Roch Kubatko

Cover me

March 24, 2010, 10:30am

Matt Wieters walked to his locker this afternoon without a photographer tailing him. It's been a slow day. Wieters referred to his Sports Illustrated cover shot as "a great honor." He's also prepared to grab some extra copies for family members. "Whatever they want, I'll get for them," he said, adding that he'd like a framed copy. Wieters doesn't fear the SI cover jinx. "It's how hard you work and what you put into it," he said. "Baseball is a tough game already without...

Pirates lineup

March 24, 2010, 10:27am

I'll go on record right now as saying I'm not terribly impressed with Bradenton, or the person who insisted that the drive from Sarasota would take 15 minutes. It's a little sketchy around here. (I'm only saying this so the Bradenton Chamber of Commerce will treat me to dinner.) I already said my goodbyes to Jeff Zrebiec and Peter Schmuck because I don't like our chances of getting back to the car alive. It's quite a trip. But I will enjoy sitting on a stool in the press box for nine...

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garrett atkins

Pre-game Trembley

March 24, 2010, 10:27am

Not much to report from manager Dave Trembley's pre-game media session. We already knew that the club is looking for two innings or 35 pitches from right-hander Brad Bergesen. "Whichever comes first," Trembley said. The Orioles will reevaluate Brian Roberts tomorrow and try to get him back on the field. "We're hoping that," Trembley said. "That would be nice." Trembley wouldn't elaborate when I asked whether he'll begin to rotate guys at second base in case Roberts isn't ready...

Bergesen's back

March 24, 2010, 10:23am

I mean he's returned to the rotation. He's not experiencing back pain. Brad Bergesen allowed one hit in a scoreless first inning, throwing nine of his 17 pitches for strikes. Bergesen fell behind 3-1 to the leadoff hitter, Andrew McCutchen, and 3-0 to Bobby Crosby before retiring them on bouncers to short. Garrett Jones fell behind 0-2 before lining a double to right-center field, the ball glancing off Adam Jones' glove as he dived for it. Ryan Doumit bounced to second on a 1-1...

Bergesen's night (updated)

March 24, 2010, 10:22am

Brad Bergesen was removed with one in the second inning and the Orioles leading, 3-1. Steve Pearce lined Bergesen's 35th pitch into left field for a single, bringing manager Dave Trembley from the dugout. The last three batters reached on a walk, Pedro Alvarez's RBI double to right-center field and Pearce's single, which put runners on the corners. Luis Lebron has entered the game. Bergesen's velocity looked good. He didn't have pinpoint control, but I wasn't expecting it. He gave up...

Bergy on Bergy

March 24, 2010, 10:21am

Jason Berken retired six of the seven batters he faced, including a strikeout. He allowed a two-out single to Ryan Doumit in the third. Mark Hendrickson replaced him in the fifth with the Orioles leading, 3-2. Berken hasn't surrendered a run in three appearances covering four innings this spring. Brad Bergesen's shoulder felt good tonight. No problem with the shin, either. He just couldn't throw enough strikes and had difficulty slowing his tempo. "I would have liked to have been a...

You know it's spring training when... (updated)

March 24, 2010, 10:20am

...Rhyne Hughes is your leadoff hitter. Hughes replaced Felix Pie in left field, and atop the order. He came to the plate with runners on the corners and none out in the seventh and struck out. Hughes has four hits in 11 at-bats, with three homers, six RBIs and four runs scored. He's also struck out five times. Manager Dave Trembley made wholesale changes in the bottom of the sixth. Jeff Salazar went to right field, and he opened the top of the seventh by drawing a walk off left-hander...

Orioles 3, Pirates 2

March 24, 2010, 10:19am

Matt Albers stranded the tying run at second base to pick up the save. Great job by the bullpen with 7 2/3 scoreless innings (Luis Lebron let an inherited runner score after replacing Brad Bergesen). "We pitched real well," manager Dave Trembley said. "Bergesen in the first inning was very good with the ground balls. Second inning, he got underneath some pitches. But we got his pich count up. Hendrickson was good, Ohman was good. We had very good pitching tonight. "Mickolio let it go,...

Workin' on our night moves

March 24, 2010, 10:16am

What's better than one night game this week? Try two of them. We're going back-to-back with tonight's trip to Fort Myers, where the Orioles play the Minnesota Twins. Kevin Millwood will try to erase his first start from our minds. The Tigers sent 11 batters to the plate, and Millwood allowed six runs and seven hits in two-thirds of an inning. Millwood said he was working on his changeup in counts that normally would dictate that he throw a different pitch. I'll buy that. But if I'm...

Luke out below

March 24, 2010, 10:15am

I also considered, "You can Luke, but you better not touch." The Orioles have added a B-squad game to their exhibition schedule at 10 a.m. Sunday in Bradenton. They also play the Phillies at 1:05 p.m. in Sarasota. No further details are available at the moment, but it's one way to get more innings and at-bats for certain players. And speaking of at-bats, Luke Scott doesn't want to collect them as the designated hitter. He's made that point pretty clear. He wants to play in the field...

