Roch Kubatko

Hearing from Showalter, Wieters and Hammel

April 02, 2013, 4:02pm

Orioles

Hearing from Showalter, Wieters and Hammel

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Matt Wieters feels right at home in Tropicana Field, which makes you wonder whether he lives in a large storage shed. Wieters' .371 average here is the second-highest among active players with a minimum of 100 at-bats, trailing only Victor Martinez (.402). He had two hits today, including a two-run homer in the first inning off Cy Young Award winner David Price, and drew two walks. Wieters is now 5-for-10 with two homers and three RBIs in three career openers against...

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Reimold and Roberts talk about their return to the lineup

April 02, 2013, 3:40pm

Orioles

Reimold and Roberts talk about their return to the lineup

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The first Tampa Bay batter of today's game, Desmond Jennings, sent a long fly ball to left field that Nolan Reimold ran down before slamming into the wall. He held onto it despite the impact. A few of the Orioles probably held their collective breath. Reimold didn't play after April last season because of a herniated disc in his neck that required surgery and a lengthy rehab. He got the start in left today, collected two hits and had one scary moment. "Well, I got...

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Jones has a typical opening day, Davis has a big swing

April 02, 2013, 3:20pm

Orioles

Jones has a typical opening day, Davis has a big swing

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Adam Jones doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs today that gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. Three hits on opening day? So, what else is new? Jones has recorded three-hit games in three of his six openers with the Orioles. He's 10-for-19 (.526) during that stretch. The Orioles were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position when Jones batted in the seventh. He fell behind 0-2 to Rays reliever Jake McGee and ripped a two-run double to...

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And there goes the lead (O's win 7-4)

April 02, 2013, 1:02pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles are 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position today, and it's come back to haunt them. Tampa Bay left-hander David Price is done after six innings and 100 pitches. He served up a two-run homer to Matt Wieters in the first, but that's all the scoring off him. Jason Hammel carried a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but he walked No. 9 hitter Kelly Johnson to lead off the inning. As you know, nothing good ever comes from a leadoff walk, especially to...

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Wieters gives Orioles early lead (Zobrist homers)

April 02, 2013, 11:33am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Tampa Bay left-hander David Price retired the first two Orioles in the top of the first inning. Then he ran into a little trouble. It was compounded when catcher Matt Wieters ran into a changeup. Wieters launched a two-run homer to left-center field following Adam Jones' double, giving the Orioles a quick 2-0 lead over the reigning Cy Young Award winner. Price missed with a 95 mph fastball, then tried an 87 mph changeup. Wieters, batting cleanup today, responded with...

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More from Showalter before the first pitch

April 02, 2013, 10:04am

Orioles

More from Showalter before the first pitch

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Three players in the Orioles clubhouse made an opening day roster for the first time in their major league careers: Pitchers Miguel Gonzalez and T.J. McFarland, and third baseman Manny Machado. McFarland is getting his first exposure to the majors after being selected from the Cleveland Indians' organization in the Rule 5 draft. "Before I came over here, I was looking at T.J. and wondering what must be going through his mind right now," said manager Buck Showalter....

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Lots of moving pieces in DH slot

April 02, 2013, 9:33am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter looked ahead at the upcoming pitching matchups and figured that he needed to get Steve Pearce in the lineup today as the designated hitter against Tampa Bay's David Price. The Orioles may not face another left-hander for a while, and Showalter didn't want Pearce to sit for too long. "It looks like we're going to go quite a while, the equivalent of about 10 days if you go back to the last time Stevie played in a game, before we face a...

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A few pregame notes

April 02, 2013, 7:04am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manny Machado will become the fourth Oriole to start on opening day at 20 or younger, joining Brook Robinson, Ron Hansen and Boog Powell. Robinson was 19 on April 15, 1957. Did anyone here attend that game? Hansen (1958) and Powell (1962) were 20. The last Oriole to play on opening day at 20 was pitcher Wally Bunker in 1965. Brian Roberts is making his ninth opening day start at second base, passing Rich Dauer for the most by an Oriole at the position. Adam Jones...

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Let the real games begin

April 01, 2013, 5:48pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Finally, the games count. No more Grapefruit League action. No more Team Spain and State College of Florida. No more torturous drives to Dunedin and intimate candle-lit gatherings in Bradenton - at least until 2014. The Orioles begin their regular season this afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. We're still in Florida, but now it matters. Manager Buck Showalter feels as though he's been at spring training for, roughly, an eternity. Yet, to him,...

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Orioles opening day lineup

April 01, 2013, 12:14pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nick Markakis will lead off and Matt Wieters will bat cleanup for Tuesday's opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Nolan Reimold will start in left field and bat seventh. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nolan Reimold LF Steve Pearce DH Brian Roberts 2B Jason Hammel RHP Markakis' availability came into question during spring training after an MRI revealed a herniated disc...

