Still no rain as tonight's game gets under way (O's up 3-1)

Still no rain as tonight's game gets under way (O's up 3-1)
Wei-Yin Chen's first pitch came at 7:09 p.m. It's 63 degrees and overcast, but no rain. Alex Gordon singled up the middle on the second pitch, but Alcides Escobar grounded into a double play. Chen threw 10 pitches, seven for strikes, in the first inning. Orioles starters have pitched 185 innings in 32 games before tonight, an average of 5.78 innings per start. Last season, they tossed 937 2/3 innings in 162 games, an average of 5.79 innings per start. Are they really doing that much worse...

Showalter provides updates on Gonzalez and Roberts

Showalter provides updates on Gonzalez and Roberts
The sun is trying to peek through the gray clouds hovering over Camden Yards. The tarp is on the field, but it's no longer raining. The forecast isn't good, but the Orioles will attempt to play tonight. Kansas City has already been subjected to five postponements and had 10 days off in April, and the Royals don't come back to Baltimore after this series. Also, there's more rain in the forecast Wednesday, which increases the urgency to play tonight. The Orioles will hold another weather...

Roberts to be examined by knee specialist

Roberts to be examined by knee specialist
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is flying to Dallas on Wednesday to visit with a knee specialist after an attempt to take light batting practice in Sarasota didn't produce the desired results. Roberts will be examined by Dr. Daniel Cooper, who previously worked with Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria. Roberts remains on the 15-day disabled list after suffering the injury during the third game of the regular season at Tropicana Field. It's classified as a hamstring injury, but...

Orioles lineup vs. Royals (plus Gonzalez note)

Orioles lineup vs. Royals (plus Gonzalez note)
Providing the rain now pelting Camden Yards lets up - and there's always a window, as we know - here is the Orioles lineup for tonight's opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals. Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH RHP Wei-Yin Chen Also, Miguel Gonzalez reports that the blister on his right thumb that forced him out of Friday's game after only six innings has...

Focusing on Flaherty in the field

Focusing on Flaherty in the field
The Orioles are back in action and back home tonight after completing their 11-game road trip and taking off yesterday. The Royals are visiting after playing back-to-back extra-inning games against the White Sox. CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler came up with an interesting note on this series. On Sunday, the Orioles won their 107th consecutive regular season game when leading after the seventh inning. Also on Sunday, the Royals won a game for the fourth time, tops in the majors, when trailing...

Clark clears waivers, outrighted to Double-A Bowie (updated)

Clark clears waivers, outrighted to Double-A Bowie (updated)
The Orioles announced today that pitcher Zach Clark has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Double-A Bowie. Clark was designated for assignment on Saturday to make room for pitcher Freddy Garcia on the 25- and 40-man rosters. Clark made his major league debut May 1 and allowed three runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Clark (UMBC) was 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in five starts at Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides rotation is full with Steve Johnson, Jair Jurrjens, Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta and Josh...

Flashing back to yesterday's win (updated)

Flashing back to yesterday's win (updated)
So many moments from yesterday's game jump out at me as I replay it in my head. And the best part is I can mentally fast-forward through the commercials. Jason Hammel throwing 38 pitches in a three-run first inning and still making it through the sixth to improve his record to 5-1. It was a gritty performance. A lot of pitchers would have been gone by the third. J.J. Hardy homering for the second time in two games. He's got four two-hit games since April 26. Maybe his bat is finally heating...

Hammel rebounds nicely from bad beginning

Hammel rebounds nicely from bad beginning
Knowing Jason Hammel, he's going to pick apart his start today and give himself a failing grade. He's a harsh critic. Hammel needed about two hours to get through the bottom of the first inning - and that's only a mild exaggeration - but he made it through six innings and is in line for the win. Hammel gave up four runs and nine hits, walked three, struck out five and threw a wild pitch. He threw 107 pitches, and most of them seemed to come during that marathon first inning. Three of...

Orioles lineup against the Angels

Orioles lineup against the Angels
First baseman Chris Davis is back in the lineup today for the Orioles' series-finale against the Los Angeles Angels that concludes their three-city road trip. Davis missed Saturday's game with a knee injury. Davis' knee is feeling much better and he will avoid the disabled list. The Orioles can give him an extra day off with tomorrow's open date on the schedule. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy...

It's Hammel vs. Williams today in Anaheim

It's Hammel vs. Williams today in Anaheim
Orioles starter Jason Hammel is the anti-Freddy Garcia when it comes to pitching against the Angels. Garcia owns them. Hammel is standing in the return aisle. Hammel is 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Angels, with 13 runs, 21 hits, 10 walks and nine strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. Howie Kendrick is 4-for-7 with a double and three RBIs against Hammel. Jerome Williams is making his first start today for the Angels. He's 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career...

