Former Croftonite Recognized as Orioles Athletic Trainer

Mark Shires, like the young baseball players that he works with, has been making his way up the ladder of the Baltimore Orioles.

Shires, a graduate of in Severn, was the International League athletic trainer of the year this season. His award was noted by the Orioles on Monday, when top minor league players and coaches were honored at Camden Yards before a game with Boston.

"I want to make my way to the big leagues. But I have no problem with where I am at right now," said Shires, the athletic trainer this past season for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides of the International League.

"It is a great honor to be honored by the Orioles. It is the organization I grew up with. I am proud to be honored by the Orioles," said Shires, who graduated from Spalding in 1994.

But he was not able to attend pre-game ceremonies before the Red Sox game on Monday as he arrived Sunday for the Arizona Fall League.

Shires grew up in Crofton and played baseball and basketball at Spalding. So did his brother, Mike, who now lives in Baltimore. Their mother, Lana, lives in Crofton while their father, Arthur, passed away in January.

"This was a bittersweet year since my dad passed away," Shires said from Arizona on Monday night, prior to a meeting to prepare for the Arizona Fall League. He will work with the team in Mesa, which will include several Oriole prospects.

Shires, who turns 35 in October, graduated from West Chester (PA) University in 1998, where he was also a student trainer.

He began working for the Orioles in 2000 when he was the trainer for the low Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds in Salisbury. He moved up to the high Single-A Frederick Keys for the 2001 season and then was promoted to the Double-A Bowie Baysox in time for the 2004 season.

After three seasons in Bowie, he was promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Shires was also named the International League athletic trainer of the year in 2009 while with Norfolk and he was named Carolina League Athletic trainer of the year while with Frederick in 2001 and 2003.

Shires was working with the Orioles in 2009 and was present when he was honored by the team for his award in the International League. He was with the Orioles earlier this month, working under head athletic trainer Richie Bancells, before heading to Arizona.

He was an intern in the Gulf Coast League and the Instructional League with the Orioles in 1999. Shires was born in New Orleans in 1976.

"I have always wanted to work in baseball. That is the sport I always gravitated to," said Shires, who spends his off-season in West Chester, PA.

Matt Angle, who started in left field for the Orioles on Monday against Boston, was with Norfolk earlier this season and was impressed with the work of Shires.

"He has been great. He is very knowledgable," said Angle, who had a slight hamstring injury this season at Norfolk. "He is a person you can approach. He is always trying to further his education" in the field.