Roch Kubatko

Hardy batting leadoff, Scott in left field (10th-round pick)

June 07, 2011, 11:27am

Orioles

Hardy batting leadoff, Scott in left field (10th-round pick)

For only the second time in his major league career, shortstop J.J. Hardy will bat first in the order. He's never started in that slot and doesn't own an official at-bat. Felix Pie and Robert Andino are on the bench, so manager Buck Showalter needed to improvise. Luke Scott is playing left field two days after having a cortisone injection in his shoulder. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Derrek Lee 1B Matt Wieters C Luke Scott LF...

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More draft, more Jakubauskas (updated with sixth through ninth rounds)

June 07, 2011, 10:04am

Orioles

More draft, more Jakubauskas (updated with sixth through ninth rounds)

I'm not sure that I actually saw more than two pitches of Brian Matusz's start last night until the fourth inning. I relied on the live box score and quick glances at the scoreboard. The First-Year Player Draft forced my attention away from the field, but that won't happen tonight, since today's picks started a little after noon. In the fifth round with the 155th overall selection, the Orioles chose Middle Georgia College left-hander Matt Taylor. Taylor was 7-5 with a 3.31 ERA in 16...

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Orioles make Wright pick in third round (and say Simon in fourth)

June 07, 2011, 8:54am

Orioles

In the third round of the First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles used the 94th overall selection on East Carolina right-hander Mike Wright. Baseball America rated Wright as a fifth- or sixth-round talent and the 74th-best right-hander in the draft. The Orioles disagree. Wright was 6-4 with a 2.79 ERA in 16 starts, with 30 walks and 75 strikeouts in 100 innings. He lost 2-0 to St. John's in Game 2 of the Charlottesville Regional on Friday, allowing two runs and seven hits, with four walks and...

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Orioles take Esposito in second round

June 07, 2011, 8:16am

Orioles

The Orioles also had the fourth pick in the second round of today's First-Year Player Draft, and the 64th overall selection. They used it to take Vanderbilt junior third baseman Jason Esposito. Esposito batted .362 this year, with 22 doubles, eight homers, 55 RBIs and a .560 slug percentage in 60 games. Baseball America calls the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Esposito "a college version of Marlins prospect Matt Dominguez in that his glove is ahead of his bat." He played shortstop this spring, but is...

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Leftover quotes for breakfast

June 06, 2011, 7:06pm

Orioles

Later today, my focus will return to the First-Year Player Draft, as the Orioles make another batch of selections and announce names you've never heard. Before that happens, I wanted to share some postgame quotes from last night. It's apparent that left-hander Brian Matusz isn't back to his old form, the one that enabled him to go 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last eights starts of 2010, but his winning streak reached a career-high seven games last night. He must be doing something...

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Bundy meets the press - sort of

June 06, 2011, 6:49pm

Orioles

The Orioles arranged a late conference call with first-round pick Dylan Bundy, who talked about watching the First-Year Player Draft with another Oklahoma high school pitcher, Archie Bradley, chosen by the Diamondbacks with the seventh selection. "Me and Archie were both sitting there in that huge ballroom with a bunch of our friends and family and saw the fourth pick flash over, and we had a pretty good idea it might be one of us, but we weren't sure," Bundy said. "And then my name got...

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Showalter speaks after 4-2 win

June 06, 2011, 6:28pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter seemed pretty excited about the Orioles selecting pitcher Dylan Bundy with the fourth-overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft. "It was a great pick," he said. "We're ecstatic because I've heard Joe (Jordan) talk about him. We knew there was going to be some shuffling around there, and Joe and the guys, they're already locked into tomorrow, I'm sure. I'm anxious to see who might have slid and what they do. It's a fascinating process. "From everything I've...

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The other Bundy (O's win 4-2)

June 06, 2011, 5:27pm

Orioles

On the same night that the Orioles selected Dylan Bundy with the fourth-overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft, brother Bobby took the mound for Single-A Frederick and held the Potomac Nationals to one run over seven innings. Bundy allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out six. He also lowered his ERA to 2.73. The Orioles used to collect Brittons. Now it's Bundys. Everybody needs a hobby. First baseman Tyler Townsend hit his 10th home run for the Keys. Outstanding job by the...

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In-game updates (Matusz and Tillman done)

June 06, 2011, 4:33pm

Orioles

In-game updates (Matusz and Tillman done)

The Orioles lead the Athletics 4-2 as we head to the bottom of the fifth. It hasn't been an easy night for left-hander Brian Matusz. Though he shut out Oakland in the first three innings, he allowed two singles in the first, a leadoff walk in the second and two singles in the third. Adam Jones cut down Conor Jackson trying to stretch a single into a double in the first. Kurt Suzuki led off the fourth with a walk, and Adam Rosales hit his first home run with one out. But Matusz retired the...

