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A busy day for the Orioles has given way to a busy night - one including an unscheduled landing and a confirmed spot in the playoffs. Manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette spoke to reporters a few minutes ago in a conference call. Showalter was first asked about the team charter making an emergency landing in Jacksonville. "We were in good hands,"
It took 15 years and one really bizarre day, but the Orioles are heading back to the playoffs. The Angels lost to the Rangers tonight in Game 2 of their doubleheader 8-7, which thrust the Orioles into the postseason for the first time since 1997. Joe Nathan, who blew the save in Game 1, stranded the tying run on first base, allowing the Rangers and
The Orioles have waited this long to celebrate a playoff berth, so what's a few more hours? Or another day? Or... Manager Buck Showalter took in the scene that unfolded following the Orioles' 6-3 victory over the Red Sox. Players stood together and watched the top of ninth inning of the Angels-Rangers game being shown on the JumboTron. Nobody wanted to go back inside the
Joe Saunders was handed the ball today with the possibility that the Orioles could clinch their first playoff berth since 1997. He did his part. Saunders picked up his third win, allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings and receiving a huge ovation as he walked off the field. "It was awesome," he said. "I'm very humbled to get the opportunity to do this, and
Jim Johnson recorded his 50th save, and the Orioles completed their sweep of the Red Sox with a 6-3 win at Camden Yards. Johnson is the 10th pitcher to record 50 saves in a single season since it became an official stat in 1969. The Orioles are 73-0 when leading after the seventh and 74-1 after the eighth. Johnson retired the side in order with
The Orioles are expecting a sellout or close to it for this afternoon's regular-season home finale. Will fans get to watch them celebrate on the field after clinching a playoff berth? It could happen if the Angels lose Game 1 of their doubleheader and the Orioles defeat the Red Sox. But how enthusiastically would the Orioles celebrate? How would they react? "Honestly and sincerely," said
Matt Wieters is behind the plate again today for the home regular-season finale against the Red Sox. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B Joe Saunders LHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Ross RF Gomez 1B Valencia 3B Lavarnway
Adam Jones has been voted the winner of the 2012 Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award by members of the local media who cover the team on a regular basis. Jones is the seventh Oriole to win the award in consecutive seasons, joining Frank Robinson (1966-67), Boog Powell(69-70), Jim Palmer (72-73), Eddie Murray (81-85), Cal Ripken Jr. (90-91) and Rafael Palmeiro (95-96). Jones will
In a season that's gone completely mad, a season that's often defied logic - along with every industry expert who predicted 100 losses - it would seem appropriate for the Orioles to clinch a playoff berth from the team hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla. It's possible that the Orioles will find out later tonight that they've reached the postseason for the first time since 1997.
The Orioles' magic number for clinching a playoff berth is down to two. If they win tomorrow and the Angels lose one of their doubleheader games, the Orioles clinch. If the Orioles lose and the Angels are swept, they clinch. If the Dempsey's sign on the warehouse lights up in a certain inning... OK, not that one. The Orioles have scored 25 runs in their
Brooks Robinson received plenty of loud ovations today during his statue unveiling and his on-field ceremony. The crowd really erupted when he said, "I don't like to call you fans, I like to call you friends." Among the players attending the statue unveiling were Adam Jones, Mark Reynolds, Jim Thome, Chris Davis and Ryan Flaherty. Robinson summoned manager Buck Showalter to come over and say
The Orioles have arranged for Jason Hammel to pitch four or five innings in a simulated game Monday morning at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. He will face both left-handed and right-handed hitters. Hammel threw a sim game in the bullpen yesterday and said his knee felt good today. Steel Russell, son of Orioles bench coach John Russell, will catch Hammel on Monday. Pitching coach
Matt Wieters has rejoined the Orioles and will bat cleanup tonight against Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront. Lew Ford, who had an MRI on his hip earlier this week, will serve as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis RF Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Lew Ford DH Robert Andino 2B
Baseball's circle of life has taken another spin, bringing Steve Pearce back to the Orioles. The Orioles claimed Pearce off waivers from the Yankees today, reuniting him with a team that's trying to catch one of his former teams in 2012. There have been a few of them. To review: Pearce signed with the Yankees as a free agent on March 29. The Orioles purchased
The Orioles have been keeping Elias busy. Here's the latest: The 18 consecutive runs scored on home runs in the last two games were the most since the Orioles moved to Baltimore in 1954. Manager Buck Showalter doesn't reveal much about his rotation, which leaves the rest of us trying to guess how it's lined up for the postseason. The TBAs tend to complicate the
The Orioles are a 90-win team with a magic number of three to clinch a playoff berth. And they have five more games to play in the regular season. Yep, we all saw it coming back in March. The Orioles have scored 21 runs in their last two games and have recorded double-digit hits in nine of their last 12 games, going 9-3 in that
The Orioles hit two more home runs in the first inning tonight, giving them a franchise-record 122 at home this season. That's only part of the story. Chris Davis hit a two-run homer to wipe out the Red Sox's 1-0 lead. The Orioles loaded the bases with two outs against Boston starter Aaron Cook, and Ryan Flaherty launched his first career grand slam. Orioles 6,
Nolan Reimold has been at Camden Yards for the past few days, though he wasn't visible to the media until he strolled through the clubhouse this afternoon and plopped down on Chris Tillman's chair. Reimold is in town to get checked by a team physician and hang out for a little while. He's progressing well from surgery to remove a herniated disc and fuse the
As I wrote in my last blog entry, Matt Wieters is expected to rejoin the team for Saturday's game. He won't be here tonight, according to manager Buck Showalter. Wieters still hadn't gotten any sleep by 3 p.m. today. He's past the 24-hour mark, which is fine if you're hosting a telethon, but not if you're a major league catcher. "He's got his priorities where
Taylor Teagarden will be behind the plate for tonight's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Matt Wieters became a father for the first time today at 5:11 a.m. The clubhouse isn't open to the media yet, so I don't know whether he's at the ballpark and sleeping on a couch. I'll pass along an update later. Wieters is 5-for-7 with four doubles lifetime
The Orioles will hold their annual Fan Appreciation Celebration during their final regular-season series that begins tonight against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards. Here's the information: The three day celebration includes many opportunities for the Orioles to give back to their fans. Celebrations on Friday, Sept. 28 include randomly selecting a fan to throw out the first pitch, randomly selecting nine fans to
The Orioles' rotation is a constant guessing game. Unlike the burger joint, you won't find Five Guys. Pitchers don't always work on normal rest. The MVO might be TBA. Chris Tillman gets the ball tonight against the Boston Red Sox in the first game of the final homestand of the regular season. Rookie Steve Johnson will start on Saturday before a sellout crowd. Sunday is
It's usually a morning blog entry, but I'm feeling a little bold as the sun goes down. I found a few leftovers that might be of interest, including this first item from Elias: Last night, the Orioles hit home runs with men on base in the fifth inning (Chris Davis), sixth (Mark Reynolds), seventh (Davis again) and eighth (Manny Machado) in their 12-2 win over
The Orioles' announced crowd of 26,513 last night brought the 76-date season total to 1,981,154. The average attendance at Camden Yards this season is 26,068. By my math, which is as sketchy as the guy who sold me the Rolex in Times Square this summer, the Orioles need 18,846 to reach the two-million mark. I'm told that Saturday's game against the Red Sox is sold
The Orioles have six games remaining in the regular season, and I still haven't figured them out. They had lost three of their last four games before destroying the Blue Jays last night. The offense was sluggish before they erupted for seven home runs in a 12-2 victory. The rotation had become a major concern before Miguel Gonzalez turned in his third consecutive quality start.
