Roch Kubatko

Another 48 hours

July 29, 2010, 8:46am

Orioles

The Orioles continue to engage in "active discussions" with other teams as the 4:00 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline approaches on Saturday, according to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, but nothing appears close to transpiring. No deals are on the immediate horizon. It's obvious that teams are chasing impact pitchers and position players, and the Orioles represent a fallback option. What happens with the Orioles depends largely on what happens around them. That doesn't...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles2

Psyched for that Toronto rematch

July 29, 2010, 4:42am

Orioles

If it makes you feel any better, the Orioles don't play Toronto again until Sept. 13. They should be good and mad at the Jays. Hold 'em back or this could get ugly. They also have three more games at Rogers Centre beginning Sept. 24. Oh, I bet they'll be steamed like a bushel of crabs. Prepare for baseball's No. 1 rivalry. It'll make Yankees-Red Sox look like a PTA meeting. (So who ordered the French toast with a side of sarcasm? And anyone need a refill on their coffee?) Scooter gave...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Good Guts, but no glory (updated)

July 28, 2010, 5:18pm

Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie turned in his third consecutive quality start, but he has no shot at winning this game. The offense bailed on him again, finding it impossible to catch up to Brad Mills' mid-80s heater and sweeping curveball. Looked like slop to me, but what do I know? The Orioles managed only two hits in seven innings - Brian Roberts' leadoff single in the first and Jake Fox's two-out single in the seventh. They were impatient early on, making it easy for Mills, and stranded three runners...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles2

Couldn't help but notice (1 more thing)

July 28, 2010, 3:51pm

Orioles

Brian Roberts began the game with a single, and Miguel Tejada swung at the first pitch and grounded into a routine double play. Can't recall if that's happened this season. Ty Wigginton stopped halfway between first and second because he wasn't certain if Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay fielded Adam Jones' sharp grounder in fair territory. He took a few more steps and stopped again before realizing it was a live ball. Wigginton dived into second without a throw, but I can't quite...

Tags:

Orioles

More of Scott Moore

July 28, 2010, 1:04pm

Orioles

Infielder Scott Moore cleared waivers today and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. Moore could have elected to become a free agent, but again chose to stay in the organization. The Orioles designated Moore for assignment when second baseman Brian Roberts came off the disabled list. He batted .209 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 41 games. I'll be interested to find out where he makes most of his starts with the Tides. He still needs work at second base, but it also would...

Tags:

Orioles

Tonight's lineups

July 28, 2010, 12:40pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: 2B Brian Roberts 3B Miguel Tejada RF Nick Markakis DH Luke Scott 1B Ty Wigginton CF Adam Jones C Jake Fox LF Corey Patterson SS Cesar Izturis RHP Jeremy Guthrie For the Blue Jays: LF Fred Lewis SS Yunel Escobar RF Jose Bautista CF Vernon Wells DH Adam Lind 2B Aaron Hill 1B Lyle Overbay C John Buck 3B Edwin Encarnacion LHP Brad Mills Minor league transactions: Catcher Craig Tatum has been added to Triple-A Norfolk's roster. Catcher Adam Donachie was transferred to...

Tags:

Orioles

What's at stake

July 28, 2010, 6:35am

Orioles

The Orioles will try to avoid their 70th loss tonight. They're currently 31-69 through 100 games. The historically bad 1988 team was 32-68 at this point. Putting this fine season in perspective, the Orioles need to finish 32-30 to avoid losing 100 games. They need to go 25-37 to avoid losing more games than the '88 team that finished 54-107. The '88 Orioles played their next 3 games against the Royals - this year's team will play the next four in Kansas City - and lost all three. They...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

A must-win tonight

July 28, 2010, 4:13am

Orioles

It has to happen tonight. The Orioles are 0-11 against the Blue Jays this season. They can't go 0-12. Tonight presents their best opportunity to salvage a victory over Toronto, a team that treats the Orioles the same way Sidney Ponson treats a slice of cheesecake. Rookie Brad Mills is making his third major league start for the Jays, and his first in 2010. The lefty has allowed 12 runs and 14 hits in 7 2/3 innings, and has surrendered four home runs. The Orioles will counter with...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Same old story

July 27, 2010, 7:33pm

Orioles

Same old song and dance. The Orioles can't beat the Blue Jays. Doesn't matter who's pitching, who's hitting, where the game's being played. It's a mismatch and I've seen too much of it. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and realize this entire season has been a bad dream. Jose Bautista doesn't really have 30 home runs, and the Orioles' No. 1 starter acquired during the winter meetings, right-hander Kevin Millwood, isn't really 2-10 with a 5.96 ERA. I have no idea who's taking a shower,...

Tags:

Orioles

The missing O's

July 27, 2010, 1:59pm

Orioles

The Orioles' lineup is missing Brian Roberts, who's taking a break from the artificial surface at Rogers Centre, and Ty Wigginton, who's serving the final game of his suspension. Roberts is 5-for-10 lifetime against Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero. Wigginton is 5-for-14 with two doubles. Not the best timing. Matt Wieters homered twice last night and Luke Scott also went deep. They're a combined 2-for-19 against Romero, though Scott has homered once off him. In Romero's last start...

