Roch Kubatko

Blue Jays take the lead (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:28am

Jason Berken allowed three runs and four hits in the third inning. He also walked a batter. Alex Gonzalez lined a single into left field with one out. Jeremy Reed grounded a single into right and Nick Markakis overran the ball, allowing Gonzalez to score and Reed to take third base. Randy Ruiz walked on four pitches and Brian Dopirak lifted a sacrifice fly. Back-to-back singles by Travis Snyder and Brad Emaus increased the lead to 3-0 and brought pitching coach Rick Kranitz to the...

Berken on Berken (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:27am

Travis Snider hit an opposite-field home run off Kam Mickolio in the fifth. Blue Jays 4, Orioles 0. Mickolio has walked three batters in two innings. Matt Wieters threw out Brad Emaus trying to steal in the fifth. The Orioles have one hit, Cesar Izturis' leadoff single in the first. Update: Fifteen straight Orioles were retired until Ty Wigginton walked to open the sixth. Still only one hit as we enter the bottom of the seventh. Pedro Florimon pinch-ran for Izturis, who reached on a...

Blue Jays 4, Orioles 1

March 24, 2010, 7:26am

Miguel Abreu's bloop single with two outs in the ninth inning scored Pedro Florimon and prevented the Orioles from going hitless after Cesar Izturis' leadoff single in the first. Cla Meredith turned in another spotless performance today. He hasn't allowed a baserunner in five innings. No hits, no walks, no runs. "He's getting both right- and left-handed hitters out," manager Dave Trembley said. "For the most part he's kept his pitches down in the count. He locates down. And he's...

Orioles lineup (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:25am

Cesar Izturis SS Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott 1B Matt Wieters DH Lou Montanez LF Craig Tatum C Justin Turner 2B Jeremy Guthrie RHP Ricky Romero is starting for the Blue Jays. Michael Aubrey says his injured groin is feeling better, but he's still day-to-day, with no target date for his return to the field. It's been a wasted spring for Aubrey.

Pre-game notes (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:24am

Closer Mike Gonzalez will pitch an inning tomorrow in a minor league game, and another inning Sunday against the Phillies in Clearwater. Manager Dave Trembley said he didn't have any updates on Brian Roberts. Fourteen players from the minor league camp will join the Orioles on Saturday. Half will travel to Fort Myers for the split-squad game against the Red Sox, and half will stay in Sarasota for the split-squad game against the Pirates. Here's the Blue Jays lineup: Jose Bautista 3B Aaron...

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Josh Willingham

This and that (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:23am

Manager Dave Trembley says he's seen the following from Jeremy Guthrie, who makes his fourth start today: "Better delivery, better location of his fastball," Trembley said. "You're never going to get a guy with a better attitude. I don't think there's ever going to be a fluctuation in his attitude. The guy's an A-plus in that category. "Jeremy Guthrie's probably the hardest-working guy I've ever had. No question about that. Everybody knows that about him. The guy never missed...

Izzy's busy (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:22am

Shortstop Cesar Izturis had a hand in all three outs in the bottom of the first inning. He also failed to make a play that was scored a hit and started a rally that allowed Toronto to tie the game. Jose Bautista opened the inning by grounding to Izturis. Aaron Hill followed with a grounder that scooted past Izturis, who attempted to make a backhanded stop. Izturis made a leaping grab of Adam Lind's liner for the second out, but Hill moved up on a wild pitch from Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie...

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brian roberts

Mr. Jones and me (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:20am

Adam Jones just led off the top of the third inning with a long home run to left-center field. Toronto 4, Orioles 2. The ball sailed past the scoreboard, giving Jones two home runs this spring. Luke Scott doubled to right with two outs. Jeremy Guthrie will come back out for the bottom of the third inning with his pitch count at 42, including 25 strikes. Update: Guthrie walked Lyle Overbay to begin the inning, and John Buck reached when third baseman Miguel Tejada was charged with two...

Guthrie's day (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:18am

It didn't go the way he wanted. Guthrie has thrown 75 pitches through three innings, 43 for strikes, and he won't return for the fourth. He's done pitching in Dunedin. Guthrie is charged with seven runs (six earned) and seven hits. He walked three, struck out none and allowed three home runs. He also threw a wild pitch, and his spring ERA jumped to 9.28. The bottom five in the Blue Jays' order went 5-for-8 with three homers, six RBIs and six runs scored. Update: John Buck also has...

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Nick Markakis

Tatum leaves game (and so does Koji)

March 24, 2010, 7:17am

Catcher Craig Tatum left the game with one out in the fifth inning with an apparent injury to his hand. Koji Uehara struck out Travis Snider on three pitches and got ahead 0-1 on John McDonald when Tatum rose to his feet and began walking to the mound. We didn't see whether Tatum was hit by a foul tip. It seems like every person in the press box was looking down when it happened. I'll have an update later. Luis Bernardo has replaced Tatum. Keep in mind that Michel Hernandez is out four to...

