Roch Kubatko

"And now, here's Roch with the weather..."

September 29, 2010, 2:00pm

Orioles

"And now, here's Roch with the weather..."

"IT'S RAINING!" "Thanks, Roch." I know there's some curiosity over tomorrow's dreadful forecast and how it could impact the game against the Detroit Tigers that kicks off the final homestand of the season. It's too early to provide any definitive answers, but after checking around earlier today, I've learned that the two teams would likely play a doubleheader on Friday. Tomorrow night's tilt, meaningless as far as the playoff picture is concerned, wouldn't simply disappear from...

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Orioles

Simon update

September 29, 2010, 1:38pm

Orioles

Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon had his suspension reduced from three games to two, and he'll begin serving it tonight. Simon appealed the original ruling from Bob Watson, MLB's vice president of rules and on-field operations, which stemmed from Sunday's incident in Toronto when Simon was ejected after hitting Jose Bautista with a pitch. Both benches had been warned after Bautista and Luke Scott were hit earlier in the game. The Blue Jays accused Simon of intentionally throwing at Bautista,...

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Roberts still out of lineup

September 29, 2010, 1:00pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: LF Corey Patterson 3B Ty Wigginton DH Nick Markakis 1B Luke Scott C Matt Wieters CF Adam Jones RF Felix Pie 2B Robert Andino SS Cesar Izturis RHP Kevin Millwood For the Rays: C John Jaso 2B Ben Zobrist LF Carl Crawford 3B Dan Johnson 1B Carlos Pena RF Matt Joyce CF B.J. Upton DH Brad Hawpe SS Jason Bartlett RHP Jeff Niemann

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Millwood's last turn

September 29, 2010, 9:04am

Orioles

Kevin Millwood will make his final start tonight, and his last as an Oriole. At least, that's the assumption. You know what happens when you assume, but there's virtually no chance that the Orioles attempt to re-sign him over the winter. Millwood will try to avoid his 17th loss. He's been his own worst enemy, but the Orioles haven't exactly rushed to his aid. These aren't excuses, just facts: Millwood receives the second-lowest run support of any pitcher in the American League at...

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Bell rung up again

September 29, 2010, 3:11am

Orioles

Last night's game can be slipped into the "forgettable" file. Not much to review after this one. David Price dominated and the Rays celebrated. Brad Bergesen wasn't sharp, Brian Roberts wasn't feeling well and Julio Lugo wasn't on the bench at the end after being ejected. Good times. Josh Bell made a rare start, his first since Sept. 20, and I'm sure he appreciated that manager Buck Showalter waited until Price was on the mound. What could have possibly gone wrong? Bell went...

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Taking a walk on the wild side (updated)

September 28, 2010, 3:52pm

Orioles

Taking a walk on the wild side (updated)

Brad Bergesen walked three of the first six batters that he faced tonight, and the lapse in control cost him a run. Bergesen issued free passes to Matt Joyce and Carlos Pena leading off the second inning, and Joyce scored when B.J. Upton lined an 0-2 pitch into center field. Fortunately for the Orioles, Adam Jones caught Reid Brignac's fly ball and cut down Pena advancing to third base. Bergesen didn't issue a walk over nine innings in a Sept. 15 victory over Toronto, but he walked four...

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Tonight's lineups (changed)

September 28, 2010, 12:25pm

Brian Roberts has been scratched, apparently because of an illness, and Julio Lugo is taking his place atop the order and at second base. For the Orioles: 2B Julio Lugo SS Robert Andino RF Nick Markakis 1B Ty Wigginton DH Jake Fox CF Adam Jones C Matt Wieters LF Nolan Reimold 3B Josh Bell P Brad Bergesen For the Rays: C John Jaso 2B Ben Zobrist LF Carl Crawford DH Dan Johnson RF Matt Joyce 1B Carlos Pena CF BJ Upton SS Reid Brignac 3b Sean Rodriguez P David Price

More about Bergy

September 28, 2010, 9:23am

Orioles

Brad Bergesen has posted a 2.31 ERA in his last 10 starts covering 70 innings, and he's left nine of those games with a lead or the scored tied. Bergesen has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts and has worked at least seven innings in six of them. He's also won his last three decisions on the road, and seven of his 12 outings away from home have been quality starts, including the last five. In his last five road starts, Bergesen is 3-0 with a 1.49 ERA over 36 1/3...

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Datz all folks

September 28, 2010, 3:53am

Orioles

It's raining, it's Tuesday and I'm fighting the urge to crawl back into bed. Last night's 4-0 win over the Rays improved my mood, but a little sunshine would be nice, too. It also improved the Orioles' record on Mondays to 6-0 after an 0-8 start. Too bad we've run out of Mondays this season. One more victory and the Orioles will avoid losing 100 games, which didn't seem possible last month. They also might have set a record for most wins under a different manager in one...

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Matusz dealing tonight (updated)

September 27, 2010, 5:22pm

Orioles

I'm reminded again that young pitchers don't get stronger this time of the year. Some of them just don't tire as much. Left-hander Brian Matusz is wide awake tonight. Matusz is shutting out the Rays on three hits over seven innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts. He just made it look ridiculously easy in the bottom of the seventh. One knock on Matusz has been his inability to keep his pitch count down. He's thrown 94 pitches so far, so the bullpen is getting a break. The Orioles...

