Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga loses a perfect game last night, and the Orioles just seem lost.
At least Galarraga can blame an umpire.
The Orioles decided to skip the late-inning drama and second-guessing by dismissing themselves from last night's game at the first bell.
They can't score runs and they've got CC Sabathia waiting for them. They can't score runs for Kevin Millwood, who starts today, and they've got CC Sabathia waiting for them.
Is a loss inevitable? Yeah, it sure...
The Orioles scored one run tonight.
Miguel Tejada collected three hits and scored the one run.
This offense continues to give me a rash, but at least the Orioles get CC Sabathia tomorrow.
Where's the ointment?
Manager Dave Trembley, taking questions from the MASN booth, said he didn't remove Tejada because of an injury. Tejada's head slammed into Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli as he dived into home plate, but Trembley used a blowout loss as an opportunity to rest his veteran third...
Jake Arrieta is dominating International League batters. Brad Bergesen lasted 2 1/3 innings tonight at Yankee Stadium.
You can do the math.
Bergesen was outstanding in his previous start, but he looked inconsolable in the dugout after coming out of tonight's game. I had the same feeling. Trust me.
His abbreviated outing - six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings - will have fans wondering if it's time to replace him in the rotation. Maybe he should return to Triple-A Norfolk. Maybe he...
For the Orioles:
LF Corey Patterson
3B Miguel Tejada
RF Nick Markakis
1B Ty Wigginton
DH Luke Scott
C Matt Wieters
CF Adam Jones
2B Scott Moore
SS Cesar Izturis
RHP Brad Bergesen
For the Yankees:
SS Derek Jeter
RF Nick Swisher
1B Mark Teixeira
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
DH Jorge Posada
CF Curtis Granderson
C Francisco Cervelli
LF Brett Gardner
RHP Phil Hughes
I have to keep reminding myself that Monday is an off-day for the Orioles, but not the people who cover the team.
The First-Year Player Draft begins that night, so I've been doing my homework in preparation for it. I'll still end up guessing wrong, but I wanted to chime in anyway.
It's not an exact science, but everyone knows the Nationals will take catcher Bryce Harper with the first overall pick. I don't see how they'd pass on him unless Stephen Strasburg is named president of baseball...
We've been debating the merits of finding a new left-handed specialist or erasing the term.
Perhaps the Orioles, as a few fans have suggested here, should just make David Hernandez the closer and return Will Ohman to his original role.
I'm beginning to think the club is headed in that direction.
Manager Dave Trembley likes using Hernandez in the late innings for short bursts, taking full advantage of that mid-90s fastball. "Power against power," as he called it after last night's...
Cla Meredith entered tonight's Triple-A game in the eighth inning with Norfolk leading Rochester, 3-1, and proceeded to give up two runs on three hits.
This might take a while.
Meredith threw 30 pitches, 19 for strikes.
Fortunately for the Tides, Matt Angle singled in the ninth to score Joey Gathright and give Norfolk a 4-3 lead.
Left-hander Chris George limited Rochester to an unearned run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings. Is he a specialist in the making?
Dennis Sarfate picked up his...
Orioles manager Dave Trembley could have let Brian Matusz pitch to Alex Rodriguez with runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Trembley could have ordered an intentional walk with first base open and let Matusz pitch to Robinson Cano.
Those are the choices that the Yankees' lineup gives you. It's like asking if you want to drink drain cleaner or gasoline.
Trembley went with "C," which was bringing in David Hernandez to face Rodriguez.
Rodriguez appeared...
If you're watching the game, you see Adam Jones flexing his left hand and grimacing after diving for Alex Rodriguez's liner in right-center field that reached the fence for a double in the sixth inning.
Jones' glove hand slammed into the ground and it's clearly bothering him. He keeps removing the glove and making a fist. At one point, he was grabbing his pant leg as if testing the strength in his hand.
Well, what's one more injury? Closers, outfielders. The Orioles don't discriminate....
Left-hander Brian Matusz surrendered a leadoff home run to Curtis Granderson in the bottom of the fifth inning.
That's the only run for the Yankees tonight. It's fair to wonder if that's all they will need.
Granderson's homer was his first against a lefty and his first at the new Yankee Stadium. It represented the third hit for New York tonight.
Matusz was on a roll, but the Orioles' offense is on ice again. They've managed one hit against Javier Vazquez, who allowed five runs and...