Injury updates (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:15am

Matt Wieters hit a monstrous home run to center field in the sixth inning after the Blue Jays' Aaron Hill unleashed a two-run shot off Alberto Castillo in the bottom of the fifth. I guess it's a good thing I listed his spring stats before the game. Toronto 11, Orioles 3. Koji Uehara exited the game with a strained left hamstring. Craig Tatum has a bruised left hand. That's one banged-up battery. Tatum and Uehara were hurt in a span of eight pitches. We'll check on them after the...

More on Koji

March 24, 2010, 7:11am

Matt Albers served up a two-run homer to Chris Lubanski in the bottom of the eighth inning. Toronto 13, Orioles 3. Koji Uehara also had a left hamstring issue last year, but he said the discomfort is in a different spot this time. "When I made the last pitch, I felt something in my hamstring," he said. Asked if he's concerned, Uehara said, "I'm always concerned."

Post-game Trembley

March 24, 2010, 7:09am

Manager Dave Trembley clarified Craig Tatum's injury as a bruised left index finger. Tatum was injured on his 27th birthday. It just doesn't seem fair. Asked about his concern over Koji Uehara's hamstring, Trembley replied, "I won't know until tomorrow." Trembley noted that Jeremy Guthrie "pitched up" and "pitched behind." "I will be interested to see how he pitches the next time," Trembley added. Trembley praised Luke Scott for the way he's hitting against both right-handers...

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Justin Turner

The bullpen blues

March 24, 2010, 7:08am

We have a night game in Clearwater, so my morning is free. And what better way to spend it than approving comments that have been sitting for 12 hours? Sorry about that. I raced back from Dunedin yesterday, went to the gym and met up with friends at Evie's on Bee Ridge Rd, where I watched more of my NCAA bracket crumble like the Orioles' pitching yesterday. Way to step up, Georgetown. Since I mentioned the Orioles' pitching, it's worth noting that Mark Hendrickson is the only one who...

Still waiting on Gonzo (updated)

March 24, 2010, 7:07am

We're in the third inning of the Triple-A game, and still no sign of Mike Gonzalez. He's slated to pitch one inning. We thought it would be the third, but Armando Gabino is on the mound. Troy Patton allowed a run over two innings against Boston's Triple-A team. Meanwhile, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail says Koji Uehara is day-to-day with a sore left hamstring. X-rays on Craig Tatum's left index finger were negative. Also day-to-day. UPDATE: Gonzalez is now warming up...

Gonzo gets going

March 24, 2010, 7:06am

Mike Gonzalez tossed a scoreless sixth inning in today's Triple-A game in Sarasota. Most important, Gonzalez completed the inning. He didn't leave after facing two batters, which happened in his last appearance because of lower-back stiffness. Gonzalez threw eight pitches, five for strikes. He gave up a leadoff triple, but the runner was erased on a 5-2 fielder's choice. Gonzalez's fastball topped out at 89 mph.

Orioles lineup and Gonzo

March 24, 2010, 7:05am

Robert Andino SS Ty Wigginton 2B Nolan Reimold DH Luke Scott LF Garrett Atkins 1B Lou Montanez RF Josh Bell 3B Chad Moeller C Jeff Salazar CF Brian Matusz LHP Here's what Mike Gonzalez said about his eight-pitch relief stint today: "It felt good. Every day it's getting a little better. Obviously it was a great idea for me to come out here and throw. I was able to get treatment right before the game and after the game, instead of going to Clearwater. It's coming along. It's just...

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Brian Roberts

Roberts update (with Koji update)

March 24, 2010, 7:05am

Brian Roberts has been cleared by Dr. Lewis Riley, the back specialist at Johns Hopkins, to begin performing baseball-related activities today. Roberts, who received an epidural from Riley on Monday, was preparing to take the field and run, throw, field some grounders and hit off a tee. Roberts said he can't really notice much of a difference in his back without attempting these activites. "Not too much. Maybe a little bit," he said. "My main test is going to be baseball...

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Felix Pie

Pre-game notes

March 24, 2010, 7:03am

It seemed like a curious move when the Orioles optioned Double-A reliever Wilfrido Perez to Double-A Bowie while also adding 17 players for tomorrow's two split-squad games. Manager Dave Trembley offered the following explanation: "The situation with him is, the minor league games have started. Let's get him pitching in the games. He's right on track to start pitching. A guy coming off arm surgery, he's done very well. Left-handed, has a lot of value and is important to us. Needs to go...

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Mike Gonzalez

More Koji (and minor leaguers added)

March 24, 2010, 7:01am

Please allow me to introduce myself...and to pass along some quotes from Koji Uehara. I've got the complete transcript for you. Enjoy. His timeline: "I am thinking to play catch tomorrow. That's what I am thinking." When he'll return to the mound: "At this moment, I don't know." How he's feeling now: "Similar to yesterday." If he's in pain: "When I am walking around, I feel fine. If I could not walk, I wouldn't be able to come here." When he'll be able to run: "We...