Buck Showalter on pending roster move, Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop

Buck Showalter on pending roster move, Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop
The Orioles won't announce the corresponding roster move for left-hander Wei-Yin Chen until they complete batting practice. We're in a holding pattern. Executive vice president Dan Duquette has been working the phones today. He stood behind the batting cage this afternoon while the Orioles hit. Manager Buck Showalter isn't lamenting the roster crunch. "Hard roster moves mean you have good people," he said. "Sometimes, you reach a point where you can't keep them all and that's why the...

Updates on Adam Jones, Jonathan Schoop, Kevin Gausman and more

Updates on Adam Jones, Jonathan Schoop, Kevin Gausman and more
Center fielder Adam Jones won't be placed on the disabled list today unless the Orioles have a sudden change in plans. He isn't expected to be the corresponding roster move for left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. The move remains a mystery. Jones threw today for the first time since the Orioles were in Toronto, and they will place him on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday if he shows up with a sore shoulder. Jonathan Schoop worked out at Camden Yards and will play second base tonight at Double-A...

No Adam Jones in lineup as Orioles return home (with Indians lineup)

No Adam Jones in lineup as Orioles return home (with Indians lineup)
Adam Jones is not in the Orioles lineup for the fifth straight game as he continues to deal with right shoulder soreness. David Lough will get another start in center field, with Chris Davis getting a rare start in right field, his first since 2012. Wei-Yin Chen is set to start tonight's matchup against the Indians, but no corresponding roster move has been announced yet. Stay tuned. For the OriolesManny Machado 3BTravis Snider LFJimmy Paredes DHChris Davis RFChris Parmelee 1BJ.J. Hardy SSRyan...

Jonathan Schoop working out at Camden Yards

Jonathan Schoop working out at Camden Yards
Second baseman Jonathan Schoop is working out at Camden Yards today before the Orioles taking batting practice. Schoop is running sprints with vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson. Manager Buck Showalter, head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and assistant athletic trainer Brian Ebel are standing along the right field line. The drills also include Schoop running the bases, going from first to third at full speed. The Orioles could choose to activate Schoop from the disabled list...

Orioles fans vote to receive Steve Pearce bobblehead

Orioles fans vote to receive Steve Pearce bobblehead
While the Orioles figure out how to create room on their roster for starter Wei-Yin Chen, one player fighting to hold onto his spot will have a bobblehead in his likeness distributed at Camden Yards. Outfielder Steve Pearce has been selected as the AT&T Fans' Choice Bobblehead. He received more votes than Chen, closer Zach Britton, reliever Darren O'Day and starter Bud Norris. The bobblehead will be distributed on Oct. 4 to the first 25,000 fans age 15 and over as part of "Fan...

Orioles acquire minor league pitcher Richard Rodriguez (and more)

Orioles acquire minor league pitcher Richard Rodriguez (and more)
The Orioles made a minor league trade this afternoon, acquiring right-handed reliever Richard Rodriguez from the Astros for a player to be named later or cash. Rodriguez, 25, was 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 23 appearances at Triple-A Fresno. He allowed 32 hits in 42 innings, with 10 walks (two intentional) and 36 strikeouts. Opponents batted .204 against him. Rodriguez is 15-5 with a 3.60 ERA in six minor league seasons, with 49 walks and 204 strikeouts in 202 1/3 innings. He's made only 12 starts...

The challenge of making room for Wei-Yin Chen

The challenge of making room for Wei-Yin Chen
The roster moves continue for the Orioles. If you've got them memorized without taking notes, move up to the front row of the classroom. Better yet, take over for the professor. Wei-Yin Chen will be recalled from Single-A Frederick to make tonight's start against the Indians at Camden Yards. It's time to kick off another homestand after a three-city road trip. The bullpen is down to seven relievers after the Orioles optioned Mychal Givens yesterday, so a position player is expected to come...

Zach Davies named to Futures Game

Zach Davies named to Futures Game
Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Zach Davies will represent the Orioles at the 2015 All-Star Futures Game in Cincinnati. Davies has been named to the United States roster for the July 12 game at Great American Ball Park. No Orioles minor leaguers were selected to the World Team. Davies, 22, is 3-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for Norfolk this season. His ERA ranks fourth among Orioles minor leaguers and eighth in the International League. Davies, who's allowed three runs or fewer in 12 of...

Orioles option Mychal Givens (O's and Red Sox lineups)

Orioles option Mychal Givens (O's and Red Sox lineups)
The Orioles optioned reliever Mychal Givens this morning to make room for starter Miguel Gonzalez on the 25-man roster. Still waiting for the club to announce whether Givens is headed to Double-A Bowie or Triple-A Norfolk. Givens retired the Red Sox in order in the eighth inning last night in his major league debut. Nolan Reimold is starting in center field with Adam Jones on the bench. Chris Parmelee is starting at first base and Chris Davis is serving as the designated hitter. Steve Pearce is...

Miguel Gonzalez returns as Orioles try to win series

Miguel Gonzalez returns as Orioles try to win series
The Orioles and Red Sox are playing the rubber match this afternoon at Fenway Park after splitting the first two games of the series. The Orioles need to bounce back after allowing five unearned runs last night. And yes, you see what I did there. Did anyone else think J.J. Hardy looked uncomfortable while running the bases after reaching on Dustin Pedroia's errant throw on an attempted double play? Something didn't look right. Mychal Givens retired the side in order in the eighth inning and...

