Columns
Preakness betting guide: Our pick for a winner (and advice on hitting that lucrative exacta)
Although the Kentucky Derby unexpectedly turned into a sizzling speed duel among several horses, the Preakness looks — on paper — to be a more sedate affair in the early going. Bet accordingly.
Why do some people always lock their doors, while others are proud never to?
Keeping your doors unlocked is not a sign of superiority or safety. It's baffling.
‘Plebes no more!’ One of America’s quirkiest college traditions returns to the Naval Academy
The Naval Academy Class of 2026 on Wednesday morning joined a long list of plebes who, for over 60 years, have scrambled up an obelisk to swap a midshipman’s cover for a Dixie cup.
Kyle Goon: How a ‘gut decision’ in Timonium is paying off handsomely for the owners of Preakness favorite Mage
Last year in Timonium, a group of owners went over budget and spent $290,000 in an auction for a 2-year-old horse on a “gut decision.” That horse was Mage, now a Kentucky Derby winner whose success may herald a great racing line under Good Magic, who sired three of the eight horses in this year’s Preakness.
Jon Meoli: Checking in on the Orioles’ 2022 college draftees Dylan Beavers, Max Wagner, and Jud Fabian at Aberdeen
The Orioles selected three college players on the first day of the MLB draft last year, and all three are now trying to adjust to High-A ball at Aberdeen.
How do you reinvent a city facing catastrophic sea-level rise? Annapolis is figuring it out.
When the new Hillman garage opens next month, it signals the next phase of remaking City Dock. Some details are still being finalized.
Kyle Goon: Adley Rutschman fueled the Orioles’ resurgence. Now they just have to keep him around.
Since his selection first overall in 2019, Adley Rutschman represented a promising future for the Orioles, and his arrival ushered in an era of success. But now Mike Elias and company have to figure out a tricky next step: How to keep the 25-year-old star in the fold with a big-money extension.
Jon Meoli: Breaking down Adley Rutschman’s immense impact in his first 162 games with the Orioles
The Orioles started winning as soon as Adley Rutschman joined the team 162 games ago. We did our best to measure all the ways he's helped this team.
Why the Twitter blue check actually mattered — and why it doesn’t anymore
Twitter blue checks, once used to verify your identity, have given way to a topsy turvy world of uncertainty and trolling for the low price of $8.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles have always had faith in Cade Povich, and he’s delivering on it
Many in the game weren’t high on the 23-year old who headlined Baltimore’s return in the controversial Jorge Lopez trade last summer. But he’s finding his way at Bowie.
As the geography of gun violence grows in Annapolis, I’m starting to lose hope
Annapolis is a small town, and most days a safe one. But over the years that I’ve called it home, the bodies keep piling higher and higher. It’s a geography of violence where we step over the men, women and children killed by guns.
Kyle Goon: I asked Kyle Gibson what charmed him about Baltimore. His answer says a lot about the Orioles.
The Baltimore Orioles have historically struggled to attract effective free agents, but pitcher Kyle Gibson has been an exception. He loves Vaccaro’s, Little Italy and the Inner Harbor, but what really sold him on Baltimore is something more profound.
Requests from a single mom for Mother’s Day: Less violence, more thanks and brunch
I didn’t become a parent expecting gifts, as raising a nice, responsible kid who’s a good person is reward enough. But since we’re on the subject ...
Jon Meoli: This year, Mike Elias thinks the Orioles can make the playoffs, and that the roster is already good enough
A year after leaving fans disappointed by trading away players at the deadline, Baltimore’s GM is signaling a desire to let this team compete because he believes the young players already on the roster will improve in the months ahead.
Kyle Goon: Jackson Holliday enters Aberdeen, the school of hard knocks for Orioles sluggers, determined to move on quickly
Current Orioles remember well the lessons they learned playing at Aberdeen. But Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 pick in last year’s MLB draft, is uninterested in contemplating the adjustments he’ll have to make at this level. And in his first game, a soaring home run showed why he’s so confident.
Jon Meoli: Breaking down Orioles prospect Heston Kjerstad’s resurgence at Bowie
Not long after Mike Elias made Heston Kjerstad the second overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft, he described him with the scouting term of ‘hitterish’ — meaning he likes to swing the bat, hits the ball hard and at good angles and with carry to all fields. That player, this year, is back.
At long last, a once-segregated beach reopens on the Chesapeake Bay
A ceremony Friday capped 40 years of struggle to open a waterfront park in Anne Arundel County, involving historic forces that continue to limit public access to the Chesapeake Bay, difficult negotiations with neighbors and disagreement over the right way to balance 340 acres of impossible beauty as both an environmental treasure and recreational jewel.
I met a nice young man at the Canton T-Mobile store. He was dead 48 hours later.
I crossed paths with a friendly phone store employee who was fatally shot at the same location the next day. I can’t make sense of it.
Jon Meoli: The Orioles’ losses in Atlanta were close because of their starters. They can’t waste games like that going forward.
The Orioles have covered up for lousy starts with an explosive offense and strong group of relievers. But when they do get solid performances from pitchers in the rotation, they need to take advantage.
What kind of senator does Maryland need?
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin’s decision not to seek reelection in 2024 has set off a scramble for the coming open Senate seat. It got me thinking about the most important qualities in a senator.
