The frustration level mounts

The frustration level mounts
So the O's are losing 3-0 and have hit into double plays in the last two innings. How is your day going? It can be maddening as the team kills rallies with double-play grounders. Garrett Atkins hit into a twin killing in the 4th and Adam Jones in the 5th. Atkins has driven in just one run over his last 18 games. That's 18 games. He has knocked in one run since April 17. He is batting 6 for 24 on the year with runners in scoring position, although it feels worse than that. Jones is 5...
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Alberto is back

Alberto is back
Alberto Castillo is back in the O's bullpen. With Mark Hendrickson starting today, we now know why Castillo was summoned when Rhyne Hughes was optioned. Hendrickson starting today meant one less lefty for the pen and the 34-year-old southpaw from Cuba is back. He began the year at Norfolk, was recalled by Baltimore April 20 and went back to Triple-A just 11 days ago. He hopes this will be a longer stay in the Majors, but knows there are no promises. "They never say that. I don't know...
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No second guessing from Wieters (plus AAA news)

No second guessing from Wieters (plus AAA news)
Some may be second guessing why Alfredo Simon threw a split-finger pitch on an 0-2 count to Austin Kearns in the ninth inning last night. Kearns hit the pitch for a three-run homer and 4-2 Cleveland lead. Catcher Matt Wieters, who called for the pitch, won't second guess that decision. "No, once it's over, it's over, you can't take it back. Second guess, you can't do it in this game." Wieters felt the splitter has been a solid pitch for Simon. The count was 0-2 and he called for a...
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A few more notes and quotes from Saturday's loss

A few more notes and quotes from Saturday's loss
Lost a bit in the O's bullpen meltdown Saturday night was that Brian Matusz did not give up a run over seven innings vs. Cleveland. Matusz was coming off his worst start of the year, when he gave up six runs last Sunday vs. Minnesota. But he was not necessarily motivated by that effort on Saturday, he said. But he pitched shutout ball and it was the first time in 16 career Major League starts that he did not allow a single run. "I forgot about the last start. I don't think about that. ...
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My take on "the pitch"

My take on "the pitch"
I don't second guess Alfredo Simon, a pitcher who has recently thrown some nasty split-finger pitches, for going with that pitch on that 0-2 offering to Austin Kearns in the ninth Saturday. To me it was much more about pitch location rather than pitch selection there, although Dave Trembley would not offer an opinion on pitch selection there after the game. But you need to bury that splitter on 0-2 and Simon had been doing that for the most part while going 5 for 5 in save chances. This...
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Simon talks about the ninth inning

Simon talks about the ninth inning
After the game, Dave Trembley said he did not want to say publicly if he agreed with Alfredo Simon throwing a split-finger pitch on that 0-2 count to Austin Kearns in the ninth inning. The pitch found the middle of the plate and was not low in the zone as you intend with the splitter and Kearns three-run homer gave Cleveland a 4-2 lead. Alfredo Simon talks with the media about his blown save in the O's 8-2 loss "It was a split ball that didn't do too much. It was up and they got a good...
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Hughes talks about heading back to Triple-A

Hughes talks about heading back to Triple-A
In the quiet of the Orioles clubhouse, Rhyne Hughes was gracious enough to talk about the news he got after the game, that he has been optioned back to Triple-A. "I'm just going back down to Norfolk, I'll meet those guys I guess on Tuesday. "He told me to go down there and find my swing again. Hopefully I'll just go down there and do what I was doing before and get things going again. Just be ready when they are ready for me to come back, that's all." Hughes was batting .213-0-4 in...
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O's pen melts down in ninth of 8-2 loss

O's pen melts down in ninth of 8-2 loss
Talk about a ninth-inning meltdown. After getting out of jam after jam for eight innings, the O's pitching staff, living on the edge, toppled over the edge in the top of the ninth. Alfredo Simon, who had been five for five in save chances, came on to try and preserve a 2-0 win for Brian Matusz. With one out, he gave up a single, walk and RBI single to Shin-Soo Choo to cut the O's lead to 2-1. Then he made a huge mistake, serving up a fat 0-2 pitch that Austin Kearns hit out to left for a...
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Matusz and O's lead at the halfway mark (w-updates)

Matusz and O's lead at the halfway mark (w-updates)
Ty Wigginton's 11th homer of the year, which came on a 414-foot shot to left in the second inning, has the O's up on Cleveland 1-0 through four and a half innings. Brian Matusz, touched for six runs in just 3 2/3 Sunday at Minnesota, has not been scored on through five tonight. Matusz has pitched out of the stretch in each frame and Cleveland has left seven on base through five. Matusz has thrown 79 pitches and stranded two runners each in the third and fourth. The O's tonight are...
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Ohman remains "O-man" in ERA

Ohman remains "O-man" in ERA
The O's bullpen has been pitching much better lately with an ERA of 1.65 over the last 12 games. Several pitchers are throwing well out of the pen right now. A list that includes first-year Oriole Will Ohman. Turns out he is more than a funny guy. He is also turning out to be more than a left-handed specialist. In fact this year, lefties bat .231 vs. Ohman and right-handers hit .200 vs. him. "The one difficulty with carrying that label (of lefty specialist) is the splits are so glaring...
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A Matusz matter

A Matusz matter
As good as Brian Matusz has been for most of this year, there is one trend when he pitches that needs some improving on his part. With each succeeding plate appearance during the game, opponent batters hit Matusz better according to stats posted at baseball-reference.com That can and does happen to many pitchers, but it is something worth noting about Matusz and Dave Trembley has taken note of it, too. "I think his curveball could get better. He relies on his changeup a lot. If he...
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Did You Know...

