Not Manny, but one Boras client signs (Taillon signs)

Not Manny, but one Boras client signs (Taillon signs)
Maybe Scott Boras is working his way up the first-round ladder. He is the representative for four players in the first-round that were unsigned to start today, including O's pick shortstop Manny Machado. Tonight, there are reports that one of his players, outfielder Gary Brown of Cal-State Fullerton, taken 24th overall by the Giants, has agreed to terms. It's reported to be a deal worth 1.45 million. Boras also represents the seventh overall pick, pitcher Matt Harvey who was taken by the...
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A scout's take on Matt Bywater

A scout's take on Matt Bywater
O's scout Gil Kubski was the area scout for O's third-round draft pick Dan Klein of UCLA and also for seventh-round pick pitcher Matt Bywater, who agreed to terms with the club tonight. Here is Kubski's take on Bywater: "He's a 6'3", 6'4" left-hander, real lean. I think he's going to get bigger and stronger when it's all done. He's not a flame thrower, about 87 and will touch 90. "But he's got an outstanding change-up. If there's a better change-up in the country this year...
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Orioles now confirm: Bywater comes to terms

Orioles now confirm:  Bywater comes to terms
The Orioles have now confirmed that they have come to terms with pitcher Matt Bywater, their seventh-round draft pick out of Pepperdine. The 6'3", 195-pound lefty went 6-5, 2.40 as a junior this past season. Over 97 2/3 innings, he allowed 88 hits with 30 walks and 83 strikeouts. The 21-year-old Bywater, from Thousand Oaks, California, pitched five complete games for Pepperdine with four shutouts. Early last season, he pitched a four-hit shutout with ten strikeouts vs. then 4th-rated...
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Matt Bywater update

Matt Bywater update
Pepperdine pitcher Matt Bywater, the Orioles seventh-round draft pick, said he has had some phone conversations with club officials today, but he still does not have an agreement with the team as of a little after four this afternoon. "Not so much progress at this point," Bywater said. "I'd like to be optimistic, I guess we are kind of at a standstill," he said. The 21-year-old lefty went 6-5, 2.40 in college this year with five complete games and four shutouts. He fanned 83 in 97 2/3...
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O's 3rd-round pick missed 2009 but is healthy now

O's 3rd-round pick missed 2009 but is healthy now
While awaiting tonight's draft developments... The Orioles are excited that their third-round draft pick, pitcher Dan Klein of UCLA, should be pitching sometime soon for the Aberdeen IronBirds. Klein was 6-1, 1.90 with ten saves for the Bruins team this year that made the College World Series. It was a big year for Klein as he showed the scouts he was healthy after he took a redshirt year and didn't pitch for UCLA in 2009. Klein missed some time the previous season as well due to shoulder...
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Urban hopeful he'll be an Oriole

Urban hopeful he'll be an Oriole
As of a little after two o'clock this afternoon, there is no announcement of any additional signings of O's draft picks. But there is a long way to go before the midnight deadline. One player the O's still could sign is right-handed pitcher Austin Urban from Richland High in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Urban was taken in the 27th round and told me a few moments ago that he hopes this day ends with his agreeing to terms with the Orioles. He has a college commitment to Penn State, but said...
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What if they don't sign Machado?

What if they don't sign Machado?
First of all, don't let that headline scare you. There is no word yet on whether the O's will or won't sign Machado tonight, but the guess remains that they do get it done. I'll keep you posted all night with anything I hear. Meanwhile, as of 7pm, no other O's signings to announce and the clock is ticking toward midnight. If the O's don't come to terms with Manny Machado by midnight tonight, they will lose his rights and will get a compensation pick in next year's draft that could...
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Jordan on the one that got away & others that may still sign

Jordan on the one that got away & others that may still sign
The Orioles have already agreed to terms with 36 draft picks and may add more before this day is over. But, apparently one they will not get is pitcher Dixon Anderson of Cal, who was drafted by the O's in round six with the 178th overall selection. A draft-eligible sophomore, the 6'5", 225-pound Anderson went 5-4, 5.17 in 17 games, 13 starts, for the Golden Bears, this past season. O's scouting director Joe Jordan said a deal did not get done and Anderson will likely return to college...
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Draft signing deadline day dawns

Draft signing deadline day dawns
So the deadline day to sign draft picks has finally arrived. We are all probably glad that after midnight tonight, or perhaps even earlier we can hope, no one will have to ask the question "Will the O's sign Manny Machado?" Last night, I reported that the O's signed two more picks: pitcher Jaime Esquivel taken in the 28th round and pitcher Alex Schmarzo, taken in round 48. Check my blog throughout this day and night - Any updates I get will be posted as soon as possible. Also, later...
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Good reports on Erbe and Klein

Good reports on Erbe and Klein
The good news for O's pitching prospect Brandon Erbe is that he should be back on a mound sometime next year. Exactly when that will be, no one knows for sure right now, but his surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder last Friday was a success. "We feel like the surgery went well and less damage was found than they thought," O's director of player development, John Stockstill said. There are estimates that Erbe could be pitching again in eight to ten months, which would put...
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O's ink two more draft picks

