Roch Kubatko

Orioles and Rangers lineups (and rotation note)

June 04, 2014, 11:53am

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - Nelson Cruz is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter again tonight against the Rangers. David Lough is in left field. Caleb Joseph gets another start behind the plate after going 2-for-4 with a tie-breaking double. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Nelson Cruz DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Jonathan Schoop 2B David Lough LF Caleb Joseph C Bud Norris RHP For the Rangers Shin-Soo Choo LF Luis Sardinas SS Mitch Moreland 1B Adrian Beltre...

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Tonight's pitching matchup and notes on Joseph and Pearce

June 03, 2014, 9:43pm

Orioles

Tonight's pitching matchup and notes on Joseph and Pearce

ARLINGTON, Texas - Bud Norris has faced the Rangers once in his major league career. Nick Martinez has never pitched against the Orioles. Not a lot of history in tonight's matchup at Globe Life Park. Norris is 1-4 with a 4.71 ERA in six road starts this season. In his only outing against the Rangers on March 31, 2013, he picked up the win in Houston after allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings. Norris hasn't pitched since May 28 because manager Buck Showalter decided to tweak his rotation...

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Cruz in control against former team

June 03, 2014, 8:28pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - It began as an uneventful homecoming tonight for Nelson Cruz at Glove Life Park. He received a warm ovation before his first at-bat and went hitless in four trips to the plate before getting another chance in the eighth. The Orioles already had scored three runs to break a 2-2 tie. Cruz tacked on three more with his 21st home run of the season. He won't soon forget his return to Arlington. "It feels good. It's just different," he said. "It was kind of weird. It was...

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Hearing from Showalter, Joseph and Jimenez after 8-3 win

June 03, 2014, 8:13pm

Orioles

Hearing from Showalter, Joseph and Jimenez after 8-3 win

ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he almost removed Nelson Cruz from tonight's game due to leg cramps that surfaced around the fourth inning. Good thing he chose to stick with Cruz, who made a slow trot around the bases after his three-run homer in the eighth contributed mightily to the Orioles' 8-3 victory over the Rangers at Globe Life Park. Showalter wondered before the game whether Cruz would be amped up facing his former team for the first time. "It was just the...

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Joseph takes turn as hero, Cruz homers against former team (O's win 8-3)

June 03, 2014, 6:51pm

Orioles

Joseph takes turn as hero, Cruz homers against former team (O's win 8-3)

ARLINGTON, Texas - Show of hands if you were sitting at home tonight yelling for Orioles manager Buck Showalter to send up a pinch-hitter for Caleb Joseph in the eighth inning. A bar, your car or a friend's house also count. The point is, you questioned why he was batting with runners on first and second and one out in a tie game. Now you wonder whether an apology will suffice. Joseph lined a double into right-center field off Texas reliever Alexi Ogando to score Delmon Young and give the...

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Jones, Beltre homer in tonight's game (we're tied)

June 03, 2014, 5:19pm

Orioles

Jones, Beltre homer in tonight's game (we're tied)

ARLINGTON, Texas - Adam Jones produced the first run of tonight's game with a home run to right field, the ball glancing off the foul pole to give the Orioles a brief 1-0 lead. Doesn't that make it a fair pole? Don't overthink it. Leading off the top of the fourth inning, Jones saw four straight fastballs from former teammate Joe Saunders. He lined the last one, clocked at 92 mph, to right field for his first homer since May 18 in Kansas City, when he connected off Aaron Crow in the...

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Showalter on an injury in bullpen, Hunter and Santana

June 03, 2014, 3:16pm

Orioles

Showalter on an injury in bullpen, Hunter and Santana

ARLINGTON, Texas - Are the Orioles poised to make another roster move? Manager Buck Showalter hinted at it during today's pregame session with the media. Apparently, there's a health issue in the bullpen. "You get to the park and there's one or two things you weren't expecting," he said. "We've got a couple we're kind of looking at that may alter some things. But not tonight. One of them potentially might. We'll sit down with Dave (Wallace) and Dom (Chiti) after we get through with...

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More notes and Cruz meets the press

June 03, 2014, 2:48pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles manager Buck Showalter left open the possibility of going with a six-man rotation if Johan Santana is ready to come off the disabled list later this month. The Orioles had projected Santana to join them on June 18, but it's been pushed back a day after they purchased his contract yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk and placed him on the DL. Showalter figures that Santana could use the extra rest between starts, and the two-time Cy Young winner isn't a candidate for...

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Updating Hunter and Wieters throwing sessions

June 03, 2014, 2:05pm

Orioles

Updating Hunter and Wieters throwing sessions

ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles reliever Tommy Hunter threw 25 pitches in today's bullpen session at Globe Life Park and said he hasn't felt discomfort in his groin in four or five days. Catcher Matt Wieters made 30 throws from varying distances today, starting at 70 feet and moving past 90 for the last 10 tosses. He remains encouraged by how his elbow is responding. So far, so good. Hunter was in his typically playful mood with reporters, joking that he will need one or 10 rehab games before...

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A few pregame notes and Orioles-Rangers lineups

June 03, 2014, 12:26pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - Nelson Cruz is back in the Orioles lineup tonight, and will be facing his former team for the first time. Cruz exited Sunday's game in Houston in the third inning with a bruised and swollen left hand, but he gripped a bat yesterday without discomfort and should play. Over eight seasons with the Rangers from 2006 to 2013, Cruz batted .268 with 157 homers and 489 RBIs in 796 games and was an All-Star in 2009 and 2013. Cruz lost out to Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion today for...