The Orioles remain 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the American League East after tonight's 12-2 romp over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Manager Buck Showalter wrote out two lineups before the game because he was unsure whether shortstop J.J. Hardy could play with a sore finger on his throwing hand. "J.J.'s battling through a lot of things right now that most people
The Orioles were batting .283 in this series before tonight, but only .190 (4-for-21) with runners in scoring position. They were hitting .206 (14-for-68) with RISP over their last eight games. Nate McLouth had the right idea tonight. Just lead off the game with a home run and don't worry about it. McLouth's ninth career leadoff homer, and his second this season, tied the game
The Orioles just announced that they placed pitcher Randy Wolf on the 60-day disabled list with a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. They purchased the contract of veteran infielder/outfielder Bill Hall. Wolf had an MRI on his left elbow yesterday and consulted last night with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum, who contact team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens this afternoon.
The Yankees beat the Twins 8-2 today, dropping the Orioles two games back in the American League East. Big start tonight for Miguel Gonzalez. Big game for the Orioles, who have lost three of four. Right? "You can find somebody in the locker room every night to tell you this is a big game," said manager Buck Showalter. "I know who's not going to say
The Orioles could know by the end of the day whether pitcher Randy Wolf has decided to undergo surgery on his left elbow. Wolf talked to Dr. Lewis Yocum last night, and Yocum will consult with team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens later today. Wolf could go on the 60-day disabled list to create room for Bill Hall on the 40-man roster, though manager Buck Showalter
Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base tonight, as manager Buck Showalter inserts an extra left-handed bat in the lineup against Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B Miguel Gonzalez RHP Hardy is 8-for-15 with four doubles
The voting for Most Valuable Oriole ended yesterday at noon, with members of the media who cover the team pressured into remembering to e-mail their ballot and not treat it like their BGE bill. This could be the narrowest margin of victory since I've been on the beat, and my first full season was 1997. I announced my choice on Sunday's edition of "O's Xtra"
The Orioles are two games behind the Yankees in the American League East and could slip another half-game back if New York holds onto its 3-2 lead over the Twins. Update: The Twins beat the Yankees, 5-4. The Orioles remain 1 1/2 games back in the AL East. Manager Buck Showalter praised left-hander Joe Saunders for giving the Orioles "a chance to win." "We just
The Blue Jays have collected seven hits off Joe Saunders in four innings. Maybe he should feel fortunate that they've only scored twice. Toronto leads, 2-0, in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Yan Gomes in the first inning and a two-out RBI double by Adeiny Hechavarria in the fourth. Saunders has thrown 60 pitches, 38 for strikes. Saunders caught
Manager Buck Showalter clearly is upset over the results of Randy Wolf's MRI, which he's keeping private at the moment. Showalter has gained a lot of respect for Wolf in the short amount of time that he's managed the veteran. "Randy's a guy who's going to give you a chance out there," Showalter said. "He knows what he's doing, he knows how to pitch. I
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis has a new cast on his left hand and is still expected to have the pins removed from his thumb while the Orioles are in Tampa Oct. 1-3. The cast will be replaced by a splint. Today's pregame media session was dominated by injury news and updates, beginning with pitcher Randy Wolf, who's experiencing discomfort in his surgically repaired left
Orioles pitcher Randy Wolf underwent an MRI on his left elbow today and will consult with Dr. Lewis Yocum, who performed his ligament-reconstructive surgery back in 2005. The club isn't saying much about the injury beyond how Wolf felt discomfort in the elbow while throwing a curveball in the fifth inning of Saturday's start in Boston. Manager Buck Showalter wouldn't discuss Wolf's status with reporters
As expected, the Orioles have named outfielder LJ Hoes as their minor league Player of the Year and Dylan Bundy as their minor league Pitcher of the Year. The winners will be honored before tonight's game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Hoes will receive the Brooks Robinson Award after batting a combined .287 with five home runs and 54 RBIs for Triple-A
I thought about having a replacement ref handle my blogging duties this morning, but he kept writing about the Royals. Manny Machado made a dazzling play at third base during the Red Sox series, diving to snatch a ground ball along the line, jumping to his feet and throwing out the runner with another one of his missiles. In Game 2 of last night's doubleheader,
The Yankees won tonight while the Orioles split their doubleheader, leaving a 1 1/2-game gap between the top two teams in the American League East. Wei-Yin Chen took the loss in Game 2, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings. He's completed seven innings only once in his last nine starts and hasn't won since Aug. 19. "It's hard to do," manager Buck
The first inning jumped up and bit Wei-Yin Chen again tonight. Chen allowed two runs in the first, raising his total to 21 this season, and two more in the second to dig an early hole for the Orioles as they attempt to sweep this doubleheader. His pitch count stood at 42 as he took the mound for the third inning. Edwin Encarnacion hit his
Chris Davis will bat cleanup in Game 2 of today's doubleheader at Camden Yards. Robert Andino is starting at second base and Taylor Teagarden is behind the plate. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Taylor Teagarden C Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Blue Jays:
Steve Johnson walked the first two batters he faced today, an ominous sign if you believe in such things. Johnson retired seven in a row after the second walk, a positive sign if you're more inclined to believe in those. In the first inning, Johnson struck out Edwin Encarnacion on a 91 mph fastball and retired Adam Lind on a ground ball and Rajai Davis
Orioles pitcher Randy Wolf began experiencing discomfort in his left elbow Saturday and is expected to receive a cortisone injection later today. Team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens will exam Wolf's elbow while the Orioles prepare for their doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. The club is hoping that he will be available by Friday. "Dr. Wilckens has talked about injecting him, which would
