Roch Kubatko

Orioles and Royals lineups (Phils not near deal for Dickerson)

July 25, 2013, 12:59pm

Orioles

No surprises in the Orioles lineup tonight as they attempt to gain a split of their four-game series in Kansas City. Henry Urrutia remains the designated hitter against a right-handed starter, in this case former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie. Brian Roberts continues to play second base and bat ninth. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Henry Urrutia DH Brian Roberts 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP For the...

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Pitching matchups vs. Red Sox and notes on Wieters and Gonzalez

July 25, 2013, 11:32am

Orioles

Pitching matchups vs. Red Sox and notes on Wieters and Gonzalez

The Orioles will face two right-handers in their three-game series against the Boston Red Sox that begins Friday night at Camden Yards. Does Henry Urrutia get the start at designated hitter in all three games? Stay tuned. Here are the matchups: Friday: Chris Tillman (12-3, 3.84 ERA) vs. Ryan Dempster (5-8, 4.28 ERA) Saturday: Scott Feldman (2-1, 4.73 ERA) vs. Brandon Workman (0-1, 4.40 ERA) Sunday: Jason Hammel (7-7, 5.20 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (9-6, 4.50 ERA) Tillman will attempt to become...

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Updates on Clevenger, Wada and Hoes

July 25, 2013, 10:47am

Orioles

Catcher Steve Clevenger, the Baltimore native acquired from the Cubs with Scott Feldman for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop, played in his first game today since recovering from a strained oblique. Clevenger was behind the plate for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout before being replaced. He had been rehabbing at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Clevenger was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk, but didn't report because of the injury. Chris Snyder and...

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A little of this, a little of that

July 24, 2013, 8:03pm

Orioles

According to various reports, the Orioles are still scouting starting pitchers and have been keeping close tabs on the Houston Astros. Not a big surprise, since executive vice president Dan Duquette is always in the market for pitching. He goes to an actual market and has "left-hander" listed after "bananas" and "milk." If he succeeds in bringing in another starter, it would have to be as a replacement for Jason Hammel. It's not like Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez and...

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Orioles suffer another one-run loss

July 24, 2013, 6:52pm

Orioles

The Orioles gave up three runs in the last two innings tonight and lost to the Royals 4-3. They need a win Thursday night to salvage a split of the four-game series. David Lough singled off Orioles right-hander Darren O'Day with one out in the bottom of the ninth, the ball ricocheting off the reliever and second base, and Alcides Escobar followed with a double off the top of the left field fence. Lough came around to score, as O'Day surrendered a run for only the second time in his last 11...

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Wieters gives Orioles lead, Chen gives up first HR in first inning (game tied)

July 24, 2013, 5:12pm

Orioles

Catcher Matt Wieters is back in the Orioles lineup tonight after resting on Tuesday. And his hot streak continues. Wieters just belted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead over the Royals. Wieters is now 10-for-23 with two doubles, two homers, four RBIs and six runs scored in his last six games. The first inning has been much kinder to Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen compared to last season. Until tonight. Chen posted a 5.91 ERA and allowed seven...

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Orioles announce Alvarez signing

July 24, 2013, 3:30pm

Orioles

Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez has passed his physical and officially signed with the Orioles. Alvarez, 24, will be assigned to Single-A Frederick after reporting this week to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Alvarez, who signed for $800,000, played for Camaguey in the Cuban League from 2007-11 and Tuxpan in Mexico in 2012. In five seasons with Camaguey, he batted .297 (341-for-1,147) with 37 home runs and 180 RBIs. In 2011, he set career highs by batting .363/.404/.613...

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Orioles option Valencia

July 24, 2013, 2:14pm

Orioles

The Orioles are adding a reliever for tonight's game in Kansas City and subtracting a bench player. To make room for right-hander Francisco Rodriguez on the 25-man roster, the Orioles have chosen to option corner infielder/designated hitter Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk, according to a team official. The move leaves the Orioles with a three-man bench and eight-man bullpen. Valencia is 0-for-22 since June 17. He's batting .200/.243/.443 with five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs in...

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Orioles and Royals lineups

July 24, 2013, 12:53pm

Orioles

As expected, Henry Urrutia is serving as the Orioles designated hitter for tonight's game in Kansas City. Still waiting for an announcement on the corresponding roster move for reliever Francisco Rodriguez. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Henry Urrutia DH Brian Roberts 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Royals Lorenzo Cain CF Eric Hosmer 1B Billy Butler DH Salvador Perez C Miguel Tejada 3B David Lough...

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It's Chen vs. Santana tonight

July 24, 2013, 11:19am

Orioles

Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is seeking his third consecutive win tonight since coming off the disabled list. He also could intensify the debate over which Orioles starter qualifies as the ace. Is it Chen, Chris Tillman or Miguel Gonzalez? Chen has allowed two runs and 11 hits in his last two starts covering 13 1/3 innings - both against the Rangers. He's posted seven quality starts among his 10 outings, and he was headed for another on May 12 with five scoreless innings in Minnesota...