O's ink two more draft picks
The O's have come to terms tonight with two more draft picks. They have agreed on deals with high school pitcher Jaime Esquivel, drafted in round 28 and right-handed pitcher Alex Schmarzo from St. Mary's College in California. Schmarzo was drafted in round 48. Esquivel got a $225,000 signing bonus. Meanwhile, the O's still need to come to terms with top pick, high school shortstop Manny Machado. Scouting director Joe Jordan said there were no contract talks today with Machado but he...
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O's lose by one in road trip finale

O's lose by one in road trip finale
The Orioles have their first two-game losing streak since Buck Showalter took over as manager. The Birds lost 3-2 vs. Tampa this afternoon to lose their first series with Showalter and end their road trip to Cleveland and Tampa with a 3-3 record. They were trying for a fourth straight series win for the first time since August of 2004. Jeremy Hellickson got the win and Jake Arrieta the loss in a matchup of two of the game's best, young pitchers. Hellickson became the first Tampa pitcher to...
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O's 7th-round pick, Matt Bywater, still open to signing

O's 7th-round pick, Matt Bywater, still open to signing
Pepperdine pitcher Matt Bywater, who was drafted in round seven by the Orioles, said he still could sign with the team, although it hasn't happened yet. "We are still in negotiations," Bywater, a 21-year-old lefty said this afternoon from his home in Thousand Oaks, California. "It's not a done deal on either side." When asked if he is still open to coming to terms with the club he said "completely open." I asked Bywater if the sides were close or far apart in their...
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A matchup of young guns: Arrieta vs. Hellickson

A matchup of young guns:  Arrieta vs. Hellickson
Here is the reason to watch and/or listen to today's Orioles-Tampa game. The contest features a matchup of the two of the best, young pitching prospects in the game. It's Jake Arrieta for Baltimore and Jeremy Hellickson for Tampa. Let's start with Hellickson. Entering this season, Baseball America ranked the 23-year-old righty as Tampa's number 2 prospect and number 18 in all of baseball. In their recent mid-season rating of the top 25 prospects in baseball at the mid-point he was...
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Shoppach with a Slam & a solo as Rays top the O's, 7-3

Shoppach with a Slam & a solo as Rays top the O's, 7-3
The Orioles sailed into the last of the fourth today with a 3-0 lead. But the game unraveled for the Birds and Brian Matusz when Tampa scored five runs in that inning and went on to beat the Birds, 7-3. The O's were batting .302 since Buck Showalter took over, but today were held to just four hits. There were 19 straight O's batters retired after an Adam Jones three-run homer in the third until a Matt Wieters double with one out in the ninth. The O's took a 3-0 lead in that third. After...
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Is Britton struggling?

Is Britton struggling?
There's a question no one needed to ask just a week or two ago. But now, after giving up five runs in just 3 2/3 in his last start, Zach Britton, the left-handed pitching prospect has an ERA of 5.71 over his past four Norfolk starts. He is 1-2, 3.57 overall in seven Triple-A starts over 35 1/3 innings. Britton had been pitching so well, that, even with this recent stretch, his ERA is still 2.09 over his last 13 starts between Double and Triple-A. He pitches tonight for the Tides at home...
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Jones homer notes

Jones homer notes
Adam Jones gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead with a three-run shot off the left field foul pole in the top of the third. It was Jones' 17th homer of the year. He is 1 for 2 today and is now batting .415 over his last 11 games at 17 for 41 with two homers and 8 RBI. He also has five doubles and a triple in that stretch. Jones had just one homer over his past 22 games until today's blast. He now has 51 RBI. Jones has hit 10 of his 17 homers on the road this year. He hit 8 homers in June and...
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Conley to Frederick

Conley to Frederick
Outfielder Brian Conley, a Gaithersburg, Maryland native and Towson University product, has been promoted from Delmarva to Frederick today. Conley, a 17th-round pick in 2008, is having his best professional season. In 98 games, he hit .270 with 16 doubles and 29 RBIs. The 24-year old ranks fourth in the South Atlantic League in on-base percentage (.393) and second in the league in walks (70). Conley was selected to the SAL All-Star Game. Recently, he was recognized as having the "Best...
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Erbe update

Erbe update
This will be a short update. A club official said Brandon Erbe's shoulder surgery yesterday "went well, better than expected." At this point, I don't have any further update but may have more later today, so check back here. Erbe has not pitched since a July 24th injury-rehab outing with Aberdeen. He was 0-10, 5.73 over 14 starts this year at Triple-A Norfolk. He was the O's third-round pick in 2005.
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At what point do O's consider long-term deal for Guthrie?

At what point do O's consider long-term deal for Guthrie?
O's pitcher Jeremy Guthrie is throwing so well now, that even on a night when he doesn't have his best command, he didn't give up a run. "I didn't have a great feel for any of my pitches and had to battle," Guthrie told reporters after pitching six innings of two-hit, shutout ball in Friday's win over Tampa. You wonder what he might have done if he felt good about how he was throwing? Guthrie continued his great second-half pitching in the win over the Rays and is 4-1, 1.51 over his...
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