Andy Kostka

This spring, Vance Honeycutt is 4 for 4.

Four at-bats. Four home runs.

The 22-year-old’s stunning streak in Sarasota is turning heads. Honeycutt hopes it’s a sign that his slow-starting career might finally take off: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...

A key win for West Ham in the bid for a great escape

One big Vance Honeycutt issue last year was how frequently he struck out (178 times in 101 games at High-A). that is not sustainable. But if his swing changes and improved path to the ball, more efficient load, pitch recognition is for real, we'll see it quickly in the minors.

And then watch out

Not to douse water on a fire but doing this in late-game spring training action is different than a full season. Vance Honeycutt must prove himself at Double-A first (if not High-A).

Of course, balls flying that hard and far aren't a mistake. It's good. He's showing pitch recognition improvements.

Crysencio Summerville may have just scored one of the most important West Ham goals in some time. Can we keep the lead?

Vance Honeycutt: “Is that how far it went? Yeah, I got it good. That one felt good.”

Tough, man. Tricked me

Still: ball go far!

I deleted a stat that said Vance Honeycutt's the 471-foot homer would be tied for the third longest homer in the Statcast era. That was tied for the third-longest in a SPRING TRAINING game. My b

This latest home run traveled 471 feet. 471!

You cannot make it up. Vance Honeycutt hits his fourth home run of the spring ... in his fourth at-bat

A brilliant idea tbh

A quick note on the bullpen: There are very few locks in this group.

Ryan Helsley: lock. Tyler Wells: lock.

The rest are varying degrees of front-runners to outsiders. Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, Rico Garcia and Grant Wolfram, at this point, seem to be on the inside track. But things can change

Keegan Akin allows a solo homer from Ethan Frey, the first batter he faced out of the bullpen today. This spring, Akin has allowed three runs in three games (2 innings, plus one batter today)

Tyler Wells, who will be in the Orioles' bullpen, completes two scoreless frames with three strikeouts. He has thrown five scoreless innings this spring

Shane Baz: "I can get it down when I want. I can still throw it up when I want. ... Just kind of going with the cutter grip and manipulating it based on what we want in that scenario."

Interestingly, Shane Baz said he's throwing his slider with his cutter grip now, and he just manipulates it upon release differently to create different life. He says that is helping his command of the slider

@oriolesreview.bsky.social naturally has a good thread about this. Basically, if the cutter can be effective in-zone spin and the slider effective low, it could be quite a combo

two-run strikeout is a new one

Shane Baz is attempting to use his cutter and slider this year. He abandoned the slider partway through last season and introduced his cutter. We've seen both today, and the slider drew four whiffs on four swings.

The last whiff was also a dropped third strike that resulted in two runs scoring

Coby Mayo lined a single to left field with Pete Alonso on second base. Alonso tried to score from second but he's out by a mile

I’m not sure what Craig Albernaz said, but I found it funny and he did not

The Orioles reassign Aron Estrada to minor league camp

Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge dealing with shoulder inflammation Without Kittredge, the Orioles have an even more wide-open bullpen competition.

Craig Albernaz said Andrew Kittredge's shoulder inflammation “creeped up” during his last outing Feb. 25. His sinker was 3.4 mph slower on average than it was last season, according to Statcast.

And now Kittredge may miss opening day: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...

Tyler Wells is going to be in the bullpen conversation, Craig Albernaz said

Orioles right-hander Andrew Kittredge has right shoulder inflammation and his progression has been slowed, manager Craig Albernaz said. Albernaz said low probability he’s ready for opening day

Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday said he’s scheduled to begin swinging with both hands tomorrow. He had been swinging one-handed (with his left) and he began throwing last week. Recovery from his broken hamate bone in right hand is going well

Felix Bautista said he began throwing yesterday for the first time, tossing from flat ground at 45 feet. He’s hopeful he can return this season from shoulder surgery.

He said he’s approaching this recovery with even more patience than his elbow surgery recovery

You’re telling me Rico Garcia inherited bases loaded and stranded them? Where have we seen that before?

In an Orioles game that didn’t matter, accountability took center stage “Hey, we need to clean up,” Alonso recalled telling his teammates after beckoning them to join him in the second inning of a game that doesn’t count. “If we want to go far in the playoffs, it’s all ab...

At Orioles camp during a game that didn’t matter, accountability took center stage.

“If we want to go far in the playoffs, it’s all about doing the little things right, even now,” Pete Alonso said.

www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...