World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966

American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969

American League Wild Card 2012, 1996

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Columns:

The 10 biggest sports stories of 2014 The Sun 12/23

More thoughts on baseball in Cuba and Fred Ferreira's 'hysterical' incident The Sun 12/23

Orioles' Matt Wieters to have high school jersey retired Monday night The Sun 12/22

Trying to decide on the roster in December MASNsports.com 12/23

Q&A with Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace MASNsports.com 12/23

Young pitcher could have shot at majors in 2015 CSN Baltimore 12/22

Five things on Orioles' holiday wish list CSN Baltimore 12/22

Will orioles' offensive approach change under new hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh?

PressBoxOnline.com 12/22

Should Orioles hit the gas? After letting several options pass, silence isn't deadly

Sporting News 12/22

Surprise: Orioles Hire a Rangers Coach NBCDFW.com 12/22

Smoak, Wieters Have Numbers Retired At Stratford Live5News.com 12/23

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-yir-sports-top-stories-20141222-story.html#page=3

The 10 biggest sports stories of 2014

By Childs Walker and Mike Klingaman / The Baltimore Sun

December 23, 2014

Oh, Baltimore sports. If we're being honest, your bad news ran neck and neck with your good in

2014. Often eclipsed it, in fact.

Sure, the Orioles produced their best season in a generation, winning the once-insurmountable

American League East by 12 games and reaching their first American League Championship

Series in 17 years.

But the Ravens spent the NFL playoffs at home for the first time under coach John Harbaugh.

The Maryland women's basketball team made the Final Four, but the men didn't make the NCAA

tournament at all.

Olympic hero Michael Phelps returned to competitive swimming after a 20-month retirement,

but he ended up in an in-patient treatment program after he was charged with drunken driving.

Looming over it all was Ray Rice, who put the Ravens at the center of a national conversation —

often an ugly one — about how we deal with violence against women and whether the country's

most popular sports league takes its social responsibilities seriously enough.

When the year's enduring image is surveillance tape of a formerly beloved athlete punching his

future wife, you're talking a complicated 12 months — at best. So here they are, the 10 biggest

stories of an up-and-down year in our city's sports scene:

10. UFC comes to Baltimore, highlighting year of big events in the city

Entering 2014, Baltimore had hosted mixed-martial-arts cards but never the sport's 800-pound

gorilla, Ultimate Fighting Championship. So local fight fans rejoiced in early January when UFC

announced that it would debut at Baltimore Arena with its April 26 pay-per-view event.

MMA might seem a mere curiosity to older generations, but for many young fans, it's the world's

pre-eminent combat sport. As such, arena general manager Frank Remesch predicted a quick

sellout (he was correct) and compared the event's magnitude to a Bruce Springsteen concert.

UFC brought plenty of star power for its Charm City unveiling, headlining the show with light

heavyweight champion Jon Jones, one of the world's best fighters and the brother of former

Ravens defensive lineman Arthur Jones.

Jon Jones put his own twist on the evening, entering the arena with his version of Ray Lewis'

"Squirrel" dance before he outdueled challenger Glover Teixeira over five rounds. The crowd of

13,500, which included Lewis and a number of Ravens, loved every minute.

It was among a number of big events that were staged in the metro area in 2014, including the

115th Army-Navy game, the NCAA lacrosse Final Four, the Colonial Athletic Association men's

basketball tournament and the International Crown women's golf tournament.

"Baltimore came out today in a huge way," UFC spokesman Dave Sholler gushed. The event

played out so well that UFC officials promised to come back soon, hon.

9. Maryland women's basketball reaches Final Four

When Brenda Frese won the national championship with a young Maryland team in 2006, she

surely never thought she'd need another eight years to get back to the biggest stage in women's

college basketball.

The title win signaled the Terps' rise to the upper echelon of the sport, where they remained in

the ensuing years. But gifted team after gifted team fell a step or two short of the Final Four.

Meanwhile, Frese became a different coach and a different person, one shaped by the birth of her

twins and a leukemia diagnosis for her son Tyler.

Against that backdrop, 2014 became a year of milestones. Six-year-old Tyler finished his cancer

treatments with an excellent long-term prognosis. Alyssa Thomas cemented her status as the best

player Frese ever had coached. And the Terps broke their eight-year drought, earning a trip to the

Final Four in Nashville, Tenn., with a gut-churning win over Louisville and Frese's former

assistant, Jeff Walz.

The story didn't end the way Maryland wanted. Notre Dame smashed the Terps by 26 in the

national semifinals. But Frese said she appreciated the accomplishment in a way she never could

have as a young coach. She grasped how hard it was to get that far and how harsh life could be

beyond the bounds of a basketball court.

Frese's Terps weren't the only local team to appear in a Division I Final Four in 2014. Maryland's

women's lacrosse team also reached the national semifinals, and UMBC's men's soccer team

made a surprising run to its first Final Four.

8. McDonogh girls lacrosse breaks national win streak record

Once upon a time, McDonogh's girls lacrosse team lost. That was more than 2,000 days ago.

Ever since, the Eagles have been living a dream, winning 112 consecutive games, bagging five

straight national championships and, this year, shattering the national record for the longest

winning streak in history.

