Roch Kubatko

Orioles entering big series in Bronx

July 20, 2015, 6:44pm

Orioles

If the Orioles are going to chip away at the Yankees' division lead, this is the week to do it. And by "chipping," I mean taking chunks out of it. The Orioles trail the Yankees by four games as they venture into the Bronx. They won two of three games in April at Camden Yards, lost three of four in May at Yankee Stadium and won two of three again in June at Camden Yards. The Yankees are 27-17 at home this season and the Orioles are 19-27 on the road, though they won two straight in Detroit...

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Orioles sign first player from MLB Development Centers

July 20, 2015, 10:26am

Orioles

The Orioles announced today that they signed free agent infielder Gui Yuan "Itchy" Xu, 19, to a minor league contract for 2016. Xu (pronounced "Shoo") is the first player signed by a major league team from the MLB Development Centers. He's listed at 6 feet and 188 lbs. The Orioles will assign Xu to the Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota. MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reports that Xu signed for $10,000. Xu, a left-handed hitting and left-handed throwing infielder, is a native of Shenzhen, China,...

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This, that and the other

July 19, 2015, 8:22pm

Orioles

While wondering where to get my "I Heart Shutdown Innings" tattoo ... The Orioles are off today after a grueling three-game series following the All-Star break. They must be exhausted. How's a team supposed to catch its collective breath? They also were off prior to the three-game series against the Nationals at Camden Yards that led into the break. That's six open dates on the schedule within a 12-day period. Manager Buck Showalter would prefer to have the off days spread out, but you play...

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Schoop still sizzling in 9-3 win

July 19, 2015, 12:39pm

Orioles

If it makes sense to keep Manny Machado at the top of the order rather than risk cooling off his bat, it also seems right to keep Jonathan Schoop near the bottom. It ain't broke. Schoop is on a serious tear since coming off the disabled list, and the Orioles are fortunate that he didn't sustain a serious tear in his right knee. He went 2-for-4 today with a home run and three RBIs in the Orioles' 9-3 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park and is 11-for-32 (.344) with three homers and seven RBis...

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Notes on Tillman, Machado, Schoop, Britton, Matusz and more

July 19, 2015, 7:55am

Orioles

Notes on Tillman, Machado, Schoop, Britton, Matusz and more

I loaded up my morning blog entry on information related to Chris Tillman's one-hit gem last night against the Tigers at Comerica Park. As it turns out, there's more stuff to pass along. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tillman is the only Orioles pitcher since the franchise relocated to Baltimore in 1954 to allow a hit to the opposition's leadoff batter and finish at least eight innings without surrendering another hit. He also did it on Sept. 28, 2012. Tillman and Joe Kennedy are the...

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Orioles and Tigers lineups

July 19, 2015, 6:54am

Orioles

Jonathan Schoop is starting at second base for the third consecutive day, a first since his knee injury, as the Orioles conclude their series in Detroit. Chris Parmelee is batting ninth again. Travis Snider is in left field. The Orioles are trying to win their first series in July. They've failed in their first four attempts. For the Orioles Manny Machado 3B Jimmy Paredes DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis RF Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Travis Snider LF Jonathan Schoop 2B Chris Parmelee 1B Miguel...

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Looking back and ahead

July 18, 2015, 8:40pm

Orioles

As I was rummaging through my mailbag again last night to make sure I didn't miss anything, I found another question stuck to the bottom. It was pretty gross, but I managed to peel it open. How long will the Orioles continue to keep Chris Tillman in the rotation? Indefinitely. Tillman is 5-0 with three no-decisions in his last eight starts. He shut out the Tigers last night on one hit over eight innings, retiring the final 23 batters that he faced. His ERA is down to 4.96, its lowest since his...

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The standings, Gausman, Parmelee, Alvarez, Tillman and more

July 18, 2015, 2:29pm

Orioles

The standings, Gausman, Parmelee, Alvarez, Tillman and more

A win tonight for the Orioles would move them within four games of the first-place Yankees in the American League East. Baby steps. The Mariners defeated the Yankees 4-3 this afternoon. The Rays trail by 3 1/2 games after defeating the Blue Jays, who currently are tied with the Orioles at 4 1/2 games back. The Orioles' roster didn't undergo any changes heading into tonight's game in Detroit, but another move is on the horizon after manager Buck Showalter confirmed to reporters that Kevin...

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Orioles and Tigers lineups

July 18, 2015, 11:21am

Orioles

Matt Wieters remains in the Orioles lineup tonight against the Tigers, serving as the designated hitter against David Price. Wieters' .366 career average against Price is the second-highest among players with 40 or more at-bats behind Jacoby Ellsbury (.375). Steve Pearce is playing first base and batting second, and Nolan Reimold is playing left field and batting eighth. For the Orioles Manny Machado 3B Steve Pearce 1B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters DH Chris Davis RF J.J. Hardy SS Jonathan Schoop...

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About last night and tonight ...

July 17, 2015, 8:50pm

Orioles

The Orioles are under .500 for the first time since June 11, when they swept the Red Sox at Camden Yards to improve their record to 29-30. They were in the midst of a stretch where they won 18 of 23 games. They were headed in the right direction. Inconsistent starting pitching and the inability to hit with runners in scoring position have conspired to drag down the Orioles like anchors tied to their ankles. A shutdown inning here and there also would be nice. Now they get All-Star left-hander...

