Roch Kubatko

Rough beginning and finish for Chen

April 10, 2012, 5:26pm

Orioles

The stuff in the middle was awfully good. Maybe this was Wei-Yin Chen's Oreo debut. (Sorry) Chen retired 12 in a row after giving up a homer and double and hitting a batter among the first four that he faced. He led, 4-1, going into the sixth, but the Yankees have tied the game and knocked him out of it. Two of the three runs in the sixth were unearned because of Mark Reynolds' two-out error on Russell Martin's sharp bouncer to third base. The ball slammed off Reynolds' chest and rolled...

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Game update (O's lead 4-1)

April 10, 2012, 4:41pm

Orioles

Yankees starter Freddy Garcia has thrown four wild pitches in four innings, including two during Nick Johnson's at-bat in the first inning. He also threw two in the fourth inning, after Adam Jones led off with a double to left-center field. Matt Wieters walked, and Jones scored on Johnson's ground ball to first. Jones went in standing and knocked the ball out of catcher Russell Martin's mitt. Martin was charged with an error. Orioles 3, Yankees 1. As The Suns' Dan Connolly pointed...

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Chen given a rude welcome to majors (O's lead 2-1)

April 10, 2012, 3:19pm

Orioles

Chen given a rude welcome to majors (O's lead 2-1)

Wei-Yin Chen's first three pitches tonight missed the strike zone. His fifth missed every glove in the ballpark and landed on the wrong side of the fence. Derek Jeter hit his 25th leadoff home run, breaking Rickey Henderson's franchise record and giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Jeter clobbered an 88 mph fastball. Nick Swisher followed with a double to right-center field on an 83 mph slider. Not exactly what the Orioles wanted to see from their Taiwanese pitcher in his major league...

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Showalter on Chen and the bullpen

April 10, 2012, 2:52pm

Orioles

Wei-Yin Chen's start is sort of a big deal in Taiwan. How big? There are nine Taiwanese media outlets at Camden Yards tonight: Central News Agency, TBVS, ETTV, ESPN Taiwan, China Times, Liberty Times, Formosa, CTI TV and World Journal. There are 15 people from these outlets. Tonight's game will air live in Taiwan on three outlets - Formosa TV, ESPN Taiwan and ETLA - at 7 a.m. local time. It's also a pretty big deal to the Orioles. "Oh, without a doubt it's different. Thank goodness....

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When will Wieters sit instead of crouch?

April 10, 2012, 1:24pm

Orioles

When will Wieters sit instead of crouch?

Catcher Matt Wieters will be out of the lineup for the first time Saturday night or Sunday afternoon in Toronto. Manager Buck Showalter will decide after checking the matchups. Well, I checked them and I couldn't find a definitive solution. The Blue Jays are starting right-hander Henderson Alvarez on Saturday and right-hander Kyle Drabek on Sunday. Wieters and backup Ronny Paulino haven't faced Alvarez, who's 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in two career starts against the Orioles, with...

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Showalter speaks about Andino incident

April 10, 2012, 12:48pm

Orioles

To Orioles second baseman Robert Andino, last night's heated exchange with Yankees catcher Russell Martin over an accusation that he was stealing signs was simply "heat of the moment." "Boys being boys," he said. "Just had a few words. Nothing big." Manager Buck Showalter kept Andino in the lineup tonight. Asked for his take on last night's incident, Showalter said, "Exactly what happened. I think you all know. And we move on. We'll handle things as they come." We won't know...

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Andino in tonight's lineup

April 10, 2012, 11:01am

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter isn't hiding Robert Andino tonight. If the Yankees are thinking about retribution after last night's accusation from catcher Russell Martin that Andino was stealing signs, they won't have any trouble finding him. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Johnson DH Mark Reynolds 3B Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP

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This, that and the other (and more)

April 09, 2012, 8:35pm

Orioles

If Yankees starter Freddy Garcia comes anywhere near Robert Andino with a pitch tonight, the benches and bullpens are going to empty. Andino and Yankees catcher Russell Martin were barking at each other after last night's game. Martin thinks Andino was stealing signs at second base. Andino thinks Martin would look good buried up to his neck at home plate. This could get interesting. Andino is 1-for-5 with an RBI lifetime against Garcia. Would this be a good night to give Ryan Flaherty a...

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Hearing from Matusz and Wieters

April 09, 2012, 7:24pm

Orioles

I'll close tonight with a few words from the Orioles' battery. Brian Matusz: "I came out today, felt good in the bullpen. I was a little amped up, first start of the season, and I was just pitching behind in the count too much today. Not getting ahead, attacking the zone like I wanted to. The walks hurt. It's a tough lineup. They had hits when they needed it." (Overthrowing?) "I wouldn't say overthrowing. Just a little bit excited. I had a tough time finding the zone." (Better than...

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Andino and Martin exchange words, Showalter speaks after 6-2 loss

April 09, 2012, 7:14pm

Orioles

Andino and Martin exchange words, Showalter speaks after 6-2 loss

I didn't see it, but Orioles second baseman Robert Andino and Yankees catcher Russell Martin exchanged heated words on the field after tonight's game. Martin apparently accused Andino of stealing signs from second base in the ninth inning after Andino doubled off Mariano Rivera with one out. Martin was coy about it afterward, never coming right out and confirming his suspicions, but that was his beef. Martin accused the Blue Jays of doing the same thing last year, so he's a little...

