More semi-news from Birdland and beyond
Still no official word on what role Mike Flanagan will play with the club this year. Sources have confirmed that he did have a sitdown recently with John Angelos to discuss his future, which could include a return to the broadcast booth as a member of MASN's Orioles crew. Mike's front office contract expired at the end of December.
Both Roch Kubatko and Dan Connolly beat me to the correct pronunciation of Koji Uehara's surname. It is, according to the Orioles, pronounced Way-a-hara. Glad that's settled.
Shortstop Juan Castro, who helped stabilize the Orioles' middle infield after the Luis Hernandez experiment went awry last year, was one of 15 free agent players signed to minor league contracts by the Dodgers this week and invited to major league spring training. That group includes another Japan-born pitcher who will be 34 on Opening Day, but his name is pronounced Steven Randolph.
Comments
is that STEEE-V- IN RAN-DOLF
Posted by: dennis | January 8, 2009 5:43 PM
The Orioles are not correct about this pronunciation. Ask a Japanese native. I would tell you, but then I already did.
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Pete's reply: I assume they asked him how he pronounces it. Maybe he's the Japanese version of J.J. "Pootz."
Posted by: section 34 | January 8, 2009 6:22 PM
I wouldn't worry about what role Flanagan will have. I'd worry about finding more starting pitching as well as a catcher or two. There are far too many holes to fill on the field to worry about the broadcast booth or even the front office.
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Pete's reply: So, what are you saying? I should just not post that kind of stuff? Trust me, when I have something of substance to write on the real holes they need to fill, I'll put it up. There aren't any space limitations on the web.
Posted by: Dave | January 8, 2009 7:11 PM
Pete,
Slow day blogging, you haven't even provoked me with a Sexson or Looper ditty! So I have the Gators by two touchdowns tonight and with that a final top poll of:
1) Florida
2) Utah
3) USC
4) Texas
5) OKLA
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Pete's reply: Don't worry, I'll provoke you plenty over the next few weeks.
Posted by: Keith Rowe | January 8, 2009 7:16 PM
A highly reliable source told me Flanagan is close to signing a one year contract with incentives to join the O's rotation...........the only hold up is he wants to be a set up man and Andy is looking for a starter , Peter the Great has already given the go ahead because the price is right , league minimum.................
Posted by: spy | January 8, 2009 7:26 PM
Pete.... My question has nothing to do with Flanny, but I'll try to tie it in with this blog. ....Taking into consideration service time / arbitration elidgibility, when do you see Matt Wieters (WE-TERS) coming to the show?
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Pete's reply: June 1.
Posted by: A.J. | January 8, 2009 8:21 PM
Hey Pete , have you forgotten , nobody in Baltimore cares about baseball anymore =)
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | January 8, 2009 8:23 PM
Peter- Have you heard anything about the O's going after Daric Barton now that the A's have signed Giambi?
Add him to Weiters, Nick, Adam, and the rest....and the O's have 1 of the best young teams in MLB.
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Pete's reply: Not a word, except all the comments about him here.
Posted by: Ryan | January 9, 2009 12:16 AM
Dan Connolly's interview of Bobby Valentine regarding Koji Uehara reminded me of a one time great pitcher signed once before by the O's.
Fernando Valenzuela.
He had his moments in his time here, but we might want to continue to chase Kawakami .... splitting the cost of all this "infrastructure" needed to carry Japanese players.
Posted by: JimGinSP | January 9, 2009 12:49 AM
Possible Fort Myers Spring Training?
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090108/NEWS0110/90108028&s=d&page=2#pluckcomments
Lee County bent over backward to keep the sox, building them a new Fenway style park in South Lee County. The O's might take over the old place. Saw the O's there 6 times. Stadium is not bad. Not the best neighbor hood. (granted go in any direction in Fort Myers more than a block and you could be in a bad area.) The red sox of course sold the place out in like 30 minutes for all home games. I always got my tickets from resellers.
Sox did not like the place cause the practice fields are 2 miles away from the Stadium. And they could sell more seats if there where any. Lee County gave them a real good deal.
Funny orioles come to Norfolk after I leave for a different job and they may goto Ft Myers after I have left that area.....but just talks....
Posted by: Doug M | January 9, 2009 1:19 AM
Pete, you will never have anything of substance to write about the O's because they are now basically the American League version of the Pittsburgh Pirates!
Even this Asian signing is typical Orioles, sign players well after their peak years. Remember Sosa, Lynn, Millar, Burleson, Evans, Moreland, Daal...
Next is going to be Ivan Rodriquez...
This team just disgusts me and they keep going backwards! And this from a once proud O's fan!
Posted by: No Longer an Oriole Fan | January 9, 2009 6:35 AM
Still trying to understand the O's maybe I am just reading too much into this off season. Instead of signing 34 year olds that never were much or never played in the Majors, why not just give a proven pitcher like Lowe a 3 year 39 million dollar deal.
Pete: Why nickel and dime players?
Posted by: cb coach | January 9, 2009 8:09 AM
Pete, any chance of the O's getting in the mix of potentialy trading to get Prince Fielder. Rumors have them looking for a young arm and we have a few and could use a young power bat.
Posted by: Steve | January 9, 2009 12:29 PM
I don't mean to be politically incorrect or anything but aren't we just going to come up with a nickname for him anyway?
Posted by: Will A | January 9, 2009 10:47 PM