Jon Meoli: For Orioles’ John Means, rehab tour provides reunion with coaches who helped make him an All-Star
Now, a generation of Orioles pitchers receive the same benefits on a broader scale from the same crew Means worked with five years ago.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles’ baseball turnaround is covering for a lot of faults elsewhere. There’s probably a lesson to be learned as to why.
Orioles CEO John Angelos chose Mike Elias to lead baseball operations nearly five years ago and, while clearly constraining him from a budgetary standpoint, has mostly allowed him to operate as he sees fit without ownership interference. Should Angelos do this for the rest of the business?
Jon Meoli: How Ryan Mountcastle became the Orioles’ hottest hitter since his return from vertigo
Ryan Mountcastle had to step away from the game for an unexpected reason. He used the downtime to reset, and then worked his way back as a better hitter by focusing on the Orioles’ swing-decision philosophy.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles added much-needed pitching depth and did it their way
Baltimore was always unlikely to give up a top prospect, and Mike Elias showed once again that the plan is to build with young talent — not use prospects to acquire help.
Jon Meoli: It’s easy to say the Orioles could have matched their rivals’ pitching trades so far. Is it right?
What happens before the trade deadline will provide a prism through which the rest of this Orioles season is viewed.
Jon Meoli: As Mike Elias enters a pivotal trade deadline for the Orioles, a pivot in philosophy isn’t in the cards
The methodology that helped the Orioles get to this point was sound. They probably won’t deviate too much from it this deadline.
Jon Meoli: How the ‘total sleeper’ on the Orioles’ farm reversed a disastrous start to become one of their most interesting prospects
“I think he’s a huge asset for our organization — a total sleeper — and I think that he’s going to play in the big leagues for a long time,” Bowie Baysox manager Kyle Moore said.
Jon Meoli: Orioles’ Kyle Bradish made minor tweaks to become one of the most effective pitchers in the majors
That process of learning and growth may be ongoing, yet the current results make Bradish one of the Orioles rebuild’s brightest success stories
Jon Meoli: Are the Orioles truly trying to win the World Series this year? Well, we’re about to find out.
The way they’ve played means there is more at stake this year than any other deadline this front office has encountered here.
Jon Meoli: What the Orioles’ Shintaro Fujinami trade means for their deadline plans
Just because the team’s major league fortunes have well and truly changed doesn’t mean the organization’s philosophies and belief structure changed along with them.
Jon Meoli: How the Orioles’ renaissance is influencing the South Baltimore Little League
Using concepts borrowed from the Orioles’ system, the league has focused on skill development while creating an environment that helps players stay active and have fun. As a result, the league is growing — and its teams are winning.
Jon Meoli: Grayson Rodriguez’s return gives the Orioles 2 weeks to decide whether a trade is needed
If the Orioles' top young pitcher can live up to his potential, there might be no need to give up prospects to bolster the rotation with a trade before the Aug. 1 deadline.
Jon Meoli: It’s been 5 years since the Orioles started rebuilding. Now we’ll get a sense of how fruitful the payoff can be.
The second half of the season is the first true test of whether the process to get here, which started with the trade of Manny Machado, delivered a team that can compete at the highest level.
Jon Meoli: Orioles’ early draft picks show confidence in the player development staff’s ability to maximize talent
With a unified and cooperative approach, the Orioles know the type of player who can thrive in their program.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles’ draft approach has fueled their major league turnaround. Staying the course will support their championship ambitions.
Continuing to use valuable early picks on hitters will serve to sustain Baltimore's farm system into the next wave of the team's competitive phase.
Jon Meoli: Orioles prospect Heston Kjerstad’s only goal this year was ‘tearing it up.’ His power production led him to the Futures Game.
The steady march of top Orioles prospects toward the majors continues. Next up? The 2020 No. 2 overall pick, who had his career derailed but has rallied with a 1.022 OPS and five homers since moving up to Norfolk.
Jon Meoli: Inside the meeting that transformed Orioles prospect Coby Mayo into the minors’ hottest power hitter.
Mayo was frustrated at his inability to drive the baseball early in the year, but has been dominant since a discussion with coaches: He's hit 12 home runs with a scalding 1.206 OPS in 36 games.
Jon Meoli: There’s plenty the Orioles can do to get better. But let’s stop to acknowledge how good they have been.
Take a moment to appreciate how far the Orioles have come.
Jon Meoli: Breaking down the trade value of the Orioles’ prospect groups as the deadline grows closer
The Orioles have the most stacked farm system in MLB and are in position to make a playoff run. It may be time to flip young prospects for established talent. But which players should they let go, and at what cost?
Jon Meoli: Colton Cowser’s simple approach to hitting and enjoying himself has made him the Orioles’ next man up
With Jordan Westburg finally ascending to the majors, the natural question — who’s next? — has a clear answer: The No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft is ready. And he's gotten here not through a detailed routine, but by learning to laugh at himself along the way.