initiative has become their calling card.

“There’s a certain sincerity about this. Angela has spent a lot of time going through a lot of

different (charity endeavors) and a lot of them are very worthwhile,” he said. “But this is the one

that she felt real comfortable about being able to make the most impact. And it’s been twice as

impactful in our lives as it is the other way around. And that’s saying a lot.”

The 5K race starts at 8 a.m. at Gate A; the walk begins at 8:05 a.m. Race-day registration begins

at 6:30 a.m. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes.

There will also be a pre-race party/packet pickup event (with registration available) at

Dempsey’s Brew Pub on Friday night from 5 to 8 p.m.

It’s a pretty cool thing that the Showalters do every year – and it shows there is more to this

world, this sport than just wins and losses.

“You realize the avenue or the venue that you have and it’s about how we use our lives to impact

others, because, really, when it’s all said and done, that’s what it’s really gonna be about,”

Showalter said. “It’s gonna be what you left behind, your impact on your own children and the

impacting of other people’s lives.”

Showalter’s long-standing Orioles tenure

Last year, Showalter passed Paul Richards for second-place on the club’s all-time managerial

wins’ list. And that’s certainly impressive. But in May he’ll pass Richards on the club’s list for

most games managed. It once seemed improbable at best that any modern manager could survive

with the Orioles long enough to catch Richards in games managed.

At 547-482 (.532 winning percentage), Showalter has managed 1,029 games for the Orioles.

Richards, who was with the Orioles from 1955 to 1961, compiled a 517-539 record (.490

winning percentage) in 1,056 games. (Hall-of-Famer Earl Weaver is seemingly untouchable with

a record of 1,480-1,060, a winning percentage of .583 and 2,540 O’s games managed.)

What’s incredible is that Showalter will be in his eighth season as an Orioles manager (he began

in August 2010). That’s by far the longest of his career. But let’s also put it in club perspective.

From 2003 until Showalter took over, the Orioles employed five other managers in those seven-

plus seasons. Furthermore, he’s the fifth longest tenured manager in baseball with his current

team, behind only Los Angeles’ Mike Scioscia, San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy, New York’s Joe

Girardi and Kansas City’s Ned Yost.

Few would have thought that would be the case when he walked through the Orioles’ revolving

managerial door in 2010.

No Gold Glove snubs

The Orioles have two players that have made the cut for American League Gold Glove this year:

third baseman Manny Machado and first baseman Chris Davis. And that seems about right.

It’s not that shortstop J.J Hardy, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and center fielder Adam

Jones had weak years defensively. It’s just that defense is so good in Major League Baseball

right now that it really is hard to argue that those guys should have been ahead of those who

made the Top 3 at each position. (You can see who beat them out in this piece.)

Take second base for instance. Last year’s winner, Jose Altuve, didn’t make the cut for 2016.

And it’s not because he’s not deserving. It’s because he is competing against a tremendous group

of defensive second baseman including Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler.

I would assume Machado wins at third base, but it won’t be easy. Consider that the last five

awards have gone to the three finalists: Machado (2013, 2015), Kyle Seager (2014) and Adrian

Beltre (2011, 2012). Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria, who is also a whiz defensively and won in

2009 and 2010, didn’t finish in the Top 3.

I don’t expect Davis to win the award at first base, simply because Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer

has won three straight and has a reputation as one of the best defenders in baseball. But Davis

had a really good year defensively and deserves being in the conversation.

Arrieta’s gem

I’ve been on record as saying that I thoroughly enjoyed covering Jake Arrieta and am glad he is

doing so well in his career. But I have to be honest. I was curious to see how he would respond

in the biggest game of his career, starting Game 2 of the World Series with his Chicago Cubs

needing to win so they wouldn’t fall behind the Cleveland Indians, 2-0.

It was a huge spot for Arrieta, and I wondered whether he would get into his own head at such a

big moment. But that’s the Arrieta of old. He was dominant Wednesday, taking a no-hitter into

the sixth inning in the Cubs’ eventual victory.

I know some of you cringe every time Arrieta’s name is mentioned, because it means lost

opportunity for the Orioles. But it’s pretty cool to see that kind of maturation from a guy with so

much talent. This game is both physical and mental, and when someone can succeed at both

aspects, it’s fun to watch – no matter the uniform.