Roch Kubatko

Orioles lineup

April 02, 2010, 4:28am

Orioles

Brian Roberts 2B Nolan Reimold RF Adam Jones CF Miguel Tejada 3B Garrett Atkins 1B Matt Wieters C Ty Wigginton DH Felix Pie LF Cesar Izturis SS Alfredo Simon RHP Andy Pettitte starts for the Yankees. See you in Tampa.

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Orioles Spring Training

Orioles take the lead

April 01, 2010, 12:37pm

Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly with two outs in the top of the ninth inning scored Jason White to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead. Who's Jason White? He played shortstop at Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie last year. Shame on you for not knowing. OK, I looked it up. Eddie Gamboa will try to collect the save. Who's Eddie Gamboa? Forget it.

Johnson's debut (updated twice)

April 01, 2010, 12:35pm

The Rays loaded the bases against Steve Johnson with no outs in the fifth inning, and the right-hander fell behind, 2-0, to the next batter. Recipe for disaster? Make it damage control. Johnson retired Ben Zobrist on a fly ball to left-center field, witih Kelly Shoppach scoring to tie the game, and Evan Longoria grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. The breeze you just felt was Dave Johnson exhaling from the front row of the press box. Steve Johnson threw 24 pitches, 12 for strikes. Jake...

Andino's parting shot? (updated)

April 01, 2010, 12:33pm

Robert Andino has tied the game in the fifth inning with a two-run homer off left-hander Carlos Hernandez. The ball cleared the fence in left field. Somebody retrieve it for him. Andino, expected to step aside for newest acquisition Julio Lugo, has three homers this spring. He didn't hurt his trade value today. Update: Felix Pie followed with a double to left, and he scored on Ty Wigginton's single. Orioles 3, Tampa Bay 2. The Rays have two stolen bases today, but Jake Arrieta has been...

Among other things (w/game update)

April 01, 2010, 12:32pm

Tampa Bay's rotation unfolds as follows: James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price and Wade Davis. That means the Orioles will face three right-handers in the opening series at Tropicana Field. Ty Wigginton used to be Julio Lugo's teammate in Tampa, and they became good friends. "Everybody came to appreciate him," Wigginton said. "He's definitely an exciting ballplayer. It's going to be fun to have him around. I probably saw him play every position on the field except...

The One Jake

April 01, 2010, 12:31pm

Jake Arrieta surrendered a two-run homer to Evan Longoria in the first inning. Tampa Bay 2, Orioles 0 Carl Crawford singled with one out and stole second base as Ben Zobrist struck out looking. Longoria launched a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence. Carlos Pena doubled to right, but the Rays fell a triple short of hitting for the cycle after B.J. Upton flied to the warning track in left. Arrieta, who will join Triple-A Norfolk's rotation later this month, threw 15 of his 23 pitches for...

Trade official (updated)

April 01, 2010, 12:27pm

The Orioles just announced that they've acquired infielder Julio Lugo and cash from the Cardinals for a PTBNL or cash. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated first baseman Michael Aubrey for assignment. Aubrey barely played this spring because of a minor medical procedure on his back and a groin injury sustained while running the bases in Tampa. He batted .289 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 31 games last season. Robert Andino learned of the trade earlier today, but he...

Pre-game Trembley

April 01, 2010, 12:13pm

Orioles manager Dave Trembley couldn't confirm the Julio Lugo trade, so we'll continue to wait for the commissioner's office to make it official. Isn't this fun? "I'm sure if something like that happens, I'll be informed, but I haven't been informed about it yet," Trembley said. Robert Andino, who committed two more errors yesterday and has looked bad tracking popups at second base this spring, remains in the starting lineup and is taking batting practice. "I don't think it's...

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J.J. Hardy

Moeller update

April 01, 2010, 12:13pm

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed that the Orioles have granted catcher Chad Moeller his release. The Orioles hoped that Moeller would accept an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, and they would have released him later if another team expressed interest in adding him to its 25-man roster. However, the veteran wanted to seek a job on his own. The Orioles were willing to let Moeller go because they expect Michel Hernandez [fractured right index finger] to be ready in a few...

Rays lineup (and news)

April 01, 2010, 12:12pm

Jason Bartlett SS Carl Crawford LF Ben Zobrist 2B Evan Longoria 3B Carlos Pena 1B B.J. Upton CF Pat Burrell RF Hank Blalock DH Kelly Shoppach C Mike Ekstrom RHP I joined the debate team this morning, and it was me vs. me. I couldn't decide whether to make the trip to Port Charlotte or stay back and watch Kevin Millwood and Chris Tillman pitch in minor league games. Chad Moeller was waiting to meet with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail when I finally left the clubhouse and...