That 32-year-old mark fell April 19 as McDonogh ripped North Harford, 15-8, for its 105th

straight victory. The previous record of 104 games without a loss was set by Loch Raven

between 1973 and 1982. More recently, Mount Hebron managed a 103-game skein that ended in

2007.

Not ones to preen, the Eagles rolled on and captured their sixth Interscholastic Athletic

Association of Maryland A Conference championship in as many years under coach Chris

Robinson. So, The Streak lives — but for how long? Gone is attacker Megan Whittle

(Maryland), whose 88 goals earned her All-Metro Player of the Year honors. Meanwhile, the

bull's-eye on McDonogh's back gets bigger, particularly among the nationally ranked schools the

Eagles have scheduled to start each of the past three seasons.

"We've got to take everyone's best punch," said Robinson, a Loch Raven alumnus who once

coached at Mount Hebron. "It's tough when everyone's got us circled on the schedule."

7. California Chrome flirts with Triple Crown but falls short

He arrived at Pimlico Race Course on the wings of a populist dream — the star of an improbable

tale featuring two regular-guy owners and a septuagenarian trainer who'd never saddled a starter

on horse racing's biggest stage.

California Chrome was a chestnut colt from the West who liked to pose for photos and seemed

unruffled by all the fuss around him after he surged to a comfortable victory in the Kentucky

Derby. That performance made believers of rival trainers, who had expressed initial skepticism

over the horse's humble lineage and his small-time handler, Art Sherman.

California Chrome came to Baltimore a heavy favorite in the Preakness. And his brash co-owner,

Steve Coburn, made no bones about saying the colt would win the Triple Crown.

Before a record announced crowd of 123,469, California Chrome lived up to the hype, brushing

aside early rushes from several speedy challengers to win the Preakness and give himself a

chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

With Chrome's quest came a debate about changing the Triple Crown. Coburn, in particular,

portrayed rival owners and trainers as cowards for skipping the middle leg and gearing up for the

Belmont Stakes.

Sure enough, California Chrome could not find his usual acceleration at Belmont Park and fell to

Tonalist, who hadn't run in Kentucky or Baltimore. An angry Coburn pitched a fit after the race,

saying no horse could pull off the historic feat against wave after wave of fresh challengers.

That debate will rage on. But for a few weeks at least, California Chrome had everyone

believing.

6. Nelson Cruz becomes fan favorite in short stay at Camden Yards

Nelson Cruz began the year in a limbo of his own making after he missed the Texas Rangers'

2013 playoff push because of a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

He anticipated lucrative free-agent offers, but they never materialized. And as spring training

dawned, Cruz had to accept a cut-rate $8 million deal with the Orioles. It turned out to be the

best thing that could have happened for him.

The affable slugger fit easily into the upbeat Orioles clubhouse. And fans greeted him with loud

chants of "Cruuuuz" on Opening Day. He quickly rewarded his new admirers with a barrage of

home runs that helped keep the Orioles in the pennant race as they endured a rash of injuries to

key players.

Cruz made the All-Star team, and his tight-knit Dominican family often packed the stands behind

home plate to celebrate right along with the fans.

Cruz would end the season as the only player in baseball with 40 home runs and win Most

Valuable Oriole honors. He remained the club's most dangerous power threat as it swept to the

American League Championship Series for the first time in 17 years.

Cruz's reward? The four-year deal he had wanted the previous offseason. The bad news for

Orioles fans? He'll be making his money in Seattle in 2015.

5. Chris Davis and Haloti Ngata sit after late-season suspensions for Adderall

Two of Baltimore's most popular pro athletes, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis and Ravens

defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, lost some of their luster when they were suspended for failing

drug tests.

Both were caught using Adderall, an amphetamine normally used to treat attention-deficit

hyperactivity disorder. Both were sidelined late in the season, with their teams in pursuit of the

playoffs.

On Sept. 12, with the Orioles leading the American League East, Davis — baseball's home run

and RBI king of 2013 — was suspended for 25 games. He was batting .196 with 26 home runs

and 72 RBIs. The ban kept Davis out of the Orioles' final 17 regular-season games and all seven

of their postseason games. He'll serve the final game of the suspension on Opening Day.

"Basically, in a moment of weakness, I made a decision that cost me greatly," Davis said in a

November radio interview, his first public comments since the suspension.

Ngata, like Davis, owned up to using Adderall and was suspended for the Ravens' final four

games of the regular season. Unlike Davis, he was having a strong season at the time of his

punishment.

"I made a mistake and I own this," Ngata said in a statement released by the team. "I let down

my family, my teammates, Ravens fans and myself."

A two-time first-team All-Pro, the 6-foot-4, 340-pound Ngata can return after the Ravens'

regular-season finale Dec. 28.

4. Michael Phelps launches comeback, then gets arrested

The greatest swimmer in history hadn't looked so happy on the deck of a pool in years.

When Michael Phelps officially ended his 20-month retirement by climbing a starting block at

the Mesa (Ariz.) Grand Prix, he did so with a broad grin as an adoring sellout crowd roared its

approval. The face of a sport that's often ignored in non-Olympic years was back.