Tags:

Orioles

Tonight's lineups

July 27, 2010, 12:16pm

Orioles

For the Orioles: 2B Julio Lugo 3B Miguel Tejada RF Nick Markakis DH Luke Scott CF Adam Jones C Matt Wieters LF Felix Pie 1B Jake Fox SS Cesar Izturis RHP Kevin Millwood For the Blue Jays: LF Fred Lewis SS Yunel Escobar RF Jose Bautista CF Vernon Wells DH Adam Lind 2B Aaron Hill 1B Lyle Overbay C John Buck 3B Edwin Encarnacion LHP Ricky Romero Brian Roberts is receiving a scheduled night off.

Tags:

Orioles

Britton still rolling with the Tides

July 27, 2010, 10:29am

Orioles

Left-hander Zach Britton is still listed as Triple-A Norfolk's starter for tonight's game at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Speculation has been building that Britton could replace Brad Bergesen in the Orioles' rotation this weekend, though he'd be working on short rest by taking the mound tonight. Bergesen is scheduled to start Saturday in Kansas City. For Britton to take Bergesen's turn, he'd have to treat tonight's start like a side session and leave the game after an inning or two. In his...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles1

What's next for Bergy? (w/additional thought)

July 27, 2010, 3:44am

Orioles

What's next for Bergy? (w/additional thought)

I wouldn't dare take credit for Matt Wieters' two homers last night, but I'm going to drop Buster Posey's name on him before every game. It's too bad that Madison Bumgarner didn't have the same effect on Brad Bergesen. The All-Star break didn't last long enough for Bergesen, who has allowed 17 earned runs and 28 hits in 16 1/3 innings since play resumed. He's lost five consecutive starts and hasn't won since May 12. Zach Britton is scheduled to start tonight for Triple-A Norfolk....

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Something to see here

July 26, 2010, 5:25pm

Orioles

Matt Wieters has homered twice tonight, and Luke Scott homered again because I'm pretty sure a law has been passed requiring it. The Orioles have cut Toronto's lead to 8-5 in the eighth. They could have rolled over, like I did, but they're trying to fight back. Not to pick on Jake Fox, who struck out with the bases loaded to kill that fourth-inning rally, but why is he trying to stretch a single into a double in the eighth with the Orioles down by three runs? Fox was thrown out at...

Tags:

Orioles

It never fails (updated)

July 26, 2010, 4:18pm

Orioles

The Orioles loaded the bases in the top of the fourth inning and didn't score. The Blue Jays scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Going back to the title of this entry: It...never...fails. Jake Fox struck out to kill the Orioles' rally, flailing at another pitch out of the strike zone and leaving them behind, 1-0. Jose Bautista led off the bottom half with a double and scored on Adam Lind's one-out double. Aaron Hill launched a two-run homer to center field on Brad Bergesen's...

Tags:

Orioles

Jays lineup and pre-game notes

July 26, 2010, 2:35pm

Orioles

Bad news for MASN's Amber Theoharis. Due to the Canadian exchange rate, she's only in her first trimester. Here's the Blue Jays lineup: LF FRED LEWIS SS YUNEL ESCOBAR RF JOSE BAUTISTA CF VERNON WELLS DH ADAM LIND 2B AARON HILL 1B LYLE OVERABY 3B EDWIN ENCARNACION C JOSE MOLINA P BRANDON MORROW Hope you enjoyed the caps. I wasn't yelling at you. That's just how I received it in an e-mail and I did a cut-and-paste. The Blue Jays lead the season series 9-0 and have outscored the...

Tags:

Orioles

Wiggy's suspension reduced

July 26, 2010, 1:08pm

Orioles

Ty Wigginton's three-game suspension has been reduced to two games, and he'll begin serving it tonight. Here's the Orioles lineup, minus its usual first baseman: Brian Roberts 2B Miguel Tejada 3B Nick Markakis RF Luke Scott DH Adam Jones CF Felix Pie LF Matt Wieters C Jake Fox 1B Cesar Izturis SS Brad Bergesen RHP The Orioles are down to a two-man bench with Corey Patterson and Julio Lugo.

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Luke Scott honored as AL Player of the Week

July 26, 2010, 11:15am

Orioles

Luke Scott honored as AL Player of the Week

Luke Scott was named the American League's Player of the Week. Scott, who was activated from the disabled list at the start of the week, led the league with four home runs and batted .481 (13-for-27). He finished second in the league with a 1.037 slugging percentage and added three doubles, eight RBIs and six runs scored. Scott hit safely in each of his seven games during the week and recorded five multi-hit games. Scott has raised his average to .296 with 16 homers and 38 RBIs. He's...

Tags:

Orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2

The kids aren't all right (updated)

July 26, 2010, 5:53am

Orioles

The Orioles boarded their charter last night for Toronto without backup catcher Craig Tatum, who was optioned yesterday morning. His removal from the 25-man roster drew the ire of many fans who didn't think he deserved it. I totally understand Tatum's frustration, but I do find it interesting that he's got so many supporters now after fans were livid that the Orioles kept him over Chad Moeller. The same young pitchers who rushed to Tatum's defense yesterday were bummed that he beat out...

Tags:

Orioles frontstory_orioles2

Another homestand ends

July 25, 2010, 2:01pm

Orioles

So does the good vibe from that four-game sweep in Texas. The Orioles went 2-8 on this homestand and were outscored 64-30. As I wrote earlier, the starter's ERA rises to 10.10 when you remove Jeremy Guthrie's two outings. "The bottom line for me is we've just got to make pitches when we need to," interim manager Juan Samuel said. "You're not going to get by pitching up in the zone. As a result, we have games like we just saw, balls flying out of the ballpark. We just need to get better...