masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgI woke up this morning feeling older than usual, knowing that the Astros selected Delino DeShield’s son last night with the eighth overall pick in the first-year draft.

Bop Jr. was just another kid hanging around the Orioles’ clubhouse after games. Now he’s going to play professional ball.

The years keep flying by. If only I could figure out a way to slow them down a little.

It’s always interesting in any draft to see which players pull a Brady Quinn and tumble down the board…I woke up this morning feeling older than usual, knowing that the Astros selected Delino DeShield’s son last night with the eighth overall pick in the first-year draft.

Bop Jr. was just another kid hanging around the Orioles’ clubhouse after games. Now he’s going to play professional ball.

The years keep flying by. If only I could figure out a way to slow them down a little.

It’s always interesting in any draft to see which players pull a Brady Quinn and tumble down the board unexpectedly. Arkansas third baseman Zack Cox was projected last month by Baseball America to go to the Indians with the fifth pick, but he lasted until the Cardinals chose 25th.

If you’re sitting at work wondering why today feels special, it’s because Michael Gonzalez is scheduled to throw off a mound again in Sarasota. His last bullpen session on Saturday didn’t go well – bad velocity and location – so he was instructed to take off two days and try again.

And so it continues…

Brian Roberts will have his back examined today by a specialist in St. Petersburg. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list tomorrow, which is an empty date on the schedule. It means nothing. The Orioles would settle for June. Whenever.

And so it continues…

What are the odds that Gonzalez and Roberts have season-ending surgery later this summer?

The closer and the leadoff hitter. Whatever could go wrong has gone wrong in 2010.

I’d give you a Koji Uehara update if I had one. I’m told he was on one of the back fields at Ed Smith Stadium yesterday, but just doing some light running drills with his trainer. I don’t think that qualifies as an actual update.

I’ll be back at Camden Yards tonight after yesterday’s “break,” still wondering whether Kevin Millwood will win one game before the non-waiver trade deadline.

What are the chances that he ends 2010 as an Oriole? I’m thinking pretty slim.

Millwood owes the Yankees after they battered him for six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in his last start. He walked four and gave up two home runs.

In his career, Millwood is 2-5 with a 5.15 ERA in 11 games against New York.

A few more numbers: Derek Jeter is 10-for-27 (.370) against him, with a double and two home runs. Robinson Cano is 9-for-23 (.391) with a double and home run. Mark Teixeira is 6-for-17 (.353) with two doubles and a home run. Nick Swisher is 12-for-35 (.343) with two doubles, three homers and seven RBIs.

The Orioles are facing Phil Hughes, who’s 7-1 with a 2.54 ERA this season and held the Orioles to one run over seven innings in his last start.

Feeling any better about tonight?