Roch Kubatko

First day in St. Pete

April 05, 2010, 5:49am

It would make more sense if I drove to Tampa for a game against...wait for it...the Tampa Bay Rays, but I'd have a devil of a time finding The Trop. The Orioles will conduct a two-hour workout beginning at 3 p.m. in preparation for tomorrow night's opener. Media access is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. I'm switching hotels after a terrific stay at Homewood Suites Sarasota, a Hilton property that took very good care of me for almost seven weeks. I'll apologize in advance for the mess...

Angle to undergo surgery

April 05, 2010, 5:48am

Minor league outfielder Matt Angle will undergo surgery this week to remove a broken hamate bone in his right hand. Angle suffered the injury during his final at-bat of spring training, and I don't mean because he no longer could play. It happened in the eighth inning of Friday's game in Tampa. He wasn't expected to make an appearance in yesterday's finale in Sarasota. Typical of this injury, it happened when Angle swung the bat and didn't make contact. He wasn't hit by a ball and he...

Last day in Sarasota

April 05, 2010, 5:46am

Has it really been almost seven weeks? I'll be loading up the rental car and driving to St. Petersburg tomorrow morning so I can attend the 3 p.m. workout at Tropicana Field. In the meantime, it's pretty quiet today because the Sarasota complex is closed to the media and most of the players have scattered. Brad Bergesen is throwing a few innings before making his regular-season debut Friday at Camden Yards. And I still have to pause while figuring out the days, since the opener is ...

Mickolio speaks

April 05, 2010, 5:43am

Kam Mickolio is angry - at himself. Mickolio looked like a strong bet to make the club after impressing manager Dave Trembley in the early days of camp, but he couldn't pitch because of a groin injury and was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Mickolio hurt more than his groin. He also hurt his chances by walking seven batters in 9 1/3 innings, which countered a 1.93 ERA. "I'm disappointed and very mad at myself mostly," he said. "They said they'd like me to start working up to an...

Andino speaks

April 05, 2010, 5:42am

Robert Andino knew his days with the Orioles were numbered once they traded for Julio Lugo. He walked into manager Dave Trembley's office after today's game and got the official word. The Orioles designated him for assignment after he batted .241 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 24 games. They'll try to pass him through waivers. Though angry about the move, Andino chose his words carefully while standing at his locker. "They said I wasn't good enough from what they've seen," he said....

Mickolio optioned (Updated)

April 05, 2010, 5:41am

The Orioles optioned Kam Mickolio to Triple-A Norfolk. Now it's Robert Andino's turn to visit the manager's office. Mickolio was told to stretch out to multiple innings because the Orioles have so many short relievers at Triple-A. Update: Andino was designated for assignment after the Orioles failed to work out a trade. They want him to play shortstop at Norfolk if he clears waivers. I'll be filing quotes from Mickolio and Andino in a few minutes.

Matusz on Matusz

April 05, 2010, 5:39am

Brian Matusz was satisfied that he got in his work today. He'll also take the four scoreless innings. "Fifty to 60 pitches was what we were looking at," he said. "It was nice to work with Matt [Wieters] to get on the same page. I didn't shake Matt one time. When I faced Luis Castillo the second time, we went four fastballs down and away, and he ended up coming back to me. I was unsure why we were going four pitches down and away in a row and then I talked to Matt afterwards. I didn't...

Reimold goes deep (updated twice)

April 05, 2010, 5:38am

Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer off Sean Green in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the Orioles' lead to 7-0. Reimold has two home runs this spring. He's also singled and walked today. Maybe that's why manager Dave Trembley waited to replace Reimold with Felix Pie. He knew that home run was coming. Talk about being one step ahead. Mark Hendrickson allowed two hits in a scoreless top of the sixth. Update: Brian Roberts delivered another run in the sixth with a ground ball....

Grand performance for Miggi

April 05, 2010, 5:37am

Miguel Tejada hit a grand slam off Mets left-hander Jon Niese in the fifth inning to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead. Tejada hadn't homered before today. The Orioles strung together five straight singles to open the inning, but scored only once. Nolan Reimold was thrown out trying to steal, and the Orioles were playing station-to-station baseball. Adam Jones' third hit scored Garrett Atkins for a 1-0 lead, and Tejada followed with a towering fly ball that cleared the left-field fence. Matt...

Koji on DL (with Matusz update)

April 05, 2010, 5:33am

In a move that surprises no one, the Orioles placed pitcher Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. The move is retroactive to March 26. Uehara posted a 1.69 ERA in six exhibition games covering 5 1/3 innings. He limped off the mound during a March 18 game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Uehara was supposed to be the seventh-inning reliever and a bridge to set-up man Jim Johnson. Maybe one of these days. The Orioles must turn in their final roster to the...

