Roch Kubatko

Pre-game Trembley

May 14, 2010, 12:54pm

Orioles

First base coach John "T-Bone" Shelby will miss tonight's game because he's being inducted into the Henry Clay High School Hall of Fame in Lexington, Ky. Bench coach Jeff Datz will handle the first base duties. Alfredo Simon doesn't always make it look easy, but he remains the team's closer and continues to have manager Dave Trembley's full support. "I would evaluate him as a guy that is an underdog who has overachieved, who has proven a lot of people wrong, who has come back from a...

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Tonight's lineups

May 14, 2010, 11:38am

Orioles

For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott DH Ty Wigginton 2B Matt Wieters C Rhyne Hughes 1B Cesar Izturis SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP For the Indians: Cabrera SS Sizemore CF Choo RF Hafner DH Peralta 3B Branyan 1B LaPorta LF Valbuena 2B Marson C Masterson RHP

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Orioles

Zach and Caleb's excellent adventure

May 14, 2010, 10:08am

Orioles

If you have a few minutes - or 7:56 to be exact - check out the following YouTube clip of Double-A Bowie pitcher Zach Britton and catcher Caleb Joseph touring Camden Yards. You might recall that I mentioned their unexpected appearance in the press box in one of my blog entries. Joseph shows off his dance moves, and they were nice enough to throw a little love at the School of Roch. Thanks, fellas. Check out what happens when they try to ride the elevator up to the press box.

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Orioles

Looking back and ahead

May 14, 2010, 3:45am

Orioles

It would be nice to wake up to sunshine just once more before winter. The forecast is ominous again tonight. I've started to get used to it. How does "a chance of showers and thunderstorms" work for you? I hope it's OK because that's what you've got. So you're saying there's a chance? Yes. We'll talk about a "window" for getting in the game. There's always a window. And we'll keep an eye on the grounds crew and hope that it doesn't move behind the tarp during an inning....

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In decline

May 13, 2010, 5:54pm

Orioles

Good morning to all. Teams throughout baseball were busy this week declining options on their players, turning them loose on the free agent market. Three of them intrigue me at the moment. Could Jermaine Dye, at the right cost, provide that right-handed power bat for the middle of the order that manager Dave Trembley places high on his wish list? Dye has averaged 33 home runs over the past five seasons, though he's batted .254 and .250 in two of the last three. He could serve as the...

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Jones as good as gold

May 13, 2010, 5:53pm

Orioles

I heard some rumblings earlier today about Orioles center fielder Adam Jones winning a Gold Glove, with the official announcement coming in another week or so. His brother apparently spilled the beans on his MySpace page. My first thought: People still use MySpace? My second thought: He ought to know. I'm told that it's true, which means Jones will be only the second Orioles outfielder to take home the award. Paul Blair won eight of them. Somehow, Jeff Stone kept getting snubbed. Ichiro,...

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Odds and ends

May 13, 2010, 5:51pm

Orioles

Is Maryland still playing football this season? Maybe I should ask whether they've started. Bodog posted its 2010 World Series odds. You have to scroll down pretty far to find the Orioles: New York Yankees 11/4 Boston Red Sox 13/2 Philadelphia Phillies 9/1 Los Angeles Angels 10/1 St. Louis Cardinals 10/1 Los Angeles Dodgers 11/1 Chicago Cubs 15/1 New...

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Your thoughts on Delgado?

May 13, 2010, 5:50pm

Orioles

I began my morning with a quick check of mlbtraderumors, and decided to cut-and-paste their Top 50 Free Agents list. Should make for some good discussion, especially with Carlos Delgado, at No. 43, going to the Orioles. Keep in mind that these are just predictions, and nobody has inside information about Delgado. He would make sense in one sense. The Orioles need a first baseman and a power bat (and he would probably benefit from the rest provided when serving as the designated hitter)....

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Baseball Prospectus chimes in

May 13, 2010, 5:49pm

Orioles

Baseball Prospectus has released its list of the top 11 Orioles prospects - a nice, round figure - and Brian Matusz is No. 1. He's also the only five-star selection. Josh Bell, Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton are four-star choices. Matt Hobgood, Brandon Erbe, Brandon Snyder and Mychal Givens are three-star selections, and Brandon Waring and Cameron Coffey receive two stars. Click here to view the entire list, which is compiled by Kevin Goldstein and includes four other prospects deemed worthy...

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Waiver claim (updated twice)

May 13, 2010, 5:47pm

Orioles

The Orioles have claimed right-hander Armando Gabino off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and added him to the 40-man roster. Gabino, 26, went 6-4 with three saves and a 2.94 ERA in 38 games (seven starts) with Triple-A Rochester. He also appeared in two games with the Twins. And I'll admit that I can't picture the guy. Name sounds familiar, but...nothing. I'll do some research. Update: Gabino went 0-0 with a 17.18 ERA in his two appearances with the Twins. He made his major league...

