Roch Kubatko

Bergy to break the century mark (updated twice)

May 22, 2010, 1:55pm

Orioles

Bergy to break the century mark (updated twice)

Brad Bergesen batted with two outs in the sixth and runners on the corners. Nobody is warming in the bullpen. The mound remains covered. Bergesen obviously will return for the bottom of the sixth with his pitch count at 99 and the Orioles holding a 6-3 lead after Ty Wigginton's two-run shot off Craig Stammen. Matt Wieters followed with a single to knock Stammen out of the game. Wigginton has 13 homers and 31 RBIs, including four today. First half MVP? Right now, I don't see how anyone...

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Orioles

Bizarre home run (updated)

May 22, 2010, 1:19pm

Orioles

The top of the fourth inning will go down as one of the strangest in recent memory. Luke Scott reached first base on an apparent infield hit, but the official scorer here gave Nationals starter Craig Stammen an error. I should have written it down in pencil because it will be changed. No way you can expect the pitcher to field a sharp grounder up the middle. With two outs and Scott on third base, Adam Jones sent a long drive to center field. Nyjer Morgan tried to make a leaping catch at the...

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Orioles

Pace yourself Bergy (updated)

May 22, 2010, 12:55pm

Orioles

The press box is pretty far from the field, but I'm almost positive that the game has started. I'm so high up, the guy next to me said he's flying the mail to Pittsburgh. I'm so high up, I'm the only person here who isn't wearing wings. But seriously folks... The Orioles need Brad Bergesen to stick around for a while because the bullpen's a bit drained. He's thrown 36 pitches in two innings. He could use a quick one. The Orioles lead, 2-0, on Ty Wigginton's two-out, two-run single...

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Where there's a Will

May 22, 2010, 12:00pm

Orioles

Or maybe I should have gone with "Willing and Able." If only I had it to do over again. Manager Dave Trembley is being cautious with reliever Will Ohman, which might seem strange if you consider that the left-hander is leading the AL with 23 appearances. Ohman's thrown only 14 innings, which he's quick to point out whenever someone uses the word "fatigued." "I'm not going to die," he said. Ohman will take the ball at any time and in any situation. He just wants to pitch. "I'm...

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Concerns growing over Koji

May 22, 2010, 10:41am

Orioles

Manager Dave Trembley won't know whether Koji Uehara is available tonight until he checks with pitching coach Rick Kranitz. "If he's not," Trembley said, "I'll be concerned about that." Uehara was gassed during Wednesday night's appearance in Texas. He lasted two-thirds of an inning and 29 pitches, and Trembley still couldn't use him last night. Trembley would have called upon Uehara to replace starter David Hernandez, but he was forced to go with Matt Albers, who allowed two runs...

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Jones and Wieters in lineup

May 22, 2010, 8:45am

Orioles

For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott 1B Ty Wigginton 2B Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Cesar Izturis SS Brad Bergesen RHP For the Nationals: Morgan CF Guzman SS Zimmerman 3B Dunn 1B Willingham LF Rodriguez C Kennedy 2B Bernadina RF Stammen RHP

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Orioles

Taking notes

May 22, 2010, 8:03am

Orioles

Luke Scott has hit in 11 of his last 12 games, going 21-for-44 (.477) with three doubles, six homers and 12 RBIs. Keep riding him while he's hot. And no, I don't regret that last sentence. Scott batted .177 in his first 24 games. In case you hadn't heard, he can be streaky. Adam Jones has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, going 18-for-53 (.340) with four multi-hit games to raise his average from .218 to .254. He homered last night before leaving the game with leg cramps. In their...

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On the road again

May 22, 2010, 5:38am

Orioles

I'm heading to D.C. later this morning. I can only sit home for so long. I thought about flying again because I miss waiting for the daily garage shuttle and going through airport security, but I decided to just drive down there. I'll check on Matt Wieters' sore right knee and Adam Jones' leg cramps. I'll also fan Koji Uehara to keep him cool. Craig Tatum had two more hits and drove in two runs last night. Maybe Wieters needs another day off. Alfredo Simon didn't have a clean ninth...

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I hate being "that" guy

May 21, 2010, 7:25pm

Orioles

It's such a shame that the Orioles have turned me into one of those guys who sits there wondering how they're going to lose a game. It would be a crying shame, but I don't want you to see me cry. I thought David Hernandez's rising pitch count would pose a serious problem. I envisioned how he'd run into trouble, Will Ohman would be removed too soon and Alfredo Simon would take a two-run lead into the ninth, which he did, though I anticipated a 4-2 score instead of 5-3. I didn't think it...

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Orioles

Craig's list of hits (updated)

May 21, 2010, 4:45pm

Orioles

David Hernandez might have to throw 200 pitches tonight if he wants a no-hitter. Hernandez has made it through four innings without surrendering a hit, but his pitch count is up to 78. He's walked three batters and gone to a few three-ball counts. I'm just doing the math, which isn't my strength, and I see a potential problem here. Craig Tatum is starting tonight because Matt Wieters has a sore right knee. He's 2-for-3 with a two-run single in the third inning. Tatum was 5-for-6 in his...