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Dave Trembley

Orioles lineup (with pitchers added)

March 24, 2010, 10:14am

The independent York Revolution has signed former Orioles pitcher Matt Riley, the once-troubled phenom who's trying to make a comeback after being out of baseball last year. Says so right here. Riley has blown out his elbow three times. He underwent two ligament-reconstructive procedures and reportedly tried experimental prolotherapy injections in 2006 to avoid a third surgery. Hasn't everyone? Riley was one of my favorite players to cover, but mostly because he was willing to address any...

Twins lineup and assorted stuff

March 24, 2010, 10:09am

As I sit in the press box at Hammond Stadium, I'm reminded that it's supposed to rain tonight. That's because the top of my head just brushed against a gray cloud. We're pretty high up. And the clouds are pretty gray. The wind is strong enough to lift the batting cage and carry it to the Red Sox's complex down the road. Popups will be an adventure tonight. But so far, no rain. Is it a bad sign that a bee stung manager Dave Trembley while he spoke to reporters in front of the visiting...

Millwood's first inning (updated)

March 24, 2010, 10:06am

Does Kevin Millwood have a fifth pitch? OK, seriously, he gave up a run and two hits in the first inning, but he induced a double-play bouncer from Justin Morneau and returned to the dugout after throwing 14 pitches (nine for strikes). That's much better than his debut, when he allowed six runs and seven hits to the Tigers in two-thirds of an inning. Denard Span lined a single into right field and stole second to immediately put Millwood in a bind. Orlando Hudson struck out, with catcher...

Millwood's second inning (updated three times)

March 24, 2010, 10:05am

I already used the "fifth pitch" joke, so I won't go there again. The Twins jumped all over Kevin Millwood in the second, beginning with Michael Cuddyer's leadoff homer and continuing with back-to-back singles by Jason Kubel and Delmon Young, a one-out triple from No. 9 hitter Nick Punto and a scorching liner by Denard Span that would have carried Robert Andino's glove to the outfield if he had gotten his left hand in front of it. Twins 5, Orioles 0. Orlando Hudson followed Span's...

Millwood's finally done

March 24, 2010, 10:04am

Kevin Millwood left the game with two outs in the third after J.J. Hardy singled on the right-hander's 60th pitch, and his 35th strike. Wilfrido Perez stranded the runner after walking Nick Punto, so that ERA's coming down. It's settled at 29.70 through two starts. Millwood was charged with five runs and nine hits. He walked one and struck out two. We'll head downstairs to talk to Millwood after he's done running in the outfield.

Millwood: "I stink in spring training"

March 24, 2010, 10:04am

Kevin Millwood broke the news to Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz after tonight's start. Just a little heads-up, in case Kranitz was wondering. The numbers aren't going to be pretty. Look past them. Kranitz didn't need the warning. This isn't his first rodeo. "I stink in spring training. I'm not a good spring training pitcher," Millwood said after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings. "I don't try to win any awards in spring training. I try to get myself ready, and so far it's...

Quick game update (corrected)

March 24, 2010, 10:03am

Juan Portes hit a two-run homer off David Hernandez in the eighth inning to increase Minnesota's lead to 8-3, and the sky opened up as manager Dave Trembley left the dugout. It's an absolute downpour. Chris George is swimming to the mound. The Orioles scored twice in the top of the eighth on singles by Justin Turner, Miguel Abreu and Jonathan Tucker, and a double-play grounder from Rhyne Hughes. Give Tucker an RBI. Don't give one to Hughes. Abreu is playing right field. We've also seen...

Post-game Trembley

March 24, 2010, 10:02am

The game ended with two outs in the eighth inning and the Twins ahead, 8-3. Next up: The sprint to the car. I'll leave you with some final words from manager Dave Trembley. "We got Millwood's pitch count up, but he's not where he's going to be when the season starts. He's making progress, but we've got to do better," Trembley said. "Koji was a bright spot. He threw the ball very well. Every time out he's thrown the ball well - down, life, finish on his pitches. Markakis swung the...

Rainy days and Fridays

March 24, 2010, 10:01am

It's been pouring for most of the night and morning, and it's difficult to imagine this game being played later today. I'm not saying it won't happen. Nothing is official. But the forecast is bleak and the field already is drenched. I'll venture inside the clubhouse in about 15 minutes to grab the lineup and check on second baseman Brian Roberts. And I'll let you know if they bang this one - as they say in the sportswriting business. Jeremy Guthrie is scheduled to start today,...

Orioles lineup

March 24, 2010, 10:00am

Adam Jones CF Cesar Izturis SS Matt Wieters C Miguel Tejada 3B Ty Wigginton 2B Michael Aubrey 1B Lou Montanez LF Scott Moore DH Jeff Salazar RF Jeremy Guthrie RHP