Matt Wieters will catch Game 1 of today's doubleheader against the Blue Jays. Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base. Jim Thome is serving as the designated hitter, with Chris Davis moving to right field. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B
BOSTON - Rather than condense 18 innings into one game today, the Orioles will spread them out over two. Thank goodness for the expanded roster. The Orioles will play a doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards after going 6-3 on their road trip, the finale ending in their third one-run loss this month and their ninth of the season. The Orioles were held
BOSTON - The bullpen phone rang and reliever Tommy Hunter answered it. That's how Dylan Bundy's major league debut got under way. Then it got complicated ... and comical. "Tommy Hunter answered the phone and told me I was going in. I said, 'What?' and I couldn't find my glove. Took me about a minute to find it," Bundy said. "He told me to get
BOSTON - The Orioles lost and the Yankees lost. Same as it ever was - the Orioles still one game back in the American League East. Manager Buck Showalter covered many topics in his postgame session with the media, including starter Chris Tillman, rookie Dylan Bundy's major league debut and those darned shadows over home plate that challenged umpire Al Porter as much as the
BOSTON - The wait is over. Dylan Bundy made his major league debut in the eighth inning with a runner on second base, one out and the Orioles trailing the Red Sox 2-1 after back-to-back doubles by Dustin Pedroia and Cody Ross off reliever Luis Ayala. Catcher Ryan Lavarnway flied to center on Bundy's second pitch, a 92 mph fastball. Danny Valencia flied to right
BOSTON - The Orioles went 114 innings without committing an error. Now they've made two in the last two games. Robert Andino bounced a throw to first base while attempting to turn a double play in the bottom of the fourth, and Cody Ross raced home to break a scoreless tie. Ross singled off Chris Tillman and took second when James Loney walked. With one
BOSTON - Manager Buck Showalter could sense that Robert Andino was eager to get back into the lineup. "Robert's already had a sweat up," Showalter said. "He passed everything. He's been cleared by Dr. (William) Goldiner. Obviously, he's in the lineup. He didn't dodge anything, but so far, so good." Showalter said he'll remind Andino to remain calm if buzzed by a fastball. Same goes
BOSTON - Orioles second baseman Robert Andino has been cleared to play today, and he's starting at second base against Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront. Andino sat out yesterday's game after being hit on the batting helmet Friday night. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Lew Ford RF Chris Davis DH Manny Machado
BOSTON - Rookie Steve Johnson is scheduled to make another start for the Orioles this week. Johnson and Wei-Yin Chen are listed as Monday's starters for the doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Left-hander Joe Saunders will start Tuesday, and Miguel Gonzalez will pitch Wednesday on normal rest. Three rookie starters in a four-game series? Yeah, that sounds about right. In his eight
BOSTON - The Green Monster no longer terrifies the Orioles, who will attempt another sweep of the Red Sox today at Fenway Park. It happened back on May 4-6 for the first time since 1994. Now they have a chance to do it twice in the same season. The Orioles have won 16 of their last 21 games against the Red Sox, and nine of
BOSTON - Jim Thome hung around manager Buck Showalter's office this morning, waiting for him to write out the lineup like a rookie preparing for his first game. Maybe it felt that way after such a long stay on the disabled list. Making his first start since July 27, Thome delivered an RBI double that broke a 6-6 tie in the top of the 12th
BOSTON - Robert Andino took another concussion test today, and he's still waiting for doctors to give him the green light to play. Andino's mood hasn't improved much since he was drilled on the batting helmet by a Mark Melancon fastball in the ninth inning of Friday night's game. "I feel normal," Andino said, adding that he didn't know whether he passed the two concussion
BOSTON - Jim Thome was relatively quiet today upon his return to the lineup, going hitless in his first five at-bats with a double play and two strikeouts. He didn't get a ball out of the infield. It just took 12 innings for Thome to warm up. Thome ripped a ground-rule double to right field to score Adam Jones, who led off with a double
BOSTON - Third baseman Manny Machado let Cody Ross' ground ball scoot through his legs for an error with one out in the bottom of the third inning. The miscue ended the Orioles' errorless streak at 11 games and 114 innings. Machado committed the last one, too, with an errant throw after fielding Derek Jeter's slow roller on Sept. 9. The last non-Machado error was
BOSTON - Robert Andino is undergoing another concussion test today, and manager Buck Showalter is optimistic that the second baseman will be back in the lineup for Sunday's series finale. Andino's CT scan came back negative. "They were checking for any bleeding," Showalter said. "It got him in the ear flap and in the neck some. He had a pretty good welt there. He's not
BOSTON - Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base today. Robert Andino is on the bench after being hit on the batting helmet by a 94 mph fastball last night. Jim Thome returns to the lineup as the designated hitter, with Chris Davis moving to right field. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH
BOSTON - If the Orioles handed out an Unsung Hero award, reliever Darren O'Day would need to start preparing his speech. O'Day might get overlooked in a bullpen that includes Jim Johnson, who set the franchise's single-season record for saves last night with his 46th, but as manager Buck Showalter said, "It depends on who's doing the looking. We certainly don't." O'Day stranded another runner
BOSTON - The Orioles improved to 44-32 on the road tonight, their win total the best in the American League. They've won eight of their last nine games at Fenway Park. "That's hard to do, but I've said many times, that one common denominator for teams that get a chance to play in the postseason is, you've got to compete on the road," said manager
BOSTON - If you're waiting for Jim Johnson to make a fuss over breaking the Orioles' single-season saves record, you better find a comfortable seat, a few magazines and a Snickers bar. Johnson passed Randy Myers on the franchise's all-time list tonight with his 46th save. Then he passed on every opportunity to gloat or celebrate it, remaining his usual low-key self. "It means we're
BOSTON - Orioles second baseman Robert Andino was sent to a local hospital tonight to undergo a CT scan. The results will be passed along to the media Saturday morning. Andino was drilled in the batting helmet by a 94 mph fastball from Red Sox reliever Mark Melancon in the top of the ninth inning. Andino wanted to stay in the game and walked to
