Roch Kubatko

Matusz tosses two scoreless (updated)

March 03, 2011, 8:34am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz didn't allow a hit in two scoreless innings today against the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Matusz walked one and struck out two. He went to a full count with Denard Span leading off the first inning and Jason Repko leading off the second, but he retired both batters. Matusz threw 35 pitches, 20 for strikes. His fastball topped out at 91 mph. Josh Bell, starting at first base, caught Repko's pop up. The Orioles are hacking against Twins...

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Uehara speaks (through his interpreter)

March 03, 2011, 7:40am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles aren't concerned about Koji Uehara, and neither is their reliever. Uehara received a cortisone injection in his right elbow today because of some soreness. He'll be shut down for several days. Uehara thinks he'll be ready to pitch again in a week. "It's not even serious. I'm not concerned about it," he said through interpreter Jiwon Bang. "I'm just being on the safe side. I'm not really worried." Uehara described his condition as "arm fatigue." I...

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Uehara shut down with sore elbow (updated)

March 03, 2011, 7:04am

Orioles

Uehara shut down with sore elbow (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Koji Uehara, who was scheduled to pitch today, has come down with a sore right elbow and will receive a cortisone shot this afternoon. Uehara will be shut down for the next few days and re-evaluated. The Orioles don't believe it's anything serious, but it counts as another health issue in spring training. Uehara has been sidelined with sore hamstrings the last two years. Here's the Twins lineup: Denard Span CF Tsuyoshi Nishioka SS Luke Hughes 3B Joe Benson...

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Duchscherer makes progress, Lee targeting Saturday

March 03, 2011, 6:31am

Orioles

Duchscherer makes progress, Lee targeting Saturday

SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer played catch again this morning and threw from the half mound. He's now moved over to a regular mound. Duchscherer is making significant progress from the hip soreness that kept him off the field Saturday. Also, Derrek Lee is penciled into Saturday's lineup. Josh Bell still projects as the third baseman at Triple-A Norfolk if he doesn't make the club out of spring training.

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Bell starting at first base

March 03, 2011, 5:35am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Bell played first base in the ninth inning of Tuesday's home exhibition opener. Today, Bell will make his first start there. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Luke Scott LF Vladimir Guerrero DH Mark Reynolds 3B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Josh Bell 1B Brian Matusz LHP

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Fox talks about Britton

March 03, 2011, 3:56am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Minnesota Twins are coming here from Fort Myers. Better that they make the trip than me. The lineup hasn't been posted, and the Orioles closed the clubhouse to the media at 8:30 a.m. for a players association meeting. Bobby Bonilla and Phil Bradley are in the house. Left-hander Brian Matusz is starting for the Orioles today. Adrian Rosario, Kevin Gregg, Koji Uehara, Jeremy Accardo, Clay Rapada and Josh Rupe also are slated to pitch. The Twins are sending pitchers Carl...

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Orioles hang on for 6-5 win

March 02, 2011, 11:28am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies homered twice off left-hander Nick Bierbrodt in the bottom of the ninth, and another run scored on Chris Jakubauskas' wild pitch, but the tying run was stranded on second base. Orioles 6, Phillies 5. Manager Buck Showalter must have really wanted this win. He removed Bierbrodt with one out and a runner on third, and his last two relievers were warming up in the bullpen. He didn't need Mike Ballard or Chris George. Jakubauskas retired Harold Garcia and...

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Game update and Tillman

March 02, 2011, 10:44am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Brian Bass pitched the eighth inning for the Phillies, and his former team loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Robert Andino, Brandon Snyder and Pedro Florimon. Matt Angle's bouncer to first scored Andino for a 6-1 lead. Michael Gonzalez and Jim Johnson each threw a scoreless inning. Pedro Viola is pitching the bottom of the eighth, and he just gave up a run on Delwyn Young's single. Orioles 6, Phillies 2. Chris Tillman said he was a little too "jumpy" on the...

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Britton battled Phillies and nerves

March 02, 2011, 10:09am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Matt Wieters has three singles and two RBIs today. Felix Pie contributed a run-scoring double in the seventh, and Wieters delivered pinch-runner Nick Green for a 5-1 lead, though an interference call on the third baseman took away the RBI. Zach Britton walked into the hallway outside the visiting clubhouse, saw the five reporters waiting for him and brought up the elephant in the room. "Could you tell how nervous I was?" he asked with a grin. "I have no idea what...

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Fox on the run (updated)

March 02, 2011, 9:20am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jake Fox homered, singled and drove in two runs in yesterday's home exhibition opener. Apparently, the bus ride didn't cool him off. Fox has singled twice today as the starting catcher. He played first base yesterday. Joe Mahoney is starting at first today, and he singled to right field in the fourth inning. Left-hander Zach Britton was a little too amped up in the third inning. He appeared to be overthrowing, and Fox made two trips to the mound to settle him...