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Taking another look at the Rodriguez/Delmonico trade

July 23, 2013, 7:07pm

Orioles

Taking another look at the Rodriguez/Delmonico trade

The Orioles will add newly acquired Francisco Rodriguez to their bullpen for tonight's game in Kansas City, subtracting reliever Jairo Asencio or a bench player. Sending down Asencio would be the logical move, but MASN's Gary Thorne suggested multiple times during last night's broadcast that infielder Danny Valencia is more likely to be optioned. Nothing against Asencio, but I think most of us would agree that Rodriguez is an upgrade for a team that's trying to win the division and make a...

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Hammel keeps struggling and escaping (O's lose 3-2)

July 23, 2013, 5:22pm

Orioles

Hammel keeps struggling and escaping (O's lose 3-2)

I don't know whether to criticize Jason Hammel for allowing a run in each of the first three innings or praise him for minimizing the damage. Admonish him for the nine baserunners or admire his escape routine. I'll choose all of the above. Hammel has allowed three runs and eight hits in three innings, with one walk and two strikeouts. He's thrown 54 pitches, 33 for strikes. He forced manager Buck Showalter to phone the bullpen, where T.J. McFarland began to warm up. However, the Royals...

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Orioles finally fall behind (Machado homers)

July 23, 2013, 4:39pm

Orioles

Before tonight, the Orioles hadn't trailed in 36 innings since the All-Star break and hadn't fallen behind in the last 45 innings overall. Their last deficit came at the end of the July 13 loss to Toronto. All good things must come to an end. The Royals loaded the bases with no outs against starter Jason Hammel, and Alex Gordon scored on Billy Butler's double play grounder to third. Hammel is fortunate that he only surrendered one run after the first two Royals reached on singles and...

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Orioles acquire reliever Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers

July 23, 2013, 4:23pm

Orioles

Once the Orioles traded for starter Scott Feldman, their focus shifted to acquiring a veteran reliever, which they did tonight. The Orioles announced that they obtained right-hander Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league infielder Nicky Delmonico. Rodriguez will join the team Wednesday in Kansas City, at which point they will make a corresponding move to clear space on the 25-man roster. Jairo Asencio figures to be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles...

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Valencia and Teagarden in Orioles' lineup

July 23, 2013, 11:41am

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter chose Danny Valencia over Henry Urrutia as his designated hitter for tonight's game against the Royals. Urrutia had three hits last night, but Valencia is 11-for-20 with seven RBIs lifetime against Royals left-hander Bruce Chen. Taylor Teagarden is behind the plate tonight. Matt Wieters will sit despite being 9-for-21 with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs, two walks and five runs scored during a five-game hitting streak. The Orioles are playing the fifth of...

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More on Reimold's surgery

July 23, 2013, 11:02am

Orioles

Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold is resting comfortably, or as much as humanly possible while propped up in bed and wearing a neck brace, following corrective surgery this morning to fuse two vertebrae at the Florida Spine Institute in Clearwater, Fla. Reimold isn't permitted to talk, but he provided information in a text message that was passed along to me this afternoon. The pseudarthrosis, or false fusion, was causing irritation and compressing the nerve. Dr. Robert Kowalski, a...

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Quick updates on Dickerson, Alvarez and Reimold (updated)

July 23, 2013, 9:43am

Orioles

Quick updates on Dickerson, Alvarez and Reimold (updated)

A few teams have expressed interest in outfielder Chris Dickerson and the Orioles are continuing attempts to trade him, according to a club official. Dickerson was designated for assignment on Friday to make room for outfielder Henry Urrutia on the 25- and 40-man rosters. The Orioles have until the weekend to trade Dickerson or get him through waivers. He figures to be claimed if multiple teams are involved in discussions with executive vice president Dan Duquette. Dickerson batted...

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Big start for Hammel?

July 22, 2013, 7:43pm

Orioles

Jason Hammel is making his 20th start for the Orioles tonight, matching his total for the entire 2012 season. That's where the similarities end. Hammel hasn't won since May 27, a span of eight starts. His ERA is up to 5.24. In his last outing, he allowed six runs and 10 hits in six innings against the Blue Jays. Manager Buck Showalter moved Scott Feldman ahead of Hammel in the rotation. Should we read anything into it? I don't sense that Hammel is on the verge of being yanked from the...

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Urrutia having a career night (O's win 9-2)

July 22, 2013, 6:12pm

Orioles

Urrutia having a career night (O's win 9-2)

I understand that it's a short major league career for Henry Urrutia, but his second start has been second to none. Urrutia is 3-for-3 tonight, with all of his singles going to left field. He's 4-for-8 in three games since the Orioles selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk. My math skills are poor, but that's a .500 average. His baserunning needs work, as advertised, but he's a designated hitter who's getting on base. The Orioles will take it. The Royals are starting former...

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Wieters, gloves and Urrutia (updated)

July 22, 2013, 4:54pm

Orioles

The Orioles jumped on Royals starter Wade Davis for two runs in the top of the first inning, as they continue to take early leads and take advantage of their opponents' shoddy defense. Nate McLouth drew a leadoff walk and scored on an error by Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas, making me wonder whether the Royals watched video of the Rangers series. Nick Markakis singled, and Chris Davis lifted a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 2-0. Matt Wieters also singled, extending his...