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Machado: "Buck does everything for a reason"

April 01, 2013, 11:44am

Orioles

Machado: "Buck does everything for a reason"

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manny Machado hasn't batted higher than sixth in the majors and he's never hit second as a professional except for exhibition games. May as well do it on opening day. Against the reigning Cy Young Award winner. When Orioles manager Buck Showalter posts his lineup later today, Machado will be listed as the No. 2 hitter against Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price. Nick Markakis most likely will bat leadoff. "Buck does everything for a reason," Machado said....

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Machado will bat second on opening day, Pearce will DH (updated)

April 01, 2013, 10:53am

Orioles

Machado will bat second on opening day, Pearce will DH (updated)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter is waiting to post his lineup until he speaks with a few players during batting practice, but he confirmed to reporters in his office that Manny Machado will bat second and Steve Pearce will serve as the designated hitter. Showalter also batted Machado second and started Pearce on Thursday against Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price, who is taking the mound on Tuesday. It appears that Nolan Reimold will start in left field, which puts...

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Rays opening day lineup against Orioles

April 01, 2013, 8:12am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One advantage to having a manager on Twitter is it's easier to obtain the opening day lineup. Not that Buck Showalter is going to be influenced by Joe Maddon's social media skills. Maddon just tweeted his lineup for Tuesday afternoon's game against the Orioles at Tropicana Field. Desmond Jennings CF Sam Fuld RF Ben Zobrist 2B Evan Longoria 3B Matt Joyce LF Yunel Escobar SS James Loney 1B Jose Molina C Kelly Johnson DH David Price LHP Former Oriole Luke Scott is...

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Men at work

March 31, 2013, 6:34pm

Orioles

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles will conduct their workout at Tropicana Field today at 3 p.m., and my first prediction for the 2013 season is that the temperature will be 72 degrees. That's the last time I'm going out on a limb. The clubhouse will be open to reporters from 2-2:45 p.m. Then it's back up to the press box while players trickle out of the dugout, take batting practice and go through fielding drills. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters a few days ago that he would pass...

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Notes and quotes from Twin Lakes Park

March 31, 2013, 8:06am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The fields are finally emptying at the minor league complex at Twin Lakes Park. Players are headed inside to eat, work out and attend meetings. Jake Arrieta and Jair Jurrjens each tossed five innings in the same minor league game. Zach Britton and Kevin Gausman pitched on another field. Freddy Garcia passed his physical and threw a bullpen session. Wei-Yin Chen also threw on the side, with pitching coach Rick Adair stopping him a few times to offer instruction. Arrieta,...

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Breaking away

March 30, 2013, 5:39pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will break camp today and head to St. Petersburg, boarding their bus for the hour-long ride to the team hotel. The only news, and I'm using the term loosely, will come when they officially place Tsuyoshi Wada, Wilson Betemit and Steve Johnson on the disabled list and get down to the required 25 players. "We're ready," said manager Buck Showalter. "I feel good about where we are." Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis and Nolan Reimold are healthy and on the 25-man...

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Showalter and Pearce talk about final roster spot

March 30, 2013, 11:27am

Orioles

Showalter and Pearce talk about final roster spot

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter has chosen Steve Pearce over Conor Jackson for the final roster spot. Pearce will accompany the team to St. Petersburg on Sunday. Jackson has been reassigned to minor league camp and will begin the 2013 season at Triple-A Norfolk, where he could play first base, left field and right field, and serve as the designated hitter. He also could be used at third base. "I don't want to use something as callous as a flip of the coin, but they're very...

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Pearce homers, Gonzalez talks (Pearce makes team)

March 30, 2013, 10:00am

Orioles

Pearce homers, Gonzalez talks (Pearce makes team)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Pearce took another swing today at winning the last spot on the Orioles' 25-man roster. Pearce hit his seventh home run after striking out in his first two at-bats. He cleared the fence in left field to increase the Orioles' lead to 7-1. Pearce also has driven in 18 runs this spring. He's batting .340. Conor Jackson hasn't played today and we're in the top of the eighth. Miguel Gonzalez turned in his finest start, holding the Mets to one run and one hit over five...

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Game update and a little Showalter (McLouth homers twice, Davis once)

March 30, 2013, 8:54am

Orioles

Game update and a little Showalter (McLouth homers twice, Davis once)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Consecutive singles by Chris Davis, J.J. Hardy and Nolan Reimold with one out in the second inning gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead over the Mets in their final spring training game. Nate McLouth led off the bottom of the third inning with his third home run, the ball hitting the batter's eye in center field. Manny Machado doubled and later scored on Matt Wieters' single - the catcher's 15th RBI this spring. Orioles 3, Mets 0. Miguel Gonzalez is cruising. He retired the first...

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Roberts batting ninth again today

March 30, 2013, 7:48am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is batting ninth again today against the New York Mets. Roberts will stay at the bottom of the lineup for Tuesday's opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Manager Buck Showalter hasn't settled on one leadoff hitter for the regular season. Today, it's Nate McLouth's turn. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth CF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nolan Reimold LF Steve Pearce DH...