Thursday Bird Droppings: A former Oriole takes a qualifying offer

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty ImagesHello, friends.

There are now 141 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2021, or at least the one that’s currently on the schedule. Pitchers and catchers are set to report to Sarasota to begin spring training in three months and four days - again, as currently scheduled.

Not surprisingly, the early days of the free agency period have been quiet for the Orioles. The biggest bit of vaguely Orioles-related news there is on this Thursday is that yesterday, former Oriole Kevin Gausman accepted the $18.9 million qualifying offer from the Giants for the 2021 season. After the July 2018 trade, Gausman stunk for the Braves in 2019, was waived and claimed by…