Roch Kubatko

Matusz's fifth inning (updated twice)

March 24, 2010, 8:17am

Brian Matusz completed five innings today, easily the best performance by an Orioles starter this spring. Raul Ibanez flied to left on a 1-2 pitch. Shane Victorino and Juan Castro bounced to short on 2-2 pitches. Matusz threw 14 pitches, nine for strikes. He's thrown 57 pitches today, 41 for strikes. Does he come out for the sixth? The bullpen is stirring. Update: Josh Bell walked with one out, and doubles by Chad Moeller and Robert Andino have tied the game, 1-1. That's right, only...

Matusz on Matusz (updated)

March 24, 2010, 8:16am

Today's attendance: 8,092, a record for the largest baseball crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, breaking the mark of 8,088 set earlier this spring. I didn't think they could squeeze in four more people. Brian Matusz didn't realize that the Philies brought their A lineup to today's game until he heard it recited over the PA system. "I was warming up in the bullpen and I hear the roster and I'm thinking, 'Well, that's everyone. Looks like they traveled with the whole team,'" he said. "I...

Matusz done for the day

March 24, 2010, 8:14am

Kam Mickolio has replaced Brian Matusz to start the sixth inning. Matusz is charged with one run and three hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. He threw 57 pitches, 41 strikes. The Phillies' 4 through 8 hitters were a combined 0-for-10 with two strikeouts. That group includes Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and Shane Victorino. I'll pass along quotes from Matusz once he's done running and is made available to the media. He's one of the best interviews out there, so he won't...

More Matusz on Matusz (updated)

March 24, 2010, 8:13am

Brian Matusz didn't know his pitch count when Rick Kranitz instructed him to go back out for the fifth inning. The plan was four innings. His count must have been low. "If I can keep getting ahead of hitters and doing that, I can go deep into games, and that's what's really important," he said. "I didn't have any three-ball counts today. I had a couple two-ball counts, but I didn't have any three-ball counts and I didn't walk anybody, so that's a positive. It means I'm really...

Trembley tackles topics

March 24, 2010, 8:12am

Koji Uehara picked up the save in a 4-3 victory over the Phillies, getting a 9-3 double play to end it. Miguel Abreu, who keeps moving around, made the catch and throw in right field. Manager Dave Trembley said he planned to remove Nolan Reimold after two at-bats. It didn't happen because Reimold's Achilles forced him from the game. "Reimold ran much better yesterday. I got a very good report on Reimold ," Trembley said. "He got some new orthotics yesterday, so he's a lot more...

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where in the yard

MacPhail talks about Roberts

March 24, 2010, 8:11am

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said he isn't sure whether the latest news on Brian Roberts is a setback until the club hears from Dr. Lee Riley, a back specialist at Johns Hopkins, "but clearly our preference would be to have him out on the field." MacPhail repeated that he's alerted his scouts to be on the lookout for a potential replacement at second base, something he first told reporters on Tuesday when he admitted to having concerns about Roberts' availability for the...

Orioles lineup

March 24, 2010, 8:09am

Jonathan Tucker CF Justin Turner 3B Lou Montanez LF Luke Scott DH Ty Wigginton 2B Jeff Salazar RF Brandon Snyder 1B Craig Tatum C Pedro Florimon SS Brad Bergesen RHP Also scheduled to pitch: Chris Tillman, Mark Hendrickson, Cla Meredith and Alfredo Simon. Not exactly the A lineup for this Fort Myers trip. Scott is the only player you could classify as a starter.

Pie update

March 24, 2010, 8:08am

The Orioles will be taking their swings against Tim Wakefield, Brian Shouse, Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima. Good luck. The club is expected to make some cuts this morning. Felix Pie said his left shoulder feels "much better." He'll do exercises today and attempt to hit and throw tomorrow before returning to the lineup. "The pain is almost gone," he said. Pie was diagnosed with tendinitis in his shoulder after lifting too much weight while working out. "It has to calm down,"...

Cuts like a knife

March 24, 2010, 8:07am

The Orioles optioned four players this morning and assigned three others to minor league camp. The Orioles optioned Brandon Erbe and Troy Patton to Triple-A Norfolk, and Luis Lebron and Chorye Spoone to Double-A Bowie. Armando Gabino, Chris George and Mike Hinckley were assigned to the minor league camp. You're "optioned" if you're on the 40-man roster. You're "assigned" if you're a non-roster invitee.

M. Hernandez injured

March 24, 2010, 8:05am

Michel Hernandez, who was competing for the backup catching job, will miss the next four to six weeks with a fractured right index finger. The competition is down to Chad Moeller and Craig Tatum. Hernandez suffered the injury while blocking a ball in the dirt. He got three at-bats Saturday in Tampa, but he couldn't throw the next day. X-rays revealed the fracture. Trembley said the club might add a catcher, along with some other players, for Saturday's split-squad game.