He won his preliminary heat in the 100-meter butterfly and finished second to longtime rival

Ryan Lochte in the evening final. But specific results aside, Phelps spoke of swimming because

he wanted to, not because the sport was a grim obligation, as it had seemed at times before the

2012 Olympics.

An uneven summer followed, with Phelps struggling to produce consistently strong swims. He

might begin a day swimming the fastest 100-meter butterfly in the world, as he did at the Phillips

66 U.S. Nationals, and then lose the evening final in the same event.

Confronted with such unfamiliar results, Phelps vowed to work harder. He finished on a strong

note with three gold medals at Pan Pacific Championships in August.

Phelps' narrative flipped again in late September, when he was arrested on drunken-driving

charges after police stopped him for going 84 mph in a 45-mph zone outside the Fort McHenry

Tunnel. Five days later, he announced that he was putting swimming on hold to enter an in-

patient treatment program so he could work on his personal life.

USA Swimming suspended him for six months and dropped him from the world championship

team. Phelps pleaded guilty in Baltimore District Court in December and received a suspended

one-year sentence.

Phelps, 29, was home for Thanksgiving. But with the 2016 Olympics waiting in the distance, he

made no immediate announcement about his swimming plans. That Arizona smile felt long past.

3. Maryland officially leaves ACC and enters Big Ten

So long, Tobacco Road. The Big Ten streets are paved in gold.

That was Maryland's motive for leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference, a divorce that became

official July 1. A charter member of the ACC, Maryland severed its 60-year ties to join the Big

Ten — a move met initially with angst among Terps fans and even some coaches.

What price, heritage? Maryland will pocket nearly $100 million more by 2020 as a member of

the Big Ten than if it had stayed put. And the school's athletic program was one starved for cash,

having cut seven sports in 2012 in an ongoing effort to balance its budget.

Other perks for the Terps: a higher national profile as part of the Big Ten Network, an expanded

recruiting base and the long-term stability inherent in joining the Midwest-based league.

To compete with its new rivals, Maryland announced in November plans to transform Cole Field

House into a shiny new indoor practice facility for football and other sports.

How did Maryland teams fare in Big Ten competition this fall? Football split its eight conference

games, and men's soccer went 5-2-1 before going on to win the conference tournament. Field

hockey won seven of eight regular-season games and fell in the conference final, and women's

soccer finished 3-5-5. Only women's volleyball (3-17) and women's cross country (last place at

the league meet) disappointed.

"It is still bittersweet," Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson said of the move. "[But]

everywhere I go, there is more enthusiasm."

2. Orioles win division and reach ALCS

Both their All-Star catcher and third baseman got hurt. Their $50 million pitcher struggled. Their

All-Star slugger was suspended for taking drugs. Yet the Orioles rolled on.

"We won't stop," fans chanted, a mantra that lasted until the American League Championship

Series, when the team lost four straight to the Kansas City Royals.

Time and time again, the Orioles weathered setbacks en route to winning 96 games and the AL

East for the first time since 1997. Moreover, they won the division by 12 games, matching the

margin of the 1970 team that won a World Series.

What went wrong? Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, at whom the club threw big bucks, floundered

and soon fell off the radar. In May, the Orioles lost catcher Matt Wieters (elbow surgery).

August saw third baseman Manny Machado sidelined (knee surgery). In September, a failed drug

test took out first baseman Chris Davis, who was suspended for the rest of the season.

What went right? Nelson Cruz, signed on the cheap, hit a major league-best 40 home runs. Zach

Britton blossomed into one of baseball's best closers. Three Orioles — outfielders Adam Jones,

Nick Markakis and shortstop J.J. Hardy — earned Gold Glove Awards. And Manager Buck

Showalter was voted AL Manager of the Year.

1. Ray Rice incident brings domestic violence to the national forefront and leads to scrutiny for

Ravens, NFL

Never has the Baltimore sports scene witnessed so swift and violent a fall.

Ray Rice entered 2014 believing he'd work himself into the best shape of his life and reclaim the

running form he'd misplaced the previous season. Instead, this former Pro Bowl selection and

anti-bullying activist became a figure of infamy when video emerged in February of him

dragging his unconscious fiancee from the elevator of an Atlantic City, N.J., casino.

The Ravens stood by their star initially, and he avoided trial on assault charges by entering an

intervention program. Rice went to training camp believing he still had a shot at redemption,

even if he remained at the center of a national uproar over the two-game penalty given him by

embattled NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

But the story changed Sept. 8, when TMZ posted a second clip of Rice flooring Janay Palmer

with a vicious punch. Within hours, the Ravens — already widely criticized for their initial

handling of the situation — released Rice, and the NFL suspended him indefinitely.

The story continued from there, with a former federal judge overturning the second suspension

and the Rices appearing on NBC's "Today" to tell their story.

As the year ends, Rice is eligible to return to the NFL if a team will have him. But he'll always

be known as the player who sparked national debates over domestic violence, the Ravens'

integrity and the NFL's ability to police itself.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-more-cuba-talk-and-fred-ferreiras-

hysterical-international-incident-20141222-story.html

More thoughts on baseball in Cuba and Fred Ferreira's

'hysterical' incident

By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun

December 23, 2014

In the last few days, I’ve had conversations with people inside and outside the Orioles

organization about rippling effects there will be in Major League Baseball if and when Cuba is

fully open to U.S. travelers.

There is a wide variety of thoughts, but the sense is that all 30 teams will make an immediate

push into the baseball-rich country when allowed. The extent of the push is very much up for

debate.