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Bundy tosses four perfect innings in extended spring training

June 03, 2014, 10:00am

Orioles

Bundy tosses four perfect innings in extended spring training

ARLINGTON, Texas - Dylan Bundy turned in his best outing today at extended spring training, tossing four perfect innings against the Twins and facing two extra batters to raise his pitch count. The only hit off Bundy came after the fourth. He struck out six batters and threw 56 pitches before coming out of the game. Bundy's fastball sat at 91-93 mph and touched 94 mph. In his previous start on May 29, Bundy threw 50 pitches over three hitless innings in Fort Myers. He walked the leadoff...

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Orioles get Saunders and flashbacks tonight in Arlington

June 03, 2014, 8:01am

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - Tonight's game between the Orioles and Rangers has a "Throwback Tuesday" feel to it. The Orioles are facing former teammate Joe Saunders, making only his third start for the Rangers this season after spending time on the disabled list with a bruised foot. Manager Buck Showalter gave Saunders the start in Texas in the 2012 American League wild card game despite the left-hander's horrific numbers. Saunders is now 4-10 with a 6.39 ERA in 16 career starts against the Rangers...

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Cleaning out my notebook

June 02, 2014, 5:30pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - So much for a quiet and relaxing off-day. Nelson Cruz found out that he's leading all designated hitters in All-Star voting. Then, he learned that Major League Baseball named him the American League's Player of the Week. Then, he gripped a bat without pain in his left hand. Johan Santana opted out of his minor league deal with the Orioles and landed on their 15-day disabled list. He could be pitching for them in a couple of weeks. How would the Orioles make room for him?...

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Orioles place Santana on disabled list

June 02, 2014, 3:32pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Orioles have purchased the contract of veteran left-hander Johan Santana from Triple-A Norfolk and placed him on the 15-day disabled list while he recovers from left shoulder surgery. Santana had a provision in his contract that he could request his unconditional release if not added to the major league roster by May 30. The Orioles already had an opening on their 40-man roster, which Santana will fill, after they outrighted reliever Evan Meek. "His rehab took a...

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Updating Cruz's hand and playing status

June 02, 2014, 2:55pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - The swelling in Nelson Cruz's left hand has lessened to the point where he can grip a bat without pain, according to team officials. If he gets through batting practice on Tuesday, he should be in the Orioles lineup for their series opener against the Rangers. Manager Buck Showalter may wait to post his lineup, which he's been known to do, until making certain that Cruz gets through BP without a hitch. Cruz, named the American League's Player of the Week earlier today,...

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Orioles still working to retain Santana

June 02, 2014, 1:01pm

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Orioles have until midnight to work out an agreement with veteran left-hander Johan Santana to push back the opt-out date on his minor league contract, and they remain optimistic that he will remain in the organization. Santana didn't make his scheduled start today at extended spring training. He was supposed to go six innings or throw 85 pitches. Santana threw 76 pitches in 4 1/3 innings in his most recent outing, allowing two runs and six hits, walking none and...

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Cruz named AL Player of the Week

June 02, 2014, 11:50am

Orioles

ARLINGTON, Texas - Have yourself a day, Nelson Cruz. And a week. Cruz has been named the American League's Player of the Week after batting .476 (10-for-21) with three doubles, four home runs, eight RBIs, five runs scored and four walks in seven games. Cruz led all major league hitters in slugging percentage (1.190) and was second overall with 25 total bases. Among his AL counterparts, Cruz was tied for second in batting average and homers and was third in RBIs and on-base percentage...

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Cruz, Wieters among leaders in AL All-Star voting

June 02, 2014, 10:26am

Orioles

Cruz, Wieters among leaders in AL All-Star voting

DALLAS - Orioles outfielder Nelson Cruz has a swollen left hand and an inflated vote total. Cruz has passed Boston's David Ortiz for first place among designated hitters in the latest round of All-Star balloting. Cruz, who leads the majors with 20 home runs and 52 RBIs, has received 888,855 votes to surpass Ortiz (766,631), a nine-time All-Star. Cruz would become only the fifth different fan-elected starter at the position, joining Edgar Martinez (1997, 2001, 2003), Jose Canseco (1999),...

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On Day 2,131, a different Orioles shortstop talks about his homerless streak

June 01, 2014, 3:33pm

Orioles

HOUSTON - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy delivered two more hits yesterday afternoon, a single in the fourth inning and another single in the sixth. His average is .306 heading into Tuesday's series opener against the Rangers in Arlington, second on the team behind Nelson Cruz's .314. Hardy also is tied for last in home runs with zero, which is sort of like the elephant in the room - except reporters talked to him about it before yesterday's game. We're not real good at the whole elephant...

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More quotes following 9-4 win

June 01, 2014, 2:57pm

Orioles

HOUSTON - Former Orioles pitcher Scott Feldman said he didn't intend to hit ex-teammate Nelson Cruz during today's game at Minute Maid Park. Feldman nailed Cruz on the left hand in the third inning of the Orioles' 9-4 victory over the Astros. X-rays taken on Cruz's hand came back negative and he's day to day with a bruise and swelling. "I didn't want to hit him," Feldman said. "I checked after the game to make sure he was all right and they said it was just a bruise, so that was a...