Roch Kubatko

Orioles-Yankees lineups

July 06, 2013, 7:21am

Orioles

NEW YORK - The Orioles turn to arguably their top starter this afternoon as they look to bounce back from last night's heartbreaking loss to the Yankees. Chris Tillman takes the mound having won seven straight decisions to push his record to 10-2. He has five quality starts in his last six outings and has allowed more than three runs just once in his last 14 starts. The Orioles go up against longtime nemesis Andy Pettitte, whose 27-6 career record and 3.52 ERA against Baltimore are his best...

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles2

This, that and the other

July 05, 2013, 7:42pm

Orioles

NEW YORK - Manny Machado turns 21 today. No more jokes about not being able to legally order a beer. Machado's nine-game hitting streak ended last night. Has nothing to do with his age. Jim Johnson has walked 14 batters this season. He walked 15 in 2012. He's not getting the ball down, he's falling behind in the count and he's either walking batters or giving up hits. Anyone who's waiting for manager Buck Showalter to publicly criticize Johnson - say, during O's Xtra - knows nothing...

Tags:

orioles brian matusz chris tillman featured_sidebar jim johnson jj hardy manny machado nate mclouth travis ishikawa tsuyoshi wada frontstory_orioles2

More comments following Orioles' 3-2 loss

July 05, 2013, 7:09pm

Orioles

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter was clearly agitated following tonight's 3-2 loss to the Yankees. Plate umpire Gary Darling's strike zone did nothing to improve his mood. It actually soured it. Asked to name a key play in the ninth inning, Showalter replied, "I'd look more at the other eight innings. I don't dwell on that. There were some things we could do to make it different. The umpires' calls are umpires' calls. What are you going to do? Strike zones are strike zones....

Tags:

orioles buck showalter frontstory_orioles2 matt wieters miguel gonzalez

Jim Johnson and Matt Wieters discuss blown save and loss

July 05, 2013, 6:49pm

Orioles

Jim Johnson and Matt Wieters discuss blown save and loss

NEW YORK - Orioles closer Jim Johnson had 51 saves in 54 chances last season. He's already blown six saves this year, doubling the amount from 2012, to go along with seven losses. Johnson still began the night leading the majors with 29 saves, but he hasn't been the same pitcher. And he's being asked the same questions while standing at his locker. Tonight, it was his error while attempting to field Brett Gardner's bunt that compounded his problems. A four-pitch bases-loaded walk to...

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles jim johnson matt wieters

Gonzalez escapes jam in fifth to hold lead (O's lose 3-2)

July 05, 2013, 4:56pm

Orioles

Gonzalez escapes jam in fifth to hold lead (O's lose 3-2)

NEW YORK - Miguel Gonzalez threw 92 pitches in the first five innings tonight at Yankee Stadium. Not the most efficient outing, but he continues to hold a 2-1 lead. Gonzalez walked the No. 9 hitter, David Adams, leading off the bottom of the fifth. Ichiro Suzuki doubled with one out, and the Orioles walked Robinson Cano intentionally with first base open. Cano was 0-for-2 tonight and 2-for-17 lifetime against Gonzalez, but the walk is pretty much an automatic move. It also proved to be the...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles miguel gonzalez orioles farm report tsuyoshi wada

Showalter on Markakis, Wieters homers (O's lead 2-1)

July 05, 2013, 3:38pm

Orioles

Showalter on Markakis, Wieters homers (O's lead 2-1)

NEW YORK - The roll call from the bleacher creatures at Yankee Stadium has lost its appeal with this lineup. Instead of the fans in the center field bleachers chanting "De-rek Je-ter" until the future Hall of Famer turns and waves his glove - something I always looked forward to on my visits here - we're subjected to "Cruz, Cruz, Cruz." No offense to Luis Cruz, but it's a poor substitution. Same with "Da-vid Ad-ams." Might be time to shelve that tradition until the bigger names...