There’s a belief that an international draft could be on the horizon -- perhaps as early as the next

collective bargaining agreement -- and Cuba could fall into that process.

One top baseball official I spoke with said he doesn’t envision Cuba being similar to the

Dominican Republic when it comes to MLB academies dotting the island. First, the source isn’t

sure Cuba is truly big enough for 30 separate academies -- it’s more likely there will be a few co-

op operations involving several teams each if it gets that far.

But, the source said, there’s also a real question as to whether Cuba would allow MLB that kind

of control over its national sport. Frankly, the Cuban government believes it has done a pretty

good job developing its players. And considering how some recent defectors have been able to

integrate quickly into MLB, that case certainly can be made.

So to think that Cuba immediately becomes Dominican Republic 2.0 is premature. That kind of

cooperation/American dominance over the country’s baseball resources may never occur. It is

going to be interesting to see how it all develops -- from both a political and baseball standpoint.

In discussing Cuba’s situation with baseball people, I heard a tremendous story about the 1999

trip to Havana that I hadn’t been told previously. And I wanted to share it with you.

Current Orioles executive director of international recruiting Fred Ferreira inadvertently caused a

mini-international incident with the communist country’s president at the time, Fidel Castro.

Ferreira can laugh about it now -- calling it “hysterical,” but for a split second it was kind of

scary.

Ferreira was with the Montreal Expos in March 1999 when the Orioles made their goodwill trip

to Havana to play a Cuban All-Star team. Two representatives of each major league team were

granted access to the country for the exhibition. And, for the Expos, it was Ferreira and Jim

Beattie, who later became the Orioles’ executive vice president.

There was a quick meet and greet for the baseball executives with Castro at his palace. Basically,

as Ferreira explains it, there was a long receiving line in which the baseball executives had the

opportunity to shake hands with Castro and get their pictures taken.

That day, Ferreira was wearing a brown, suede jacket and when he reached Castro, the dictator

touched Ferreira’s sleeve.

“He said something like, ‘Gee, this is nice,’ in broken English,” Ferreira recalled. “And then he

motioned that he wanted to see the label, see who made it.”

Ferreira began reaching around to the back of the jacket when he was immediately intercepted by

Castro’s security guards.

“His secret service grabbed me and put me right up against the wall,” Ferreira said. “They

thought I was taking something out of my jacket.”

Castro intervened and the misunderstanding only lasted a few seconds. But Ferreira said he’ll

never forget it -- or the momentary stir it caused.

“People behind me were wondering, “What the hell did Fred do?” Ferreira said laughing.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-wieters-to-have-high-school-jersey-retired-

20141222-story.html

Orioles' Matt Wieters to have high school jersey retired

Monday night

By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun

December 22, 2014

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will have his high school baseball jersey retired Monday night in a

ceremony at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, S.C.

Wieters is one of two major leaguers who will have his jersey retired during a 7 p.m. ceremony,

along with first baseman Justin Smoak, who recently joined the Toronto Blue Jays.

Wieters and Smoak played together in high school -- Wieters was one year ahead of Smoak --

and both were first-round picks out of college. Wieters was the fifth overall selection by the

Orioles in 2007 from Georgia Tech, while Smoak was the 11th overall choice by the Texas

Rangers in 2008 out of South Carolina.

Wieters, 28, has spent six seasons with the Orioles. He is a two-time Gold Glover and three-time

All-Star. Limited to 26 games in 2014 because of a torn ligament in his elbow that led to Tommy

John surgery, Wieters hopes to be back playing with the Orioles around Opening Day.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2014/12/trying-to-decide-on-the-roster-in-

december.html

Trying to decide on the roster in December

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

December 23, 2014

As we approach the Christmas holiday, the Orioles still have lots of work to do on their roster

unless they're committed to starting Alejandro De Aza or David Lough in left field and Steve

Pearce in right.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette wanted two more outfielders - one who batted from the

left side and one who batted from the right. He wanted another catcher to improve the depth,

though he's got four on the 40-man roster. And if the season started today, manager Buck

Showalter wouldn't know who to use as his designated hitter.

Showalter told reporters at the Winter Meetings that he'd have every other position covered,

including Pearce in right field. But again, who projects as the designated hitter?

I tried to supply a national publication with a projected lineup, as I do every winter, and ran out

of hitters.

I put De Aza atop the order and in left field, followed by third baseman Manny Machado, first

baseman Chris Davis and center fielder Adam Jones. I decided to slot catcher Matt Wieters fifth,

Pearce sixth and shortstop J.J. Hardy seventh.

I intended to place second baseman Jonathan Schoop at the bottom of the order, no matter the

DH, who still hadn't been determined.

Maybe the pitcher could bat.

Maybe the Orioles should consider giving Delmon Young a two-year deal.

I eventually settled on Henry Urrutia because I couldn't leave it blank. He didn't play in the

majors this year after undergoing sports hernia surgery, but he's working out in Sarasota and

determined to become an established major leaguer. The door seems to be open for him.

The Orioles could re-sign Young and still include Urrutia on the 25-man roster. Urrutia needs to

rake this spring and force his way onto it.

I also had to supply a four-man bench for the publication. Working under the assumption that

Wieters is ready on opening day, I've got Caleb Joseph backing him up. Ryan Flaherty is the

super utility guy, having played all four infield positions and the outfield this year. Lough is my

fourth outfielder. I gave infielder Jimmy Paredes the last spot, fully aware that he may not stick

on the 40-man through the winter.

