Roch Kubatko
Roch Kubatko

Happy Birthday, Cal

Happy Birthday, Cal
I'm heading back down to Ocean Pines this morning and might actually see the beach this time. I'm shooting for tomorrow and Thursday, since it's overcast today and I'm getting a late start. All I need is for the Orioles to cooperate. No trades or managerial changes. I should be safe. I'm averaging three Joe Mahoney questions a day, so I'll just mention here that he has a shot to surface in Baltimore sometime next summer. It won't be on Opening Day. The Orioles won't approach free...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Quick check of the farm (updated)

Quick check of the farm (updated)
Pitcher Daniel Klein, the Orioles' third-round pick out of UCLA, logged a perfect seventh inning tonight for short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He recorded two outs on ground balls and one on a fly ball. The Orioles view him as a starter, but they'll ease him into his professional career by having him come out of the bullpen. Brandon Waring hit his 20th home run tonight for Double-A Bowie, and Joe Mahoney added his seventh, but I'm more interested in the curious lineup. Danny Figueroa was...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles2
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Checking on Reimold (updated)

Checking on Reimold (updated)
Nolan Reimold is starting at first base today for Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides are losing to Durham, 5-1, in the fifth. Brandon Snyder has been making the bulk of the starts at first since coming off the disabled list, but he's not in the lineup. Reimold has posted a .464 on-base percentage in 34 games since July 17. That's the third-highest percentage in the International League. Former Oriole Justin Turner is first at .474 during that span. Reimold is batting .308 (36-for-117) with four...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Determining Millwood's immediate future

Determining Millwood's immediate future
Jeremy Guthrie will start tomorrow night's series opener in Chicago, bringing an unimpressive 7-12 record and a serviceable 3.97 ERA. That's the same ERA as his counterpart, Severna Park's Gavin Floyd, who gets a lot more love in baseball circles. Guthrie is a veteran who currently figures into next season's plans, though he'll draw interest on the trade market. I know a few rival general managers wish they had pulled the trigger on a deal before the July 31 non-waiver...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Rowell sets record (w/Norfolk update)

Rowell sets record (w/Norfolk update)
Third baseman Billy Rowell set the record for most career games played at Single-A Frederick when he appeared in No. 334 this afternoon in a 4-1 loss to Salem. I suppose you can file this one in the "dubious" category, since Rowell has spent the last three seasons in the Carolina League after being the ninth overall pick in the 2006 draft. The Orioles considered the idea of assigning him to Double-A Bowie to start the season, but decided to keep him at the Single-A level. They put him back...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles2
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Millwood: "I just wasn't executing my pitches"

Millwood: "I just wasn't executing my pitches"
Reminds me of the famous line delivered by former Tampa Bay Bucs coach John McKay when asked by a reporter about his woeful team's execution. "I'm all for it." Anyway, here's how Kevin Millwood summarized the first inning: "I got a ball up to Andrus that he hit, walked Michael Young and then threw one right down the middle to Hamilton. So, I just wasn't executing my pitches." Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero did the serious damage to Millwood, who fell to 2-14. "They're pretty...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Post-game Showalter

Post-game Showalter
The Orioles were done in today by the three-run homers that Kevin Millwood surrendered to Josh Hamilton in the first inning and Vladimir Guerrero in the fifth. Millwood, as I pointed out earlier, has allowed 38 runs in the first inning this season. "I give him a little bit of an out. He was already warmed up and the rain came and he sat around for a little while. But I understand some of the problems he's had there, regardless," manager Buck Showalter said. "You get a lineup like that...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

VandenHurk's debut (updated)

VandenHurk's debut (updated)
Rick VandenHurk walked off the mound to a partial standing ovation after striking out Michael Young to end the top of the seventh inning. VandenHurk walked leadoff hitter Julio Borbon on five pitches before striking out Elvis Andus. He picked off Borbon and fanned Young to complete a 12-pitch inning. VandenHurk's fastball hit 95 mph. He threw three straight heaters at Andrus - 93, 95 and 94 mph - and struck him out on an 81 mph curveball. He started off Young with a 95 mph fastball and threw...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Vlady strikes again (updated)

Vlady strikes again (updated)
I joked on O's Xtra that Rick VandenHurk was keeping busy by directing traffic in and out of the A Lot at Camden Yards, but he actually warmed up in the fifth inning. Vladimir Guerrero hit a three-run homer off Kevin Millwood to increase the Rangers' lead to 6-1. He was 0-for-2 before that at-bat, but began the day hitting .384 with five homers and 17 RBIs lifetime against Millwood. Make that six homers and 20 RBIs. VandenHurk has stopped throwing, so we'll see Millwood again in the sixth...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Oh those first inning woes

Oh those first inning woes
It happened again. Kevin Millwood gave up runs in the first inning - three to be exact. That brings his season total to 38 in the first inning. Millwood has been scored upon in the first in 13 of his last 16 outings. Only once has he kept the run total to one. Elvis Andrus singled, Michael Young walked and Josh Hamilton homered. Three batters, three runs. Millwood breezed through the second inning, getting a fly ball and two grounders. But the damage is done. In Millwood's last six...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Showalter talks about J.J. (updated)

Showalter talks about J.J. (updated)
It's raining hard right now, so we're not starting on time. The word "monsoon" has been used here to describe the conditions. Instant weather update: It's already stopped raining and the tarp's coming off the field. They don't make monsoons the way they used to. Kevin Millwood will make his 400th career start, joining Jamie Moyer, Andy Pettitte, Livan Hernandez, Tim Wakefield, Javier Vazquez and Jeff Suppan as the only active pitchers to start 400 or more games. Not only did Orioles...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

More on J.J.

