Roch Kubatko

Showalter speaks while biting tongue

July 24, 2011, 12:59pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter made it very clear that plate umpire Todd Tichenor's strike zone wasn't up to major league standards today - or tee-ball, for that matter. But Showalter skillfully avoided ripping Tichenor during his postgame session with the media. Feel free to read between the lines. Asked about Jeremy Guthrie, who allowed three runs in seven innings while falling to 4-14 with a 4.33 ERA, Showalter replied, "Good outing, really good outing. Tough conditions. Working with...

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Adam Jones dials 446 (Worrell gives up two HRs)

July 24, 2011, 11:13am

Orioles

Adam Jones dials 446 (Worrell gives up two HRs)

The Orioles have trimmed a three-run deficit to one run in the sixth inning with one huge swing from Adam Jones. Nick Markakis singled with two outs, and Jones followed with a shot to center field that almost hit the batter's eye. Estimated distance: 446 feet. Jones has homered in back-to-back games, raising his total to 18. He leads the club with 60 RBIs. Angels starter Tyler Chatwood hadn't allowed a home run in his last six starts. He won't forget this one. Chatwood has never gone...

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Too many two-out runs (and more)

July 24, 2011, 10:15am

Orioles

It happened again today. The Angels scored with two outs to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Jeremy Guthrie retired the first two batters on fly balls to left field, but Torii Hunter doubled and Bobby Abreu followed with a single. The Angels have scored nine runs in this series, all of them coming with two outs. Guthrie had retired seven batters in a row, the last six on fly balls. Nick Markakis handled three of them in the second inning. Hunter doubled off the center field...

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Slow news day (Angels lineup and scout note)

July 24, 2011, 8:18am

Orioles

Slow news day (Angels lineup and scout note)

I don't have much information to pass along from manager Buck Showalter's pregame session with the media. It's pretty calm around here. Vladimir Guererro and Cesar Izturis will be in Double-A Bowie's lineup for its 6:05 p.m. game against the Trenton Thunder at Prince George's Stadium. Both players could be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday, when the Orioles begin a three-game series in Toronto. As for the corresponding roster moves, the Orioles are leaning toward sending down...

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Bell stays in lineup as DH

July 24, 2011, 6:58am

Orioles

Josh Bell is making his second consecutive start since being recalled yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Derrek Lee 1B Nolan Reimold LF Josh Bell DH Robert Andino 2B Jeremy Guthrie RHP

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Showalter speaks after 3-2 win

July 23, 2011, 6:20pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter spoke after tonight's 3-2 victory about the importance of Brad Bergesen keeping the deficit at two runs after Vernon Wells' homer in the first. The game could have gotten away from Bergesen and the Orioles, but they rallied. Buck Showalter meets with the media after the O's pick up the 3-2 win over the Angels "You see a lot of guys just let it snowball, but he didn't," Showalter said. "Pitched out of a tough jam there, first and second, nobody out. Showed a...

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The risk factor (O's win 3-2)

July 23, 2011, 5:19pm

Orioles

Jim Johnson threw seven pitches in a scoreless seventh inning. Koji Uehara threw nine pitches in a perfect eighth, getting a fly ball, pop up and strikeout. The baton is being passed again in a one-run game. Kevin Gregg is warming in the bullpen. Manager Buck Showalter will go with his closer, one night after Gregg served up Vernon Wells' grand slam. Gregg has allowed runs in four of his last five outings, though the four last night were unearned after Derrek Lee's error. Let's see...

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Offense awakens, Orioles take lead (updated)

July 23, 2011, 4:28pm

Orioles

The Orioles kept putting runners on base against Angels starter Joel Pineiro. They could only waste so many opportunities. Robert Andino and Craig Tatum singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Andino hustled to third base on J.J. Hardy's fly ball, and he scored the tying run on Nick Markakis' single. Adam Jones followed with a sacrifice fly, his second RBI of the night. Orioles 3, Angels 2. Markakis was 0-for-13 before his single. He grounded into a double play to end a threat in the...

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Everything that could go wrong (updated twice)

July 23, 2011, 3:22pm

Orioles

Everything that could go wrong (updated twice)

We've completed one inning and the Orioles already trail the Angels 2-0. Vernon Wells followed up last night's grand slam with a two-run shot off Orioles starter Brad Bergesen. Bergesen got a double play from Torii Hunter after Erick Aybar's leadoff single, but he walked Bobby Abreu. A two-out walk. Never good. Bergesen got ahead of Wells 0-2 and tried to sneak a 92 mph fastball past him. It didn't work. He got too much of the plate, and Wells got too much of the ball. The Angels...

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Bell no longer at third base

July 23, 2011, 1:40pm

Orioles

We have a change in the Orioles lineup. Josh Bell and Mark Reynolds have changed roles. Bell will serve as the designated hitter, and Reynolds will play third base. Reynolds approached manager Buck Showalter during batting practice and asked to stay in the field. Reynolds said he's never been a DH and worried that it would be more difficult to stay in the flow of the game. Their places in the order remain the same. Reynolds is batting fourth and Bell is hitting seventh.

