Roch Kubatko

Good and bad from McFarland (O's have four home runs)

March 25, 2013, 10:13am

Orioles

Good and bad from McFarland (O's have four home runs)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Making his first spring start today, left-hander T.J. McFarland struck out four of the first eight batters who stepped to the plate. That's the good. McFarland gave up three runs and four hits over the first two innings, including a long two-run homer to Boston's No. 9 hitter, Christian Vazquez. He surrendered three consecutive singles to open the third that moved the Red Sox ahead 4-3. That's the bad. McFarland has been charged with four runs and seven hits in three...

Tags:

Orioles remove Canzler and Pridie from camp roster

March 25, 2013, 9:23am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles made two more roster cuts today, optioning infielder Russ Canzler to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigning outfielder Jason Pridie to minor league camp. The moves leave the Orioles with 38 players in major league camp. Canzler was 9-for-34 (.265) with two RBIs in 23 games. Pridie was 13-for-42 (.310) with four doubles, two homers and eight RBIs in 19 games. Canzler also homered twice against Team Spain, but those stats weren't official. The Orioles selected Canzler...

Tags:

orioles spring training frontstory_orioles3 jason pridie russ canzler

More from Showalter before today's game

March 25, 2013, 8:16am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter provided updates on a few injured players and heaped some serious praise on Steve Pearce as part of his pregame session with the media, which took place behind the cage while his club finished up batting practice. On Travyon Robinson: "He feels good. He feels good. We'll give him another day. He's having spasms, cramps. Richie (Bancells) feels he'll be back tomorrow. During the season, I could probably use him." On Ryan Flaherty starting...

Tags:

orioles spring training buck showalter frontstory_orioles1 steve johnson steve pearce trayvon robinson

Markakis could DH on Tuesday

March 25, 2013, 7:13am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis took another round of batting practice today at Ed Smith Stadium and is expected to serve as the designated hitter for Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers. Markakis hasn't played since March 1 because of a herniated disc in his neck. His progression has taken him from hitting off a tee to soft toss to live batting practice the past two days. Markakis wouldn't be the only regular on the trip. Manager Buck Showalter...

Tags:

orioles spring training featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles nick markakis steve johnson trayvon robinson

More from Tillman

March 25, 2013, 6:09am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman said his four-inning, 62-pitch outing yesterday at Twin Lakes Park was "really good" and he remains confident that he will avoid a trip to the disabled list. Tillman faced a group of Orioles minor leaguers in an 11 a.m. start, with pitching coach Rick Adair staying back to watch before joining manager Buck Showalter in Bradenton. "It went well," Tillman said. "I got the work in. Everything was there. Command was really good. I'm pretty happy with...

Tags:

orioles spring training chris tillman frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (with notes)

March 25, 2013, 4:07am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Flaherty is playing right field today and left-hander T.J. McFarland is making his first start this spring, as the Orioles host the Boston Red Sox. Rule 5 rules. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Wilson Betemit DH Manny Machado 3B Ryan Flaherty RF T.J. McFarland LHP Mark Hendrickson, Jim Johnson, Darren O'Day, Pedro Strop, Jason Gurka and Chris Petrini also are listed as available...

Tags:

orioles spring training frontstory_orioles1 ryan flaherty t.j. mcfarland

Pitching in with ways to keep McFarland

March 24, 2013, 4:29pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' pitching picture begins to clear up, then it gets hazy again. It begins to clears up, then it gets hazy again. It's pretty obvious that the Orioles are trying to find a way to keep left-hander T.J. McFarland, who won 16 games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last season before the Cleveland Indians left him exposed in the Rule 5 draft. The Indians would take him back in a heartbeat if he passed through waivers. The Orioles aren't confident that...

