Roch Kubatko

Will Showalter be award winner?

October 20, 2014, 1:04pm

Orioles

The Sporting News will announce its American League and National League Managers of the Year on Tuesday. It could be the first honor for Buck Showalter in 2014. And probably not the last. Showalter is the favorite to be named AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Keep in mind that ballots were submitted before the playoffs. Showalter isn't losing sleep over it. He actually seems uncomfortable with the attention. He talks about how the players allow him to...

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Finding a place for Pearce

October 19, 2014, 7:36pm

Orioles

Steve Pearce's list of transactions on Baseball-Reference.com includes the following oddity at the bottom: April 27, 2014: Released by the Baltimore Orioles. April 29, 2014: Signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. Two days of free agency and he's back with the same team. It turned out to be one of the most important moves made by the Orioles this season. They never wanted to lose Pearce, but they needed to clear space for left-hander T.J. McFarland and temporarily go with a 13-man...

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Orioles still conducting business as World Series approaches

October 18, 2014, 7:34pm

Orioles

Most teams lay low during the World Series. They're not really supposed to make news and distract from the big event. I'm not sure that there's an actual law against it. I don't believe that executive vice president Dan Duquette would be led out in handcuffs. Duquette and manager Buck Showalter already met since the Game 4 loss in Kansas City and will huddle again on Monday and Tuesday. It's never too soon to check on potential minor league free agents and non-tenders. This is right up...

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Leftovers for breakfast

October 17, 2014, 6:05pm

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette was succinct yesterday when asked about pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. "The only thing, his walk total was up this year," Duquette said, "so obviously we'd like to see him throw a few more strikes." Or a lot more, since his 77 walks ranked second in the American League behind C.J. Wilson's 85. Wilson threw 175 2/3 innings. Jimenez threw 125 1/3, spent time on the disabled list and was moved to the bullpen. Jimenez went 6-9 with a 4.81 ERA in 25...

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Duquette on playoff loss, roster decisions and more

October 17, 2014, 1:14pm

Orioles

Duquette on playoff loss, roster decisions and more

Dan Duquette, the Orioles' executive vice president of baseball operations, delivered a message to fans this afternoon while standing in front of the home dugout at Camden Yards. The gates were closed, but he wanted them to hear it. "I think what I want our fans to know is that we took a big step forward this year," he said. "We won the division. We won 99 games and we aim to be competitive year in and year out." Duquette was just getting started. "We had several players that we didn't...

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Showalter: "This is a real overwhelmingly sad time of the year for me"

October 17, 2014, 11:20am

Orioles

Showalter: "This is a real overwhelmingly sad time of the year for me"

The Twins haven't contacted Orioles bench coach John Russell about interviewing for their managerial position, which was vacated with the firing of Ron Gardenhire. However, they're expected to reach out to him. "If they don't call," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter, "then they must have some really good candidates." It's believed that the job belongs to Hall of Famer Paul Molitor if he wants it. Stay tuned. Immediately following the Game 4 loss in Kansas City, I asked Showalter...

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A few afternoon notes from Camden Yards

October 17, 2014, 10:22am

Orioles

I've got plenty of quotes to pass along later from today's interviews with Orioles manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette at Camden Yards, where workers are removing the red, white and blue bunting from the fences. There's nothing newsy. Duquette didn't map out his plans for the offseason. Left-hander T.J. McFarland was the only player in the clubhouse while the media hung out for almost an hour. He grabbed a flight home to Chicago this afternoon. Duquette said he...

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Decisions looming on key contributors

October 16, 2014, 7:01pm

Orioles

The Orioles are opening their clubhouse to the media today at 12:30 p.m. A few players may wander inside to pack up their belongings before flying home. Most of them probably took care of it last night or made arrangements to have a clubhouse attendant ship boxes to them. Manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette will conduct interviews in the dugout. Showalter will try to come up with some fresh responses. The wounds are probably fresh, as well. This is the saddest day...

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Answering a popular question about Chris Davis

October 16, 2014, 1:47pm

Orioles

Answering a popular question about Chris Davis

What was he thinking? That's not the question. Sorry. Some fans were wondering if Chris Davis could play in exhibition games next spring while still serving his suspension. I checked with a team official who reminded me that left-hander Troy Patton pitched last spring before serving his 25-game suspension. It totally slipped my mind. I'm going to blame fatigue. Davis has one game left on his suspension after testing positive for Adderall, which he took without a therapeutic use exemption....

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The first day of the offseason

October 15, 2014, 7:27pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - This should be my last dateline for a while. Maybe until the Winter Meetings in San Diego. But there's plenty of time for me to whine and complain about that putrid assignment. I'm still plotting ways to avoid it despite the wonderful location. Faking my own death never works. The folks at MASN and MASNsports.com are too wise. So who are you rooting for in the World Series? Does it matter which team represents the National League? I had every intention of pulling for the Royals,...

