Good morning Birdland,
The Winter Olympics do not have the same appeal as the Summer Games. While nearly all of us can relate to the athletes running, swimming, jumping, and playing various ball sports in the sweltering heat of the summer, far fewer can sympathize with the snow-focused events that required a whole lot more time, gear, and resources than you had as a kid. I don’t know anyone that cross country skis. But everyone raced their friends, or has played some games of pick-up at recess.
That said, I have been enjoying the Winter Games! It’s nice to have some sort of sport to check out throughout the day. I don’t necessarily understand it all, but high-level competition is fun, and it’s filling a gap in the sports schedule that is often devoid of much else. Give me an international curling tournament every February! Maybe they already do that. I will have to check.
Anyway, the point of all of this is to say that baseball’s time to shine is nearly here. This weekend will see anyone that isn’t already in Orioles camp roll in ahead of the first full-squad workout on Monday. The first game of the Grapefruit League season takes place on Friday. Baseball is in the air.
You can tell by the pure volume of links down below that people are getting excited. There are genuinely interesting things to read about the Orioles all over the internet. The time for offseason hypothesizing and projecting is over. The players will be on the field (and then on our TVs and radios) very, very soon.
The final nail in that offseason coffin came on Friday, when the Orioles confirmed their deal with Chris Bassitt. Any lingering hopes for adding an “ace” were officially dashed, although that probably happened in truth quite a while ago. It will be up to the arms they have in-house to carry them through the early part of the season. If the team puts itself in a good enough position come July, they might be back in the trade market for an upgrade.
But let’s get through the spring healthy first. That has already proven difficult for certain parts of the 2026 roster.
Links
Another look at center field, Kjerstad’s long home run and other live batting practice nuggets on Day 3 of Orioles camp | Roch Kubatko
Roch runs through a bunch of outfielders in this one. It sounds like Colton Cowser is the center fielder. That is not a shock to anyone at this point, but it wasn’t always obvious throughout the offseason. Heston Kjerstad is looking strong, which is great news. It’s tough to see a path to playing time for him with the Orioles, but it’s possible. If it doesn’t happen here, maybe he shows enough in the spring to get back onto radars around the league.
Jordan Westburg’s oblique setback starts another frustrating rehab process | The Baltimore Banner
Thankfully, the Orioles are currently setup well to absorb an injury like this. If Westburg can actually get back to 100% (or close to it) before Opening Day, this won’t be a big deal. But obliques are tricky. They can linger and nag. Even if Westburg is cleared for the opener, the O’s may have to handle him with kid gloves early.
Which teams improved the most this winter? | MLB.com
The Orioles are one of the most improved teams, according to bWAR added this offseason. That does not guarantee anything, particularly not in the AL East, but it is a reflection of the work done this offseason. Hopefully it translates onto the playing field.
The Orioles roster needed a lot of help. Like it or not, the front office has provided it. | The Baltimore Banner
In a similar vein to the above MLB article, this lays how all of the things that the Orioles did accomplish these last few months. There is certainly space to criticize the front office’s moves this offseason, but you can’t say they sat on their hands. It was a busy winter. Now we will see if it all pans out.
MLB offseason grades: From A’s for the Dodgers, Cubs, Mariners and Orioles to a handful of D’s, here’s how each team did this winter | Yahoo! Sports
The Céspedes Family BBQ guys have graded every team’s offseason. The Orioles did well!
Veteran RHP Bassitt agrees to 1-year deal with Orioles | MLB.com
What had been reported earlier in the week was confirmed by the Orioles on Friday evening. Chris Bassitt will bolster a starting staff that feels a whole lot better than it did 12 months ago.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Ryan McKenna turns 29 today. The outfielder spent parts of four seasons with the Orioles, often coming on as a late-inning defensive replacement, or used as a right-handed bat to face left-handed pitching. Across those four years he accrued 0.8 bWAR and a 79 OPS+.
This day in O’s history
1959 – The Orioles purchase first baseman Whitey Lockman from the Giants. Lockman will later be traded to the Cincinnati Redlegs.