Orioles lineup

April 01, 2010, 5:29am

Felix Pie CF Ty Wigginton 2B Nick Markakis RF Luke Scott LF Nolan Reimold DH Scott Moore 1B Brandon Waring 3B Craig Tatum C Robert Andino SS Jake Arrieta RHP

Red Sox 14, Orioles 6

April 01, 2010, 5:28am

Today's attendance: 7,659. Ryan Adams' sacrifice fly scored Ty Wigginton in the eighth, Caleb Joseph had an RBI bloop single in the ninth and Wigginton followed with a three-run shot to left, but the Orioles fell eight runs short. Manager Dave Trembley met with the media on the field after the last out. "Pitched behind, walks, some miscues in the field," he said. "I liked the way (Brian) Roberts played. It's good to see him bouncing around the way he did in the field and on the bases....

Quick game update (updated)

April 01, 2010, 5:26am

Not much to say about this one. Mark Hendrickson allowed a hit and walked a batter, but he kept the Red Sox scoreless in the fifth inning. Mike Gonzalez turned in a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, but the Red Sox scored a run off Dennis Sarfate in the seventh. Boston 10, Orioles 1 Update: I hit the "save" button and Kevin Frandsen hits a grand slam off Dennis Sarfate in the eighth. That's two for the Red Sox today. Boston 14, Orioles 1 The Orioles have three hits today. Special thanks to...

'Penned up emotions (updated)

April 01, 2010, 5:25am

The Red Sox are mistreating two pitchers who are projected members of the Orioles' bullpen this season. Jim Johnson followed Jason Berken to the mound. He should have turned right and kept walking. Single, hit-by-pitch, single, grand slam. Boston 9, Orioles 1. Victor Martinez followed his two-run shot off Berken in the third with a bases-clearing blast off Johnson in the fourth, the ball sailing over the center field fence with none out. Johnson hadn't allowed a run in his last four...

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Mark Hendrickson

Berken up the wrong tree

April 01, 2010, 5:24am

The Red Sox didn't go easy on Jason Berken today. Victor Martinez followed Dustin Pedroia's leadoff single in the third inning with a two-run homer. Kevin Youkilis doubled off the fence in left-center field and scored on J.D. Drew's sharp single to right. Boston 5, Orioles 0. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz went to the mound and removed Berken, who allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out the first two batters of the game. Berken, who's ticketed for long relief in the Orioles'...

B-Rob's first inning (updated twice)

April 01, 2010, 5:22am

I usually focus on the starting pitcher, but Brian Roberts is stealing Jason Berken's thunder. We have plenty of witnesses. Ed Smith Stadium is packed again. Roberts ranged far to his left to glove Victor Martinez's grounder and throw to first for the second out of the inning, but that wasn't his finest play. He made a diving stop and throw to rob Kevin Youkilis of a hit and send Berken back to the dugout.. Most important, Roberts quickly rose to his feet without a trace of discomfort in...

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Luke Scott

Montanez gone (w/lineup change and Jones update)

April 01, 2010, 5:20am

The Orioles optioned Lou Montanez to Triple-A Norfolk before today's game. If you're counting, that's 32 players left in camp. Montanez never had a chance to make the club without an injury opening up a spot in the outfield. He hit .319 with three doubles, one triple and eight RBIs. His 20 at-bats ranked second to Robert Andino's 21. Meanwhile, Adam Jones has been scratched from the lineup. Felix Pie will bat second and play center field. Nolan Reimold moves down to fifth. No word on...

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Bryce Harper

Pre-game notes

March 31, 2010, 10:09am

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail doesn't expect to have an update on Chad Moeller's situation before tomorrow. MacPhail is checking whether any clubs have openings for Moeller on their 25-man roster, but he doesn't sound optimistic that it will happen. Moeller apparently hasn't given an indication whether he'd accept an assignment to Triple- A Norfolk. "First, we both agreed to let the 25-man opportunity play out and then we'd take it from there," MacPhail...

Red Sox lineup

March 31, 2010, 10:09am

Marco Scutaro SS Dustin Pedroia 2B Victor Martinez C Kevin Youkilis 1B David Ortiz DH J.D. Drew RF Mike Lowell 3B Josh Reddick LF Che-Hsuan Lin CF Jon Lester LHP

Moeller in a holding pattern

March 31, 2010, 10:08am

Chad Moeller was standing at his locker this morning in a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. No uniform jersey and pants. Nothing that would suggest he'll be working out with the team. Moeller is in a holding pattern of sorts (hence, the title of this entry). He's hoping to find out within the hour whether he'll be moving to another organization or reassigned to the minor league camp. And he wouldn't speculate on his next move if the latter occurs. It's also possible that the wait will...