Tillman: "It's a lot disappointing."

Tillman: "It's a lot disappointing."
Chris Tillman says he's felt good for a few days after making a couple plays in the field during his last start that caused discomfort in his right groin, but the Orioles are being cautious and skipping him in the rotation until next Saturday. Tillman is available to pitch in relief tonight, but only if manager Buck Showalter has to use him. "I can't pinpoint an exact time, but it happened during the last game (Monday) around the second inning," Tillman said. "There were a few things...
Continue reading

Matusz will return to Sarasota

Matusz will return to Sarasota
As expected, the Orioles will send left-hander Brian Matusz to Sarasota next weekend while they embark on a two-city road trip that begins Friday in Chicago. Matusz will throw from 120 feet tomorrow and throw bullpen sessions here on Tuesday and Thursday. He'll pitch in an extended spring training game in Sarasota, and will require at least three starts on his injury rehab assignment, placing his projected return to the Orioles' rotation in the middle of May. Manager Buck Showalter said the...
Continue reading

Tonight's lineup against Yankees

Tonight's lineup against Yankees
The Orioles are using the same lineup tonight that they posted yesterday before the game was postponed. Here's your reminder: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Jake Fox LF Robert Andino SS Brad Bergesen RHP
Continue reading

Updates on Simon, Patton and Mahoney

Updates on Simon, Patton and Mahoney
Alfredo Simon will pitch again Monday or Tuesday at extended spring training in Sarasota, and he'll likely work two innings in his next appearance before being extended to three innings in his following start. The Orioles will stretch him to four innings the following week as part of their two-week projection to get him to 50 pitches. The Orioles want to get Simon up to 12-15 pitches per inning, which they can manipulate in these games. The rules are flexible. Simon could go through a six-...
Continue reading

Who's pitching in?

Who's pitching in?
Manager Buck Showalter has been pretty good at blindsiding reporters this year. We gather on the field in spring training or in his office or in the auxiliary clubhouse, and he brings up an injury or medical issue that we didn't anticipate. Brian Matusz has a wart? Justin Duchscherer felt a twinge? Brian Roberts has a stiff neck? Derrek Lee has a sore wrist? Lee has a sore foot? Matusz got hit on the arm by a line drive? J.J. Hardy has pain in his lower ribcage? Roberts went to the hospital...
Continue reading

Show up early Saturday

Show up early Saturday
The Orioles are anticipating a large walk-up crowd for tomorrow's 7:05 p.m. game against the Yankees, so you'll want to plan accordingly if you're purchasing tickets or risk being stuck in a long line. If you had my level of patience, you would have camped out overnight. All points of sale will be open at Camden Yards, but the large turnout creates the possibility of significant wait times. The club is advising fans to stop by the box offices in the morning or early-to-mid afternoon to buy...
Continue reading

More on the postponement and Tillman

More on the postponement and Tillman
A final decision hasn't been made, but I'd expect the Orioles to schedule a day-night doubleheader against the Yankees in August. I'll pass along the makeup date once it's available. Hold onto those tickets. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters that Chris Tillman is being skipped in the rotation because of "right groin issues" that surfaced during the pitcher's last start. "We'll take this opportunity to try to clear that up," Showalter said. "It looks like we'll stay in line...
Continue reading

Tillman skipped in rotation

Tillman skipped in rotation
Brad Bergesen will make tomorrow's start against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia, and Jake Arrieta will start Sunday's finale. Chris Tillman is being skipped in the rotation because of a sore groin muscle, according to manager Buck Showalter. Tillman apparently felt good enough to pitch Sunday, but tonight's postponement allows him to gain additional rest. He can pitch in relief if needed. Following Monday's open date on the schedule, the rotation for the series against the Red Sox...
Continue reading

Tonight's game postponed; no makeup date announced

Tonight's game postponed; no makeup date announced
Tonight's game between the Orioles and Yankees at Camden Yards has been postponed because of rain. A makeup date will be announced at a later time. Fans are advised to keep their tickets. That's all the information I can provide at the moment.
Continue reading

Showalter on Gonzalez

Showalter on Gonzalez
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is trying to use struggling left-hander Michael Gonzalez in less-pressurized situations, though it's not an easy proposition. Gonzalez has allowed runs in five of his six appearances, and home runs in back-to-back outings. Gonzalez isn't pitching as well as he'd like, of course, and "he's not pitching as well as I want him to, too," Showalter said. "He's still going to pitch. In the American League, you don't have somebody down there who doesn't pitch...
Continue reading