Did You Know...
*That even though the Orioles offense has produced 19 runs over the last three games, several players are currently in or have recently been in RBI droughts. Atkins - Just 1 RBI his last 17 games Markakis: Has 0 RBI his last 6 games and 3 in 12 games Scott: Had just 2 RBI in a recent 10-game stretch, but now has 7 RBI the last three games. Tejada - Recently went 10 games without an RBI, but now has 5 over the last three games. Wieters: Just 1 RBI his last 10 games *The O's bullpen is on...
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Guthrie and Millwood are showing the way

Guthrie and Millwood are showing the way
Jeremy Guthrie and Kevin Millwood are coming up big for the Orioles this year. They are providing veteran leadership for the younger pitchers, but just as important, they are eating up innings and carrying the bulk of the load to lessen that load for Matusz, Bergesen and Hernandez. In his last three starts, Millwood has pitched 8, 7 and 6 2/3 innings. Over his last three, Guthrie has thrown 7, 6 2/3 and 8 innings. They are giving the team quality outings as well and have kept their team in...
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Clubhouse quotes after the O's 8-1 win over Cleveland

Clubhouse quotes after the O's 8-1 win over Cleveland
On a night the O's were 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position in the first five innings, they went 3 for 5 while scoring four in the 6th to beat the Tribe 8-1. They are 3-1 on this homestand and 10-8 over the last 18 games. Here are quotes from four Birds after the game. Jeremy Guthrie on his outing tonight: "Felt good out there. Really was able to keep the fastball down for the most part and get some ground balls, which was good. We made some good plays on defense and the hitters...
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Guthrie and O's romp over the Tribe

Guthrie and O's romp over the Tribe
For the Orioles, it was their most lopsided win of the year. They beat Cleveland 8-1 behind Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie beat the organization that drafted him in the first round in 2002 and is now 2-0 in two career starts vs. Cleveland. After giving up a first-inning run, he retired 16 batters in a row and on the night gave up just two hits and one run over eight innings. He threw 113 pitches and is now 2-4, 4.13 on the season. He has recorded six quality starts among his eight...
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Corey's catch (with updates)

Corey's catch (with updates)
Corey Patterson is winning the fans over quickly at Camden Yards. He just made a leaping catch at the wall to end the top of the third and rob Shin-Soo Choo of his fifth homer. This after he led off the bottom of the first with a ground single to center. He just led off the last of the third with another single and is now 5 for 11 as an Oriole. So he cut down a run at the plate to end yesterday's game and kept a run off the board today in the third. O's trail 1-0 in the last of the...
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We are now underway (plus Norfolk roster move)

We are now underway (plus Norfolk roster move)
Play Ball: As of 8:12p, we are underway at Camden Yards after a rain delay of one hour and seven minutes. It's 74 degrees at gametime. Jeremy Guthrie is pitching vs. Justin Masterson in game one of this O's vs. Cleveland weekend series. From earlier: The grounds crew is putting the tarp on the field here at Camden Yards. It's getting darker and rain is on the way. We'll see how long before tonight's scheduled game begins. In the meantime, please leave any comments or questions...
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The pen is mightier

The pen is mightier
The Orioles are 9-8 over the last 17 games. That sure beats 2-16. There are many reasons the team has a winning record in that stretch. But Dave Trembley cited his improved and remodeled bullpen as a big reason today during his pre-game media session. "It's real simple. When you pitch, when you hit, when you catch the ball, you have a chance to win. When you get two out of three, you're in it. "When we've lost, we've not had timely hitting and our pitching has not been very good. ...
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Updating the Indians

Updating the Indians
Cleveland is 13-19 on the year and 2-1 on its current eight-game road trip after winning two of three at Kansas City. The Indians are 7-11 in road games and 4-6 in May. Cleveland has played one series versus an AL East team and was swept three straight by Toronto last week. The Indians, who have won seven of their last ten games against the Orioles, have dropped six of their last nine overall. Indians hot hitters: Asdrubal Cabrera: Batting .364 with six multi-hit games in his last ten...
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Erbe starting to put it together at Triple-A

Erbe starting to put it together at Triple-A
Right-hander Brandon Erbe pitched seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball for Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday as he continues to improve his stats after his first four starts. The 22-year-old began the year with an ERA of 8.35 after four starts. But his ERA is 3.37 over his last three starts for Norfolk. "I tried not to pay too much attention to the numbers, but rather the way I was pitching. Even early on, I would throw three straight scoreless than just one inning things didn't work out. ...
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