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Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! We are now in the month in which real baseball will take place. In less than three-and-a-half weeks, the Orioles will take the field at Camden Yards to kick off the 2026 season. It’s way too early, of course, to look ahead to the weather on that day. But things are trending upward, and we could see 70 degrees by the end of the week.
The Orioles faced the Red Sox on the road yesterday in Grapefruit League action. They came from behind with seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings to capture an 8-7 win. Chris Bassitt made his spring debut and allowed two runs in two innings. Jeisson Cabrera (#92) allowed four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. No, I don’t know who that is either.
The best news from yesterday’s game was that Samuel Basallo was back in the lineup. He was pulled from Thursday’s game with an apparent injury, but it was thankfully minor enough to only keep him out a few days. He celebrated his return with a single, a double, and a walk. He did make an error, one of three in the game for the Orioles. I dunno about this defense, guys.
Basallo took a baseball to the hand early in the game while blocking a pitch. It seemed to bother him a bit after it happened, but he shook it off and stayed in the game. Stop scaring us, Samuel!
Other offensive standouts in yesterday’s game were Dylan Beavers, with two doubles, and Heston Kjerstad, who had three more hits. The Hestonaissance continues to be one of the most pleasing things of the spring for me. Also, Enrique Bradfield started the game and impressed with a single and a walk, along with some sparkling defense in right field. You won’t hear much more about Bradfield out of Sarasota as he will be representing Team Panama in the World Baseball Classic.
The Orioles are off today, just one of two off days they have this spring. Tomorrow, they welcome Team Netherlands to Ed Smith Stadium for an exhibition game. Trevor Rogers will make the start, but the game will not be broadcast anywhere. We’ll have to rely on the beat writers to tell us how impressive he looks.
Links
With feats of speed and fielding, Orioles outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. turns heads – The Baltimore Banner
Andy Kostka has more on Enrique Bradfield’s skillset, with quotes from Bradfield after his good game yesterday.
Bassitt’s debut and impressive days for Basallo, Kjerstad, Beavers, and Bradfield – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko’s rundown of yesterday’s win.
Albernaz looks at new Orioles bench coach Donnie Ecker as an extension of him – Baltimore Baseball
Rich Dubroff has a lot of words about Donnie Ecker, the new bench coach
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five birthday buddies, including Jay Gibbons (49). Gibbons was a Rule 5 pick by the Orioles in 2000 who went on to play in 779 games with the Orioles from 2001-07. He was something of a poster boy for those dark days teams and was ultimately released after being named in the Mitchell Report.
Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Bud Norris (41), Leo Gómez (60), Joe Taylor (b. 1926, d. 1993), and Cal Abrams (b. 1924, d. 1997).
There isn’t anything interesting on this day in Orioles history, but on this day in baseball history:
- In 1927, Babe Ruth became the highest-paid player in Major League history with a $70,000 salary announced by the Yankees.
- In 2005, Jackie Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is accepted on his behalf by his widow, Rachel Robinson.
- Also in 2005, the Washington Nationals played their first game since moving to DC from Montreal.
- In 2012, MLB announced that the playoffs would be expanded to ten teams, with an additional wild card. That was good news for the Orioles, who captured one of those wild-card spots that year.