Matusz through two

April 05, 2010, 5:28am

Brian Matusz has turned in two scoreless innings today. He allowed singles to Jason Bay and Fernando Tatis in the second and threw a wild pitch, but he struck out Gary Matthews and retired Henry Blanco on a fly ball. Matusz has thrown 34 pitches, 18 for strikes. He's on a reduced pitch count - probably no more than 50 - before making his first regular-season start on Thursday. Adam Jones reached on an infield hit in the first, but he was caught stealing. From the Department of Irony: New...

No place like home

April 05, 2010, 5:25am

The Orioles are down to their last exhibition game, and their first year at Ed Smith Stadium has been a rousing success at the gates. They've drawn 94,405 fans for 14 dates and will exceed 100,000 at a Grapefruit League ballpark for the first time in club history. The Reds drew 77,758 fans in 15 dates last year before moving their spring home to Arizona. We've had seven sellouts going into today's game. On four occasions, the Orioles have topped the previous record for highest attendance...

Trembley talks about Mike Cuellar

April 05, 2010, 5:24am

Orioles manager Dave Trembley notified the team this morning of Mike Cuellar's passing. It was one of the most difficult meetings he's ever conducted in baseball. Trembley let us know later how close he had become to Cuellar over the past two years, when the former Orioles great had served as a guest instructor at spring training. "If there was ever a guy who epitomized what the Orioles are all about, it's Mike Cuellar," Trembley said. "All he ever wanted to do was help. It's really a...

Pre-game notes

April 05, 2010, 5:23am

Manager Dave Trembley expects to split today's DH duties between Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie. Each player will get two at-bats under the current plan. David Hernandez and Jason Berken will pitch in a minor league game today. Cla Meredith has been dealing with a stomach virus for the last three days. Trembley wants to give him an inning today, but might have to settle for one batter. Trembley indicated that the final roster decisions are set, but a few players still need to be notified. He...

Pie could play

April 05, 2010, 5:22am

Felix Pie said there's "no question in my mind" that he'll be ready for Opening Day after being hit near the right ankle by a Mariano Rivera pitch during yesterday's game in Tampa. Pie said the ball struck the edge of his shin guard. X-rays taken on his ankle were negative. "I feel a lot better," he said. "There's a little pain when you touch it, but I'm OK." Pie thought he might have broken a bone until being examined. Though he's not in today's lineup, Pie said he could swing...

Orioles lineup

April 05, 2010, 5:20am

Brian Roberts 2B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott LF Matt Wieters C Nolan Reimold DH Garrett Atkins 1B Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP Kam Mickolio will throw another bullpen session today and pitch in an intrasquad game tomorrow. "From there," he said, "I have no idea."

Remembering Mike Cuellar

April 05, 2010, 5:19am

One of the biggest sports thrills of my life, and it may rank No. 1, was attending the final game at Memorial Stadium and choking back tears as the Field of Dreams music played and the four 20-game winners from the '71 season stood together on the mound. I can't believe only one of them is still with us. We lost Mike Cuellar today after a courageous battle with stomach cancer that he never had a chance to win. I guess heaven needed another crafty left-hander. David McNally passed away in...

Pie's OK

April 02, 2010, 2:41pm

X-rays taken on Felix Pie's right ankle came back negative. Pie was nailed by a Mariano Rivera pitch in the sixth inning and limped off the field. He returned to Sarasota for the X-rays. Rivera was off his game today, walking the leadoff batter and lacking his usual pinpoint control. I doubt that he targeted Pie with two outs and a runner on first base as retaliation for Jeremy Guthrie hitting Mark Teixeira earlier this week, though it spiced up an otherwise nondescript Grapefruit League...

What's next for Atkins and team?

April 02, 2010, 2:38pm

As the Orioles introduced Garrett Atkins to the media earlier today, they still couldn't commit to him as a first or third baseman. His position will depend on what moves follow before spring training opens in two months. Andy MacPhail, Orioles president of baseball operations, noted that the club has "internal options we could live with based on what position Garrett plays." He mentioned Michael Aubrey, Rhyne Hughes and Brandon Snyder and first base, and Ty Wigginton and Scott Moore at...

Still waiting on Atkins (updated again)

April 02, 2010, 2:37pm

Garrett Atkins is undergoing his physical exam in Baltimore, and his signing should become official later today. The only real news would come if he failed it, which would be an upset of major proportions. The only drama for me - and this is purely for selfish reasons - is whether I'm driving to the warehouse for another media gathering in the Jay Payton Room, as I refer to it, or introducing myself to Atkins via conference call. A trip to the warehouse would occur later this afternoon. The...