I predicted over the winter that Miguel Tejada would bat second for the Orioles.
I meant June 1.
The Orioles couldn't take batting practice on the field today because of the rain. That's four straight days, if you count yesterday.
Adam Jones collected the Orioles' first hit tonight with a leadoff single in the third inning. Now we'll wait for that first extra-base hit. They've totaled once since Garrett Atkins' third-inning homer on Wednesday.
MASN play-by-play man Gary Thorne noted...
Outfielder Felix Pie will begin some baseball-related activities this weekend after being restricted to exercises as he recovers from a torn muscle in his back. The word out of Sarasota is he might be ready to take batting practice by Monday.
Reliever Michael Gonzalez did some long-tossing again today, but he still isn't pitching in extended spring training games.
Here's a little something from Gary Kendall regarding reliever Bob McCrory, the subject of an earlier blog entry:
"He's...
Injured second baseman Brian Roberts is scheduled to play in his first extended spring training game on Friday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota.
Roberts will take infield and batting practice tomorrow and Thursday - a normal workout day - before playing five innings at second base on Friday.
The plan is for Roberts to get four at-bats, so he could lead off each inning. The rules are a lot more relaxed down there.
Assuming there are no setbacks, Roberts will get five at-bats as...
As I sat outside the clubhouse entrance at Ed Smith Stadium a few weeks ago, a player walked past me who looked exactly like former Orioles reliever Bob McCrory. I mean, they could have been separated at birth. It was uncanny.
It also was Bob McCrory.
The Orioles re-signed him about a week before Opening Day. I had completely lost track of him after he underwent shoulder and biceps surgery on Oct. 2.
Can you believe that McCrory is already pitching in extended spring training games? And...
As long as we're celebrating Jake Arrieta's latest gem, we should also note that Double-A Bowie left-hander Zach Britton held Richmond to two runs over 6 1/3 innings last night. He allowed six hits and walked four, so it wasn't one of his cleanest outings, but he came out of it with a 3.32 ERA.
If I'm a young Orioles starter, I'm tracking every one of Arrieta's starts. And I'm hoping there's room in the rotation for both of us.
I would assume that Brian Matusz's leash is longer than...
Jake Arrieta isn't just knocking on the door. He's kicking it in, repairing it and kicking it in again.
Handy guy.
Arrieta held Rochester to one run and five hits over eight innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He threw 106 pitches, 66 for strikes, and his ERA's down to 1.77.
Arrieta has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts. In his last three starts, he's surrendered two runs and 16 hits, walked six and struck out 23 in 22 innings.
How much longer...
The Orioles are broken and they have to be fixed. Tape and glue won't hold them together. Don't bother pushing a cart through Home Depot unless your deck needs waterproofing or you have loose tiles in your shower.
The offense has to be repaired. The bullpen has to be put back together.
You know it's bad when fans are clamoring for Matt Angle after 14 games in the minors this year, the last two at Triple-A Norfolk.
Angle, by the way, covers a lot of ground in center field. He's a human...
I'm half-asleep or the Orioles have completely fried my brain. Not sure where to place the blame, but I'm trying to cut through the haze and get my day started.
Dave Trembley is still the manager this morning. I won't provide hourly updates, but he remains in charge as I pour a bowl of cereal. The Orioles haven't arranged a conference call with reporters or sent out any releases. I haven't been told that the end is coming today.
That's subject to change, of course.
No matter how you...
Nolan Reimold started at first base tonight for Triple-A Norfolk and went 2-for-4 with a double, his second home run and two RBIs. He's batting .130.
Reimold also committed his second error with a poor throw.
Reliever Kam Mickolio blew the save and took the loss against Pawtucket after allowing two runs and three hits in the eighth inning. He threw 39 pitches and saw his ERA jump to 9.42.
Armando Gabino, back in Norfolk's rotation, allowed two earned runs (three total) and four hits in six...
If you visit MASN's media lounge, you'll find Amber Theoharis' post-game interview with third baseman Miguel Tejada. It's worth a look.
You might be interested in Tejada's reaction when asked about all the speculation over the job security of manager Dave Trembley and hitting coach Terry Crowley, and whether the players share the responsibility for what's transpired this season.
Miguel Tejada talks with Amber about the players responsibility to win
"They're not playing," Tejada...