masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOAKLAND, Calf. – The Orioles lineup that took on a different look last night, with Tim Beckham leading off and Adam Jones batting fourth, has an even different look tonight. Chris Davis, who sat out last night, is back in the lineup, but batting seventh for the first time this season.
Yesterday manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to give Davis a break and he sat out. He said then Davis could get a second day off, but he’s back in there tonight trying to snap a 2-for-25 slump.
“He’s ready…

OAKLAND, Calf. – The Orioles lineup that took on a different look last night, with Tim Beckham leading off and Adam Jones batting fourth, has an even different look tonight. Chris Davis, who sat out last night, is back in the lineup, but batting seventh for the first time this season.

Buck-Showalter-dugout-railing.jpgYesterday manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to give Davis a break and he sat out. He said then Davis could get a second day off, but he’s back in there tonight trying to snap a 2-for-25 slump.

“He’s ready to go,” Showalter said. “We talked. Got a little mental break and back in there. We’re going to need him. He’s capable of doing really good things for us. We felt like it would be a day. Is that newsworthy?”

You could argue yes with former middle of the order batters hitting lower in the order. Mark Trumbo, who has hit mostly fourth and fifth this year, was dropped to sixth last night, hit a homer and is back batting sixth tonight, one spot ahead of Davis.

“That’s pretty good, huh?” Showalter said. “Having those guys down there. I’m telling you, it doesn’t mean that much to them. I know it does to people you guys are trying to report for. Maybe take a little…but you don’t take heat off guys. They put pressure on themselves. It is a number.

“I like the idea of having some threats all the way through the lineup. We’ve got some guys that have done well towards the top and some guys that have done well towards the bottom. I like the depth of our lineup. It is more about the pitching. That is what I am more concerned about.”

Along those lines, Chris Tillman remains in the Orioles bullpen. And we await his first major league relief appearance. He’s been available out of the bullpen since Sunday, but has yet to pitch. He last worked a week ago last night when he pitched at Oriole Park against Detroit. He went two-plus innings allowing six hits and seven runs (five earned). Tillman has had seven days rest now. He is 1-7 with an 8.10 ERA on the year over 15 starts. Is there becoming a sense of urgency to get him in a game?

“We’re trying to win baseball games every night. If him pitching helps us with that, then we’ll do that. It’s that time of year. It’s always that time of year. If Chris has an element that we’re in need of that given night, he’ll pitch. Like I said, I think we’ll have a need for him starting again,” Showalter said.

The A’s made a late lineup change. Boog Powell, just acquired Sunday from the Mariners, was listed to start in center field and bat ninth. Now Rajai Davis will start in that spot. Powell was scratched due to an illness. This Boog is not related to the former Oriole.