BOSTON - Is this the night that Jon Lester finally loses to the Orioles? Lester has won all 14 career decisions against them, but he's failed in his last three attempts to notch a victory. The Orioles have won all three of those games against the Red Sox's bullpen. Lester couldn't hold a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning tonight, giving up hits to the
BOSTON - Jason Hammel threw off the front slope of the mound today. His knee responded favorably. Pitching coach Rick Adair is examining ways to adjust Hammel's delivery and take some of the load off his right knee. "We're obviously not going to pitch him if he's still feeling discomfort," said manager Buck Showalter. That's pretty much it for Hammel updates today. Why Randy Wolf
BOSTON - Troy Patton finally made it back to the Orioles after suffering a sprained ankle that he originally thought would keep him out for only 15 days. Patton went on the disabled list retroactive to Aug. 13, his career-high 18-game scoreless streak put on hold. "The swelling didn't go away for a long time," he said. "I've sprained it before and been back within
BOSTON - Jim Thome was activated from the disabled list, but he's not in tonight's lineup. Lew Ford is serving as the designated hitter against Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester. Endy Chavez is in right field again. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Lew Ford DH Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert
BOSTON - The Orioles made the anticipated roster moves today by reinstating designated hitter Jim Thome and left-hander Troy Patton from the 15-day disabled list. No corresponding moves are necessary with the expanded rosters. Thome was placed on the DL retroactive to July 28 with a herniated disc in his neck. He was batting .261/.354/.391 with two homers and six RBIs in 18 games for
BOSTON - No matter the circumstances tonight, whether the bases are empty or filled, the Red Sox's catcher might want to hold up four fingers as Mark Reynolds strolls to the plate. He might want to do it while Reynolds is on deck, just to practice. In nine games against the Red Sox this season, Reynolds is batting .433/.550/.1.067 with four doubles, five homers, 14
With Miguel Gonzalez taking the mound tonight at Fenway Park - figuratively speaking, of course, since removing the actual mound would be both time consuming and some sort of Major League Baseball violation - I figured it was appropriate to pass along a few of the Orioles' international signings that may have flown under the radar. Fred Ferreira, the Orioles' executive director of international recruiting,
Miguel Gonzalez finally gets back on the mound Friday night when the Orioles begin a three-game series at Fenway Park. Gonzalez, being eased through the final month of the regular season, held the Rays to two runs in six innings in his Sept. 12 start at Camden Yards. He's faced the Red Sox twice, including once in relief, and allowed three runs and eight hits
The Orioles are getting a much-deserved day off in Boston. They've played 29 innings in the last two nights. They have plenty stored up. Only one starter is confirmed for their weekend series, with Miguel Gonzalez pitching on Friday. Chris Tillman is expected to start Saturday or Sunday. The Red Sox are countering with Jon Lester, Aaron Cook and Felix Doubront, who are a combined
The Orioles news seems to run together, but I seem to remember a conference call being set up at the Winter Meetings for new coach DeMarlo Hale, formerly of the Boston Red Sox. I didn't know much about Hale, but I've learned that he's one heck of a third base coach. Hale hasn't gotten much heat on this blog. Third base coaches can be lightening
The Orioles' lineup has a different look following last night's 18-inning marathon. As expected, Matt Wieters is getting the night off after catching all 18 innings last night. Endy Chavez is batting first and the hot-hitting Nate McLouth has been lowered to third. Chavez is 6-for-10 lifetime against Felix Hernandez. Robert Andino moves up to eighth ahead of Taylor Teagarden. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez
The Orioles confirmed earlier today that Dylan Bundy was recalled from Double-A Bowie. The unknown is how long he will stay with them. It could be brief or he could make it through the remaining weeks of September. The Orioles, at the risk of sounding cliched, are taking it one game at a time. Manager Buck Showalter has grown accustomed to the pace. "We'll see
The Orioles just sent out a press release confirming that they have recalled pitcher Dylan Bundy from Double-A Bowie. Bundy, 19, had been throwing in the instructional league before the Orioles contacted him early this morning with instructions to meet them in Seattle following their 18-inning win over the Mariners. When he makes his first appearance, Bundy will be the first Oriole to debut before
It's going to be a while before the Orioles post their lineup, but I'll get it started here and fill in the rest later. Taylor Teagarden C There's absolutely no way that Matt Wieters can start tonight after catching all 18 innings last night/this morning. Wieters, Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds were a combined 0-for-21, though Reynolds delivered an insurance run in the 18th. Joe
Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen and Mariners right-hander Erasmo Ramirez were playing a game of dueling rookies at Safeco Field until catcher Miguel Olivo interrupted it. Olivo's two-out, two-run homer off Chen in the fourth inning gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead. Chen hung a curveball after walking Towson University's Casper Wells with two outs, and Olivo made him pay. It's the 26th homer allowed by
Let me know if this Orioles lineup looks familiar to you. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Mariners: Dustin Ackley 2B Franklin Gutierrez CF Kyle Seager 3B Jesus Montero DH Michael Saunders LF Justin Smoak 1B
The Orioles have had seven different players drive in a run in each of the last two games. Last night's roll call included Matt Wieters (three), Mark Reynolds (two), Nate McLouth, J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Endy Chavez. According to Elias, this is the fifth time a major league team has had seven different players register RBIs in back-to-back games this season. The
Major League Baseball has announced the names of the 30 club nominees, including nine All-Stars, for the Roberto Clemente Award that recognizes a player who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. Closer Jim Johnson has been chosen as the Orioles' representative. Here is the complete list: Arizona Diamondbacks - Willie Bloomquist Atlanta
The Orioles need to line up Chris Tillman to start every single game against the Mariners. Forget resting a certain number of days. A three-game series should equal three Tillman starts. The offense stole the show last night, but Tillman deserves to be recognized for the 12 straight batters he retired, and for extending his streak of dominance against the organization that deemed him expendable.
