Josh Land

Dillon Atkinson: Identity of 2016 Orioles should be revealed by All-Star break

June 01, 2016, 5:37am

Orioles

After posting a 14-9 record in April to start the season, the Orioles followed up with a rocky month of May, going 14-13 during that span. Prior to the series in Houston last week, the O's were 12-7 in May, which means they went just 2-6 to cap off the month. If you're an O's fan, I'm sure you've been pretty frustrated over the past week or so. Both the pitching and offense seem so flat. In the past two weeks, the Orioles' pitching staff has a 4.50 ERA (5.08 FIP). A few weeks ago, my...

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Charlie Fliegel: Nats bullpen has been a strength so far this season

June 01, 2016, 5:17am

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: Nats bullpen has been a strength so far this season

It looked like one of their biggest weaknesses coming in to the 2016 season, and yet, almost a third of the way through the year, the Nationals bullpen has been a strength. Among National League bullpens, it ranks first in ERA, second in OPS against and first in K/BB ratio. Yet, only Shawn Kelley (eighth), Sammy Solis (15th) and Yusmeiro Petit (37th) rank in the top 40 in ERA among NL relievers. In terms of WPA (Win Probability Added), Felipe Rivero is 14th in the NL, Petit is 26th and the rest...

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Orioles recall catcher Francisco Pena from Triple-A Norfolk, place catcher Caleb Joseph on 15-day disabled list

May 31, 2016, 11:27am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled catcher Francisco Pena from Triple-A Norfolk and placed catcher Caleb Joseph on the 15-day disabled list with a testicular injury suffered in the May 30 game vs. Boston. PeÃ±a, 26, batted .200/.241/.250 (16-for-80) with two doubles, a triple, and six RBI in 24 games with Triple-A Norfolk this season. He hit safely in five of his last six games with the Tides, batting .353/.421/.353 (6-for-17) in that span. Over 808 career minor league...

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Steve Mears: Monday's Nats win paid homage to another skipper's philosophy

May 31, 2016, 5:07am

Nationals

Steve Mears: Monday's Nats win paid homage to another skipper's philosophy

The Nationals got a big look at the in-game management style of Joe Maddon earlier in the month in Chicago where they played a four-game series. Maddon also has many philosophies that he shares as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, and his 'TryNot To Suck' advice might have started as a joke, but it is at the core of one of Maddon's core principles that if you are going to 'suck' at one part of your game you had better find other ways to help your team win. Maddon turned the 'Try Not To...

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Ryan Romano: O'Day defying odds with success in crunch time

May 31, 2016, 4:57am

Orioles

Ryan Romano: O'Day defying odds with success in crunch time

Darren O'Day has always defied expectations. He went from a walk-on at the University ofFlorida to the team's closer. After going undrafted out of college, he signed with the Angels,then shot through the minors and got a regular role with the Mets and Rangers. And whenTexas let him walk following an ugly 2011 campaign, he signed with the Orioles and took offonce more. O'Day's profile certainly fits the underdog mold; he's excelled despite anunderwhelming arsenal and a cringe-inducing...

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Andrew Stetka: Orioles' lineup shuffle comes without true leadoff hitter

May 29, 2016, 8:12pm

Orioles

It'd be really easy to get all fired up and stomp my foot at Ubaldo Jimenez to start this week. There are a ton of questions as to what the Orioles do with him going forward and how they deal with his struggles. Instead, I'm going to go a different route. I've been really interested in what Buck Showalter is doing with his lineup over the last few days. He's mixed things up and thrown guys around in a way that made me scratch my head once the lineup was posted. He's been handed a lineup...

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Marty Niland: Stephen Strasburg proving he is better

May 29, 2016, 7:58pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Stephen Strasburg proving he is better

So where are the Stephen Strasburg trolls now? A year ago, they were out in force, but a guy who was once seen by some as a first-round bust seems to have quieted them, maybe for good. Remember last year, when Strasburg was lifted from a game in Cincinnati after just one batter into the second inning with tightness in his upper back? It was the fifth straight game where he lasted five innings or fewer, and the fourth in five when he didn't make it to four. Strasburg was 3-5 with a 6.55 ERA at...