Heaping praise on Hunter

Heaping praise on Hunter
Maybe it will go unnoticed because of Freddy Garcia's intense flirtation with a no-hitter yesterday, the Orioles' inability to hold a two-run lead in the eighth inning and their rally in the 10th that produced a 5-4 victory. Maybe Steve Pearce's go-ahead single and Jim Johnson's save will be the lasting memories from that game. Or maybe someone out there will throw a little love in Tommy Hunter's direction. You know Hunter. He's the guy who fans wanted to run out of town after his...

Updating Garcia's debut (O's win 5-4)

Updating Garcia's debut (O's win 5-4)
No matter what happens the rest of the day, Freddy Garcia has earned another start with the Orioles. As long as he doesn't develop a blister, which tends to happen with the Orioles' pitchers. Garcia has allowed one baserunner through five innings, and it came on a walk. He's also struck out one batter. Garcia has thrown 55 pitches, 36 for strikes. He's working extremely well with new catcher Chris Snyder. He's also quite comfortable facing the Angels, especially in Anaheim. As you...

Duquette confident that Davis can avoid disabled list (O's lead 3-0)

Duquette confident that Davis can avoid disabled list (O's lead 3-0)
The Orioles will wait until Monday to have one of their physicians read the MRI taken this morning on Chris Davis' right knee, but it appears that the first baseman will avoid the disabled list. An Angels physician reviewed the MRI today, but executive vice president Dan Duquette said the Orioles aren't able to "effectively read the MRI until Monday." "But the information we have is that Chris is feeling much better today and he's day-to-day," Duquette added. "It sounds like he's not...

Machado starts new hitting streak (updated)

Machado starts new hitting streak (updated)
Manny Machado's 11-game hitting streak ended last night, which largely went unnoticed because of Chris Davis' knee, Miguel Gonzalez's blister and a shutout loss to the Angels. Well, Machado has started a new one. His home run with one out in the top of the first inning today gave the Orioles a quick 1-0 lead. Machado has seven doubles, a triple and two home runs in his last 13 games. The Orioles are 9-3 in games following a loss this season. They lost last night. Just saying... Tsuyoshi...

Pearce playing first base, Snyder catching

Pearce playing first base, Snyder catching
Steve Pearce is starting at first base today while the Orioles wait for the results of Chris Davis' MRI. Chris Snyder is making his first start behind the plate for the Orioles. Nolan Reimold is batting fifth and serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Nolan Reimold DH J.J. Hardy SS Steve Pearce 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Chris Snyder C Freddy Garcia RHP For the Angels Erick Aybar SS Mike Trout CF Albert Pujols 1B Mark...

Clark DFA to make room for Garcia

Clark DFA to make room for Garcia
The Orioles have designated pitcher Zach Clark (UMBC) for assignment to make room for today's starter, Freddy Garcia, on the 25- and 40-man rosters. Garcia was 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Norfolk this season. He was named International League Player of the Week for the week ending April 28 after going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings. Garcia's 152 career victories rank ninth among active pitchers, and he has the most wins for any Venezuelan-born pitcher in baseball...

Angels lineup vs. Orioles

Angels lineup vs. Orioles
The Orioles haven't posted their lineup or announced today's roster moves. And still no word on Chris Davis' MRI results. Will pitcher Zach Clark be optioned to make room for starter Freddy Garcia on the 25-man roster? Could the Orioles place last night's starter, Miguel Gonzalez, on the disabled list with a blister on his right thumb? They're off Monday and have two more off-days the following week, so they could skip him anyway. Room also must be made for Garcia on the 40-man...

Orioles welcome Garcia into the rotation

Orioles welcome Garcia into the rotation
Freddy Garcia makes his Orioles debut this afternoon in Anaheim, and I'm sure many fans still remember his first start of the 2012 season at Camden Yards. Garcia faced the Orioles three more times, but nothing could erase his April 10 outing for the Yankees, when he allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three walks, a hit batter and five - count them, five - wild pitches. He threw 98 pitches. He was awful. And now he's an Oriole. It's a funny...

Davis likely to get MRI on Saturday

Davis likely to get MRI on Saturday
The Orioles are in the process of trying to schedule an MRI for Chris Davis after he left tonight's game in the fifth inning with a right knee injury. Davis was trying to beat out a slow ground ball and came down on the front edge of the bag. He limped off the field and was replaced at first base by Ryan Flaherty. Interviewed on MASN, manager Buck Showalter said Davis is "pretty upbeat about it," which is a good sign. "We'll see what we've got," Showalter said. "It just bit him there...

Davis leaves game with knee injury (O's lose 4-0)

Davis leaves game with knee injury (O's lose 4-0)
Chris Davis came out of tonight's game against the Angels with a right knee injury after landing awkwardly on first base while trying to beat out a slow ground ball in the top of the fifth inning. Davis immediately veered into foul territory, and he barely applied any pressure to his right leg. He was grimacing as he limped to the dugout, and Ryan Flaherty replaced him at first base in the bottom half of the inning. This is Flaherty's fourth major league inning at first base. Steve Pearce...