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Showalter and Simon suspended

September 27, 2010, 12:19pm

Orioles

Buck Showalter will serve a one-game suspension tonight after being ejected from yesterday's game. Bench coach Jeff Datz will run the show. Showalter also was fined an undisclosed amount. Alfredo Simon was suspended three games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing at Toronto's Jose Bautista. However, he's appealing the suspension and is available to pitch tonight. Blue Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum was fined an undisclosed amount for throwing at Luke Scott. As far as I know, I...

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Orioles lineup (and Rays)

September 27, 2010, 11:46am

Orioles

For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 3B Luke Scott 1B Corey Patterson DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Felix Pie LF Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP For the Rays: B.J. Upton CF Jason Bartlett SS Carl Crawford LF Willy Aybar DH Ben Zobrist RF Kelly Shoppach C Carlos Pena 1B Sean Rodriguez 2B Dan Johnson 3B Wade Davis RHP

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J.J.'s role in 2011

September 27, 2010, 3:55am

Orioles

It's Monday, it's raining and the Orioles have lost four in a row. That'll put a bounce in your step. The Rays are poised to clinch a playoff berth, needing one more victory or a Red Sox loss. Manager Buck Showalter has suggested that it might do his players some good to watch another team celebrate, providing a reminder of what everyone strives for in this game. Well, he'll probably get his wish at Tropicana Field, unless you've got something else in mind. The Orioles get Wade Davis...

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The hits kept coming

September 26, 2010, 5:15pm

Orioles

Pretty strange that there seemed to be more controversial hits in the Orioles-Blue Jays game than the one that took place at M&T Bank Stadium. Reliever Alfredo Simon and manager Buck Showalter were ejected in the fifth inning today after the right-hander drilled former Oriole Jose Bautista with a pitch. Bautista had been hit earlier in the game by Orioles starter Rick VandenHurk - also on the left arm - and Toronto starter Shaun Marcum grazed Luke Scott's ribs in apparent retaliation,...

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Rotation looks like it's set

September 26, 2010, 8:08am

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter just met with the media in Toronto and indicated that he'll stay with the current rotation for the rest of the season, which concludes on Oct. 3 at Camden Yards. The way it's presently constructed, Rick VandenHurk will start today, followed by Brian Matusz tomorrow, Brad Bergesen on Tuesday, Kevin Millwood on Wednesday, Chris Tillman on Thursday, Jeremy Guthrie on Friday, VandenHurk on Saturday and Matusz on Sunday. Tillman was a candidate to be shut down, but he's...

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Today's lineups

September 26, 2010, 6:54am

Orioles

For the Orioles: 2B Brian Roberts RF Nick Markakis 1B Ty Wigginton DH Luke Scott LF Felix Pie CF Adam Jones C Matt Wieters 3B Robert Andino SS Cesar Izturis RHP Rick Vandenhurk For the Blue Jays: LF Travis Snider 2B Aaron Hill RF Jose Bautista CF Vernon Wells 1B Lyle Overbay C John Buck DH Adam Lind 3B Edwin Encarnacion SS John McDonald RHP Shaun Marcum

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Walk-off this way

September 25, 2010, 12:29pm

Orioles

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit 241 home runs. Much to my surprise, I just discovered that they haven't all come against the Orioles. Lyle Overbay hit No. 4 today for Toronto leading off the bottom of the 11th inning. He fell behind, 0-1, against left-hander Mark Hendrickson and ended the game on the next pitch. Koji Uehara cruised through the 10th inning on only 12 pitches, but manager Buck Showalter called upon Hendrickson for the lefty vs. lefty matchup. It didn't last long. Plenty of...

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Ty unties it (and Encarnacion ties it)

September 25, 2010, 11:07am

Orioles

The Orioles gave the Blue Jays a taste of their own medicine in the top of the seventh inning. Ty Wigginton lined a home run to left field with one out and nobody on base to break a 3-3 tie. He's homered twice on this road trip, increasing his season total to 22. The Orioles wasted 16 hits last night, stranding 14 runners in the process. They've stranded eight today and twice left the bases loaded, failing to take full advantage of the generosity of Toronto's pitchers. Jeremy Guthrie gave...

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Snyder clears Snider (updated)

September 25, 2010, 9:34am

Orioles

Brandon Snyder has collected his second RBI double in two games, lining a ball over the head of Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Travis Snider in the top of the second inning to score Adam Jones and give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Snyder is getting a look in back-to-back games because the Blue Jays started left-handers Brett Cecil and Ricky Romero. He needs to take advantage of any opportunity. Manager Buck Showalter was asked before the game about the Orioles' need to add more power to their...

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Lugo resurfaces (updated)

September 25, 2010, 7:22am

Orioles

For the Orioles: 2B Brian Roberts DH Julio Lugo RF Nick Markakis 3B Ty Wigginton CF Adam Jones C Jake Fox LF Nolan Reimold 1B Brandon Snyder SS Cesar Izturis RHP Jeremy Guthrie For the Blue Jays: LF Travis Snider SS Yunel Escobar RF Jose Bautista CF Vernon Wells 1B Lyle Overbay 2B Aaron Hill DH Adam Lind 3B Edwin Encarnacion C Jose Molina LHP Ricky Romero I'm told that Matt Wieters is fine physically, so his exclusion from the lineup the past two games isn't for health-related...