COLUMN | These are extremely uncomfortable decisions the Orioles are forcing opposing managers to make, and there’s too much quality at the top of the lineup to not punish teams.
COLUMN | By the time James Appel, a top Maryland Republican finance expert, set off for the Bahamas in November 2023, he and his wife had upgraded to a 65-foot luxury yacht. That’s what got the Annapolis man in trouble.
The Orioles' uneven start doesn’t mean anything in the context of a six-month season. It’s just not what this particular season needed to separate everything that will happen going forward from everything that happened last year.
COLUMN | If the U.S. Supreme Court decides to disqualify mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, Maryland voters will mostly be OK. The unlikely hero? The U.S. Postal Service.
With Baz’s five-year, $68 million deal, the Orioles have bet on him to be a meaningful part of their rotation for the rest of this decade — and having him in place will help them build that out however they see fit.
COLUMN | While there are bigger fish for the Orioles to nail down extensions with, Shane Baz is a great early entry who keeps the organization pointed in the right direction to lock down more players.
COLUMN | Like that famous beat, the search for a Maryland state song goes on. The newest contender is “The Heart of Maryland.” It’s a little bit country and a little bit politics.
COLUMN | When COVID-19 hit, the Orioles ended the long-standing practice of letting fans in early to watch the home team take batting practice. The opportunity finally returned for early arrivals.
COLUMN | The Orioles caused a stir within their fan base last season by changing the Birdland membership tiers and displacing a number of members from their seats. After a few months, most fans who spoke to The Banner remain season ticket holders, but they are cynical about the direction of the program.
COLUMN | It’s strange when you stack up just how many facets of the Orioles are better — the lineup mix, the rotation, the manager — to still feel uneasy about their chances. A lot of that has to do with how last year went.
COLUMN | Baltimore City living has its highs and lows, like parking issues and potholes, but it shouldn’t have to mean that your trash can goes missing.
If there’s anywhere the Orioles get the benefit of the doubt, it’s maximizing value by identifying pitchers who might help and guiding their development to make that true. That doesn’t make it any less risky.
COLUMN | Westgate Circle in Annapolis is more than an embarrassingly empty canvas for public art, a small round of grass that screams, “Fill this space!” It’s a symbol of what’s wrong with publicly funded art in Maryland’s small-town state capital.
COLUMN | Tristan King is not my kid, but his ordeal makes me, as the mother of a brown son who looks a little like him, wonder why the systems failed and how we can shore them up.
COLUMN | Most local governments don’t want you to know that they’re working with ICE. It’s not the horrific campaign to drag pregnant women and friendly neighbors to the border and give them a sharp kick. It’s the routine business of removing criminal aliens.