Hello, friends.
There are now 67 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. 6 7 is a big meme with the kids, have you heard? If you have, that’s probably because the kids have moved on to something else now that the old people found out about it.
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Things have popped off a lot over the last week or so of baseball free agency. The Orioles, as we are aware, have not had anything to do with any of that. A bit of it has shut down their options: Now they’re pretty much down to Framber Valdez or nothing else when it comes to the starting rotation.
That’s not literally true as several other starters remain unsigned, including Zac Gallen and Lucas Giolito. Or even the venerable Justin Verlander, linked vaguely to the Orioles in a recent report that I can’t bring myself to take seriously. The thing is that Valdez is the only guy with some kind of high-end potential and also a track record of durability.
I have thought all offseason that if the Orioles want to get serious about improving their rotation, they’re going to have to give out a big contract. What they’ve done instead is trade for Shane Baz and sign Zach Eflin. It might work. It has a better chance of working if they nail an addition for a playoff-caliber starting pitcher. This could still happen. There just aren’t as many options now as there were a few weeks ago.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
2026 ZiPS projections: Baltimore Orioles (FanGraphs)
If you missed it on Friday, one of the big projection systems is out with its take on the Orioles. Some things are positive. Others less so.
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A whopping five of ten Orioles international signings among MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 (Orioles.com)
Another roundup from a few days ago, this about Thursday’s international amateur signings.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 2009, the Orioles acquired Félix Pie from the Cubs. He was popular around here even if he was never good, and that time he hit for the cycle was pretty fun.
There are a number of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2022-23 catcher Anthony Bemboom, 2006-08 infielder Brandon Fahey, 1993 pitcher Kevin McGehee, 1988-2001 outfielder Brady Anderson, 1976-88 pitcher Scott McGregor, 1962/67 infielder Mickey McGuire, and 1956-57 pitcher Mike Fornieles.
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Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: philosopher Montesquieu (1689), antebellum figure Daniel Webster (1782), Winnie-the-Pooh creator A.A. Milne (1882), and actor Cary Grant (1904).
On this day in history…
In 1486, the warring York and Lancaster factions in England were united when the reigning King Henry VII married Elizabeth of York. Their united house became known as Tudor.
In 1778, British explorer James Cook’s expedition reached the Hawaiian islands, which he dubbed the Sandwich Islands at the time. Cook was the first European explorer known to have visited the islands.
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In 1919, the peace conference meant to end the conflict we now know as World War I began in Versailles, France.
In 1993, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was observed in all 50 states for the first time.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a book of Orioles trivia for Christmas. Each time I have this space, I’ll ask a question until I either run out of questions or forget. The book is multiple choice, but that would make it too easy for us. Today’s question:
Who was the starting pitcher in the one game of the 1983 World Series that the Orioles lost?
Imagine the Orioles winning a World Series! Nope, I can’t do it.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on January 18. Have a safe Sunday.