The Pirates must wonder why they didn't get this Nate McLouth in the first two months of the season. McLouth hit a leadoff home run tonight and added a single and walk, as the Orioles stormed to a 9-1 lead over the Mariners in the fourth inning. McLouth hit .140/.210/.175 in 34 games with the Pirates. He began tonight hitting .262/.335/.411 in 39 games for
The Orioles' lineup again includes Chris Davis batting third as the designated hitter, Endy Chavez playing right field and Robert Andino starting at second base. It worked yesterday in Oakland. Manager Buck Showalter will hope for similar success tonight in Seattle. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B
Orioles center fielder Adam Jones has been named one of six finalists for the 2012 Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, presented by the MLB Players Association to those who inspire others to higher levels of achievement by their on-field performances and contributions to their communities. The players will vote on Sept. 19. Past recipients of the award include Michael Young, Curtis Granderson, Torii
The Orioles today announced three options for fans to purchase postseason tickets, which will be available exclusively online. Fans may visit www.orioles.com/postseason for a seating chart, schedule and additional ticket information. All three options are for the purchase of wild card and American League Division Series tickets. American League Championship Series and World Series tickets will become available for sale at a later date, if
The Orioles are assured of posting a winning record for the first time since 1997, and it feels anti-climatic. It's been assumed for so long, the attention has shifted to whether the Orioles can win the division or a wild card berth. Finishing above .500? Ho-hum. Matt Wieters homered twice yesterday, Endy Chavez collected four hits for the first time as an Oriole, Robert Andino
For all the Endy Chavez haters out there, well, he's been pretty good today. Chavez is 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs, as the Orioles have taken a 7-2 lead over the Athletics. He contributed a two-run single in the seventh inning. Chavez wasn't initially added to the expanded 40-man roster on Sept. 1, but he was told to stay close. Chavez was in
Chris Davis is batting third today as the Orioles' designated hitter. Mark Reynolds remains at first base after experiencing some numbness in his left biceps last night. Robert Andino remains at second base. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Randy Wolf
The Orioles will try to avoid being swept by the Athletics today and remain one game behind the Yankees in the American League East. It's a tall order, given their surroundings. The Orioles have lost 16 of their last 18 games at Oakland Coliseum dating back to 2008, and they have been outscored, 90-55. Not all of these Oakland teams have been Grade A's, but
Is there a pecking order developing as the final month of the regular season plays out? Are the Orioles better than the Rays, and are the Athletics better than the Orioles? Only if you put a lot of stock in their most recent games against each other. The Orioles swept Tampa Bay at Camden Yards, flew to Oakland and promptly dropped the first two games
For four starts, Zach Britton was a dominant left-hander with a fresh arm and the ability to anchor the Orioles' rotation. So what happened in his last two starts? Britton has surrendered 10 runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings in those two outings, with nine walks and six strikeouts. The Athletics jumped Britton in the third inning tonight, sending 10 batters to the
Endy Chavez will start in right field tonight for the Orioles, with Chris Davis serving as the designated hitter. Matt Wieters is batting third, and Adam Jones is hitting cleanup. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Zach Britton LHP For the
The Orioles grounded into four double plays last night, a huge factor in their 3-2 loss to the Athletics and their inability to take over sole possession of first place in the American League East. The double plays came in successive innings. Mark Reynolds ended the fourth, Robert Andino produced two outs in the fifth following Chris Davis' home run and Manny Machado's single, Lew
I still like the Orioles' chances of making the playoffs if they can find 25 healthy players in October. Another game brought another injury, this one to Wilson Betemit, whose wrist pain most likely has ended his season. Manager Buck Showalter delivered the news on MASN following the Orioles' 3-2 loss in Oakland. Meet the new injury, same as the old injury. It's not a
If you keep a scorebook at home, remove the error charged to first baseman Mark Reynolds on Sept. 9 against the Yankees. Give Robinson Cano a double. I hope you used a pencil. The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on an error by Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson that scored Manny Machado, who singled, advanced to second on Robert
Lew Ford is starting in right field tonight, as manager Buck Showalters breaks out his right-handed lineup. However, left-handed hitting Chris Davis is the designated hitter. Matt Wieters is behind the plate and batting fourth. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Lew Ford RF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis DH Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B
The Orioles announced today that they released veteran reliever Kevin Gregg and outrighted minor league second baseman Ryan Adams to Triple-A Norfolk after he cleared waivers. No surprises here. Gregg is hoping to catch on with another team and the Orioles couldn't come up with a trade partner over the winter or during the season. He figured to be cut loose after they designated him
The Orioles have ended their streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons. When do they begin talks with manager Buck Showalter on a new contract? Showalter has one year remaining on a deal he signed in August 2010. At this point, neither side has broached the subject. It's a back-burner issue, just as Showalter wants to keep it. Showalter has no interest in going down that
Today's attendance: 25,130 The Orioles completed a three-game sweep of the Rays with a 3-2, 14-inning victory. They have sole possession of first place in the American League East, with the Yankees playing the Red Sox later tonight. The Rays fall four games back in the division. The Orioles can do no worse than .500, ending their streak of consecutive losing seasons at 14. Just
The MRI on Jason Hammel's right knee didn't reveal a new injury, according to Orioles manager Buck Showalter. Hammel will accompany the team to the West Coast. He may seek a second opinion on the results, but the Orioles are confident that he's going to be fine. The next step, of course, is getting Hammel back on a mound and into the rotation. There's no
The Orioles have put at least one runner on base in the last 10 innings. We're still tied, 2-2, but it isn't for lack of opportunities. The Orioles have stranded 11 runners, the Rays eight. The teams are a combined 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Luis Ayala shut out the Rays on one hit, with three strikeouts, over 2 1/3 innings. His season high
Nate McLouth is doing a nice impression of Nick Markakis. Put anyone atop the order and they seem to heat up. Markakis batted .335 with 15 doubles, two triples, five homers, 28 RBIs, 34 runs scored and an .879 OPS as the leadoff hitter. McLouth has five hits in this series and is 10-for-23 on the homestand, raising his average to .279 with the Orioles.
