The Orioles are limping to the finish line

All good things must come to an end. In the case of my podcast, mediocre things have to end too. Since you are reading this post on Camden Depot, you are well aware that the site will be shutting down at the conclusion of MLB's regular season, which is rapidly approaching. That means that these weekly-ish posts of the podcast episodes must also end. However, another well-known Orioles website has been kind enough to step in and offer us a new place to publish our show, and we are incredibly grateful.

Bookmark it now! Going forward, you can expect our new episodes to be featured on...(drum roll)(dramatic pause) Eutaw Street Report! You can follow along at EutawStreetReport.com or on Twitter and Facebook. If you subscribe to the podcast through Google Play, Apple Podcasts or some other app, nothing will be changing! Keep doing what you do to support the show. But if you are more into browsing the web, then head over to ESR's site, read their other O's content and give us some love. We are very excited about the new partnership!

Of course, I cannot end this post without thanking the Camden Depot community and Jon Shepherd for giving me a weekly platform to post about this podcast. It has helped us grow in significant ways by exposing us to a new audience. It's much easier to create something when you know other people are appreciating it as well. We could not have accomplished 26 episodes without the driving force that came as part of being featured of the Depot once a week throughout what was an otherwise miserable season to be an Orioles fan. I just cannot say it enough; thank you!

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

A new low in the Orioles nightmare season

Bad baseball seasons happen. In sports, and in life, someone has to win and someone has to lose. Between 2012 and 2016 the Orioles did a lot of winning. It was natural for the pendulum to swing in the opposite direction. But the ferocity with which that pendulum has swung is what has caught many of us off guard.

The 2018 Orioles will go down as the worst team in franchise history and one of the worst teams in recent baseball history. But "worst" in this context refers to win-loss record. Wins, as many people say, is the most important stat. That's true in the standings, but there are many different ways to win a game. Just as teams can have fortunate seasons where they succeed in a high percentage of close contests, the opposite can happen as well. That is not what is occurring to these Orioles.

The entire season has been a disaster, but this past weekend in Tampa Bay may have been an all-time low. The Orioles were crushed, in every phase of the game, by a solid, above-average Rays team. There were weird wild pitches, numerous fielding miscues and seemingly an overall lack of execution on the fundamentals of the game. Caleb Joseph publicly made his opinion known, verbalizing what many had already known to be true.

What makes this season frustrating is not the number of losses, but rather the inability of the players and coaches to identify flaws in their game and implement a change for the better. There has been no indication that anyone involved at the club understands what's wrong. Dylan Bundy continues to implode on the mound, routine plays continue to be botched, and sometimes it feels like no one in the bullpen can get opposing hitters out. Instead it is rather, rinse, repeat.

Perhaps the sad truth is that there is just too little talent to work with on this roster. That feels like a poor and convenient excuse. If that is the reasoning for such poor baseball, then it should make for some easy personnel decisions in the offseason.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

The September Call-Ups Have Begun!

September call-ups can be such a mixed bag. Occasionally, an organization's next great player does make their debut in the fall after knocking on the door all summer. More often, that player has broken down the door by July and become a vital part of the everyday lineup by the season's final month.

Cedric Mullins is not the type of transcendent player that a franchise will build around for a decade, but he seems to have a pretty good chance at being a solid regular in the big leagues for a long time. For the 2018 Orioles, in all likelihood, that is going to be the most exciting promotion of this season. Don't panic. That's OK!

Getting placed on the 40-man roster and then the MLB roster is based on a combination of things. What it is not always the result of is being one of the 40 best players in a team's organization. Does someone want to make the argument that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is NOT one of the Blue Jays 40 best players? Probably not. And yet, he is not on their 40-man roster. Why? Because the Blue Jays don't have to place him there yet, and they aren't in a position, as a team, where they are ready to compete.

Mullins had to be placed on the 40-man roster at some point this offseason to avoid being eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. The same will be the case for D.J. Stewart and Dillon Tate among others. That fact, coupled with Mullins's performance in Norfolk, forced the Orioles hand. That doesn't mean that Mullins wasn't ready for Baltimore. He was. But if he had another year before the Rule 5 problem reared it's head, he may have stayed an additional year down on the farm. If he's on the 40-man, the team may as well find out what he's got at the highest level.

Some of the Orioles very top prospects won't be up this season because it buys them time. Ryan Mountcastle and Yusniel Diaz won't be up because that would require putting them on the 40-man roster a year before the O's have any pressure to do so. Instead, we will see guys like Steve Wilkerson and Luis Ortiz. 

