A talent in Arizona

Ever since he was drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 draft, Orioles fans have been eager to see Matt Wieters make his way to the majors, convinced he was an All-Star catcher in the making.

Apparently, we've been way off. He's way better than that.

At least, that's what the horde of scouts that have made their way out to watch the Arizona Fall League have been saying. MLB's Jonathan Mayo pondered his ability to turn water into wine. Minor League analyst John Sickels has unabashedly called Wieters "a mutant cross" between Joe Mauer, the game's best defensive catcher today, and Mike Piazza, the game's most destructive offensive force ever to play behind the plate. Not bad.

After years of bad draft picks, and rushing the ones that were good to the majors too quickly (ahem, Adam Loewen), the Orioles have gotten two stellar picks in a row in Wieters and lefty pitcher Brian Matusz, and have been consistent in their desires to keep the phenoms down until they're absolutely ready.

With his performance in Arizona, it's time to wonder if that day is coming fast for Mr. Wieters.

The first strike

The Orioles made their first aggressive swings at the free agent pinata, signing minor leaguer Donnie Murphy to a, well, minor-league deal.

If this sort of reckless spending continues, Baltimore might actually land a major-league hopeful or two.

Let the frenzy begin

The Major League Baseball free agency period officially began at midnight on Friday...and the Yankees didn't wait long to remind everyone who they are.

According to the ever-trusty Buster Olney, the Yankees have already handed C.C. Sabathia, potentially, the biggest contract ever handed to a pitcher. Ever. And just to get rid of those annoying million-dollar bills lying around, the Bombers also handed Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett. Apparently, a patient Brian Cashman does not a missed playoff appearance make.

Seeing as one of those pitchers is believed to be an Oriole target, this might be the time for the Birds to act. As in, right now. The Yankees don't low-ball their free-agent hopefuls. Burnett (the best pitcher on the market not named C.C.) may be partial to Maryland (his wife is a local), but he's not going to hold out hope for an Oriole deal when he's got millions of dollars from the most marketable franchise in the country staring him in the face.

Of course, the word from MacPhail seemed to place a focus on finding a balance between aggressive free agent spending and the conservative rebuilding approach. Year 1 of the rebuilding process was a success, and the team may opt to stay the course for 2009. But if MacPhail, Angelos and Co. decide that now is the time to build an instant winner, they've got to move fast. Eventually, the pieces you need will be all be taken.

New blog, new uniforms

As editor-in-chief, publisher and lead writer of the fledgling "Birds' Nest", I've been looking for a monumental occasion to get the ball rolling on what I am aiming to develop into the source of record for Oriole information.

After a move 36 years in the making, I believe I've found my moment.

The Camden Crusaders finally acknowledged the town they play in, putting "Baltimore" on the road jerseys and, in an extra move to atone for more than three decades of city abandonment, putting Maryland patches on the sleeves to show not only their native city, but state as well.

This is actually a big deal for the city of Baltimore, which reportedly felt disassociated with the team since it severed all ties with the host town in an effort to attract the D.C. fans as well. From 1972-2005, they may as well have been the Mid-Atlantic Orioles, with a theoretical fanbase stretching from Cumberland to Richmond.

But a funny thing happened on the way to sold out stadiums featuring fans from all over the Chesapeake. Washington did get a team (the powerhouse Nationals), and the Baltimore fans, shunned for 30-plus years, stopped coming. So the new duds featuring "Baltimore" and "Maryland" are as much a mea culpa as a fashion statement.

They could be lucky as well, though. The last time the Orioles wore such uniforms, they were in the midst of an 18-consecutive season stretch of .500-plus records. Let's see if this is a positive beginning to an offseason looking to bring the Baltimore Orioles back to prominence.