The Orioles would have to clear a spot if they acquire another player, and Paredes is a prime

candidate to come off.

That's not much pop coming off the bench.

The 40-man roster also includes outfielders Quintin Berry and Alex Hassan and infielder Rey

Navarro, a minor league free agent who was given a major league deal.

I'm curious about the Orioles' plans for catcher Steve Clevenger. He's still on the 40-man and can

play other positions, but he seems to have faded into the background after making the club out of

spring training. Have they soured on him? Will be get a legitimate chance to back up Wieters or

perhaps be used more in a utility role?

What's the plan for the Pride of Pigtown?

The rotation and bullpen present a separate set of challenges because of the extra pitching. I can't

bring myself to option Kevin Gausman or stick him in the bullpen, though he'd be quite a

weapon. If Miguel Gonzalez or Ubaldo Jimenez go to the 'pen - and that's a lot of money to pay a

long man if it's the latter - I don't see any room for Ryan Webb or T.J. McFarland.

Let's do the math. It's a seven-man bullpen and four spots belong to Zach Britton, Darren O'Day,

Tommy Hunter and Wesley Wright - barring a trade, of course. Brad Brach deserves to stay and

Brian Matusz has to be included if the staff is being set today. The last spot would go to the extra

starter unless Gausman is optioned.

Teams looking for a reliever should check with the Orioles. Matusz and Webb could be moved

in the right deal.

Perhaps a deal that brings the Orioles a hitter who can play the outfield and DH for them.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2014/12/qa-with-orioles-pitching-coach-dave-

wallace.html

Q&A with Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

December 23, 2014

By almost any standard, Dave Wallace's first season as the Orioles pitching coach was a real

success. The Orioles' 3.43 team ERA ranked third in the American League, behind only Seattle

at 3.17 and Oakland at 3.22.

This was for a team that won 96 games, played for the American League pennant and tied for the

second-best record in the majors.

The Orioles had four different starting pitchers (Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris, and

Miguel Gonzalez) record 10 or more wins for the first time since 1997. Norris (2.44 ERA in 13

starts) and Tillman (2.56 ERA in 18 starts) posted the two lowest single season ERAs by Orioles

starting pitchers with a minimum of five starts in Oriole Park history. The 2014 Orioles had three

pitchers with 13 or more wins, equaling their total from the previous eight seasons combined.

I recently conducted an in-depth interview with Wallace and you have read some of his thoughts

and quotes here already. Here are more of my questions and Wallace's answers from that

interview.

Looking back, what are your thoughts on your first year as pitching coach?

"It was an absolute fun ride, just not knowing what to expect coming into the situation and not

knowing the guys. The best part was watching how much they love to compete. The whole thing

was, I don't want to say I was surprised, but it is fun to look back on the season.

"I can think back to February in spring training and watching these guys throw and just not

knowing what you would get. What you see in the spring sometimes doesn't translate into the

season.

"I think by about the middle or end of May, things started to kick in a bit. The guys competed

their butts off and it was a pleasure to watch."

You and bullpen coach Dom Chiti clearly got comfortable with the players and them with you.

What was the key to building such a relationship with the staff?

"I'm not going to make light of it, but the understanding the players had. They are the ones that

have to get it. They knew that Dom and I were out for nothing but their best interest and helping

them get better.

"There was a genuine feeling that these guys knew they could trust us, and at the forefront of our

mind was what we could do to help each guy get a little bit better. Didn't matter where it came

from."

You and Dom really were a team, weren't you?

"This guy knows so much about the game and especially pitching with a scouting and coaching

background. A lot of times, what people didn't see is we'd go behind closed doors and talk about

something even before players were aware of things.

"About mid-season the players started busting our chops and stuff about us always being

together. When that happens you had a sense they were getting comfortable.

"That is why he was such an important hire. He's a pitching coach, that's what he is and he ran

that bullpen better than you can imagine. He just has an innate understanding of so many things

that go on."

What are your thoughts on Tillman and his 2014 season?

"He had a couple of rough starts and what I like more than anything (is that) he can be getting

rocked around in the first inning and not make it or he can be pitching a one-hit shutout into the

seventh and you'd never know it by his expression on the mound.

"I think that speaks to his professionalism, his competitiveness and his respect for the game. I'm

not sure I respect any pitcher I've had over the years as much. This guy has tremendous makeup.

We hear that word all the time, but he's a gamer and has that poker face during the course of a

game.

"Not one time during the year did you hear Chris Tillman talk about next year or his contract or

his career. Other than, 'What is going on today and what is my routine?' and getting ready for

(his) next start, if it is his day to start, you leave him alone and he has his routine. It's an absolute

pleasure to have a guy like that."

How can Kevin Gausman get better?

"He has made a whole lot of strides, but what I like about Kevin is he's probably the most

inquisitive of all the young guys. Almost every day when he is not pitching, he'll ask questions

on the bench. Very bright, very smart, very talented. Not satisfied with anything he does. He

wants to get better. He wants to be real good.

"The thing that happens with most young pitchers is you get innings under your belt at the major

league level and that is how you learn."

How important is developing that slider as a third pitch for Gausman going forward?