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Orioles catch break with Miguel Cabrera on disabled list

July 17, 2015, 12:43pm

Orioles

The Orioles and Tigers enter tonight's series opener at Comerica Park with identical 44-44 records, both clubs in third place in their respective divisions. The Tigers continue to lead the majors with a .281 average and .337 on-base percentage and rank third with a .434 slugging percentage, but Miguel Cabrera's absence should be felt in this series. J.D. Martinez has picked up the slack with his 25 home runs, but Cabrera owns the Orioles. He's a career .391/.467/.726 hitter with 18 home runs...

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Orioles and Tigers lineups

July 17, 2015, 12:37pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has lowered first baseman Chris Parmelee to ninth in the order for tonight's game against the Tigers at Comerica Park. Everything else looks about the same. Chris Davis is in right field, Matt Wieters is catching and Travis Snider is in left field. The Orioles have scored 57 runs in support of Ubaldo Jimenez during his 17 starts, an average of 5.16 runs per outing. In 25 games last season, including 22 starts, Jimenez received 51 runs for a 3.66 average. For the...

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Orioles sign Andy Oliver, Dana Eveland to Triple-A deals

July 17, 2015, 9:15am

Orioles

The Orioles signed a pair of veteran left-handers to minor league contracts this week. Andy Oliver and former Oriole Dana Eveland agreed to deals and were assigned to Triple-A Norfolk, according to a club official. Oliver exercised his opt-out clause after going 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 25 relief appearances with Triple-A Durham, the Rays' top affiliate. He walked 24 and struck out 32 in 28 innings. Oliver, 27, is 0-5 with a 7.11 ERA and 1.832 WHIP in seven career starts with the Tigers in...

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Starting the second half

July 16, 2015, 5:04pm

Orioles

The break is finally over. The Home Run Derby, the All-Star Game, the workout in Detroit - it's all in the Orioles' rear view mirror. How much longer do we reflect on the first half? The Orioles are taking their 44-44 record to Comerica Park for tonight's series opener against the Tigers. They've lost 10 of their last 13 games to fall four back in the American League East. The Orioles are 17-26 on the road and 15-16 in the first game of a series. They're 12-14 in one-run games, 7-13 in...

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Information on "Birdland Social" and other notes (updated)

July 16, 2015, 2:23pm

Orioles

Information on "Birdland Social" and other notes (updated)

The Orioles will host "Birdland Social," a Social Media Night event at Camden Yards on July 28 prior to the 7:05 p.m. game against the Braves. The exclusive pregame party on the center field Roof Deck will host 250 of the Orioles' most engaged social media followers. I'll join former pitcher and current MASN analyst Jim Palmer for a Q&A session with fans, continuing my Hall of Fame tour. Cal Ripken Jr. yesterday, Palmer on July 28. Someone get Brooksie on the phone. Tickets for the...

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More on Chris Davis playing right field and the "Franchise Four"

July 15, 2015, 8:23pm

Orioles

More on Chris Davis playing right field and the "Franchise Four"

While sorting through my mailbag last week, I omitted one of the more popular questions posed by fans. Why is Chris Davis playing right field? Manager Buck Showalter hasn't said much about it, except that Davis is capable of playing first base and right field, that he's just as good at one position as the other. When I relayed this explanation to Davis, hoping that he'd provide more insight, he feigned anger and replied, "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" But seriously ... Davis has...

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Cal Ripken Jr. on All-Star Game, 2131 anniversary and more

July 15, 2015, 6:57pm

Orioles

Cal Ripken Jr. on All-Star Game, 2131 anniversary and more

ABERDEEN, Md. - Before tonight's IronBirds game, I was invited to Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium to facilitate a Q&A with Cal Ripken Jr. in front of fans. After the on-field interview, Ripken took the time to talk with MASNsports.com about the All-Star Game, the 20th anniversary of 2,131 and MLB's Franchise Four. He also weighed in on this season's Orioles team. Ripken thinks they may peak at the right time. "The key to any successful season is to get better as the year goes on, and...

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Some first-half numbers and a Britton note

July 14, 2015, 7:57pm

Orioles

Some first-half numbers and a Britton note

The All-Star Game is history, bringing the Orioles a step closer to Major League Baseball's version of a second half. The Orioles are 44-44, which puts them beyond the halfway point in a 162-game regular season. I'm able to figure it out and I'm pretty weak at math. Manager Buck Showalter is hoping for more consistency after play resumes on Friday. The Orioles won 18 of 23 games before losing 10 of their last 13. "I'd agree with that," Showalter said. "There have been some good things....

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Wesley Wright designated for assignment (Machado update)

July 14, 2015, 6:14pm

Orioles

Wesley Wright designated for assignment (Machado update)

The Orioles have designated left-hander reliever Wesley Wright for assignment, according to an industry source. Executive vice president Dan Duquette has 10 days to trade or release Wright, who signed a $1.7 million free-agent contract in December. Wright made only two appearances for the Orioles in April before going on the disabled list with a strained left trapezius muscle. He allowed one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings. Wright lost velocity and was ineffective during his injury rehab...

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Duquette on Orioles' All-Stars: "They all earned the opportunity to be there"

July 13, 2015, 6:41pm

Orioles

During the most recent airing of "Wall to Wall Baseball" on MASN, the panel was asked to choose the most probable Oriole to win Most Valuable Player honors in tonight's All-Star Game. The two relievers, Zach Britton and Darren O'Day, were unanimously eliminated for the obvious reason. It's hard to win MVP after pitching one inning or less. They could strike out the side and they're still not bringing home the hardware. Or the truck. Whatever the prize. So we're down to Adam Jones and...