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GM meetings

May 13, 2010, 5:45pm

Orioles

The general manager meetings begin today in Chicago, which will bring more rumors and speculation than actual activity. Some deals are struck, but it's mostly a way for executives to lay the groundwork for next month's winter meetings in Indianapolis. They'll express interest in players, discuss parameters of a deal and agree to continue those talks. It gives them a better sense of who's available and whether there's a potential match. Otherwise, there's a lot of business discussed...

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Returning to the sender

May 13, 2010, 2:14pm

Orioles

Every game seems to bring a press box debate, or at least a quiet discussion in the interview room before manager Dave Trembley takes a seat behind the microphone. Since I'm not ready to let go of today's victory, I'll pass along how we talked about Seattle third base coach Mike Brumley's decision to send Josh Wilson with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Left fielder Corey Patterson scooped up Ichiro Suzuki's single and fired the ball to the plate, where catcher Matt Wieters...

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Orioles

Updating J.J.

May 13, 2010, 12:49pm

Orioles

I just spoke with an Orioles official with some clarity on Jim Johnson's examination today. The Orioles continue to classify Johnson's injury as a sprained ligament in his right elbow following the reliever's visit with Dr. James Andrews. They say the exam didn't reveal anything new. Johnson will spend the next four weeks at the minor league complex in Sarasota. Team officials don't anticipate that Johnson will require surgery. When I asked one official whether Johnson has a slight...

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Little things mean a lot

May 13, 2010, 11:49am

Orioles

I'll pass on the obvious joke here. You're welcome. Luke Scott gave the Orioles a 6-5 lead with a grand slam in the eighth inning. Corey Patterson began the rally with a home run and ended the game with his throw to the plate. Catcher Matt Wieters made a tremendous tag, blocking the plate while reaching far to his right for the ball. Dave Trembley talks about the O's dramatic 6-5 win over the Mariners That's the obvious stuff. Now for the little things. Did anyone notice how Nick...

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Having a grand ol' time (updated)

May 13, 2010, 11:01am

Orioles

Luke Scott swung at the first pitch from reliever Brandon League with the bases loaded in the eighth and destroyed Seattle's 5-2 lead. Scott hit his second career grand slam, and the first by an Oriole since Michael Aubrey on Oct. 2. If only he could have enjoyed the trip around the bases from the first few steps. Scott pumped his fist in the air and shouted with joy as he rounded first, but Ty Wigginton began to wave him back to the bag, thinking the ball was still in play. Left...

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Well, if you take away the home runs... (updated)

May 13, 2010, 10:29am

Orioles

Well, if you take away the home runs... (updated)

Ichiro Suzuki, Mike Sweeney and Michael Saunders had combined for one home run in 185 at-bats before today's game. They each took Kevin Millwood deep in the right-hander's 6 2/3 innings. That'll leave a mark. Saunders raised his season's total to two and knocked out Millwood, who has been replaced by Mark Hendrickson with the Orioles trailing, 5-1. Suzuki was a lifetime .394 hitter vs. Millwood before today, including one home run in 71 at-bats. Millwood has surrendered 10 homers this...

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A lost lead and reliever

May 13, 2010, 9:55am

Orioles

Kevin Millwood just fumbled a 1-0 lead in the fifth on Michael Saunders' two-out single that scored Ryan Langerhans and Ichiro Suzuki's first home run of the season. Seattle 3, Orioles 1. Langerhans led off with a double and took third on Josh Wilson's fly ball to right. Rob Johnson sent a bouncer up the middle against the Orioles drawn-in infield, and shortstop Cesar Izturis made a clean pick-up and throw for the out as Langerhans held at third. I thought the ball might sneak through or...

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Orioles

Moore is less

May 13, 2010, 9:03am

Orioles

Triple-A Norfolk infielder Scott Moore left today's game in Syracuse after one at-bat because of a strained hamstring. He's expected to be sidelined for about a week. Paco Figueroa, just promoted from Double-A Bowie, replaced Moore at second base. Ty Wigginton has the game's only hit as we enter the bottom of the third inning. He lined a single to left field. He's my favorite player today, in case you didn't notice. Here are a few more pre-game comments from manager Dave Trembley, who...

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Orioles

The perfect present

May 13, 2010, 8:04am

Orioles

Happy Birthday, David Hernandez. And what better way to celebrate your 25th than having manager Dave Trembley tell reporters this morning that the organization hasn't discussed replacing you in the rotation. Hernandez's 11 consecutive losses are two shy of Mike Boddicker's club record. He was charged with five runs (four earned) and five hits in 5 2/3 innings, with four walks, four strikeouts and two wild pitches, in Tuesday's start against the Mariners. Trembley mentioned how Hernandez...

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Orioles

Playing for a Ty

May 13, 2010, 6:34am

Orioles

Orioles manager Dave Trembley wrote Ty Wigginton's name in the lineup - and we're talking marker, not pencil - before the club's second baseman arrived at Camden Yards. Wigginton insisted last night that he'd be fine. Forget that his hand and wrist were wrapped to prevent more swelling after Seattle shortstop Josh Wilson nailed him with a throw in the second inning. Not a problem. Sure enough, Wigginton showed up this morning without the wrap, and with every intention of starting against...