Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! Opening Day is just three days away, and the weather is shaping up to be nice on the big day. It’ll be mostly cloudy, but with a high around 65. Will you be there? I will, in section 334.

We already know that Trevor Rogers will be the starting pitcher on Thursday, and yesterday, Craig Albernaz announced the rest of the rotation to start the season. Bradish will be the second starter, followed by Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, and Zach Eflin. Dean Kremer, who has made 106 starts for the Orioles in the last four years, will be at Triple-A Norfolk.

Advertisement

Yesterday, the Orioles and Nationals played the first of two exhibition games that will wrap the pre-season before the real thing finally gets going. Bradish started and pitched 5.1 scoreless innings with four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. The starting lineup looked Opening Day ready. Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, and Jeremiah Jackson homered in the 8-1 win. Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle, and Tyler O’Neill also had hits in the win.

Fans at the ballpark yesterday and those watching on TV got to see some of the new features at Camden Yards this season. The new scoreboard is big and beautiful, even if they are saving some of the bells and whistles for Thursday. The bar/social area under the scoreboard also looks like a great place to hang out and watch the game, although the giant yellow sign declaring it to be “Purewager Pavilion” is unsightly. If you were at the game yesterday, I’d love to hear your first impressions.

One change I hadn’t heard about, but which jumped out at me yesterday as I watched the home runs being hit, is that the grounds crew shed is gone! It’s not a big thing in the scheme of things, but it caught me off guard. In a few months I won’t even notice it, but having a smooth green wall throughout right field instead of the fenced shed with the members of the grounds crew cheering along with home runs seems wrong.

Tonight, the Orioles travel down to DC for the second game in the home-and-home exhibition series. Shane Baz will start for the Orioles.

Advertisement

Links

Cowser, Henderson and Jackson homer, Bradish shuts out Nats, Vázquez exits after HBP – MASN Sports
Luis Vázquez, who is in the running for one of the final roster spots, was hit in the hand yesterday. He exited the game, and is scheduled to have x-rays today. Tough break (hopefully not literally) for Vázquez.

Ryan Mountcastle, Zach Eflin, and other takeaways from Orioles president Mike Elias’ end-of-spring comments – The Baltimore Banner
Andy Kostka takes a look at the current state of the roster.

O’s revamped arm talent flourishing in upper levels of Minors – MLB.com
MLB Pipeline guy Jonathan Mayo looks at the talent in the minors such as Trey Gibson, Levi Wells, and Nestor German.

Advertisement

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Lee May (b. 1943, d. 2017) spent six of his 18 years in MLB with the Orioles. From 1975-80, May played in 794 games with the Orioles as a first baseman and DH. Bruce Howard (83) was born in Salisbury, MD, and pitched in 10 games with the Orioles in 1968. And Sam Bowens (b. 1938, d. 2003) was an outfielder with the Orioles from 1963-67.

On this day in 2007, the Orioles signed veteran pitcher Steve Traschel. Traschel made 25 starts in ‘07 with a 4.48 ERA.

In 2019, the Orioles traded Mike Yastrzemski to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Tyler Herb. It was a terrible trade. Herb never made the majors, while Yastrzemski had seven productive seasons with the Giants before being traded to the Royals at the trade deadline last year. He signed a two-year contract with the Braves this offseason.

Advertisement

Also in 2019, the Orioles selected Pedro Severino off waivers from the Nationals. Severino spent three seasons with the team.

On this day in 2024, Orioles owner Peter Angelos passed away at the age of 94.