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A Bundy of joy

June 06, 2011, 3:25pm

Orioles

With the fourth pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles selected a high school pitcher from Oklahoma. They took the one whose name had been associated with them for many weeks leading up to tonight's first round. Rather than throw the industry a curveball, the Orioles chose Dylan Bundy of Owasso (Okla.) High School. The most recent mock drafts had the Orioles selecting Archie Bradley of Broken Arrow (Okla.) High School, but the Orioles went with Bundy, the pitcher most often...

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Jakubauskas confirmed for tomorrow (plus A's lineup)

June 06, 2011, 12:52pm

Orioles

Jakubauskas confirmed for tomorrow (plus A's lineup)

The Orioles will give Chris Jakubauskas the start tomorrow night against the Oakland Athletics unless he's needed in relief tonight. Jakubauskas was chosen over Alfredo Simon, who threw 50 pitches in relief yesterday. The Orioles could have purchased Mitch Atkins' contract from Triple-A Norfolk, since he would be working on normal rest. Jakubauskas hasn't started a major league game since April 2010 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He lasted only two-thirds of an inning before being hit in the...

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Orioles lineup against Oakland

June 06, 2011, 11:41am

Orioles

Robert Andino 2B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Derrek Lee 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Mark Reynolds 3B Nolan Reimold LF Brian Matusz LHP

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Matusz back on the mound

June 06, 2011, 8:57am

Orioles

My vision has become blurred from reading all the mock drafts. And yes, everyone seems to think the Orioles will take Oklahoma high school pitcher Archie Bradley tonight with the fourth overall pick. The Orioles most certainly like Bradley, as do a lot of other teams that consider him worthy of a top 10 pick, but I'm sure they also want his name floated out there, just in case pitchers Dylan Bundy and Danny Hultzen are willing to lower their price tags. Remember when the Orioles supposedly...

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The draft, Luke Scott and the minors

June 05, 2011, 7:36pm

Orioles

It's a rarity in baseball, but the games tonight become almost secondary. The first round of the First-Year Player Draft begins at 7 p.m., which clashes with first-pitch in tonight's series opener between the Orioles and Athletics at Camden Yards. It's another night of "firsts." The first four picks are a moving target, as manager Buck Showalter likes to say. The Pirates are expected to take UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole at No. 1. The Mariners will take Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon...

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Klein headed to DL

June 05, 2011, 2:58pm

Orioles

Double-A Bowie reliever

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Showalter speaks after 7-4 loss

June 05, 2011, 1:02pm

Orioles

The Orioles fell to 7-13 in series finales, including 4-7 at home. Jeremy Guthrie failed to pitch into the sixth inning for the third time this season. "Jeremy wasn't carrying normal stuff and it was kind of a struggle for him most every inning," manager Buck Showalter said. "He was kind of wild in the strike zone and paid the price, but there's still a game there to be won. We had some opportunities. We're ball four away from getting the tying run to the plate there. Obviously, it was...

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Scott unavailable today (Machado update)

June 05, 2011, 12:33pm

Orioles

Scott unavailable today (Machado update)

I couldn't help but notice that Luke Scott didn't pinch-hit in the ninth inning against right-hander Jon Rauch. Felix Pie and Matt Wieters came off the bench, but Robert Andino was allowed to face Rauch with two outs and Wieters on second. Andino struck out looking to end the game on a pitch that missed the strike zone, and he screamed at plate Kerwin Danley on his way back to the dugout, stopping three times to vent. Turns out, Scott wasn't available today after receiving a cortisone...

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Simon pitching in relief, Jakubauskas starts Tuesday?

June 05, 2011, 11:08am

Orioles

Simon pitching in relief, Jakubauskas starts Tuesday?

Jeremy Guthrie is done after five disappointing innings. He hadn't allowed an earned run in two of his last three starts, but the Jays totaled six runs and nine hits. Guthrie walked three, struck out three and served up two home runs. He threw 87 pitches, 56 for strikes. Alfredo Simon has replaced Guthrie, which most likely means that Chris Jakubauskas will start Tuesday night against the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards. Manager Buck Showalter said he'd wait until after the game to...

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Guthrie singing different tune (and trailing 5-2)

June 05, 2011, 9:59am

Orioles

Guthrie singing different tune (and trailing 5-2)

Comedian Jay Mohr tweeted that Jeremy Guthrie needed to use Van Halen's "Unchained" as his entrance music and the right-hander would win his next three starts. Guthrie warmed up to the song today and got two quick outs in the first inning. Unfortunately, the next three batters reached, with Aaron Hill's single giving Toronto a 1-0 lead. Guthrie threw 22 pitches in the inning, the vast majority coming after he retired Yunel Escobar and Corey Patterson on fly balls to center field. Jones...

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Tuesday's starter still TBA (and Jays lineup)

June 05, 2011, 7:55am

Orioles

Tuesday's starter still TBA (and Jays lineup)

The Orioles haven't announced a starter for Tuesday night's game against the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards, but the name might be revealed later this afternoon. Alfredo Simon and Chris Jakubauskas are the two bullpen candidates. I'm predicting that Simon gets the assignment, but nothing is official and I've been wrong many times in the past. I'm sure at least one of you is keeping a list. "We'll take it through today and make a call after today. We'll be able to tell you after the...