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News and notes before tonight's game

July 23, 2011, 12:51pm

Orioles

You're already caught up on the latest with Vladimir Guerrero, who is taking live batting practice today and will serve as the designated hitter tomorrow at Double-A Bowie. Also, Luke Scott will get a second opinion on his right shoulder from renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Alabama. No appointment has been set, but Scott expects to visit Andrews next week. Nolan Reimold would have pinch hit for Scott in the ninth inning last night if the game continued. I wrote about the long...

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Guerrero taking swings today (updated)

July 23, 2011, 12:12pm

Orioles

Vladimir Guerrero, on the disabled list with a fractured bone in his right wrist, will take some swings against soft toss in the indoor cage. He also hopes to take batting practice on the field. Guerrero could report to Double-A Bowie and play in at least one rehab game before coming off the disabled list. Guerrero is eligible to return Tuesday. Update: The plan calls for Guerrero to take batting practice today and serve as the designated hitter tomorrow at Bowie. Cesar Izturis is the...

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How does Bell's arrival impact Reimold? (They're both in lineup)

July 23, 2011, 11:01am

Orioles

How does Bell's arrival impact Reimold? (They're both in lineup)

As The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec tweeted earlier, third baseman Josh Bell will join the Orioles today from Triple-A Norfolk and replace Luke Scott on the 25-man roster. Scott is headed to the disabled list, and possible season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum. That decision is pending. The Orioles didn't need to keep a player in the minors for 10 days before recalling him again, since he's replacing an injured player. Early speculation had outfielder Matt Angle being recalled. One...

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Scott should have the surgery

July 22, 2011, 7:11pm

Orioles

The Orioles have scored one run since Tuesday. This is a problem. It's also due to an off-day on Thursday, but still ... They also have five hits in their last two games. The rotation looks a lot better, however. And isn't that typical of the Orioles? They have four quality starts in their last six games, and the offense has taken a powder. The starters have completed six or more innings in six of the last 23 games. That's actually an improvement. I've written plenty about Luke Scott...

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Showalter and Simon speak after 6-1 loss

July 22, 2011, 6:51pm

Orioles

Showalter and Simon speak after 6-1 loss

There wasn't much to feel good about tonight, but Alfredo Simon turned in his second quality start after carrying a shutout into the seventh inning. He was charged with two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings and tied his career high with 96 pitches. "He gave us a real good chance to win," manager Buck Showalter said. "I was pleased with his performance again. Had him maybe a tick above where we had hoped to take him with pitches and everything. We should be in position to turn him loose...

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Scott returning to disabled list (with Showalter quotes)

July 22, 2011, 6:18pm

Orioles

Scott returning to disabled list (with Showalter quotes)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters after tonight's 6-1 loss to the Angels that Luke Scott is headed back to the disabled list. Scott was activated this afternoon, but he was in obvious pain during his three plate appearances and would have been removed for a pinch-hitter if his turn came up in the bottom of the ninth inning. Scott will have to decide whether to rehab the shoulder or undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum. His season could be over. The Orioles could recall...

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Orioles have one hit, one deficit (and a bigger one)

July 22, 2011, 5:05pm

Orioles

Tonight's attendance: 24,823 The Angels broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning and drove Alfredo Simon from the game. Mike Trout doubled with one out and Maicer Izturis doubled with two outs. Jason Berken replaced Simon and gave up Torii Hunter's double. Angels 2, Orioles 0. Simon is charged with two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, with one walk, three strikeouts and a hit batter. He threw 96 pitches, 59 for strikes. Simon was good tonight. Ervin Santana was...

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Waiting on the first hit (and there it is)

July 22, 2011, 4:36pm

Orioles

Waiting on the first hit (and there it is)

The 104-degree temperature hasn't heated up the Orioles' bats. Angels starter Ervin Santana has allowed one baserunner in five innings, and it wasn't his fault. Luke Scott reached on second baseman Maicer Izturis' error with two outs in the second. Right fielder Torii Hunter made an outstanding running catch to rob Derrek Lee of an extra-base hit in the fifth inning. It looked like a double when it left Lee's bat, but Hunter sprinted toward the line, reached out and made the...

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In the heat of the night (updated)

July 22, 2011, 3:47pm

Orioles

Tonight's first-pitch temperature was 104 degrees. That's the second-highest temp here in the last 15 years. It was 105 degrees for a July 6, 1999 game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Alfredo Simon has shut out the Angels on two hits over the first three innings. He escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the third by striking out Bobby Abreu on an 89 mph slider. Simon threw 21 pitches through two innings, 20 in the third. He's allowed two runs and five hits over 10 innings in his two starts...

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Showalter talks about Scott, Angle and Matusz

July 22, 2011, 1:40pm

Orioles

Showalter talks about Scott, Angle and Matusz

Manager Buck Showalter is in a wait-and-see mode regarding outfielder Luke Scott, who will take the next three to five days to determine whether the pain in his right shoulder, and the restrictions caused by it, will force him to shut down for the rest of the season. "I talked with him some today," Showalter said. "It's kind of is what it is. We'll see what we've got and see if he can play the rest of the year with what he has. That's what we talked about today. We'll see if it's...