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Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Nine Innings to Success"

May 28, 2016, 12:39pm

Orioles

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Nine Innings to Success"

My early look into the workings of Jim Palmer's "Nine innings to Success: A Hall of Famer's Approach to Achieving Excellence," released just last week, was when he asked me to do a personal written comment for one of the chapters: It was on "appreciation." Reading the galleys, I found Jim had taken his baseball experiences and set them to a nine-chapter look at achieving excellence. He discusses learning, excelling, perseverance, appreciation and more. In every chapter there are baseball...

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gary thorne hitting the books jim palmer orioles

Patrick Reddington: Murphy the right choice for Nats in offseason

May 27, 2016, 6:22am

Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Murphy the right choice for Nats in offseason

Daniel Murphy started 44 games and appeared in 46 of the Washington Nationals' first 47 games before Dusty Baker gave the veteran infielder a night off in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals last night. In those 46 games, the 31-year-old former New York Met, who signed a 3-year/$37.5M deal with the Nats this winter, put up a .394/.427/.617 line, 14 doubles, two triples and seven home runs. Murphy's 69 hits lead the majors, as does his .394 average, and his 24 multi-hit games,...

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daniel murphy dusty baker guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz patrick reddington

Matthew Taylor: Which Oriole could pull off major hitting streak?

May 27, 2016, 4:51am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: Which Oriole could pull off major hitting streak?

Hitting streaks have been on the top of many minds in Major League Baseball lately. Jackie Bradley pieced together a 29-game hit streak that ended Thursday night. That left him five games short of the Red Sox team record, held by Dom Dimaggio, which he could have been tied when the Red Sox visit Camden Yards next week. Meanwhile, MLB started its celebration of the 75th anniversary of Joe DiMaggio's record 56-game hit streak on Sunday and is pushing out daily notifications about his hit(s) on...

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Yard Work podcast: Episode 3

May 27, 2016, 4:05am

Orioles

Hey, O's fans, and welcome to the latest edition of Yard Work. On this week's episode, Steve and I recap the Orioles' road trip, which has included a solid three-game series win against the Angels and a mystifying and frustrating three-game sweep at the hands of the Astros. During the series in Houston, there were strikeouts aplenty, though the majority came from the Baltimore dugout. Is there any reason to panic? We'll discuss. Also, we'll take a look back at the trade the Orioles made...

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New Oriole Garden unveiled at Camden Yards (with video)

May 26, 2016, 9:19am

Orioles

New Oriole Garden unveiled at Camden Yards (with video)

It's safe to say Camden Yards has seen its fair share of showers this season. Bring on the flowers. For those fans who adhere to the age-old adage, there is a bit of good news. Thanks in large part to the National Wildlife Foundation and the Orioles, the flowers are here, and they are beautiful. Earlier today, both parties presented the new Oriole Garden, planted by members of the National Wildlife Federation's Grow Together campaign. The initiative is a collaboration of Baltimore residents...

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brian eller oriole garden orioles orioles buzz

Opposite dugout: Cardinals still trying to figure things out

May 26, 2016, 6:10am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Cardinals still trying to figure things out

Manager: Mike Matheny (5th season) Record: 24-23 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: SS Aledmys Diaz (.331, 24 RBIs), 3B Matt Carpenter (9 HR, 32 RBIs), RF Stephen Piscotty (.328, 5 HR, 26 RBI), RHP Trevor Rosenthal (8 saves, 2.25 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-3 Pitching probables: May 26: RHP Mike Leake vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 27: LHP Jaime Garcia vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 28: RHP Adam Wainwright vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:15 p.m., FOXMay 28: RHP Michael Wacha...

