Roch Kubatko

Orioles lineup vs. Royals

May 17, 2014, 11:31am

Orioles

The Orioles are breaking out their right-handed lineup tonight against Royals left-hander Danny Duffy. Jonathan Schoop starts at second base and Caleb Joseph is behind the plate. Nelson Cruz is in left field and Delmon Young is serving as the designated hitter. Brian Graham, serving as bench coach tonight, is wearing No. 43 if you're into that sort of thing. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS Delmon Young DH Jonathan...

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A few pregame notes and Royals lineup

May 17, 2014, 11:07am

Orioles

Bench coach John Russell will manage the Orioles tonight in Kansas City while Buck Showalter attends his daughter Allie's graduation from law school at Southern Methodist University. Director of player development Brian Graham will serve as bench coach. Graham will coach third base Tuesday in Pittsburgh while Bobby Dickerson attends his daughter Ashley's graduation. Adam Jones is batting .469/.514/.938 against left-handed pitching this season, leading the majors in average, slugging and OPS...

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Norris set to face the Royals (Meek clears waivers)

May 17, 2014, 7:34am

Orioles

Norris set to face the Royals (Meek clears waivers)

Bud Norris hopes history repeats itself tonight in Kansas City, but only to a point. In his only career appearance against the Royals on May 21, 2013, Norris tossed six scoreless innings before the Astros bullpen blew a 3-0 lead. Norris is making his fifth road start tonight for the Orioles. He's 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA away from home. In his last outing, Norris was working on a quality start until Detroit's Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Norris hit Torii Hunter, the...

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About last night ...

May 16, 2014, 9:31pm

Orioles

Are the Orioles slumping or surging? I can't keep it straight. The rotation is a concern because the starters aren't working deep enough in games, except for Chris Tillman tossing a nine-inning shutout last night in a 4-0 victory over the Royals. The offense is ice cold, except for Chris Davis homering last night, Nelson Cruz producing two more RBIs and the Orioles actually scoring in three different innings. This is a hard team to figure out. Zach Britton still appears to be the closer,...

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Orioles confirm Bell signing, Tillman shuts out Royals

May 16, 2014, 6:35pm

Orioles

The Orioles made their agreement with Heath Bell official tonight, saying via Twitter that the veteran reliever will report to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, pending a physical. Hold the Grant Balfour jokes, please. Most of these guys actually pass the physical. "Bell is a proven veteran pitcher with experience who has agreed to a Triple-A deal," executive vice president Dan Duquette tweeted tonight. "We believe he can help our major league club later this season." According to...

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Orioles sign Heath Bell to minor league deal (O's lead 4-0)

May 16, 2014, 4:56pm

Orioles

Seeking to improve their bullpen depth and provide options at closer down the road, the Orioles have agreed to terms with veteran right-hander Heath Bell on a minor league contract and will assign him to Triple-A Norfolk. Bell is expected to sign his contract later tonight. Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed the agreement in a text message, referring to Bell as "an interesting sign for 3A." The Orioles didn't have much interest in Bell, 36, over the winter after the Rays...

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Tillman's slow starts, Steve Johnson update, today's roster move and more

May 16, 2014, 2:31pm

Orioles

Tillman's slow starts, Steve Johnson update, today's roster move and more

The outcome of tonight's game between the Orioles and Royals may be determined in the first few innings. Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight at Kauffman Stadium. In the first two innings of his eight starts in 2014, Tillman has posted a 7.31 ERA by allowing 13 earned runs in 16 innings. From the third inning on, he's posted a 2.27 ERA by allowing eight earned runs over 31 2/3 innings. Pitcher Steve Johnson underwent an MRI on his right shoulder yesterday in Baltimore that didn't reveal...

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Orioles recall Brach (updated)

May 16, 2014, 12:53pm

Orioles

The Orioles made another adjustment to their bullpen today, recalling Brad Brach from Triple-A Norfolk and designating Evan Meek for assignment off the 25-man roster. Meek remains in the organization and will be assigned to Norfolk on Saturday after clearing option waivers. It's a confusing procedural move. Brach, 28, is 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA, five walks and 38 strikeouts in 15 appearances for the Tides covering 19 1/3 innings. He appeared in two games for the Orioles earlier this season and...

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Orioles and Royals lineups and update on Johan Santana

May 16, 2014, 12:22pm

Orioles

David Lough is getting another start in left field tonight and Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base, as the Orioles and Royals play the second game of a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Nelson Cruz is serving as the designated hitter again after belting his team-leading 12th home run last night, a two-run shot that keyed the Orioles' 2-1 win. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH Steve Clevenger C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B...

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Tillman gets a second chance in Kansas City

May 16, 2014, 9:24am

Orioles

Tillman gets a second chance in Kansas City

Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman is making only his second career start tonight at Kauffman Stadium, the first coming three years ago. He can be forgiven for blocking out that memory. Tillman allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings, and his ERA ballooned to 7.16. Doubts remained whether he would become an established major leaguer. It was so long ago, Josh Rupe relieved him in the fourth and Melky Cabrera homered off Clay Rapada in the eighth. Tillman is making his ninth start of the...