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Big night for Wieters, but O's lose 6-2

April 09, 2012, 6:01pm

Orioles

Matt Wieters has tied his career high with four hits tonight - a home run, double and two singles. He won't be celebrating. The Orioles are down, 6-2, in the top of the ninth, and manager Buck Showalter is using his fifth pitcher, Pedro Strop, who's replacing Kevin Gregg. Wieters also collected four hits in a July 28, 2009 game against the Royals. Wieters needed a triple for the cycle, but he settled for a single off Yankees reliever David Robertson. He entered the game batting .111, but...

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Matusz can't find the plate tonight (O'Day entering game)

April 09, 2012, 4:27pm

Orioles

Matusz can't find the plate tonight (O'Day entering game)

Brian Matusz issued three walks in 24 2/3 spring innings. He's walked four batters tonight in only four innings. Matusz seems to be 2-0 and 3-1 on every hitter. His pitch count is up to 96, including 52 strikes, and Darren O'Day began warming in the bullpen in the fourth while pitching coach Rick Adair visited the mound and catcher Matt Wieters made two trips. The Yankees scored three runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Derek Jeter had a two-run double, making him 3-for-3 tonight and...

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Bullpen could be busy tonight (Wieters homers)

April 09, 2012, 3:23pm

Orioles

Bullpen could be busy tonight (Wieters homers)

Left-hander Brian Matusz gave up a run in the top of the first inning, which doesn't sound too bad. However, he returned to the dugout with his pitch count at 30. He'll need to become a lot more economical, or we're going to find out how manager Buck Showalter works his bullpen without a true long man. Matusz kept falling behind hitters, though Mark Teixeira's two-out, RBI single came on a 1-2 pitch. Derek Jeter led off with a single, making him 9-for-20 lifetime against Matusz. Alex...

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More pregame notes and quotes

April 09, 2012, 1:52pm

Orioles

Catcher Taylor Teagarden remains on the disabled list with lower-back issues, and it doesn't appear that he's close to joining the active roster. "Better than it was, but still not real fast progress," manager Buck Showalter said. Chris Correnti, the Orioles' performance consultant who's responsible for overseeing the rehabilitation of injured players, told Showalter that Zach Britton is "real excited about finally getting the ball back in his hand." Britton will play catch on...

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A six-man rotation?

April 09, 2012, 12:46pm

Orioles

Tsuyoshi Wada started his first extended spring training game today, throwing 88 pitches in six innings. The reports say that his left arm felt good. Wada will pitch again Saturday in another extended spring training game, and he'll join one of the affiliates for a start on April 19. Zach Britton is scheduled to pick up a ball and play catch for the first time Thursday since having a Platelet Rich Plasma treatment on his left shoulder. Britton's return to the Orioles is further down the...

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Orioles lineup vs. N.Y.

April 09, 2012, 11:08am

Orioles

For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 3B Wilson Betemit DH Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Brian Matusz LHP

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After Twin killings, can Orioles be Yankee clippers?

April 08, 2012, 6:27pm

Orioles

The last time that the Yankees and Red Sox started out 0-3 was 1966. Anyone know how the Orioles finished that year? I'm not ordering my playoff tickets quite yet. The Orioles were 3-0 last season. They also were 6-1. Fast starts aren't a novelty. The issue has been sustaining that momentum. I know they beat up on the Twins, who did everything well over the weekend except pitch, hit and field, but don't ruin the moment. I've said the same thing in previous years. Why overthink it when...

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Showalter on Hammel: "I thought he had a shot at it"

April 08, 2012, 12:41pm

Orioles

Showalter on Hammel: "I thought he had a shot at it"

Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent most of his postgame media session talking about Jason Hammel, and with good reason. We kept asking him about the right-hander, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in the Orioles' 3-1 victory over the Twins. "That was fun," Showalter said. "I thought he had a shot at it. He was carrying that type of stuff. He had all four pitches going. Not that anybody was thinking about it. "I'm not going to give anybody up, but there were a couple of our...

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Hammel through seven innings (no-hitter ends)

April 08, 2012, 11:24am

Orioles

Hammel through seven innings (no-hitter ends)

Jason Hammel has allowed two baserunners in seven innings today, walking Josh Willingham in the second and Justin Morneau leading off the fifth. He's faced the minimum number of batters because he's gotten two double plays. The Twins are beating the ball into the ground. Hammel has induced 14 ground balls for 16 outs, counting the double plays. He's also struck out three. That leaves two fly balls - none since the second inning. The Orioles continue to lead, 3-0, as Hammel takes the mound...

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More power to the Orioles (Hammel through sixth)

April 08, 2012, 9:55am

Orioles

J.J. Hardy homered off his former team in the bottom of the first inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Twins right-hander Anthony Swarzak went curveball, fastball, curveball, fastball to Hardy, who detected a pattern and easily cleared the left field fence. Swarzak is starting for Liam Hendricks, who was hospitalized with a bad case of food poisoning. Now who feels sick? The Orioles have five home runs off the Twins in this series, including two from Nick Markakis, who's on pace for 162....