The Orioles' rotation gained another confirmed starter today. Left-hander Zach Britton will start Saturday in Oakland, leaving Sunday's starter as the only mystery in the three-game series. Left-hander Joe Saunders will take the mound on Friday. Chris Tillman said he hasn't been told when he'll get back into the rotation. It could be Sunday in Oakland or Monday or Tuesday in Seattle. Jason Hammel is
Taylor Teagarden is catching today. Matt Wieters found out he was getting the day off as bench coach John Russell began posting the lineup on the magnetic board outside the clubhouse. Manny Machado moves up to sixth for the second time in his major league career. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Wilson Betemit DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis RF Manny
Whenever I was asked to make a prediction for the 2012 season, I would point out how the Orioles could approach .500 if the rest of the division came down to them. How they couldn't afford injuries to key players. How their young starters needed to take the next step forward. Pretty much the same thing I said in 2011 and 2010. I didn't claim
The Orioles and Yankees remain in a first-place tie in the American League East, with both teams winning by one run. The Orioles are 26-7 in one-run games after tonight's 3-2 victory over the Rays. A win tomorrow will allow the Orioles (80-62) to end their streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons, but the bar has been raised so much higher. Nate McLouth's walk-off single
Manny Machado keeps making it easy to forget he's a 20-year-old shortstop. Machado made a veteran play to end the top of the ninth inning, fielding Evan Longoria's chopper, faking the throw to first, spinning and firing to J.J. Hardy covering third. Rich Thompson rounded the bag and got caught in a rundown, with catcher Matt Wieters applying the tag. Machado had no play at
Wilson Betemit's defensive lapses cost him a regular spot in the Orioles' lineup. He's healthy now, but he's a man without a position. Left-handed designated hitter could be a nice fit. Betemit began tonight hitting .304 against right-handers, and his RBI single off Rays starter Alex Cobb in the bottom of the first inning scored J.J. Hardy for a 2-1 lead. Betemit raced to second
The Orioles' rotation is coming a little more into focus, though it still includes some hazy patches. Get used to it. Manager Buck Showalter can't plan too far ahead, no matter how hard he tries. You already know that left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is starting Thursday afternoon against the Rays. Left-hander Joe Saunders will start Friday night in Oakland. Now comes the hazy part. Chris Tillman
Nate McLouth remains in the leadoff spot tonight for the Orioles. Wilson Betemit is serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit DH Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis RF Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP Only two Orioles have faced Rays right-hander Alex Cobb. Omar Quintanilla is 1-for-3
Major League Baseball will release the Orioles' 2013 schedule at 1 p.m., but a few details have leaked out over the past few weeks. The Orioles definitely will open at Tropicana Field for the third time in four seasons, if my math is correct. They have games against the Rays on April 2-4 before their home-opening series against the Twins on April 5-7. Once again,
I'm 100 percent certain that Nate McLouth will bat leadoff again tonight. The Rays are starting a right-hander, Alex Cobb, and it didn't matter yesterday that they sent left-hander Matt Moore to the mound. McLouth had two hits last night and is 2-for-7 with two walks, three runs scored and two stolen bases in two games since replacing Nick Markakis atop the order. Does this
The Orioles won and the Yankees lost, creating another first-place tie in the American League East. Too bad the Orioles weren't in the mood to celebrate. They're fairly low-key to begin with, and Jason Hammel's early exit with pain in his surgically repaired right knee put a real damper on the night. The Orioles will have their resiliency put to the test again. "I don't
Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel has requested an MRI on his right knee Wednesday after feeling a sharp pain tonight that he's hoping won't lead to another surgery or the end of his season. Hammel said he felt the knee grab on the second pitch thrown to Evan Longoria, who walked with two outs in the fourth inning. He threw one pitch to Matt Joyce, unable
The Orioles continue to be health challenged, this time losing Jason Hammel to a right knee injury in the fourth inning. Hammel retired the first two batters before walking Evan Longoria. He threw one pitch to Matt Joyce and hopped off the mound. Manager Buck Showalter, pitching coach Rick Adair and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells came out of the dugout, and Hammel came out
The Orioles no longer lead the majors in errors and they don't have sole possession of second place in that dubious race. The Rockies lead the field with 112, followed by the Padres and Orioles with 100. The Rays committed their 98th tonight, tying them with the Giants and costing them a run. Right fielder Matt Joyce mishandled Matt Wieters' two-out bloop single down the
The Orioles tried to trade Kevin Gregg over the winter and in spring training. He was available at the non-waiver deadline. They couldn't strike a deal, continued to use him sporadically and finally had to designate him for assignment today to create room on the 40-man roster. Signed to a two-year, $10 million contract with a $6 million team option for 2013, Gregg failed to
Nick Markakis underwent surgery today in Sarasota and manager Buck Showalter spoke to him this morning. Pins were inserted into Markakis' thumb instead of a T-plate, which is a less-invasive procedure. They will be removed in three weeks if it heals as expected. However, the timetable for Markakis' potential return hasn't changed. The Orioles would have to make the playoffs and probably get into the
The Orioles made a series of roster moves today, selecting the contracts of outfielders Endy Chavez and LJ Hoes from Triple-A Norfolk and designating reliever Kevin Gregg and second baseman Ryan Adams for assignment. Chavez was expected here today, and Adams was my guess to be removed from the 40-man roster. However, the Orioles changed their plans with Hoes after Nick Markakis suffered a broken
So much for my earlier prediction that Nate McLouth wouldn't lead off tonight against Rays left-hander Matt Moore. McLouth is atop the order again. He's starting in left field, with Lew Ford playing right. Chris Davis is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter. Left-handers are hitting .268 against Moore, compared to .234 by right-handers, which could factor into manager Buck Showalter's lineup decisions. For the
I've got two predictions for you today. 1. Someone will report that Nick Markakis underwent "successful surgery" on his thumb. As opposed to all those unsuccessful surgeries that players endure each year. Unless the thumb falls off, it's going to be successful. Dr. Brian Schofield will insert a T-plate and Markakis will be resting comfortably. And then we'll wait to find out whether the Orioles
I made the bold move of detaching myself from Twitter last night, so I'm playing catchup to all the Juan Pierre questions. For example: * Did the Orioles get Pierre? * Have you heard the Juan Pierre rumblings? Any hope of that trade happening? * Any truth to the Juan Pierre rumors? * Is there any truth to the Juan Pierre rumor? (that the O's
Failing to take over sole possession of first place in the American League East while the Yankees were in town, the Orioles will try to accomplish something else today. They will attempt to have a quiet off-day. Or maybe I'm just rooting for one. Nick Markakis' thumb surgery couldn't be scheduled until Tuesday. The Orioles probably will wait until Tuesday to select outfielder Endy Chavez's
Manager Buck Showalter covered other topics today besides Nick Markakis' surgery on Tuesday. Here are a few of them: On Zach Britton: "His command was challenged. He was carrying good stuff. They did a real good job of making him bring the ball up, which a lot of people have tried to do, and Zach is usually able to throw strikes down in the zone.