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Showalter: "If you care like our people care, it hurts"

October 15, 2014, 4:37pm

Orioles

Showalter: "If you care like our people care, it hurts"

KANSAS CITY - It's never easy to say goodbye. To teammates, coaches and especially a season. Players hugged each other in the Orioles clubhouse following a 2-1 loss in Game 4 that completed the Royals' sweep of the American League Championship Series. Pitching coach Dave Wallace made sure to approach everyone on his staff, shaking hands and embracing guys who needed it. Executive vice president Dan Duquette also worked the room, approaching every player at his locker. Manager Buck...

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Orioles swept in ALCS

October 15, 2014, 3:05pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - The clock kept ticking, except innings passed instead of minutes. The Orioles were down by a run in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. The Royals' dominate late-inning relief cast a larger shadow than the one that crept across the infield. The Orioles had to take the lead or risk being swept. They knew it. Everyone in the ballpark knew it. They just couldn't do it. The 2014 season ended for the Orioles with the Royals creating a dogpile in the infield...

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Orioles fall behind in first inning (O's trail 2-1, Gonzalez done)

October 15, 2014, 12:32pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - The Orioles are 0-for-12 in the first inning in the American League Championship Series. So much for jumping on the opposing pitcher early. The Royals had much greater success today in Game 4, scoring twice off Miguel Gonzalez to take a 2-0 lead. They made two nice defensive plays in the top half of the inning and leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar reached on an infield hit. Same script, different day. Gonzalez drilled Nori Aoki on the side of the right knee, causing some Royals to...

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Showalter on Guthrie T-shirt and Dyson comments

October 15, 2014, 11:15am

Orioles

Showalter on Guthrie T-shirt and Dyson comments

KANSAS CITY - Orioles manager Buck Showalter couldn't believe that Jeremy Guthrie's T-shirt and Jarrod Dyson's latest jabs at his club were going to be the major topics of conversation before Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. May as well have a little fun with it. In case you've been under a rock, Guthrie wore a T-shirt last night that read "These O's Ain't Royal," a play on the lyrics to a Chris Brown song that aren't suitable for print. He later apologized on...

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Orioles lineup vs. Royals in Game 4 (Guthrie update)

October 15, 2014, 8:38am

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - Delmon Young is getting his second postseason start today for the Orioles as they attempt to avoid a sweep in the American League Championship Series. Young is serving as the designated hitter against Royals Game 4 starter Jason Vargas. He also started Game 3 of the Division Series against the Tigers. Nelson Cruz moves to left field. Ryan Flaherty remains the third baseman instead of switch-hitting Jimmy Paredes. Caleb Joseph is catching and batting seventh. For the...

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Royals lineup vs. Orioles in Game 4

October 15, 2014, 7:42am

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - The Orioles trail a playoff series 3-0 for the first time in club history. A win today extends the American League Championship Series to a fifth game. A loss sends them home. The Orioles' three hits last night were their fewest in a playoff game since they also collected three in Game 3 of the 1996 ALCS. They've been two-hit on three separate occasions in their postseason history, most recently Game 3 of the 1974 ALCS against the Athletics. If the Orioles are swept today,...

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One more loss and the Orioles are done in 2014

October 14, 2014, 9:58pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - The Orioles win this afternoon or they go home. They must hold a lead going into the later innings of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. They can't let the Royals trot out Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland while they play from behind. Easier said than done, of course, but it's got to happen. They must jump left-hander Jason Vargas early and break out their own procession of Darren O'Day, Andrew Miller and Zach Britton. Asked after last night's 2-1...

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Pearce: "One loss left, so we've got to find some way to get it done"

October 14, 2014, 8:10pm

Orioles

Pearce: "One loss left, so we've got to find some way to get it done"

KANSAS CITY - So it's come to this: The Orioles will attempt to become only the second team to rebound from a 3-0 deficit in games to win the League Championship Series. Tall order? It's nosebleed territory. The Orioles have lost three games by a combined five runs, including tonight's 2-1 setback to the Royals before 40,183 at Kauffman Stadium. They pitched well enough to win. The Royals pitched a little bit better, retiring the last 16 batters and 21 of 22. "It's tough," said first...

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Orioles take first lead of ALCS (O's lose 2-1, trail 3-0 in series)

October 14, 2014, 4:40pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - There are a few specks of orange at Kauffman Stadium tonight for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. A quiet "O" rang out during the anthem. Orioles fans are far outnumbered in the sea of royal blue. A buoy in the ocean. The atmosphere is completely different than what we encountered at Comerica Park for the Division Series. Guess it changes when the home team has a 2-0 lead in games. Hall of Famer George Brett threw out the ceremonial first pitch tonight,...

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Showalter meets with the media

October 14, 2014, 3:18pm

Orioles

KANSAS CITY - As Orioles manager Buck Showalter joked with reporters again today before heading to the field for batting practice, it was impossible to tell whether his team was up or down two games in the American League Championship Series. After a Kansas City sports radio personality introduced himself for a second time - it's not necessary to do it once, let alone twice - Showalter said, "I remember you." Showalter also wondered how reporters came up with new story angles every...