Showalter on Izturis, random notes

Showalter on Izturis, random notes
As I wrote in my last entry, shortstop Cesar Izturis is expected to start tomorrow night. He hasn't been in the lineup since April 17. Izturis is the type of individual who won't sulk while he's sitting. He's also available to counsel Robert Andino. "As advertised, as we thought," manager Buck Showalter said. "It was a good move for us. Izzy's like having a seventh coach. He gets it, he understands the game. He's going to do this for a long time when he quits playing. He's going to...
Continue reading

Matusz and Simon updates, Yankees lineup

Matusz and Simon updates, Yankees lineup
Left-hander Brian Matusz threw from 120 feet on flat ground today and didn't report any pain related to his left intercostal muscle. He'll throw again on Sunday, with a slightly more aggressive approach, and progress to two mound sessions at Camden Yards if he doesn't experience any setbacks. Matusz is slated to throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. He could return to the minor league complex in Sarasota after the homestand, which would enable him to throw in nicer weather. The...
Continue reading

Tonight's lineup against the Yankees

Tonight's lineup against the Yankees
The tarp's on the field and a light rain continues to fall, but at least the lineup is posted. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Jake Fox LF Robert Andino SS Brad Bergesen RHP
Continue reading
Tags:

No offense, no relief

No offense, no relief
The offense is back. Or it isn't. Pick a night. The Orioles scored 16 runs in their last two games before last night, but Scott Baker shut them out for seven innings, and they managed only one run on Vladimir Guerrero's infield hit off Jim Hoey. It's especially disturbing when you consider that they didn't score after the third inning in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory. That's one run in 14 innings. The No. 2 hitter, Nick Markakis is batting .203. No. 3 hitter Derrek Lee is batting...
Continue reading

Guthrie and Roberts on tonight's game

Guthrie and Roberts on tonight's game
Jeremy Guthrie turned in another quality start, but he wasn't satisfied, saying he was "outpitched" by Minnesota's Scott Baker and took the loss. "I didn't make the big pitches where I needed to," he said. "It's a reoccurring thing and it's not good enough, not good enough tonight, not good enough last time, not good enough the time before. So we'll work on it, try to get better, make better pitches." At least Guthrie has his health. "I felt much stronger today than I felt the...
Continue reading

Postgame Showalter

Postgame Showalter
Manager Buck Showalter spent about five minutes taking questions from reporters after tonight's 3-1 loss to the Twins. On Jeremy Guthrie: "His health, he's turned the corner. He's in good shape. He gave us a real chance to win. Deserves a better fate. Just ran up against a guy who was as good as he was tonight, and maybe a little better. Got a changeup out over the plate to (Jim) Thome. And we just didn't put much together offensively. We didn't square up many balls at all. We knew...
Continue reading

Guthrie done after seven (updated w/ final score)

Guthrie done after seven (updated w/ final score)
Jeremy Guthrie deserved better than leaving tonight's game with a 2-0 deficit. Guthrie allowed two runs and seven hits, walked none and struck out four. He also hit two batters. He threw 104 pitches, 68 for strikes. His only clean inning was the first, but he kept batting. Unfortunately for the Orioles, Scott Baker has suffocated the Orioles' offense with seven shutout innings and only four hits allowed. He's struck out nine batters. Speaking of being stingy, Guthrie has surrendered two...
Continue reading

Markakis battles, strands two (updated)

Markakis battles, strands two (updated)
The Orioles continue to trail the Twins, 1-0, as we head to the top of the sixth. Matt Wieters doubled to right field with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and Brian Roberts walked to keep the rally alive after Robert Andino struck out. Nick Markakis battled Scott Baker through a nine-pitch at-bat before striking out on a slider. Markakis fouled off five pitches while running the count full. Markakis snapped out of a 1-for-21 slump by going 2-for-4 last night. However, he's 0-for-3...
Continue reading

Guthrie through the third (updated)

Guthrie through the third (updated)
Jeremy Guthrie has made one mistake tonight, and he's trailing, 1-0, because of it. Jim Thome homered to center field with one out in the second inning, upping his career total to 591. Thome was batting .163 with one homer, five RBIs and a .279 slugging percentage. Guthrie also allowed a two-out single to Denard Span in the third. He's thrown 38 pitches, 26 for strikes, and his fastball has topped out at 94 mph. Twins starter Scott Baker, looking for his first victory of 2011, retired the...
Continue reading

Taking a walk with Lee

Taking a walk with Lee
Derrek Lee has two RBIs this season, and they both came on April 6, when he hit his only home run of the season. He's carrying a .206 average that's been dragged down, in part, by his 2-for-11 stretch in this series. At least he's been patient. Lee has nine of the Orioles' 42 walks to lead the club in that category. Is Lee going through an adjustment period after switching leagues? "I think there's some of that, too," manager Buck Showalter said. "I think we lose sight of that, but...
Continue reading