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis is expected to undergo surgery on his broken left thumb Monday in Sarasota. The decision was made after Markakis had a CT scan on the thumb this morning at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Rather than have an MRI on Monday, Markakis will fly down to Sarasota, where Dr. Brian Schofield - the same surgeon who removed the piece of broke hamate
The Orioles are playing from behind again. Zach Britton gave up a run and two hits, walked a batter and was hurt by an error in the top of the first inning. He threw 24 pitches before making it back into the dugout. Derek Jeter reached on another infield hit and took second on Manny Machado's errant throw. Machado has two errors with the Orioles,
The Orioles plan on selecting Endy Chavez's contract on Tuesday, giving them an extra outfielder and a plus-defender in Nick Markakis' absence. They had discussed bringing him up from Triple-A Norfolk once rosters expanded on Sept. 1. He's currently in New York because the Orioles wanted him to stay close. Chavez batted .190/.222/.281 with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs in 47 games.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter has settled on Nate McLouth as his leadoff hitter for today's game against the Yankees at Camden Yards. McLouth is starting in left field. Chris Davis is playing right as the replacement for Nick Markakis, who broke his left thumb last night. Well, CC Sabathia broke Markakis' thumb, but you get the idea. Wilson Betemit is the designated hitter today. He's
The Orioles could have used a rainout last night. A heavy, heavy downpour - like the kind you normally find inside the Rogers Centre dome. Animals paired off. That sort of thing. They played nine uninterrupted innings despite the ominous forecast, which never seems to be accurate, and lost their starting right fielder and leadoff hitter to a broken thumb. A split doubleheader today would
X-rays taken on Nick Markakis' left hand revealed a break in the middle of his thumb, which will cost him the remainder of the regular season and could severely impact the Orioles' chances of making the playoffs. Markakis could be out a minimum of six weeks, according to manager Buck Showalter. More pictures will be taken Sunday to determine whether Markakis needs surgery. "It breaks
The good feeling that developed from the Orioles taking a 3-2 lead has vanished from Camden Yards. CC Sabathia drilled Nick Markakis on the left hand with a 93 mph fastball with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Markakis immediately jumped out of the batter's box, shaking his hand, as head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter raced out of
There won't be any talk of a perfect game for Joe Saunders tonight. Saunders retired the first 17 batters he faced in Monday's start in Toronto, but the Yankees took a 1-0 lead against him in the first inning. Derek Jeter continued his Saunders assault with a leadoff single, making him 9-for-20 lifetime against the veteran left-hander. Jeter moved to third on a one-out double
Chris Tillman was scheduled to throw a bullpen session today, but the Orioles decided to wait another day or two. The delay is a precaution. Tillman says his elbow feels good and he's ready to throw off a mound, but the Orioles want to make certain that the inflammation is gone. "Probably going to slow down a little bit and make sure the anti-inflammatories, make
So much for the duplicate lineups we've been seeing around here. Robert Andino is batting second tonight against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia. Steve Tolleson is serving as the designated hitter and Taylor Teagarden is behind the plate. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Lew Ford LF Manny Machado 3B Steve Tolleson DH Taylor
The Orioles were 31-19 without Jason Hammel, further illustrating how they keep finding replacements and reinforcements. They had to call their first audible during workouts at Ed Smith Stadium and they haven't stopped. Manager Buck Showalter planned on making left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada - remember him? - the No. 2 starter when the Orioles broke camp. Wada hasn't thrown a single pitch for them and is
Manager Buck Showalter isn't worried about Wei-Yin Chen's final line tonight or the possibility that the Taiwanese left-hander is running out of gas during the final month of the regular season. "I'll tell you, he had good stuff," Showalter said after the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Yankees at Camden Yards. "You've just got to give them some credit. He didn't make many mistakes, and
Wei-Yin Chen threw 35 pitches over the first three innings tonight and allowed only one baserunner, on Alex Rodriguez's leadoff single in the top of the second. The momentum, shall we say, shifted in the fourth inning. Chen hit Nick Swisher, who vowed to celebrate excessively after the pain subsided, and walked Robinson Cano on four pitches. Rodriguez struck out on a 91 mph fastball,
The Chicago Cubs have claimed reliever Jason Berken off waivers. The Orioles designated Berken for assignment to make room for left-hander Zach Phillips on the 40-man roster. Berken appeared in one game for the Orioles this year, allowing seven runs (two earned) in one inning in a May 7 game against the Rangers. He was 5-6 with a 3.50 ERA in 26 starts with Norfolk.
Not much changes with the Orioles' lineup these days. Does this one look familiar? For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis DH Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP The Orioles have 12 extra-base hits against the Yankees in the last four games, all of them home
Biggest win of the season? That's the debate after the Orioles gave up five runs in the top of the eighth inning last night to blow a 6-1 lead and proceeded to hit three home runs in the bottom half to send a sellout crowd into a frenzy and avoid falling two games back in the American League East. I've been saying that the 17-inning
Manager Buck Showalter spoke to reporters for over 11 minutes following tonight's 10-6 victory, which pulled the Orioles into a first-place tie with the Yankees in the American League East. He wasn't particularly chatty. It's just that the Orioles are suddenly a national story. The interview room was packed. A cameraman asked a question. Maybe Showalter is right about how there are no roles around
Jason Hammel took a Robinson Cano line drive off his right elbow in the top of the fourth inning, bringing the sounds of silence from a sellout crowd, along with manager Buck Showalter and assistant athletic trainer Brian Ebel from the dugout. As if the Orioles need another starter to go down with an injury. The ball caromed off Hammel's elbow and rolled into left
"Being an Oriole is also about playing meaningful games in September." - Cal Ripken Jr. "The Streak didn't define Junior. Junior defined what The Streak was about." - Billy Ripken Outstanding ceremony for Cal Ripken Jr. earlier today, as his statue - depicting him fielding - was unveiled in the old picnic area. Current Orioles in attendance included Adam Jones, Mark Reynolds, J.J. Hardy and
Though Jake Arrieta is here, he won't officially be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk until Friday. He wouldn't be available to pitch tonight anyway. Manager Buck Showalter said again today that Arrieta is a candidate to pitch in relief or to start. Chris Tillman is being examined today by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens. He could be cleared to play catch today or Friday. Tillman said
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is giving Robert Andino another start at second base against a right-hander, the Yankees' David Phelps. The rest of the lineup is predictable. Nate McLouth's in left field and batting third again, Mark Reynolds is at first base and Chris Davis is the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt
The Orioles almost made it through another game last night without committing an error. They were clean for six innings before Adam Jones skipped a throw past Manny Machado in the seventh that allowed Anthony Gose to score. Who knew that the defense would become ... I won't say a "strength," but a contributing factor in the Orioles' surge? In the past 11 games before
The Orioles announced their rotation for the Yankees series that begins Thursday night, and Chris Tillman isn't in it. Tillman could have pitched Friday night on regular rest or Saturday night as part of a six-man rotation, but he's being pushed back after being diagnosed yesterday with an inflamed nerve in his right elbow. Jason Hammel will be activated from the disabled list and take
The Orioles' PR department provided some interesting nuggets, including the following: So far on the 4-1 road trip, the Orioles are batting .311 and have posted a 1.43 ERA (1.50 for the starters, 1.29 for the bullpen). A win tonight would mark the Orioles' first three-game sweep at Rogers Centre since April 22-24, 2005. The Orioles are 24-19 in series finales in 2012, including an
With the Orioles having at least a share of first place in September for the first time since 1997, it seems appropriate that Cal Ripken Jr. will be at Camden Yards twice in the next four days. Ripken will be on hand Thursday for the unveiling of his statue in the picnic area and for the on-field ceremony that follows. And he'll be in the
Not only did the smart fans predict back in March that the Orioles would be tied for first place on Sept. 5, they also knew that Miguel Gonzalez would be on the mound tonight with a chance to give them sole possession. They followed his progress in the Mexican League and his recovery from injuries that robbed him of two full seasons of pro ball.