Tags:

orioles spring training chris tillman featured_sidebar frontfeatured_orioles t.j. mcfarland

Notes and quotes following Orioles' 12-10 victory

March 24, 2013, 1:21pm

Orioles

BRADENTON, Fla. - Zech Zinicola gave up a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the ninth inning, the last one to Felix Pie, before recording a strikeout to complete the Orioles' 12-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at McKechnie Field. The game lasted 3:37, not counting the 16-minute rain delay. The first inning dragged along as the Orioles scored eight runs in the top half and the Pirates answered with two in the bottom half. "We counted 11 breaks in the action in the first...

Tags:

orioles spring training brian matusz buck showalter chris tillman featured_sidebar nick markakis trayvon robinson troy patton frontstory_orioles3

Matusz: "It's disappointing having an outing like this regardless of the situation"

March 24, 2013, 11:58am

Orioles

Matusz: "It's disappointing having an outing like this regardless of the situation"

BRADENTON, Fla. - It hasn't been a good day for left-handers on the Orioles' pitching staff. Brian Matusz allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings, and he was clearly upset with his performance while talking to reporters outside the visiting clubhouse at McKechnie Field. Luis Ayala retired the side in order in the fifth, but lefty Troy Patton was charged with five runs in the sixth inning to tie the game 10-10. The last two runs scored after Patton was removed with two outs and two...

Tags:

brian matusz orioles spring training frontstory_orioles1

Robinson injured and Dickerson hits grand slam (Matusz done)

March 24, 2013, 9:39am

Orioles

Robinson injured and Dickerson hits grand slam (Matusz done)

BRADENTON, Fla. - Outfielder Trayvon Robinson appeared to suffer a back injury today after lining a run-scoring single into center field in the top of the first inning, and Lew Ford pinch-ran for him. Robinson crouched down in foul territory as head athletic trainer Richie Bancells came out of the dugout. Robinson kept reaching for his lower back with his left hand as he slowly walked to the clubhouse. Robinson, a non-roster invitee who isn't expected to make the club out of spring training,...

Tags:

orioles spring training chris dickerson frontfeatured_orioles trayvon robinson

Orioles acquire Rodriguez from Phillies

March 24, 2013, 9:07am

Orioles

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Orioles made a minor league trade today, acquiring 22-year-old pitcher Julio Rodriguez from the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Ronnie Welty. Rodriguez is a 6-foot-4 right-hander from Puerto Rico and a former eighth-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He spent last season with Double-A Reading, going 7-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 29 games (22 starts) and 136 strikeouts in 134 innings - placing him third in the Eastern League. Rodriguez was chosen to the World...

Tags:

orioles spring training frontstory_orioles1 julio rodriguez

Showalter remains noncommital about Arrieta

March 24, 2013, 8:47am

Orioles

Showalter remains noncommital about Arrieta

BRADENTON, Fla. - While Jake Arrieta appears to be the choice as the Orioles' fifth starter, manager Buck Showalter continues to list five candidates. Arrieta was removed from Tuesday's starting assignment against the Minnesota Twins, with Kevin Gausman taking his place. Arrieta will pitch at Twin Lakes Park. Asked if we could conclude that Arrieta is the fifth starter, Showalte replied, "No." "We just haven't gotten there yet," Showalter added. "I'm not precluding him from being in...

Tags:

orioles spring training buck showalter chris tillman jake arrieta tsuyoshi wada frontstory_orioles3

McFarland talks about his starting assignment

March 24, 2013, 6:39am

Orioles

McFarland talks about his starting assignment

BRADENTON, Fla. - Already trying to calm his nerves before his first spring training start, left-hander T.J. McFarland didn't need to know that Monday's game would air on ESPN. "Well, thanks for reminding me," he quipped. "No pressure there." McFarland's first seven appearances had come in relief, but the Orioles needed a starter to replace Zach Britton, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk yesterday, and manager Buck Showalter wanted to give the Rule 5 pick an opportunity. "It's...

Tags:

orioles spring training featured_sidebar t.j. mcfarland frontstory_orioles3

Orioles and Pirates lineups (updated)

March 24, 2013, 4:25am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alexi Casilla is getting another start at shortstop today, with Ryan Flaherty playing second base for the Orioles' game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Brandenton. Nolan Reimold will serve as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Alexi Casilla SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH Wilson Betemit 3B Jason Pridie RF Trayvon Robinson LF Travis Ishikawa 1B Taylor Teagarden C Chris Dickerson CF Brian Matusz LHP Pitchers Luis Ayala, Troy Patton, Chris Pettit, Jason...