Tags:

orioles buck showalter frontfeatured_orioles matt wieters nick markakis

Showalter on Chen, the rotation and more

July 05, 2013, 2:02pm

Orioles

Showalter on Chen, the rotation and more

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter, sitting in the visiting dugout at Yankee Stadium while his club took batting practice, told reporters that he will make a decision on Wei-Yin Chen after the left-hander throws in the bullpen. "If he's physically ready, we'll activate him on the fifth or sixth day," Showalter said. "We've got some different options that present themselves now. We'll take it day to day. The big thing is I want him to get through his work day first and see how he...

Tags:

orioles buck showalter manny machado wei-yin chen zach britton frontstory_orioles2

Chen provides update

July 05, 2013, 1:04pm

Orioles

NEW YORK - Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is in the visiting clubhouse at Yankee Stadium today, though he remains on the 15-day disabled list. Chen tossed seven scoreless innings yesterday in his final injury-rehab start at Double-A Bowie. In two games, he allowed four runs and nine hits in 12 innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts. Chen said he will throw a bullpen session on Saturday while waiting for the Orioles to decide when he's going to be activated. "I'm not quite sure right now...

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles wei-yin chen

Orioles-Yankees lineups

July 05, 2013, 11:26am

Orioles

NEW YORK - Matt Wieters, Ryan Flaherty and Alexi Casilla took early batting practice this afternoon. Wieters is 6-for-42 with three RBIs in his last 13 games. He's batting .225/.282/.393 this season. But he's 9-for-21 with three doubles and three homers against Yankees starter Ivan Nova. Brian Roberts will serve as the designated hitter tonight and hit ninth, while Ryan Flaherty will get the start at second base for the Orioles. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick...

Tags:

orioles matt wieters frontstory_orioles2

A few notes before tonight's game

July 05, 2013, 7:57am

Orioles

NEW YORK - Since July 29, 2012, the Orioles have the best winning percentage in baseball at .605 and are tied with the Athletics for the most wins with 89. The Orioles are 15-8 in their last 23 games against the Yankees after going 12-41 in the previous 53. They're 6-3 against them this season, but they lost two of three in the Bronx April 12-14. Since the start of 2012, the Orioles are 2-4 in extra innings against New York, including the playoffs, and 20-2 against the rest of baseball. The...

Tags:

orioles chris davis manny machado frontstory_orioles2

What's next for the rotation?

July 04, 2013, 6:59pm

Orioles

The Orioles are listing Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman and Jason Hammel as their three starters for the Yankees series that starts tonight in the Bronx. Zach Britton allowed only two runs over seven innings yesterday in Chicago. Wei-Yin Chen tossed seven scoreless innings yesterday and retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced in his second and last injury-rehab start with Double-A Bowie. Scott Feldman made his Orioles debut Wednesday night after being acquired from the Cubs and held the...

Tags:

orioles kevin gausman wei-yin chen zach britton featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2

Jones takes a walk (Dunn hits walk-off HR)

July 04, 2013, 10:55am

Orioles

Jones takes a walk (Dunn hits walk-off HR)

It finally happened. The ground beneath our feet didn't freeze over. Dogs and cats aren't best friends. But Orioles center fielder Adam Jones did, indeed, draw a walk in the first inning. Jones' two-out free pass off White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana was his first since May 18. That's 43 games and 184 plate appearances - the longest stretch in baseball. He left Eric Hinske in the dust. The Orioles lost to the Rays that day, 10-6, at Camden Yards despite Jones going 2-for-4 with a home...

Tags:

orioles adam jones zach britton frontstory_orioles2

Hardy and Roberts move up in order (with White Sox lineup)

July 04, 2013, 7:53am

Orioles

Hardy and Roberts move up in order (with White Sox lineup)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is batting shortstop J.J. Hardy fifth and second baseman Brian Roberts sixth for today's series finale against the Chicago White Sox. Hardy has batted fifth in 31 career games, posting a .231/.274/.346 line. Roberts has appeared in the sixth slot in four previous games during his career, going 2-for-2. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Brian Roberts 2B Nate McLouth LF Nolan Reimold DH Taylor...

Tags:

orioles brian roberts jj hardy frontstory_orioles2

Orioles seek one more win in Windy City

July 03, 2013, 6:33pm

Orioles

The Orioles will go for another series win this afternoon as they play their final game at US Celluar Field in 2013. They also will try again to move a season-high 12 games above .500. The Orioles have the most road wins in the majors (69) since the start of the 2012 season. They'd like to register an even 70 before heading to the Bronx for their weekend series against the Yankees. Zach Britton remains in the rotation, but for how much longer with Wei-Yin Chen coming off the disabled list...