This is not a team in win-now mode. They need to learn about their players in a fashion that makes the most sense logistically. That's what they are doing. It's not always exciting, and sometimes it's frustrating, but in the end it is smarter than flooding the MLB roster with young standouts.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Evaluating the Orioles Player's Weekend Nicknames

Baseball can get dry. By it's nature, it attracts an older audience that can get stuck in the past. Unwritten rules, suppression of individuality, beanball; things are improving in the sport but there remains a large swath of players and fans alike who have no interest in changing their ways.

MLB introduced Player's Weekend in 2017 and continued with it this year. Basically, it's really freakin' cool. The club's wear different uniforms and hats that are meant to reflect a little league look. On the back of those jerseys, rather than a last name, is a nickname. And on the sleeve is a patch dedicated to someone vital to that player's rise to the game's highest level.

On top of that, the guys tend to have customized cleats, that don't necessarily match the team uniform, and other accessories like bats and gloves that are a little more on the "wild side" than you see of typical game days. It's a lot of fun and shines a light onto the person rather than the player. In a sport that often complains about lacking marketable talent, this is an opportunity to show off personalities and connect fans with more than a stat line.

How did the Orioles do as far as showing off their non-baseball side? We talk about it on this week's episode and let's just say that one of us wasn't impressed.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Welcome to Baltimore, Cedric Mullins

There has not been a lot to look forward to during this Orioles season. What was supposed to be a competitive team wilted back in April. Since then, the team has traded away a handful of familiar faces with the promise of a brighter future. It's not always easy to see that future without some tangible evidence of his eventual arrival. The promotion of Cedric Mullins last week was the first proof that maybe there is, in fact, a light at the end of what may be a very long tunnel.

Mullins burst onto the major league scene with a three-hit debut. He showed all of the things that were promised: speed, on-base ability, a quick bat and some actual defense. Will he be a star in the bigs for a decade to come like his predecessor Adam Jones? That may be a bridge too far.

However, Mullins does make the Orioles a better team right now. Improving the defense in center field immediately makes life easier for everyone around him. Pitchers don't have to be quite as fine. The corner outfielders don't need to cover quite as much ground. And the middle infielders don't need to worry about reaching every bloop into the grass.

There is still a long way to go before the O's are officially back on the road to contention. Mullins might be a piece of the puzzle, but bigger pieces are coming, or at least they need to. A plus defender that can set the offensive table is nice, but the club still must build a competent infield and a middle of the order that can do more swing and miss.

The young players to come will be what makes this a team to pay attention to, just as long as you don't look too closely at the win-loss record. The Orioles are at their bottom as a franchise. It can't get much worse than this on the field. It will all be worth it if the pay off is as sweet as the dark days are sour.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

The Orioles Did What They Had To

The Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline was nearly a week ago, but many of us are just recovering from what took place. The Orioles are almost unrecognizable compared to the beginning of July. Gone are established stars Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, and Zach Britton. Sent away with them were familiar faces Kevin Gausman, Darren O'Day and Brad Brach. Things are going to be different in Birdland. It's sad. It hurts a little. And it had to be done.

This organization had stagnated. They did well to get a bunch of really talented players all at the same time. They rode many of those players to three playoff berths in five years. As a guy who grew up thinking of the Orioles as perennial also-rans, to see them even playing meaningful baseball deep into September was a dream come true. But as with all things, time catches up. Players that were in their prime start to regress. Young studs become expensive veterans. And eventually all of the trading away of prospects to paper over weaknesses eats away at a team's depth.

The O's were overdue for an overhaul. Did they get tremendous value for every player traded away in July? It depends how highly you regarded some of the up-and-comers they got in return. Even then, you are dealing with potential versus proven ability.

It is impossible to judge this team's success at the deadline right away. It will take two or three years before a "winner" of each swap can be determined. At the very least, the O's have picked a direction and they have clearly stated goals. Now, the hard work begins: Setting the wheels in motion and turning one of the worst teams in baseball into a contender once again.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Let's Get This Orioles Rebuild Started!

Dan Duquette and the Orioles brass are saying all of the right things. They are even doing the right things, so far. Expiring contracts that can be moved, have been. The club is collecting international signing money, and they have been credibly connected, in some way shape or form, to some of the top Latin players available. They even seem to be making an effort at being proactive by taking calls on the players that are under control beyond 2018. It's really something.

But the rebuild has not fully taken effect until those thoughts and words become tangible actions.

It's nice to be "interested" in a player like Victor Victor Mesa. It would be much better if he were signed to an Orioles contract. It's encouraging to know they are open to trading Kevin Gausman, Jonathan Schoop and Mychal Givens. It would be glorious to see them negotiate a massive return of prospects for that trio that sets the team up for future success.

Things have been going well so far, but this has not be a flawless trade window. Maybe the deals won't there for the taking by July 31. That's fine. It's reasonable to extend the benefit of the doubt through the winter, but if the Spring Training 2019 roster looks a lot like the roster on the final day of the 2018 season, we have a huge problem on our hands.