Orioles recall T.J. McFarland

Orioles recall T.J. McFarland
The Orioles made another roster move this afternoon, recalling left-hander T.J. McFarland from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning right-hander Oliver Drake. McFarland gives the Orioles a long reliever for their eight-man bullpen. He was optioned on June 14, making him eligible to return today without replacing an injured player. McFarland allowed baserunners in all 10 of his relief appearances with the Orioles despite posting a 1.93 ERA. He walked eight batters in 9 1/3 innings. The Orioles wanted...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (and notes)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (and notes)
Adam Jones is missing from the Orioles' lineup tonight for the sixth time in the last eight games due to a sore right shoulder. David Lough remains in center field, and manager Buck Showalter is going with a hot bat by starting Travis Snider in left. Chris Parmelee is in right field. The Orioles have won six straight games against the Red Sox in the same season for the first time since 1961, according to Elias. The Orioles lead the majors with a .318 average with runners in scoring position,...

Does Travis Snider start tonight?

Does Travis Snider start tonight?
So, you're Orioles manager Buck Showalter and you need to write out tonight's lineup while also trying to forget that a garden gnome in your name is being distributed this week. Do you give Travis Snider another start or put him on the bench? Snider has six hits in his last 10 at-bats, including a double and triple. He's 10-for-24 in his last seven games, with four doubles, a triple, a home run, four RBIs and seven runs scored. It sounds like an easy decision until you check his career...

Taking a closer look at the offense

Taking a closer look at the offense
It's so interesting to watch certain Orioles producing at the plate and in the field as speculation mounts regarding their security on the roster. Chris Parmelee, 1-for-10 in his last three games with an at-bat, tripled and doubled last night in his first two trips to the plate. David Lough hit a three-run homer - his third home run since June 13. Jimmy Paredes greeted Red Sox reliever Robbie Ross with an RBI single, and he singled again in the ninth. Travis Snider singled and walked in his...

Jones remains out of Orioles lineup

Jones remains out of Orioles lineup
Adam Jones could be inching closer to the disabled list. Jones is out of the Orioles lineup tonight for the fifth time in the last seven games. He hasn't played center field since June 15 due to a sore right shoulder, serving twice as the designated hitter. Yesterday's off-day didn't alleviate the problem. Update: Jones told reporters in Boston that he's confident he will avoid the DL, but he may not play before Friday. That's the word on Twitter. David Lough is starting in center field...

Looking at tonight's game and the roster crunch

Looking at tonight's game and the roster crunch
The Orioles are back in Boston for the first time since April 17-20, when they split four games, lost their starting pitcher to an ejection and lost their starting second baseman to a knee injury. Ubaldo Jimenez was tossed in the opener after hitting Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval on the right shoulder with two outs in the fourth inning. He hadn't allowed a hit or a run, but he walked three batters and nailed Sandoval. Plate umpire Jordan Baker decided that a gross overreaction was in...

Jones drops and Machado moves up in All-Star voting (with note)

Jones drops and Machado moves up in All-Star voting (with note)
Orioles center fielder Adam Jones has dropped from fifth to seventh place in American League All-Star voting in the latest results released today by Major League Baseball. Third baseman Manny Machado has moved up from fifth to fourth. No other Oriole is listed among the leaders. Machado has received 1,364,207 votes to leapfrog Texas' Adrian Beltre (1,239,508). Detroit's Miguel Cabrera has passed Kansas City's Eric Hosmer for first place among first basemen. The Angels' Mike Trout now leads...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles have reached another open date on their schedule, giving them a free day in Boston to load up on chowder and expensive haircuts. (I haven't forgotten mine. Next time, take the offer of a glass of champagne while you wait as a clue that the cost is going to reach triple figures - without tip.) The Orioles are 36-33 and three games out of first place. Last season, they were 35-34 and five games out of first place after a 5-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. * The Orioles will...

Reversing a splits theory (Tillman's short start and a 13-9 win)

Reversing a splits theory (Tillman's short start and a 13-9 win)
I passed along Scott Copeland's reverse splits in my morning blog entry, suggesting that the Orioles might want to load up on right-handers against the Toronto starter. Left-handers were hitting .259 against him, but righties were batting .333. With Adam Jones out of the lineup, manager Buck Showalter put David Lough in center field and inserted switch-hitting Jimmy Paredes as the designated hitter. He started Travis Snider in left, Chris Parmelee in right, Chris Davis at first base, Ryan...

Notes on draft signings, rotation, Wright, Joseph and more

Notes on draft signings, rotation, Wright, Joseph and more
The Orioles announced the signings of two more picks from the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, adding left-hander Garrett Cleavinger (third round) and right-hander Gray Fenter (seventh). They've got 30 of their selections under contract. The Orioles are listing Thursday's starter at Fenway Park as TBD, but it's expected to be Miguel Gonzalez, who allowed two runs and four hits over five innings last night at Double-A Bowie. He walked one and struck out four. Ubaldo Jimenez opposes Joe Kelly on...