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Wieters unavailable tonight

May 21, 2010, 2:08pm

Orioles

Catcher Matt Wieters fouled a ball off his right knee last night and isn't in tonight's lineup. He also isn't available to pinch hit, according to manager Dave Trembley. That's one more issue for Trembley, who has a desk full of them right now. MASN's Amber Theoharis tells me that X-rays taken on Wieters knee came back negative and he's hoping to get back in the lineup tomorrow afternoon. He's just too sore to play tonight. The Orioles have 10 days to trade, release or request waivers...

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Tonight's lineups

May 21, 2010, 1:03pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Ty Wigginton 2B Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott 1B Adam Jones CF Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis SS David Hernandez RHP For the Nationals: Willie Harris RF Cristian Guzman 2B Ryan Zimmerman 3B Adam Dunn 1B Josh Willingham LF Ivan Rodriguez C Roger Bernadina CF Ian Desmond SS Scott Olsen LHP I received a text message earlier today from reliever Mike Gonzalez, saying that his arm felt good after yesterday's extended spring training game and he's...

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Turner DFA

May 21, 2010, 11:37am

Orioles

The Orioles made their roster move official this afternoon. They purchased the contract of infielder Scott Moore from Triple-A Norfolk, and he'll take the roster spot of reliever Alberto Castillo. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated infielder Justin Turner for asssignment. My flight just landed, so I'll follow up with more on this later.

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Moore vs. Aubrey

May 21, 2010, 7:40am

Orioles

I'm sitting at gate B12, waiting to board my Airtran flight to Baltimore. Seemed like a good time to move the comments and file another entry. I'm digging one hand into a bag of Kangaroo-brand multi-grain garden herb baked pita chips. Never heard of them until I got here, and I've devoured two bags. And I'm not talking snack-size. I'm hooked, which might be a bad thing if I can't find them in Maryland. I never even heard of Kangaroo. That's not a good sign. Anyway, many of us assumed...

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Texas two-step

May 21, 2010, 4:49am

Orioles

I woke up during the night to an e-mail from the Orioles announcing that left-hander Alberto Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after a 13-7 loss to Texas that completed the Rangers' two-game sweep. No surprise there. If you had him on your fantasy team, I'm assuming that you dropped him a while ago. Castillo has allowed nine earned runs in 6 1/3 innings over nine appearances with the Orioles. And I'm pretty sure that's nine separate call-ups. I hope he's on some sort of points...

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Oh no, oh yes, oh no (updated twice)

May 20, 2010, 5:11pm

Orioles

The Orioles won a game on Tuesday after falling behind, 3-0, to Cy Young winner Zack Greinke. I suppose that made a 4-0 deficit tonight against Scott Feldman seem a lot smaller. We'll see how they handle a 6-3 deficit. The Rangers jumped all over left-hander Brian Matusz in the first inning, but the Orioles fought back with three runs in the top of the second to cut the Rangers' lead to 4-3. Now Matusz has served up his second home run, a two-run shot by Vladimir Guerrero in the second...

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An extended stay for Flacco and Givens

May 20, 2010, 2:43pm

Orioles

Using all the restraint I could muster, I waited until the end of my chat with minor league infielder Mike Flacco to bring up his more famous brother. "Have you talked to Joe much lately?" He hasn't. I'm sure that never gets old for him. Mike Flacco was kept at extended spring training while recovering from a fracture in his lower back. He was hoping to be assigned to one of the full-season affiliates after batting .272 with 14 doubles, five triples, three homers and 34 RBIs in 60 games...

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Scott at first base

May 20, 2010, 1:18pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Ty Wigginton 2B Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott 1B Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Lou Montanez DH Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP For the Rangers: Elvis Andrus SS Michael Young 3B Ian Kinsler 2B Vladimir Guerrero DH Josh Hamilton CF Nelson Cruz RF Joaquin Arias 1B David Murphy LF Matt Treanor C Scott Feldman RHP

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Orioles

Roberts delays trip to Sarasota (updated)

May 20, 2010, 11:20am

Orioles

Roberts delays trip to Sarasota (updated)

Brian Roberts still intends to fly down to Sarasota and continue baseball activities, but it won't be this week. And I won't be here to greet him. Roberts is hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He sent me a text message earlier today saying that he's feeling OK and will report to Ed Smith Stadium "hopefully sometime soon." When will this guy catch a break? I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon. I hope this wasn't part of some elaborate scheme to avoid me. Usually, it's women...

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Gonzo goes an inning

May 20, 2010, 8:39am

Orioles

You know it's extended spring training when... ...Mike Gonzalez is getting his signs from Dashenko Ricardo. Gonzalez played catch with Ricardo, who spent most of last season at rookie-level Bluefield, before taking the mound for today's game against a collection of Twins minor leaguers. With Ricardo behind the plate, Gonzalez allowed a single and walked a batter in his scoreless inning. He struck out two, including the last batter on a 89 mph fastball. The leadoff hitter reached on an...