CBS Sports: MLB delays start of 2021 season for most minor-league teams, per report

https://www.cbssport...ams-per-report/

Luckily, they are still hoping for a full season at each level. Bowie/Aberdeen/Delmarva would run from May-October, Norfolk likely to run as normal. No playoffs or All-Star games in the minor leagues this year.

Probably end up setting up Tuesday-Sunday series against the same team, with Mondays being off/travel days. 

Could be a good win for minor leaguers. They get a full season, more pay, better facilities, more off days (versus 1 per month), higher quality instruction.

Makes me wonder what the O's might do with Rutschman.  Seemed targeted for AA.  
Might a delay to the AA season, have him begin at Norfolk?

Good question. My heart says put him in AAA with that likely stacked rotation who should make their debuts in 2021. Much rather have them working with Rutschman instead of Wynns, obviously. But Elias hasn't given us any reason to believe he's going to be aggressive in promotions. 2020 will certainly test that approach. 

I'd be shocked if he starts at AAA. I don't think they'll slow him down as much as dude does, but I don't think they push hard. And if he's at AAA to begin the year and then has a strong season, there will be a lot of pressure to call him up which I'm certain Elias doesn't want to do.

Good.  I didn't see this post earlier, just commented on it another thread.

I don't think they'll slow him down as much as dude does, but I don't think they push hard.

So there's zero reasons to play him in the MLs this year.  If you protect a service year going into next year (2022), you see him in late May.  I've suggested the latest you see him is September 2022 (protect rookie status heading into 2023).  For a guy heading into the 2021 season that hasn't had competitive PAs above Low-A for a team that shows no indication of worrying about being competitive, are you suggesting the difference between late May and September in 2022 is slowing him down that much?

My general comment with Rutschman is you won't see him until the Orioles have the #1 MiL system. I'd guess that's likely to be the case heading into the 2023 season although there are several scenarios where it could be true mid-2022 or even after the 2021 season.

I agree with the perspective (yours, others) that there's no apparent push for him to be in the Majors soonest.  I've said before I'd (likely) be OK with pushing him (2021, compete) if you get back the development time on the back end.

Balt Sun: What the reported delay of the Triple-A season and return of alternate training sites mean for the Orioles

The O's announced that their alternate training site is going to be at Bowie.

Orioles plan to use Bowie as alternate site to replace start of Triple-A season; Heston Kjerstad (myocarditis) to report there - Baltimore Sun

(1) Nathan Ruiz on Twitter: "Here is the #Orioles’ current alternate site roster. It doesn’t include Heston Kjerstad. https://t.co/I4yatUhwKc" / Twitter

(1) Nathan Ruiz on Twitter: "Here is the #Orioles’ current alternate site roster. It doesn’t include Heston Kjerstad. https://t.co/I4yatUhwKc" / Twitter

This is concerning.

Tons of names arent on that list. No Adley, Rodriguez, Hall, Henderson, etc. Looks like its the rest of the guys on the 40 man and a few other non prospects. Nothing to see.

Those other guys are all at the minor league camp in Sarasota.  Hopefully they just decided to send Kjerstad there, too, but it's kind of odd that the plan for him changed.

Those other guys are all at the minor league camp in Sarasota. Hopefully they just decided to send Kjerstad there, too, but it's kind of odd that the plan for him changed.

Why was that the initial plan and not Sarasota where all the other younger guys are? Genuinely asking. I must have missed the memo that he was supposed to be at Bowie.

From my post on March 10:

Sounds like the plan is still to send Kjerstad to the alternate site, but he hasn't been medically cleared yet.

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad remains on the outside. The plan calls for him to skip spring training and go directly to Prince George’s Stadium, but he hasn’t been cleared to participate.

 

Kjerstad was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft out of the University of Arkansas, but he never made it into the 60-player pool or fall instructional camp due to an episode of myocarditis, a viral infection that causes inflammation of the heart muscle.

 

“Much more fixated on having him join activities in Maryland at the time those open,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said on March 10. “It’s something where he’s going to need a little bit more time after this layoff to go through a rehab protocol, to return to game shape, but we’re very hopeful that he’ll be able to do that this season and I know that we’re all eager to see him in action. I know he’s eager to join the activities finally after what he’s been through.”

 

Elias was hopeful that Kjerstad could report with everyone else, but warned about a possible delay “given some of the extra uncertainty that’s provided with a health situation like this in general, but also in context of the coronavirus atmosphere that we’ve all been living in.”

Orioles release alternate training site roster - School of Roch (masnsports.com)