masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles finally start playing again and now they’re off.
This break in the schedule was planned. The Orioles will fly to Tampa later tonight, which wasn’t supposed to happen until the three-game series moved south.
Manager Buck Showalter considered holding a workout today at Camden Yards, but he wanted to check whether his team was rusty after back-to-back postponements. The Orioles batted around in the first inning, scoring six runs, and defeated the White Sox 8-2.
Didn’t look rusty to…

The Orioles finally start playing again and now they’re off.

This break in the schedule was planned. The Orioles will fly to Tampa later tonight, which wasn’t supposed to happen until the three-game series moved south.

Manager Buck Showalter considered holding a workout today at Camden Yards, but he wanted to check whether his team was rusty after back-to-back postponements. The Orioles batted around in the first inning, scoring six runs, and defeated the White Sox 8-2.

Didn’t look rusty to me.

The Orioles are riding a season-high three-game winning streak. It sounds like a short ride, but it counts. They’ll be the home team for the weekend series at Tropicana Field, which means the gray road pants stay in Baltimore.

The Rays are selling $15 general admission tickets to the Friday and Sunday games and $18 general admission tickets on Saturday. The Orioles were allowed to choose the starting times and, giving the series a Camden Yards feel, went with 7:05 p.m. the first two nights and 1:35 p.m. on Sunday.

The Rays told their media that they’re going to offer a “generic” presentation for the games. The Oriole Bird is invited to show up. I assume that D.J. Kitty will find another gig or just lay low for the weekend.

Orioles fans have been known to take over Tropicana Field, so the atmosphere doesn’t figure to be too unsettling. The team just played in an empty ballpark. How much stranger can it get?

flaherty-swinging-white-sidebar.jpgInfielder Ryan Flaherty has been watching televised footage of the protests and rioting in Baltimore, but he’s been able to stay out of harm’s way.

“(Tuesday) was a little bit weird driving to the field and seeing armored tanks and stuff, but the Federal Hill side isn’t bad,” he said. “I haven’t been to the other side, so I don’t really know. It was kind of surreal leaving the stadium on Monday, the sirens. That was a little bit eerie. But personally I haven’t seen anything.

“I’ve actually kept the news on in my apartment. Even when I went to the field I left it on. It’s kind of a crazy situation.”

Flaherty, on the disabled list with a groin injury, sat in the dugout yesterday while the Orioles and White Sox played a game without fans in the seats. The attendance was announced as “zero.”

“It’s never happened in baseball, maybe even professional sports. It’s surreal, but it just goes to show that there’s more important things going on in the city than just a baseball game.” Flaherty said.

“It’s sad. I’ve been here four years now and I like the city a lot. It’s a nice city and it’s sad to see that happen and hopefully it ends in a peaceful manner.”

Flaherty is trying to get back in the lineup. He took 75 swings yesterday and is approaching a rehab assignment.

“I feel good. I hit today in batting practice and I’ve been throwing and stuff. It feels good,” he said.

“We haven’t discussed the exact date but it feels good and I’m sure it’ll be pretty soon.”

J.J. Hardy took some swings yesterday after receiving a cortisone injection in his left shoulder Saturday and being shut down. He still hasn’t played a single game for the Orioles or one of their affiliates this season.

“I think the cortisone has worked,” he said.

And if yesterday’s session went well?

“Start progressing more,” he said. “Just doing more baseball activities and working up to the games.”

Hardy will accompany the Orioles to Tampa and continue his workouts, which most likely eliminates the chance of starting his rehab assignment over the weekend.

“Probably not for at least these three days down in Tampa, but hopefully right around there when we come back here after Tampa, it would be nice to go play somewhere,” Hardy said.

“It’s hard to say. Like I said last time, I thought two weekends ago was realistic and then it didn’t work out. And then I figured this last weekend was going to be it and it didn’t work out. So I’m really not putting a timetable on it, but I’m hoping. I’m hoping for it.”

Triple-A Norfolk knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa held Buffalo to one run and three hits over six innings yesterday.

Brandon Snyder hit his first home run since signing a minor league deal and being assigned to Double-A Bowie. Dylan Bundy struck out five batters over three scoreless innings and didn’t allow a hit or walk a batter.

Major League Baseball released the All-Star ballots yesterday and it includes nine Orioles – Hardy, first baseman Steve Pearce, second baseman Jonathan Schoop, third baseman Manny Machado, designated hitter Chris Davis, catcher Caleb Joseph and outfielders Alejandro De Aza, Adam Jones and Travis Snider.

Hardy makes it on the ballot, but catcher Matt Wieters is excluded. Davis is slotted as the designated hitter instead of the first baseman.

The 86th All-Star Game will be held on July 14th at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. For the first time, balloting will be conducted exclusively online, with fans casting their votes for starters 35 times exclusively at MLB.com and all 30 team web sites.

I’m glad that I grew up in an era when I could sit in the stands and use a pencil to punch out the holes on a paper ballot, and try desperately to replace the little square when I accidentally poked the wrong one.