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Major League Baseball’s Orioles sign Japan’s Wada |
Japanese pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada has signed a two-year, $8.1 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, the Major League Baseball team reported. The 30-year-old left hander signed a deal that includes an option for 2014. Wada becomes the second Japanese native to play for Baltimore, following Koji Uehara. Wada comes to the Orioles from the Fukuoka Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League. In 210 games with the Hawks, Wada had 107 wins, 61 losses and 1,329 strikeouts. Meanwhile, bidding closed Wednesday for Major League Baseball teams trying land Japanese pitching ace Yu Darvish. MLB officials declined to release details of the bid process, including the name of the team that made the highest offer. Darvish’s current team, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, now have until Tuesday to accept the bid. There is the quick update of the day. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Young Kiwis see opportunity in Baseball |
Sat, 26 Nov 2011 6:53p.m. By Ross Karl The lure of Major League Baseball isn’t just catching the eye of Black Sox defectors. Young softballers have the chance to trial in front of Baltimore Orioles scouts in January and they’re more than willing to take it up. Toronto Blue Jays signing Scott Campbell’s one step from Major League Baseball and he’s desperate to see more Kiwis have the chance. “There’s so much athletic ability in this country. You know it’s just good to see that we’re starting to take some of those kids into baseball and give them an opportunity to do something with this game,” says Scott Campbell. Campbell’s travelling the country with New Zealand under-18 Coach Matt Mills trialing any young athletes interested. Perform well and they can play in front of the Baltimore Orioles scouts. “These guys have a head start because softball skills are so translatable to baseball. But there are some raw skills, the foot speed, the arm strength, the way that someone is built, that you just can’t teach,” says Mills. Wellington’s trial featured solely softballers who see greater opportunities in baseball. “Over in America and Japan and all around the World. But in softball I don’t really know of many big softball competitions,” says trialist Joe Perez. Campbell who plays the level below the Majors knows its hard work getting to the top. “You gotta pay your rent, you gotta pay your bills, it’s not an easy life. I come back to New Zealand and work every off season when I can,” says Campbell. But he continues to chase a dream that appears to be catching on around the country. 3 News Feel free to leave your comments below. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Ripken to visit Japan as US sports ambassador |
BALTIMORE (AP)—Former Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr. will lead baseball Ripken will be joined by former Orioles teammate Brady Anderson at the Japanese baseball great Sachio Kinugasa will also join the pair in Tokyo and The trip will run from Nov. 8-16. Ripken earned the nickname “Iron Man” for playing in 2,632 consecutive If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Phillips ends first major league season with… |
At home in Sacramento, there is a piece of proof Zach Phillips has reached every baseball player’s dream.
Tucked away on the Sacramento City College campus, Phillips’ name was recently added to the Panthers’ display of alumni names who have reached Major League Baseball. Phillips, 25, completed his first major league season on Sept. 30 after being called up from the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on Aug. 31 and planned to relax before possibly starting to work out in a month after the end of the season. “A few of them have texted me and said congratulations. They have a wall and said that I have to come by,” Phillips said by phone on Sept. 22 of his former coaches at Sac City. Phillips went 0-0 in his 10 games with the Baltimore Orioles with a 1.13 ERA in eight innings pitched. He gave up a total of six hits and just one earned run while striking out two. Batters were scoreless against him until his final game, played against Boston, where he gave up his only run. Phillips, who says he has played baseball “my whole life,” pitched in his first major league game the same day he was called up. He entered a game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the eighth inning and pitched one scoreless inning, giving up two hits and one walk and striking out one. Having been thrust immediately into his first game upon reaching Baltimore, he was helped in his transition by his new teammates. “It was very nerve-wracking, but all the guys were very cool,” Phillips said. Phillips, who grew up an Oakland A’s fan, worked his way up the Texas Rangers’ farm system before being traded to Baltimore in July. He went 1-1 with Norfolk with a 2.63 ERC in 14 games. Phillips was named to the Second Team All-Bay Valley Conference East in 2005 while at Sac City after being selected in the 2004 draft by Texas. When he found out while with Norfolk that he’d been called up to the Orioles, he said it didn’t hit him until later. “My reaction was kind of in shock but I didn’t actually feel it until the locker room,” Phillips said. Those feelings carried over to his friends and family when Phillips told them the good news. “They were all very excited. There was a lot of emotion going around, a lot of congratulations,” said Phillips. For his birthday on Sept. 21, his family surprised him by visiting him in Boston while the Orioles were in town. They had their first chance to see him pitch. Phillips pitched in the first game of the series at Boston on Sept. 19, which the Red Sox ended up winning 18-9, entering in the bottom of the fifth inning and getting David Ortiz to fly out and Jed Lowrie to line out to end the inning. “It was my birthday so my girlfriend surprised me and flew my parents out and the first day they were here I pitched in Fenway Park in Boston,” Phillips said. “They stayed for three days.” The left-handed pitcher, who has given back to the Galt community in the past, said that for any up-and-coming baseball players, he can offer this piece of advice. “Go after what you love. Work hard for it,” Phillips said. “Hard work pays off.”
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Baltimore Orioles draft Farragut’s Nicky Delmonico |
The Baltimore Orioles selected Farragut High School senior catcher Nicky Delmonico in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday. Delmonico, son of former University of Tennessee baseball coach Rod Delmonico, was the 185th overall pick. More details to follow online and in Wednesday’s News Sentinel. Thanks for visiting our blog =). Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Toronto activates Lind from DL, option Thames |
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have activated first baseman Adam Lind from the 15-day disabled list and plan to start him as the designated hitter in Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. The move was announced after Toronto’s 8-4 win Friday night. Lind has been sidelined since May 8 with a lower back strain. Lind was hitting .313 with seven homers and 27 RBIs in 32 games when he was hurt. Infielder Eric Thames was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. Thames was hitting .286 with four RBIs in 13 games, his first major league action. Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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