More on J.J.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter watched from the home dugout at Prince George's Stadium last night as Jim Johnson pitched one inning for Double-A Bowie. Showalter arrived in the fourth inning and got a good seat. Johnson entered the game in the top of the sixth and served up a home run to Thomas Neal on a high changeup. Johnson retired the other three batters he faced, striking out the last one. He threw 20 pitches after totaling 12 the previous night. "I felt like I had better release on my...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontfeatured_orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Before the lineup's posted (it is now)

Before the lineup's posted (it is now)
Players aren't required to report to the ballpark today until noon. I saw Matt Wieters and Cesar Izturis eating breakfast with third base coach Gary Allenson. It's a little slow around here. I forgot to mention last night that Adam Jones won't start today. Manager Buck Showalter wants to rest him for a few days, including tomorrow, when we have an open date on the schedule before the six-game road trip that begins Tuesday in Chicago and continues into Anaheim. Jones is 0-for-16 since his...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

JJ update

JJ update
Orioles reliever Jim Johnson gave up a solo home run tonight to Richmond's Thomas Neal in his latest injury-rehab inning at Double-A Bowie. He threw 20 pitches, 12 for strikes. Johnson struck out a batter to end the inning. I'm told that his fastball sat in the 93-94 mph range. Johnson also threw his slider, changeup and curveball tonight. So what's next? The Orioles want him to work out the next two days and pitch again on Tuesday and Wednesday. But you already knew that because you...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Showalter time

Showalter time
Or maybe it was The Josh Bell Show today. That's the term manager Buck Showalter used while meeting with reporters following today's 8-6 victory over the Rangers. "Great to see a smile on his face," Showalter said. "I'll tell you what, he's had some good at-bats. When he collides with the ball, good things happen." Bell almost hit a third home run, but settled for a single. "We were all yelling, 'Get up.' I knew it was going to be close. We were certainly pulling for him,"...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles3
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Koji's first save

Koji's first save
Koji Uehara picked up his first save in the United States. Manager Buck Showalter used left-hander Michael Gonzalez in the eighth inning. Gonzalez gave up a run on doubles by David Murphy and Mitch Moreland before recording back-to-back strikeouts. Uehara induced a fly ball to right field from Elvis Andrus on an 84 mph splitter after falling behind, 1-0. Michael Young also flied to right on a 1-0 count, this time chasing an 86 mph fastball. Josh Hamilton took an 88 mph fastball for a strike,...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles frontstory_orioles1
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

One more Bell fun-fact (updated twice)

One more Bell fun-fact (updated twice)
Josh Bell became the fourth Orioles rookie to hit his first two major league home runs on the same day. Jim Fuller did it on Sept. 25, 1973. Curt Blefary did it April 17, 1965. And Boog Powell did it May 2, 1962. Cliff Lee hasn't left a start before completing 6 1/3 innings this season. The Rangers' bullpen is quiet again, so he'll continue despite allowing seven runs and nine hits, and throwing 90 pitches, through the fifth. Update: Bell came within a few feet of homering for the third...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Bell tolls again (w/extra fact)

Bell tolls again (w/extra fact)
I can't keep up (that's what I said). Josh Bell just clubbed a three-run homer to center field, his second today and the second of his major league career. He's up to five RBIs. The Orioles have hit three home runs in the fourth inning, and four this afternoon. Cliff Lee gave up three home runs to the Orioles during his July 10 debut with the Texas Rangers in Arlington. In his next seven starts, he served up a grand total of one. The Orioles have hit four today at Camden Yards. You...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Get Bell that ball (updated twice)

Get Bell that ball (updated twice)
The Orioles are trying to retrieve Josh Bell's home run ball. They hope it's the first of many. Bell homered for the first time in 75 major league at-bats, bringing home Felix Pie in the second inning and giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Pie led off with a single and Craig Tatum struck out looking - because it's the thing to do in this series - before Bell stepped to the plate. The ball traveled 394 feet to center field. The Orioles would like for it to carry a little further - into his...
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest
Roch Kubatko

Here we go again

Here we go again
Nick Markakis sat down to breakfast this morning, looked at his plate, and Jeff Nelson called him out on strikes. How is that possible? Maybe it didn't really happen, but Markakis struck out looking to end the bottom of the first inning. Mark Carlson's working behind the plate today, and he gave Cliff Lee the outside corner on an 87 mph cutter. Markakis froze in quiet protest, but didn't put up an argument. That's four straight at-bats for Markakis that ended with a called third strike....
Continue reading
0
Tags:
Orioles
LinkedIn Pinterest



LATEST ORIOLES NEWS

LATEST NATIONALS NEWS

       
937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946