Tags:

orioles spring training frontstory_orioles1

More thoughts on the rotation

March 23, 2013, 7:23pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's not a reach to consider today's start an extremely important one for Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz. Zach Britton has been weeded out of the fifth starter competition. He noted how Jake Arrieta and "B-Matt" have both done "really well." Steve Johnson was cruising along Friday in Port Charlotte before walking the bases loaded with two outs in the third inning and running up his pitch count. Jair Jurrjens tossed five scoreless innings on Friday, allowing only two...

Tags:

orioles spring training brian matusz jake arrieta frontstory_orioles3

Notes and quotes following today's 13-4 loss

March 23, 2013, 12:47pm

Orioles

Notes and quotes following today's 13-4 loss

SARASOTA, Fla. - Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland will make his first start of the spring on Monday against the Boston Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. Zach Britton was listed as the starter before being optioned today. With Jake Arrieta going from being Tuesday's starter against the Minnesota Twins to pitching at minor league camp, it's probably safe to assume he's going to be named the fifth starter. You can read something into it. The Orioles are expected to make one or two cuts Sunday...

Tags:

orioles spring training buck showalter jonathan schoop t.j. mcfarland wei-yin chen zach britton frontstory_orioles3

Chen on Chen (O's lose 13-4)

March 23, 2013, 11:38am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen was handed a couple of excuses for his poor outing today, and he politely declined them. The wind? Didn't aid the three home runs that he surrendered. The limited starts in Grapefruit League games? Doesn't matter. "I felt OK today, but delivery-wise, they got my timing really well today," Chen said through his interpreter after allowing six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. "Most of my pitches were...

Tags:

orioles spring training wei-yin chen frontstory_orioles1

Chen and pitching updates (O's down 10-2)

March 23, 2013, 10:09am

Orioles

Chen and pitching updates (O's down 10-2)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen may not recognize Grapefruit League hitters today. Maybe that's why he's struggling through three innings. Chen has allowed five runs and seven hits, with two walks, two strikeouts and a hit batter. He's served up back-to-back home runs to Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, and the Philadelphia Phillies have taken a 5-0 lead. Chen has thrown 69 pitches, 44 for strikes, in only his third start outside of Twin Lakes Park. Ben Revere struck out leading off the top of...

Tags:

orioles spring training frontfeatured_orioles wei-yin chen

O's option Britton, Schoop, Navarro to Norfolk (updated)

March 23, 2013, 9:06am

Orioles

O's option Britton, Schoop, Navarro to Norfolk (updated)

In addition to reassigning pitcher Daniel McCutchen to minor league camp earlier this morning, the Orioles have made three more cuts today. The club optioned left-hander Zach Britton and infielders Jonathan Schoop and Yamaico Navarro to Triple-A Norfolk. While Schoop and Navarro weren't expected to make the 25-man roster, Britton was in the thick of the competition for the fifth starter's job. Sending the 25-year-old to the minors begins to clear up the rotation picture, as Jake Arrieta...

Tags:

featured_sidebar jonathan schoop orioles spring training yamaico navarro zach britton frontstory_orioles3

Hunter gets in his work at Twin Lakes Park

March 23, 2013, 8:40am

Orioles

Hunter gets in his work at Twin Lakes Park

SARASOTA, Fla. - You can include Tommy Hunter on your list of pitchers who are amused and challenged by the free-swinging minor leaguers who stand in the box against them at Twin Lakes Park. Hunter threw 51 pitches yesterday against a group of Tampa Bay Rays Single-A hitters while the Orioles were playing in Port Charlotte. "I felt pretty good," he said. "Got my work in. They swung at a lot of pitches, so it's hard to really ..." No need to finish the thought, though Hunter came back to...