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What's right and wrong with roster

May 15, 2014, 7:42pm

Orioles

The Orioles made another roster move yesterday, optioning Kevin Gausman to Triple-A Norfolk and recalling reliever Evan Meek. If you're catching a whiff of fumes, it's just the shuttle going back and forth again. The Orioles don't have a true long reliever again after optioning left-hander T.J. McFarland, but on any given night, manager Buck Showalter could call upon Meek or left-hander Troy Patton to go multiple innings. Maybe Tommy Hunter, as well, now that he's not closing. It might only...

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Britton works the ninth for first career save

May 15, 2014, 7:10pm

Orioles

Britton works the ninth for first career save

Orioles relievers Tommy Hunter and Brian Matusz warmed in the Orioles bullpen in the bottom of the eighth inning tonight as Ryan Webb recorded the last two outs to preserve a 2-1 lead. Webb struck out Salvador Perez, Hunter and Matusz sat down, and the intrigue built. Zach Britton began to warm as the Orioles batted in the top of the ninth, and he entered the game in search of his first career save. None in the minors, none in the majors. The leash on Hunter wasn't as long as the one attached...

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Orioles still struggling with RISP (Cruz homers again, Chen out of game)

May 15, 2014, 4:31pm

Orioles

Nick Markakis snapped an 0-for-14 skid tonight with a leadoff single in the first inning off Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Time to start another hitting streak. That's one in a row. Manny Machado also singled in the first. He was 5-for-31 in his last eight games before tonight's game. Adam Jones bounced into a double play to kill that rally. Through May 1, the Orioles were batting .315 with runners in scoring position. In the 13 games dating back to May 2, including Jones' at-bat...

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Orioles and Royals lineups

May 15, 2014, 11:57am

Orioles

Ryan Flaherty gets the start at second base and David Lough returns to left field for the Orioles' series opener against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Nothing much to see here. A fairly predictable order. Just came down to the starter at second base. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH Steve Clevenger C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B David Lough LF Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Royals Nori Aoki RF Eric Hosmer 1B Billy Butler...

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Orioles option Gausman and recall Meek

May 15, 2014, 11:51am

Orioles

The Orioles made another change to their pitching staff this afternoon in Kansas City, optioning Kevin Gausman to Triple-A Norfolk and recalling Evan Meek. Gausman started yesterday against the Tigers and retired the first seven batters he faced before allowing five runs and six hits in four innings with two walks, two strikeouts and a wild pitch. He threw 87 pitches, 10 more than his highest total with Norfolk. Gausman, 23, went 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in six starts for the Tides before being...

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Orioles hoping to contain Butler, figure out Ventura

May 15, 2014, 9:33am

Orioles

The Orioles have lost four straight games, which makes Wei-Yin Chen their stopper tonight in the opener of a four-game series in Kansas City. Chen is 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three road starts this season and 0-1 with a 4.60 ERA in five career starts against the Royals. He allowed three earned runs over 7 1/3 innings in his only start at Kauffman Stadiium on July 24, 2013. Billy Butler is 8-for-15 with two doubles, a triple (a triple??), two homers and four RBIs against Chen, but the...

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A closing argument

May 14, 2014, 7:03pm

Orioles

Are we still stressing over the closer situation or an offense that scored in only three innings during the three-game series against the Tigers? Maybe it's the rotation, which has produced only 13 quality starts in 38 games. Or Matt Wieters' elbow, which eventually could require ligament-reconstructive surgery. J.J. Hardy still hasn't hit a home run. Chris Davis has two. David Lough, once projected as the regular left fielder, is batting .176. Jonathan Schoop is batting .224. Ryan...

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Showalter on Gausman, Verlander's pitch to Cruz and 7-5 loss

May 14, 2014, 12:53pm

Orioles

Showalter on Gausman, Verlander's pitch to Cruz and 7-5 loss

Orioles manager Buck Showalter confronted plate umpire John Tumpane this afternoon after both teams received warnings following a Justin Verlander pitch that sailed behind Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bud Norris was ejected Friday night after hitting Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter. Verlander wasn't tossed today, and Showalter sought an explanation. "I'm just trying to figure out the consistency of it," he said after the Orioles lost 7-5 at Camden Yards. "You get one...

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Benches warned, Gausman done for day (Cruz homers, O's lose 7-5)

May 14, 2014, 10:20am

Orioles

Benches warned, Gausman done for day (Cruz homers, O's lose 7-5)

Tigers starter Justin Verlander threw a fastball behind Orioles designated hitter Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the fourth inning, an apparent retaliation for Monday night's bench-clearing incident. Plate umpire John Tumpane warned both dugouts, bringing manager Buck Showalter onto the field for a brief discussion. Showalter most likely wondered why Verlander wasn't tossed and why the Orioles were warned. Verlander bounced a curveball in the dirt and fired a 94 mph fastball behind Cruz, who...

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Checking on Gausman (updated)

May 14, 2014, 9:27am

Orioles

Kevin Gausman wears glasses and the Orioles are peering into their future. What they've seen so far today has mostly been good, but they're playing from behind. Making his first start of 2014 for the Orioles, Gausman retired the first seven Tigers before Bryan Holaday reached on an infield hit and Danny Worth singled into right field in the third inning. Ian Kinsler also reached on an infield hit with two outs, his ball deflecting off Gausman's foot, and Miguel Cabrera singled to left field...