Tags:

orioles jj hardy matt wieters wei-yin chen zach britton frontstory_orioles3

Urrutia, Gamboa honored by organization, O's take lead in eighth (O's win 4-2)

July 03, 2013, 5:45pm

Orioles

Urrutia, Gamboa honored by organization, O's take lead in eighth (O's win 4-2)

The Orioles have chosen outfielder Henry Urrutia as their minor league Player of the Month and knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa as their Pitcher of the Month for June. Hard to argue with those choices. Urrutia moved up to Triple-A Norfolk, where he's 1-for-4 with a double and two runs scored tonight to leave his average at .238 with the Tides. He batted .365/.433/.550 with 16 doubles, seven homers and 37 RBIs in 52 games with Double-A Bowie to earn the promotion. In the month of June, Urrutia hit...

Tags:

orioles chris davis eddie gamboa henry urrutia orioles farm report frontstory_orioles2

Updates on Scott Feldman and Steve Johnson (Feldman done after sixth)

July 03, 2013, 4:01pm

Orioles

Updates on Scott Feldman and Steve Johnson (Feldman done after sixth)

Scott Feldman's first inning with the Orioles tonight was a bit rocky. Feldman allowed a run on three hits to produce a 1-1 tie. He also struck out two batters. Feldman retired the first two Chicago batters before surrendering a single to Alex Rios and an RBI double to Adam Dunn, who was 1-for-10 against him lifetime before tonight. Dayan Viciedo also singled, but Dunn held at third base for two reasons. Right fielder Nick Markakis has a plus-arm and Dunn has a piano on his back. Feldman...

Tags:

orioles scott feldman steve johnson

A few more pregame notes

July 03, 2013, 1:47pm

Orioles

I mentioned earlier that Scott Feldman is the 13th different starting pitcher used by the Orioles this season, exceeding last year's total. The Orioles hadn't used that many starters since 2008. Feldman will be the 14th player to make his Orioles debut this season. We're not counting left-hander Mike Belfiore, who was recalled without pitching in a game. White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers is 5-for-7 lifetime against Feldman. Right fielder Alex Rios is 10-for-32 with two home runs. Brian...

Tags:

orioles brian roberts chris davis frontfeatured_orioles scott feldman

Valencia optioned, Orioles and White Sox lineups, notes

July 03, 2013, 12:20pm

Orioles

Scott Feldman takes the mound for the Orioles tonight in the second game of their series against the Chicago White Sox, making him their 13th starter in 2013. They used 12 last season. To make room for Feldman on the 25-man roster, the Orioles optioned infielder Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk. Valencia is batting .230/.277/.508 with five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs in 21 games. He's batting .282 against left-handers, compared to .136 vs. right-handers, but Nolan Reimold's return...

Tags:

orioles danny valencia scott feldman

Wondering about today's roster move, Rauch released, game time change

July 03, 2013, 10:49am

Orioles

Wondering about today's roster move, Rauch released, game time change

The Orioles will officially add pitcher Scott Feldman to their 25-man roster this afternoon and hand him the ball for tonight's game against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. They must clear a spot for him, of course. They have an extra bench player and a bunch of left-handed starters lined up to face them. Including John Danks last night, the Orioles are facing six southpaws in a span of eight games. Hector Santiago and Jose Quintana will start the last two games of this series...

Tags:

orioles chris dickerson jon rauch ryan flaherty scott feldman zach britton

MacPhail on the Orioles, his past trades and his desire to return to baseball

July 02, 2013, 7:14pm

Orioles

As soon as news broke of yesterday's trade between the Orioles and Cubs, my thoughts immediately shifted to Andy MacPhail. And that made even more sense when you consider that I spent about 30 minutes with him on the phone earlier in the morning. Coincidence? Of course. What else would it be? I don't have the power to jinx or influence trades. But any deal involving the Cubs reminds me of MacPhail's days as an Orioles executive. If I need another reminder, I can just look at the current...