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Zach Wilt: What is the Orioles' true identity in 2016?

May 26, 2016, 5:01am

Orioles

When the Orioles began the season 7-0, they set fans' expectations high for 2016 right out of the gate. Then a month later, they matched that seven-game winning streak with another as the team surged to a 23-12 record on May 14. A division title or playoff berth would be the only thing to satisfy Charm City this season. As with any team playing 162 games, the Birds have cooled. They've matched their season-high losing streak, three games, are 2-3 on their current road trip and have lost six...

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David Huzzard: Trea Turner is the first wave of improvement

May 26, 2016, 4:39am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Trea Turner is the first wave of improvement

In late July 2015, the Washington Nationals held a three-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East. A couple of weeks later, they were eight games back. It was a depressing and shocking turn of events for Nats fans. Injuries played a role in the Nationals' struggles as several stars returned to the lineup and performed worse than those they replaced. But it wasn't just that the Nationals struggled. The Mets took advantage of the Nationals' struggles and it was partly due...

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danny espinosa david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz trea turner

Dillon Atkinson: A decision must be made regarding Kim

May 25, 2016, 5:09am

Orioles

Dillon Atkinson: A decision must be made regarding Kim

When an outfielder on a ballclub has made eight starts in the team's 43 games, what role would you think he has? Would you think he was a right-handed hitting platoon outfielder who only started against left-handed pitchers? Would you think he was a fourth outfielder whose primary use was as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement late in games? I would assume one of the two, but neither is the case with the Orioles. In this situation, this is left-handed hitting left fielder Hyun Soo...

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Charlie Fliegel: It's time for Nats to call Turner to majors

May 24, 2016, 9:25pm

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: It's time for Nats to call Turner to majors

The Nationals' offense has made some strides in the last few weeks now that Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon and Ben Revere have started hitting. Unfortunately, Danny Espinosa has yet to get on track, and it's time to consider making a move there. Espinosa's hit a paltry .203/.305/.287 this season, and it's bad even if you dismiss his early performance as a slow start. Going back to April 29, he has hit .224/.302/.353, which is the best sample you can get leading up to today. This may be...

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charlie fliegel guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz trea turner

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "All Quiet on the Western Front"

May 24, 2016, 6:45pm

Perhaps it is because it was so simply written from the heart. Perhaps it is because the story has no end. Perhaps it is because we continue to hope the reality of this book will someday sink in. Whatever the reasons, "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque has remained as one of, if not the one, greatest book about war from those who fight it. This is the story of young German signing up for World War I, full of the enthusiasm and bravado of young men sent to war by...

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gary thorne hitting the books sarasota

Steve Mears: Opportunity in offing as Zimmerman awaits blessed event

May 24, 2016, 2:24pm

Nationals

Steve Mears: Opportunity in offing as Zimmerman awaits blessed event

Have you looked lately to see what the one-two punch for the Syracuse Chiefs have been doing? Trea Turner and Brian Goodwin are just tearing up Triple-A while wreaking havoc on the base paths. They are usually running the bases two times a game if they get up five times since both are hovering around a .380 on-base percentage and have found other ways to get on base. Both are almost certain locks to be called up in September or sooner, and the Nationals might have a need real soon as it turns...

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brian goodwin clint robinson guest blogger guestblogger matt den dekker nationals nationals buzz pedro severino ryan zimmerman steve mears trea turner

Orioles select contract of LHP Ashur Tolliver from Double-A Bowie

May 24, 2016, 12:54pm

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Ashur Tolliver from Double-A Bowie. Tolliver, 28, went 1-1 with a 2.42 ERA (7 ER/26.0 IP), two saves, and 25 strikeouts in 18 games with the Baysox this season, including holding left-handed hitters to a .212 batting average (7-for-33). Originally selected by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, he went 9-9 with a 3.12 ERA (92 ER/265.2 IP), seven saves, and 253 strikeouts over...