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Tillman shaky but resilient (updated)

March 02, 2011, 8:50am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla - Chris Tillman completed two innings today, and he got quite a workout. Tillman threw 42 pitches, 25 for strikes. He allowed one run and three hits, walked one and struck out one. The Phillies threatened in the second when John Mayberry Jr. doubled with one out and Brian Schneider walked. With Mark Worrell warming in the bullpen, Tillman got a fly ball and grounder to escape the jam. Tillman threw 21 pitches in each inning. It's common knowledge that Tillman needs to...

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Talking Tillman and Samuel (updated)

March 02, 2011, 8:27am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Chris Tillman retired the first two batters he faced in the first inning, striking out Jimmy Rollins, but he's behind 1-0 as we move to the top of the second. Raul Ibanez singled with two outs and scored on Ryan Howard's double to right. The wind might have knocked down the ball and prevented it from landing on the hill beyond the fence. Tillman threw 21 pitches, 12 strikes. Randy Winn, who couldn't make a play on Howard's fly ball, led off the game with a walk, but...

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Updates on Duchscherer, Lee and Atkins

March 02, 2011, 7:05am

Orioles

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter just arrived in Clearwater after staying back to watch Justin Duchscherer throw off flat ground and further test his left hip. Showalter indicated that Duchscherer got through the session without incident and could throw off a mound Friday. "He had a good day," Showalter said. "Threw on flat ground, stretched it out. We'll see how he feels the next day or two. It was good. It was encouraging." Also, Derrek Lee took batting practice...

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Today's lineups

March 02, 2011, 3:21am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm heading to Clearwater later this morning. Here's the Orioles' lineup: Randy Winn RF Felix Pie CF Josh Bell 3B Matt Wieters DH Nolan Reimold LF Jake Fox C Brendan Harris 2B Joe Mahoney 1B Cesar Izturis SS Chris Tillman RHP Left-hander Zach Britton will follow Tillman to the mound. Left-hander Michael Gonzalez also will pitch today. Mahoney said he's eager to get some at-bats after fouling a ball off his right knee during Sunday's intrasquad game. For the...

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Showalter time

March 01, 2011, 11:17am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter gave today a passing grade. A nice ceremony before the first pitch to celebrate a refurbished Ed Smith Stadium, and an inspired power display that triggered a 12-6 victory over the Rays. Who could complain? "I'm glad that the weather held out for us," Showalter said. "It was a lot of fun. You couldn't have scripted it much better. It was a good start for the ballpark and everything. The organization and the city of Sarasota put a lot of time and...

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Markakis speaks

March 01, 2011, 10:24am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's attendance: 7,497. That's a record for Ed Smith Stadium. Jason Berken gave up two runs in the top of the seventh inning while I was waiting for Nick Markakis in the clubhouse. That's what happens when I leave my seat. The Orioles held a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the seventh until Brandon Snyder doubled to score two runs. Make it 12-6. David Riske only retired two batters in the sixth. He allowed the back-to-back homers to Manny Ramirez and B.J. Upton, and Casey...

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Guthrie talks about today's outing

March 01, 2011, 9:43am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Here are some quotes from Jeremy Guthrie, who retired all six batters he faced today: On his outing: "Everything felt like it left off at the end of last season, so that's good. I haven't thrown a strike in five months, so it's nice to go out there and be able to do that. Work ahead. The command wasn't tremendous, but I told Matt (Wieters) we would work on corners the next couple times, I guess. We worked on strikes." On the offensive outburst: "The guys are taking...

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Markakis having big day (updated)

March 01, 2011, 9:21am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - First base coach Wayne Kirby walked over to Nick Markakis this morning and asked whether the right fielder was ready to go to work after he stayed back in camp yesterday while the Orioles opened their exhibition schedule in Brandenton. Markakis responded with a nod and a fist bump. Boy, was he ready. Markakis has homered twice, singled and driven in four runs through four innings. He connected twice off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine and lined an RBI single off reliever...

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Fox and Markakis tee off in second (updated)

March 01, 2011, 8:37am

Orioles

Fox and Markakis tee off in second (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Jake Fox just unloaded on Andy Sonnanstine, figuring that the Rays' starter is fair game today. Fox, batting ninth today, homered to left-center field on the first pitch thrown to him. Orioles 5, Rays 0. Matt Wieters flied to left before Fox stepped to the plate. Fox is starting at first base today. He's trying to make the club as the backup catcher or second utility infielder. Just as I was going to send this entry, Nick Markakis launched his second home run in two...

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Markakis, Guerrero and Jones homer in first

March 01, 2011, 8:20am

Orioles

Markakis, Guerrero and Jones homer in first

SARASOTA, Fla. - I almost forgot that a game was being played today. Brian Roberts singled off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine in his first spring at-bat, and Nick Markakis followed with a home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch. One out later, Vladimir Guerrero crushed the first pitch thrown to him. The ball cleared the left-center field fence in about three seconds. Orioles 3, Rays 0. Update: Adam Jones just cleared the seats in the party deck beyond the left field fence. That's three...