Former Oriole Andy Etchebarren Gone As Manager of the Single-A Ironbirds...

The big news of the day for most Baltimore baseball fans on Wednesday was the team decided to let go of long-time Oriole and Single-A Aberdeen manager, Andy Etchebarren.

From the Sun: The Orioles on Monday fired Single-A Aberdeen manager Andy Etchebarren, who had coached or managed in the organization for the past 15 seasons after a successful playing career with the club.

Etchebarren managed the IronBirds for three seasons, compiling a 102-124 record. Etchebarren, who has managed in the Orioles system at every level, is the fourth minor league coach or manager the Orioles have let go in the past couple of months.

and...

"I'm very disappointed, very hurt," said Etchebarren, who played 11 1/2 of his 15 major league seasons with the Orioles and was a member of four pennant-winning teams. "I signed with the Orioles in 1961 ... and I thought I'd quit as an Oriole, but I guess not. I went to the organizational meetings and everything else and gave my reports. It came as a shock."

Asked whether he was given a reason for his dismissal, Etchebarren said: "Not really."

also...

"I love baseball, I love the Orioles, I love the kids that I had in Aberdeen," Etchebarren said. "There's nothing I didn't enjoy about it. I just have to go forward. It's part of life. God opens and closes doors for you. I just wish he hadn't closed this one."

The hiring front Oneri Fleita and Mike Radcliff, the vice presidents of personnel for the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins, respectively, were being considered for an executive position under Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail.

Well, from what I gather, it looks more like the team wanted to go in a new direction and change it's culture. I don't know as much about Aberdeen as I do the big club, but it would not surprise me if MacPhail wanted to start putting his handprint with the organization from top to bottom, and Etchebarren might have been a casualty of it.

I don't know.

If anyone has any further insight into the Ironbirds, feel free to let me know...