*This episode of the podcast was recorded on Monday, July 30, prior to the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline.*

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Moving on From Manny Machado

It happened. It took a long time, but the Orioles finally traded Manny Machado. Most people seem to agree that the return from the Los Angeles Dodgers was fair. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. The "winner" of the deal won't be revealed for a few years, perhaps well after Machado has left Hollywood for a big contract elsewhere.

For the Orioles, the future is what's most important. But the success of that future depends greatly upon what the front office decides to do in the present. Zach Britton is expected to move soon. Brad Brach as well, and maybe even Adam Jones. There is a lot of work to do and little time to get it done.

On top of those expiring contracts, it's time for the Birds brass to think long and hard about the players that are under contract for 2019 and beyond. Years of control are worth a pretty penny on the trade market. Should they stay or should they go? We discuss on this week's episode of The Warehouse Podcast.

Plus, we break down the Machado trade, complain about who will be on the souvenir sodas next year and reminisce on some of the best parts of the Manny era in Baltimore.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

The Manny Machado Sadness Extravaganza

Well, here we are. Based on all of the different reports flying around the Web, it sure sounds like Manny Machado has played his final game for the Baltimore Orioles. The latest news indicates that Philadelphia is the likely landing spot as the Phillies have upped their offer to include their number two overall prospect, and one of the top 100 youngsters in the game, 21-year-old pitcher Adonis Medina.

Nothing is final, but the finish line is rapidly approaching. Now what? Should we be happy? Are we relieved? Or is this all just so, so terrible? Perhaps it is a cop-out to say that it is a mix of everything, but that is the most honest answer.

A full reaction to Machado's exit won't be possible until after the trade is completed. That is when the analysis of who the Orioles have acquired can truly begin. Even then, we won't know who "won" the deal until several years down the road.

For now, let's enjoy watching Machado pull on the Orioles uniform one last time at tonight's All-Star Game and see where all the chips fall. Unfortunately, we don't have any other options.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Everybody Loves Manny

It's going to happen. Manny Machado will not be an Oriole by the time August 1 rolls around. We have avoided it for as long as possible, but here we are. The O's are bad, and it makes no sense to hold onto one of the most talented players in baseball with a contract that will be expiring at the end of the season.

I'm not crying! You're crying!

If you have been paying attention, you know that the rumors right now are as follows:

1. Seven teams have made offers to the Orioles.
2. All of the offers are said to be similar in value.
3. The Dodgers and Brewers seem to be the most serious, although that could change.
4. The Yankees have a stocked farm system and have re-engaged in trade talks about Machado.

Please, Orioles, do not screw this up. It's going to hurt no matter what. It's not fun to see your best player walk out the door. But they need to make this one count. It is not going to be a huge return as it would have been a year or two ago. But the front office should be able to nab a decent prospect or two during this process.

Do we really "want" Manny to be a Yankee? Of course not. But if they offer the best package, the Orioles shouldn't turn away just because of a perceived rivalry. Be selfish and get the highest return on Machado.

We get into all of that on this week's episode of the podcast in addition to some All-Star Game and Home Run Derby talk, Colby Rasmus leaving, Drake's new music, and Adam Jones's clever plan to help Baltimore win in the future.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Jim Palmer Thinks I'm An Idiot

If you are reading this blog post, then you know the name Jim Palmer. For the uninformed, Palmer is a Hall of Fame pitcher that spent nearly two decades with the Orioles and won three World Series rings, three Cy Young Awards and earned a whole bunch of All-Star Game appearances during his career. He is a franchise legend, and he has parlayed that into being, in my opinion, the best part of the nightly game broadcasts on MASN. 

On Friday, I posted a blog on Camden Chat that criticized, in fairly harsh terms, the way in which the Orioles have approached the 2018 season. In short: I feel that things aren't going well, and the O's appear to be banging their head against the proverbial wall rather than making some fairly obvious moves. Some people agree with what I said, many did not.

Palmer was one of the people that did not. He tweeted out the article and then replied to a few people on Twitter explaining that he thought it was no good. That's totally fine. He is not the first person to think I'm bad at this blogging thing, and I'm sure he will not be the last. I appreciate him reading and giving some feedback.

What I cannot get on board with, however, is one of his criticisms, which went as follows:

"Some writer who never played, managed, coached,  assembled a MLB roster has  all the answers!!"

This comment is the meat of this week's episode of The Warehouse Podcast. However, be warned, this does not get all crazy and full of HOT TAKES. We love Palmer. I never had the chance to see him play, but I know he is an all-time great, and the input he provides on the team each night is needed and valuable. It's OK for two people to disagree on things. These are frustrating times for us all in Birdland. Please don't hate me, Jim!