Mark Reynolds must really, really want the Orioles to pick up that $11 million option for next season. Reynolds clubbed a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. If you're scoring at home, that's five homers in five days for Reynolds, and nine since Aug. 8. He's sizzling. Blue Jays starter
The Orioles received some good news this afternoon regarding pitcher Chris Tillman. A team official confirmed that the MRI on Tillman's right elbow revealed some inflammation in a nerve, but no structural damage. Manager Buck Showalter passed along the news to reporters in Toronto, and the interview will air on "O's Xtra," which begins at 6:30 p.m. on MASN2 HD. Tillman will work out with
Nick Markakis remains in the Orioles' lineup tonight after being drilled in the left arm by a pitch yesterday. Adam Jones stays in center field despite appearing to twist his ankle in that same game. Robert Andino makes another start at second base. The Orioles haven't announced that they've recalled left-hander Zach Britton, but he's on the mound tonight. UPDATE: They just announced it. For
First place in September? The Orioles could claim a share of it tonight. A win over the Blue Jays, coupled with a Yankees loss at Tropicana Field, would create a first-place tie in the American League East. And it wouldn't involve the Rays or Red Sox. It would be the team widely predicted to lose 100 games this season. The Orioles have won eight of
The Orioles are in the process of scheduling an MRI for Chris Tillman, who left yesterday's start at Yankee Stadium after three innings because of an "achy" and "dead" feeling in his right elbow. With today's holiday, it's more likely that Tillman will undergo the MRI on Tuesday morning at the earliest. Tillman retired the last four batters he faced yesterday and left with the
Manny Machado is batting sixth today for the first time in his major league career. Machado has hit seventh, eighth and ninth, but he's moving up against Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ. He went 6-for-12 in the Yankees series. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Nate McLouth LF Lew Ford
I really wish that I had kept track of my road record this season, because it's got to be impressive. I'd go back and count up the games, but that would require doing math and, well, I was told there wouldn't be any math. Yesterday was gut-check time in the Bronx. It also was a game that measures a team's heart, its resiliency, its bounce-back
NEW YORK - Just another multi-homer game for Mark Reynolds today. Nothing to see here. Actually, there's been plenty. As I wrote earlier, he's batting .320 with five doubles, eight homers and 17 RBIs in his last 23 games. Reynolds homered off Phil Hughes in the fifth and sixth innings, his second shot driving in three runs and giving the Orioles a 5-3 lead. "The
NEW YORK - Let's first get the fun facts out of the way. The Orioles improved to 37-29 on the road, 28-21 vs. the American League East, 25-13 in day games and 11-5 in the rubber game of a series. The six road wins in the Bronx are the most since they went 8-1 at the original Yankee Stadium in 1976. Mark Reynolds became only
NEW YORK - Instead of accompanying his teammates to Toronto later today, Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman will fly back to Baltimore and undergo an MRI on his right elbow. The MRI most likely will take place on Monday while the Orioles open a three-game series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Tillman lasted only three innings today before manager Buck Showalter, concerned by a
NEW YORK - So much for the Orioles having too many starters for their rotation. Manager Buck Showalter has mentioned the need for depth in case a pitcher is knocked out of a game with an injury. He usually talks about a line drive up the middle, not stiffness in an elbow, but his point is made. We won't know the severity of Chris Tillman's
NEW YORK - Chris Tillman is struggling with his command in the early innings, having thrown only 18 of his 34 pitches for strikes through the second. Tillman has walked two batters and thrown two wild pitches. Worse, he's also served up a two-run homer to Chris Dickerson that's given the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Dickerson is starting in center field because Curtis Granderson injured
NEW YORK - Robert Andino is starting at second base in today's series finale against the Yankees. So much for a platoon at second base. Andino is 2-for-5 lifetime against Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes. Omar Quintanilla is 1-for-4 with a home run, but he's mired in an 0-for-24 slump. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt
NEW YORK - I'm heading to Yankee Stadium for the finale of this three-game series, with Chris Tillman looking to exorcise his Bronx demons. Or exercise them, if that's an easier task. Tillman has an 8.42 ERA in six career starts against the Yankees, and it jumps to 10.69 in four starts in New York. He surrendered five runs (four earned) and eight hits in
NEW YORK - Jason Hammel gave up an infield hit and walked a batter in his first inning tonight at Single-A Frederick. The Orioles want him to go five innings and to get his pitch count to 70-75 before they decide whether to activate him. If Hammel stays on the disabled list, he'll be assigned to Double-A Bowie and pitch in the Eastern League playoffs.
NEW YORK - Pedro Strop faced three batters today and didn't retire any of them. A walk, another walk and an error on shortstop J.J. Hardy turned a 3-2 lead into a 4-3 deficit. Strop wasn't charged with a run, but he was saddled with his fifth blown save. Before today, he had allowed three runs and five hits in his last two appearances, covering
NEW YORK - The first inclination is to dwell on the seventh inning of today's 4-3 loss to the Yankees, when the Orioles couldn't find the plate and a two-run lead disappeared. However, they couldn't build a bigger lead against a pitcher, David Phelps, who was willing to walk the ballpark. Opportunities were lost, and so was a game. "A lot of people bend but
NEW YORK - The Orioles are 8-54 when they trail after the seventh inning. That's the task facing them today after a 3-1 lead went up in smoke. The Orioles walked three batters in the bottom of the seventh, with Pedro Strop losing Derek Jeter to force in the tying run with two outs. Shortstop J.J. Hardy committed an error on Nick Swisher's bouncer with
NEW YORK - Troy Patton threw on flat ground from 60 feet on Thursday, and the Orioles will check on his right ankle today before confirming the next phase of his rehab schedule. "First time he's gotten the ball in his hand and able to put pressure (on the ankle). First time he's thrown and landed on the ankle," said manager Buck Showalter. "That was
NEW YORK - Matt Wieters is catching a day game after a night game this afternoon. Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Manny Machado 3B Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Yankees: Derek Jeter DH Nick Swisher
NEW YORK - We have a 1:05 p.m. game in the Bronx today. I hope you slept fast. I wanted to give you something to read with your morning coffee before I post the lineup. Here's a quote yesterday from manager Buck Showalter, which came after a reporter asked whether he tends to look up or down at the standings. In other words, is he