"I'm not going to call it a slider, I'll call it a breaking ball. Sometimes it's a slider and sometimes

a slurve. When he has those three pitches working those are the games that are fun because he

can go through almost any lineup.

"But on days that he doesn't have either the changeup or breaking ball, we have to navigate our

way to get to the sixth or seventh inning. I think that is the next step for him.

"He's a bright guy and he knows that. But yes, his breaking ball can be more consistent. That is

not that easy and sometimes it takes a couple of years for that happen."

Looking ahead to year two, how do those relationships you built with the pitchers help for 2015?

"Obviously, you feel a lot more comfortable going into spring training. We've already talked

about some things we'd like to do with some guys. Maybe you add a pitch, take away a pitch or

tweak a delivery.

"But now we know the guys and they know us and there is trust from the get go. There is a

comfort level I think on both ends. Dom and I go into spring training much more aware of who

the guys are and what we need to do to get better."

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/young-pitcher-could-have-shot-majors-2015

Young pitcher could have shot at majors in 2015

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore

December 22, 2014

On June 6, Tim Berry got a brief taste of the major leagues. With the Orioles temporarily short of

pitching, Berry was recalled for the night from Bowie.

Berry didn’t get in the game that night and was returned, as expected to Bowie the next day.

In 2015, Berry is hoping for more extended exposure in the major leagues.

Last year, Berry was 6-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 23 starts for the Baysox, and the onetime 50th

round draft choice was shut down in August due to shoulder tendinitis.

In five seasons with the Orioles, Berry, who was taken in the 2009 draft, has yet to pitch above

Double-A.

The expectation is that he will this season. Berry could be part of a strong Norfolk staff. Along

with Berry, Eddie Gamboa, Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright could start the season with the Tides.

Dylan Bundy could start at Bowie and then move up to Norfolk, where he has never pitched.

The Orioles dangled Berry in some trade talks, and he could be a valuable chip there, or perhaps

later in 2015, in the big leagues.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/five-things-orioles-holiday-wish-list

Five things on Orioles' holiday wish list

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore

December 22, 2014

Last week, the Orioles signed a left-handed reliever, Wesley Wright, and named a new hitting

coach, Scott Coolbaugh. What could happen this week?

With just three days left before Christmas, let’s look at five things on the Orioles’ holiday wish

list.

1) A designated DH

The Orioles don’t have a player who fits as a regular DH on the roster, and earlier this month at

the Winter Meetings, Buck Showalter said he could name a starting lineup except for a

designated hitter.

Delmon Young is still on the market, and there’s mutual interest between the Orioles and his

representatives, but no contract yet.

Young may not get a two-year deal elsewhere, and if not, he’ll probably return to the Orioles

If Young returns, he could be the first player to start at DH on consecutive Opening Days for the

Orioles since Harold Baines two decades ago. In the last 12 years, they’ve had 12 different

Opening Day DH’s.

2) Another outfielder

The Orioles could sign another outfielder as a free agent from a now all-too-familiar list (Colby

Rasmus, Nori Aoki, Ichiro Suzuki) or make a trade for someone more desirable.

Some of the contracts players the team had tepid interest, at best, were ludicrous, and trading

some of their bullpen depth for another outfielder is probably their best bet.

Dan Duquette is a shrewd trader, and perhaps someone to play right field (David Murphy, Seth

Smith) can be obtained.

3) No Davis drama in spring training

This is probably unavoidable. Chris Davis has yet to the talk to the Baltimore sports media about

his suspension, which still has a game to run, and whether he does it at FanFest or at spring

training, it will be still be a distraction.

Even if Davis didn’t have the suspension to talk about, the questions would be about his future

(he’s eligible for free agency next fall) and his falloff in production last year.

4) Healthy starts for Machado and Wieters

Last spring, there was regular temperature taking of Manny Machado’s left knee. This spring, it

will be his right knee.

Machado hoped to make Opening Day last year, but missed it by a month. This year, he’s got a

much better chance because he had his surgery in August instead of October.

Matt Wieters’ agent, Scott Boras, predicted this weekend that he’d be ready to start the season.

Showalter hedged that last week.

Wieters had Tommy John surgery in June, and while a pitcher’s recovery is generally a year,

conventional wisdom is that position players can shave a few months off that.

He will be pestered in spring training about his timetable, and his future. Davis and he share an

agent and are both eligible for free agency next fall.

5) Continued strong health from starters

Over the last three winning seasons, the Orioles’ starters have generally been healthy. Wei-Yin

Chen had an oblique strain in 2013, Ubaldo Jimenez a sprained ankle and Bud Norris a groin

injury this year, but most of the other maladies were relatively minor.

If the Orioles starters remain healthy and near their production of last year, and the bullpen

continues its strong performance, the team will continue to contend.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/2014/12/22/will-orioles-offensive-approach-change-under-new-

hitting-coach-scott-coolbaugh

Will orioles' offensive approach change under new hitting

coach Scott Coolbaugh?

By Paul Folkemer / PressBoxOnline.com

December 22, 2014

The Orioles filled the remaining hole on their major league coaching staff Dec. 19, hiring Texas

Rangers minor league hitting coordinator Scott Coolbaugh as their hitting coach. Coolbaugh

replaced former hitting coach Jim Presley, whom the Orioles reassigned Nov. 24.