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

Does Adam Jones want to reunite with Nick Markakis?

No matter whether it is professional or personal, breaking up is hard to do. When Nick Markakis left the Baltimore Orioles via free agency in favor of the Atlanta Braves in 2014, the Birdland faithful struggled with the move. Adam Jones, it seems, also had a tough time saying "goodbye" to the man that played next to him in the Camden Yards outfield for so many years.

When the Orioles traveled to take on the Braves this weekend, it was a reunion of sorts for Markakis and his former teammates. It's not the first time the two teams have met since Markakis signed on the dotted line for Atlanta, but with everything crumbing in Baltimore, this felt like a significant moment nonetheless.

Jones is one of the few Orioles hitters with decent numbers, and he is also one of the big four that is expected to be on the trading block this July, as his contract expires after this year. However, he has 10-and-5 rights, which give him full no-trade protection. Even still, there will likely be offers for the 32-year-old's services, but he is ultimately in control on where he lands.

Markakis is in the midst of one of the finest seasons of his career. He is on the way to his first All-Star Game and leading an unexpectedly good Braves team to a potential pennant push. However, the 34-year-old is a free agent at year's end as well, and could find himself on the move soon enough.

A vague Instagram post by Jones over the weekend further fueled speculation about where the veteran outfielder may end up this summer. Could he be headed to Atlanta? Will both he and Markakis re-sign with the O's in the winter? Are there plans to meet up somewhere else in the league? We discuss that, and more, on this week's episode of The Warehouse Podcast!

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

The Orioles Have Won Three Games in June, so Things Are Looking Up!

The Orioles won a game this week. Just one. It's tough out there, Birdland. Richard Bleier is out for the season with a lat tear. Andrew Cashner is in the infirmary. Chris Davis has been barred from the field by security. Chance Sisco has been bused out of town. As poor of a season as this has been, there always seem to be ways to make it worse.

The dysfunction around Camden Yards is reaching epic proportions. People (Ned Colletti) are being interviewed for positions in the front office, but the supposed head of the front office (Dan Duquette) says it isn't true. Why on earth would fans be concerned that this crew cannot adequately navigate a full-scale rebuild of the franchise? The mind wonders.

At least there's always Manny Mach-- oh god. I told myself I wouldn't cry over baseball. No, not again!

Happy belated Father's Day! We are back with a brand new episode of The Warehouse Podcast. Your support last week was immense. Thank you so much for the downloads, and the subscriptions, and the follows. It means a lot, and it makes doing this show that much more rewarding.

If you have not subscribed yet, please do so on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, TuneIn or anywhere else that you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or you can email us (thewarehousepod@gmail.com). Also, we have a presence on YouTube and Twitch if you are into those things.

The more input, the better. If there is something we could be doing better, let us know. But like, you don't have to jerks about, OK? We would love to interact with listeners more often and get some feedback from the semi-sane people that download our inane babble every seven days. Not all heroes wear capes.

Looking For A New Baltimore Orioles Podcast?

Hello, fellow watcher of bad Baltimore Orioles baseball. There is no way you could have stumbled upon this blog post without being a little bit loopy, right? This team is tough to watch every night, and yet you came here to endure even more. Impressive. You are among friends, and we have a special treat in store for your dedication.

My name is Tyler Young. If you are a frequent visitor to Camden Chat, you may be familiar with some of my "work". I'm a staff writer at CC, and have been since 2014. This year, because I'm a crazy person, I decided to take on a new challenge: a podcast. 

Starting back on the eve of Opening Day, I launched a weekly Orioles podcast with two of my buddies, Jesse and Marcus, called The Warehouse. In general, it is an hour-long radio show where the three of us discuss the latest news in Birdland and try to have a little fun while doing so. Please note: we are marked "explicit" on iTunes but this is not a raunchy experience. We said the "s-word" one time! I SWEAR! I mean, I don't swear. You know what I mean. We are family-friendly!

Last week, the Depot got in touch to ask if we would be interested in posting the podcast here every Tuesday morning and using the website as a portal for regular Depot readers to access our show. I have been a huge fan of the site for years and jumped at the chance. It truly is an honor to be brought into the community as a regular contributor.

Each week, the show will be embedded here, but don't forget to subscribe wherever it is that you get your podcasts, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean and TuneIn. Or you can watch the podcast on YouTube! You can also follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or send the show an email: TheWarehousePod@gmail.com.

On this week's episode, Jesse and I talk about Chris Davis' continued demise, #HugWatch2K18, the O's draft, Luke Heimlich, the rise of Ryan McKenna and Jesse's inability to use technology.

Thanks for the support!