Roch Kubatko

Aubrey alert

March 24, 2010, 8:27am

Anybody know what happened to the hour that I lost this morning? I'm searching for it like a contact lense. I had the joyous task of checking on Michael Aubrey's groin a few minutes ago. Still think I have the best job in the world? Aubrey said the area "tightened up" as he left the batter's box after lining a single in his first at-bat in yesterday's game in Tampa. He's day-to-day with the injury. "It didn't feel right," he said. It doesn't feel much better this...

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Jason Berken

Missing manager

March 24, 2010, 8:24am

Orioles manager Dave Trembley won't meet with reporters this morning because he's heading to Pirate City for the B-squad game in Bradenton. We'll have to wait until after today's game against the Phillies to get our first comments from him. The Orioles are playing a seven-inning intrasquad game Tuesday morning. Kevin Millwood and Jim Johnson are scheduled to pitch. I'm assuming it's closed to the public unless I'm told otherwise. I'll be driving to Fort Myers for the second time in...

Roberts leaving team (updated)

March 24, 2010, 8:23am

Brian Roberts is flying back to Baltimore later today to receive an epidural as the latest procedure to alleviate the discomfort caused by a herniated disk in his back. Epidural injection is the administration of medication into the epidural space. It's used to treat swelling, pain, and inflammation associated with neurological conditions that affect nerve roots, such as a herniated disk and radiculopathy. Roberts, who took infield earlier this morning, will meet with reporters before the...

Phillies lineup

March 24, 2010, 8:22am

Jimmy Rollins SS Placido Polanco 3B Chase Utley DH Ryan Howard 1B Jayson Werth RF Raul Ibanez LF Shane Victorino CF Juan Castro 2B Dane Sardinha C Kyle Kendrick RHP Yes, that Juan Castro. Third base coach Sam Perlozzo embraced Mike Bordick behind the batting cage. I only got a smile and a wave.

Matusz's first inning

March 24, 2010, 8:20am

Brian Matusz allowed a hit, but also got a double-play ball in a scoreless first inning. Most impressive, he only needed 11 pitches - seven for strikes. Jimmy Rollins popped to second before Placido Polanco lined a single into center field. Chase Utley fell behind 0-2 and hit a hard one-hopper to Robert Andino, who flipped to second to start the double play. The Orioles are hoping to get four innings from Matusz.

Matusz's second inning

March 24, 2010, 8:19am

An Orioles starter might actually reach his innings limit instead of his pitch limit. Brian Matusz has given them two scoreless, throwing 15 of his 23 pitches for strikes. He retired the side in order in the second on 12 pitches, getting a called third strike on Raul Ibanez to end the frame. Ryan Howard lined to Miguel Tejada, who caught the ball at his old shortstop position as part of the infield shift. Jayson Werth flied to right. The Orioles put two runners on base against Kyle Kendrick...

Matusz's fourth inning

March 24, 2010, 8:18am

Brian Matusz finally gave up a run in the fourth inning on two hits. Jimmy Rollins doubled off the left field fence leading off the inning. He took third on Placido Polanco's fly ball to right and scored on Chase Utley's grounder into right on an 0-2 pitch. The ball wasn't hit hard, but it got through. Ryan Howard flied to right on the next pitch, and Jayson Werth shattered his bat on a weak pop up to first. Matusz's first eight pitches were strikes. He ended up throwing only one ball...

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...