With a new face in charge of the Orioles' offense, should O's fans expect a noticeable change in

the team's offensive performance in 2015?

During Presley's four-year tenure, the Birds were the best home run-hitting team in the majors --

accumulating 828 blasts from 2011-14 -- but struggled at getting on base, ranking in the bottom

six of American League teams in OBP each year. In 2014, the O's were 11th out of 15 teams

with a .311 OBP, and their 401 walks ranked third-worst in the AL. The year before, the Orioles

were next-to-last with 416 free passes.

The Orioles' aggressive plate approach under Presley rankled some O's fans, who hoped to see a

more disciplined and patient offensive strategy. Some hope that the hiring of Coolbaugh will

spark an increased emphasis on getting on base.

Coolbaugh's one previous stint as a major league hitting coach provides reasons to believe he'll

help the O's offense. He served as the Texas Rangers' hitting coach from June 8, 2011 until the

end of the 2012 season, and the Rangers' offense enjoyed success during his tenure. In 2011,

Rangers batters hit significantly better during the second half under Coolbaugh

(.297/.351/.479/.830) than during the first half coached mainly by his predecessor, Thad Bosley

(.271/.331/.445/.776).

In 2012, Coolbaugh's only full season on the job, his Rangers were the best offense in the AL.

They led the AL with 808 runs scored and 1,526 hits, and ranked second with a .780 OPS and

2,493 total bases. Hitters such as Josh Hamilton, Elvis Andrus and David Murphy had the best

season of their careers.

But even with their offensive success, the Rangers weren't a particularly walk-proficient team

under Coolbaugh. In both 2011 and 2012, they ranked a mediocre eighth in the AL in walks. In

fact, in 2012, their 478 free passes were two fewer than the Orioles.

Based on Coolbaugh's past interviews, he doesn't subscribe to a one-size-fits-all hitting

philosophy. Instead, he prefers to work individually with hitters on perfecting the approach that

works best for them.

"You have to grind it out each day with each guy, talking to them about mechanics and how to

make adjustments," Coolbaugh told MLB.com in 2011. "I tried to insert a relaxed atmosphere

and try to facilitate what their needs are. I think they feel I have their best interests at heart and

I'll do what I can to prepare them for a game."

"He allows you to be yourself," Hamilton said in the same article. "He understands that as a

hitter, you know what works for you. He's not looking to change you but fine-tune what works

for you."

With that in mind, Orioles fans probably shouldn't expect a wholesale change to the Birds'

offensive approach under Coolbaugh. The O's lineup consists of several hitters who simply aren't

high OBP guys, beginning with center fielder Adam Jones, who holds a career .320 OBP. At 28

years old and with 1,105 major league games under his belt, Jones isn't suddenly going to change

the free-swinging plate approach he has had throughout his career -- and it's unlikely Coolbaugh

would ask him to do so, considering the success Jones has had with his aggressive style.

Another example is shortstop J.J. Hardy, who has a .312 career OBP and hasn't topped a .320

mark since 2008. Hardy has played for three different teams and had five different hitting

coaches -- three in Milwaukee, another in Minnesota and then Presley with the Orioles. Hardy's

plate approach has remained pretty much the same throughout his career, regardless of who his

hitting coach is. As with Jones, Hardy is probably not going to change his style of hitting at this

stage of his career.

A hitting coach is only as good as his personnel, and the Orioles don't have a lot of patient,

disciplined hitters. The only two O's regulars to top a .330 OBP in 2014 were Nick Markakis

(.342) and Nelson Cruz (.333), both of whom are now gone. It's unrealistic to think that

Coolbaugh can wave a magic wand and get O's hitters to raise their OBP by 20 or 30 points.

Coolbaugh's history suggests he won't institute a sweeping change to the Orioles' approach.

That's not to say that Coolbaugh won't help the Orioles. His track record in Texas -- both as a

major league coach and a minor league hitting instructor -- speaks well to his effectiveness. And

the Rangers were so reluctant to let him go that they initially refused the O's permission to

interview him before finally consenting, and then they reportedly offered him a three-year

contract to stay put rather than accept the Orioles' offer. That speaks to how highly they valued

Coolbaugh as a hitting guru.

Coolbaugh could be a quality hitting coach for the Orioles, but his biggest influence will likely

be behind the scenes -- helping hitters with their mechanics, etc. Fans expecting the Orioles'

offense to transform into a high-OBP, walk-happy group might be disappointed. Coolbaugh

alone isn't enough to spur such drastic change. But if he can help the O's continue to smack home

runs at a breakneck pace, their offense will be plenty good enough to keep the team in contention

in 2015.

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2014-12-22/mlb-trade-rumors-orioles-red-sox-dodgers-

padres-outfield-seth-smith-nelson-cruz-nick-markakis-dan-duquette

Should Orioles hit the gas? After letting several options pass,

silence isn't deadly

By Jesse Spector / Sporting News

December 22, 2014

Having lost 2014 major league home run leader Nelson Cruz and franchise stalwart Nick

Markakis to free agency, the response of the Orioles has been… uh… well… gosh, they have not

done anything at all.