Pre-game nuggets

March 24, 2010, 8:04am

You can choose your own dipping sauce. David Hernandez, Koji Uehara and Dennis Sarfate are slated to pitch tomorrow against the Twins in Fort Myers. Kevin Millwood is scheduled to throw five innings in the B-squad game in Sarasota, with Jim Johnson going the last two. Matt Wieters will catch Millwood. Jason Berken will start Wednesday against the Blue Jays in Sarasota, followed by Kam Mickolio and Cla Meredith. Jeremy Guthrie pitches Thursday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, followed by...

Trembley unplugged

March 24, 2010, 8:03am

Manager Dave Trembley understands why Troy Patton believes he could evolve into a reliever in this organization, with so many young starters ahead of him and jostling for position in the upper levels of the minors. But the left-hander's role won't undergo any immediate changes. "I brought that up early in the year in our meetings, if we could ever envision him being a guy like (Mark) Hendrickson - a long guy, a left-handed guy, a swing guy. But I don't think we're ready to do that with...

Bergesen's first inning

March 24, 2010, 8:02am

The Boston Red Sox loaded the bases against Brad Bergesen without scoring. Mike Cameron grounded the first pitch to third baseman Justin Turner. Mike Lowell, playing for the first time this spring, followed with a single into right field. Victor Martinez flied to right on a 3-1 pitch, and David Ortiz got ahead, 3-0, before walking. J.D. Drew singled to right field, with Lowell holding at third. Adrian Beltre hit a tapper in front of the batter's box, and catcher Craig Tatum stepped on the...

Bergy's second inning (updated twice)

March 24, 2010, 8:01am

Brad Bergesen needed only nine pitches, including seven strikes, to get through the second inning. His count stands at 30. Tug Hulett reached on a two-out bunt single, but Mike Cameron flied to right. Bill Hall grounded out to begin the inning, and Jeremy Hermida became Bergesen's first strikeout victim. Brandon Snyder hit a wind-blown ground-rule double in the top of the second, and Craig Tatum was hit by a pitch, but the Orioles didn't score. Justin Turner singled to lead off the...

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Koji Uehara

Bergy's done for the day

March 24, 2010, 8:00am

David Ortiz hit a two-run homer to right field, where a strong wind is blowing out, and Brad Bergesen has come out of the game with two outs in the third inning and the Orioles leading, 5-2. Bergesen allowed five hits, walked one and struck out one. He threw 41 pitches, 27 for strikes. Victor Martinez singled with one out before Ortiz hit a towering fly ball that cleared the fence. Cla Meredith has entered the game.

You know it's spring training when...

March 24, 2010, 7:58am

...A guy sits on a bus for 90 minutes so he can throw one pitch. Cla Meredith replaced starter Brad Bergesen with two outs in the third inning and retired Adrian Beltre on a grounder to second. One pitch, one strike. Chris Tillman entered the game in the bottom of the fourth, and not because he's been bumped from the rotation. The rainout on Friday disrupted the pitching schedule. Luke Scott doubled in the top of the fourth. He's having quite a day.

Tillman's day (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:56am

Manager Dave Trembley went to his bullpen again in the bottom of the sixth, bringing in right-hander Frank Mata. I'm sure Trembley had other ideas for this game, but Chris Tillman only gave him 2 2/3 innings. Tillman is charged with two runs and four hits, including Josh Reddick's long blast. He walked three and struck out one. The unofficial count is 59 pitches, 29 strikes. Mata ended the inning with a strikeout, so props to him. There's nothing the Mata with him. Update: There's...

Roberts update

March 24, 2010, 7:54am

Brian Roberts was examined by back specialist Dr. Lee Riley at Johns Hopkins and is heading back to Sarasota. "He's on a plane as we speak," president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. MacPhail wouldn't confirm whether Roberts received an epidural for his lower back, which was anticipated yesterday once the club revealed that the second baseman was leaving camp. "Now we'll wait and see how he responds to the medication. In a day or two we'll know," MacPhail said. Roberts...

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brian matusz

Post-game Trembley

March 24, 2010, 7:53am

Opening statement: "Bergesen was better. He looked more comfortable. His slider will get better. He had good sink, but he'll get better when he gets a little more extension on his pitches. But he was improved. Tillman had too many three-ball counts. He was working on pitching in today, so that's why he was missing a little bit in there. He was working on just fastball command and trying to pitch in. Hendrickson threw strikes. Did a nice job. Snyder had a big game. Tucker's had a great camp....