Roch Kubatko

Orioles upcoming starters

September 30, 2010, 10:42am

Orioles

Chris Tillman will make one more start this season, in Game 1 of tomorrow's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Jeremy Guthrie will start Game 2, which is set to begin 20 minutes after the conclusion of the opener. Left-hander Brian Matusz takes the ball on Saturday, and Brad Bergesen starts Sunday's season finale. Jeremy Bonderman will start Game 1 for the Tigers tomorrow, followed by Rick Porcello. I placed a lot of emphasis on Tillman's previous start, and he responded by reducing...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Tonight's game postponed; Doubleheader tomorrow

September 30, 2010, 9:57am

Orioles

Tonight's game postponed; Doubleheader tomorrow

The Orioles just announced that tonight's game has been postponed due to the rain. A single-admission doubleheader is scheduled for tomorrow beginning at 4:35 p.m. The second game will begin 20 minutes after the conclusion of the opener. Both games will be broadcast on MASN2. Tickets for tonight's game may be exchanged for seats of equal value for tomorrow's doubleheader or either of the other two remaining home games this season. Fans may also hold their tickets until the 2011 tickets go...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Answering one Koji question

September 30, 2010, 8:16am

Orioles

The question doesn't actually come from Koji Uehara. It's about him. Just like any other free agent, Koji Uehara could be offered arbitration after the season. The rules aren't different simply because he came here from Japan. Do I think it will happen? Not at this point, but I once had serious doubts that he'd still be pitching in late September. I did, however suggest from the very beginning that he had the stuff and the past experience to be a closer. I just wondered if he'd stay...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles2

This, that and the other

September 30, 2010, 5:41am

Orioles

It's Thursday, it's raining...enough already. Way too soon to pass along postponement information, but I'd be shocked if we have a game tonight. I'd greatly appreciate final word coming before I drive to Camden Yards, but the chances of it happening are pretty slim. There might be a "window" somewhere later tonight. I'd keep it shut so the rug doesn't get wet. See what happens when you fill up Tropicana Field? The players freak out and they can't score. The Orioles took two of...

Tags:

Orioles

Closer look at Koji

September 29, 2010, 5:43pm

Orioles

Koji Uehara picked up his 11th save tonight to preserve a 2-0 victory over the Rays, striking out two more batters while retiring the side in order. Since allowing Alex Rodriguez's three-run homer on Sept. 17, Uehara hasn't given up a hit, run or walk in five appearances covering five innings. He's struck out 11 batters, many of them with the splitter that he abandoned in that game against the Yankees. Uehara has walked five and struck out 52 in 42 innings this season. I'll say it again:...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles1

Millwood saving best for last? (updated twice)

September 29, 2010, 4:23pm

Orioles

Millwood saving best for last? (updated twice)

Kevin Millwood made it through the first inning without allowing a run and decided to keep going. Millwood has surrendered only one hit through five scoreless innings, walking one and striking out four. Matt Joyce reached on a two-out error on left fielder Corey Patterson, but Millwood fanned B.J. Upton. What is it about pop ups and shallow fly balls that perplex the Orioles? In his previous start, Millwood gave up six runs and seven hits over five innings at Fenway Park. A week later,...

Tags:

Orioles

"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...

Tags:

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,...

Tags:

Orioles

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

Tags:

Orioles

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2

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...

Tags:

Orioles

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles1

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

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

Tags:

Orioles

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...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles1

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,...