The time has come to panic in the streets of Baltimore. After all, by this time last winter, the

Orioles already had made several significant moves. They signed Edgar Escalona as a free

agent. They got Brad Brach from the Padres in a trade for Devin Jones. They picked up Cord

Phelps on waivers from the Indians. They sent cash to the Giants for Johnny Monell. They

picked up Jemile Weeks and David Freitas from the A’s for Proven Closer Jim Johnson.They

signed Chris Marrero, Ryan, Webb and Ivan DeJesus as free agents. They got David Lough from

the Royals for Danny Valencia. They added Julio Borbon in the Rule 5 draft and signed Xavier

Paul as a free agent.

This time around, the Orioles have added Paul Janish as a free agent and plucked Alex Hassan

off waivers from the A’s. Baltimore purchased Scott Barnes from the Indians, but lost him on

waivers to Texas. Logan Verrett was added as a Rule 5 pick, and free agents Chaz Roe and Matt

Tuiasosopo came on board. Wesley Wright came on board to work as a lefty out of the bullpen.

Whereas last year, the Orioles spent November and December doing a whole lot of nothing, this

year Baltimore has only done a moderate amount of nothing. Granted, the Orioles did not lose

two-thirds of the outfield from a defending division champion’s lineup last winter, but the world

was wondering what Dan Duquette would do to replace Johnson as closer. After signing Grant

Balfour, but then not signing him because of the results of his physical, Baltimore wound up

spending 2014 with Zach Britton closing games, and that worked out OK.

Duquette is smart enough to know that strictly going with in-house candidates to flank Adam

Jones in the outfield is not enough. It also is not crazy to think that with the projected returns of

Manny Machado and Matt Wieters, plus an expectation that Chris Davis will hit better than .196

next year, the Orioles might be able to go with a defense-first option in Lough, spell him

occasionally with Alejandro De Aza, bring back free agent Delmon Young for some at-bats

against left-handers, and then just focus on getting one more player to round it all out.

Baltimore has been linked to free agents Nori Aoki, Colby Rasmus and Ichiro Suzuki to varying

degrees, with a trade for Seth Smith also reported as a possibility, among those rumors charted

by the aggregation wizards at mlbtraderumors.com. So, it’s not like Baltimore is totally quiet and

sitting there thinking that everything is good with the status quo. The one thing that does not add

up for the Orioles is that Aoki, Rasmus, Suzuki and Smith all are left-handed batters, as are De

Aza and Lough. That does not disqualify them from having the Orioles be interested, but another

right-handed bat would make sense. Circle on back, then, to the winter meetings talk that the

Orioles were discussing a trade with the Phillies for Marlon Byrd.

The trade market figures to be Baltimore’s friend, as the Dodgers, Padres, and Red Sox all

having a distinct surplus of outfielders, not to mention that there are plenty of other teams like

the Phillies who are out there willing to make deals.

Patience helped the Orioles to land Cruz for a bargain last winter, in a deal that did not come

down until Feb. 24. Patience figures to be Baltimore’s friend again this offseason. It is important

not to confuse not doing anything with doing absolutely nothing.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/red-fever/Surprise-Orioles-Hire-a-Rangers-Coach-

286590981.html

Surprise: Orioles Hire a Rangers Coach

By Adam Boedeker / NBCDFW.com

December 22, 2014

Guess what, I know it's going to hard to believe, but the Texas Rangers lost a member of their

organization over the weekend to the Baltimore Orioles.

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

The Orioles and former Rangers manager Buck Showalter hired Scott Coolbaugh as their new

hitting coach after Coolbaugh spent nearly a decade in the Rangers organization, including a

year-and-a-half stint from 2011 through the 2012 season as the Rangers' hitting coach.

After he was replaced by Dave Magadan, Coolbaugh stayed in the Rangers system as the team's

minor-league hitting coordinator. Now, he's back in the big leagues after the Rangers had offered

him a multi-year deal to stay in his current gig in the minors.

"I’m extremely excited and actually humbled at the same time for an organization like the

Orioles, that have had success, and for Buck to give a guy like me a chance,” Coolbaugh told the

Baltimore Sun. “I just want to fit in and be a part of it.”

Coolbaugh is reunited with several familiar faces, most notably Orioles slugger Chris Davis, who

had an MVP-caliber season in 2013 before failing to crack the Mendoza Line in 2014 despite

hitting 26 homers.

http://www.live5news.com/story/27692008/smoak-wieters-have-numbers-retired-at-stratford

Smoak, Wieters Have Numbers Retired At Stratford

By Kevin Bilodeau / Live5News.com

December 23, 2014

GOOSE CREEK, SC (WCSC) - Stratford alums Matt Wieters and Justin Smoak were back in the

Lowcountry on Monday night as their baseball numbers were retired by their alma mater.

Wieters' number 16 and Smoak's number 12 were immortalized in the schools gym in front of

the duo's family and friends that included College of Charleston head coach Monte Lee, The

Citadel's Fred Jordan and Charleston Southern's Stuart Lake.

Wieters graduated in 2004 and left the Knights team with the 2nd most RBI in school history and

3rd most hits. He would go on to be a 2 time All-American at Georgia Tech before becoming a

1st round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2007.

Smoak ended his tenure with the Knights as the schools all-time leader in hits, home runs and

RBI among other categories. He was a 2 time AAAA player of the year and was the state's Co-

Mr. Baseball in 2005 when he helped lead Stratford to a state title. Smoak was a 2 time All-

American at South Carolina before becoming a 1st round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2008.