Roch Kubatko

The Bradenton Bunch

March 24, 2010, 10:36am

We have another night game, this time in Pirate City, which means the lineup won't be posted until 2 p.m. I'm told Bradenton is the shortest trip of the spring, about 15 minutes from the Orioles' complex. The Pirates worked out and dressed at their home site before heading here last week, but the Orioles will wait until they arrive at McKechnie Field. Brad Bergesen makes his first exhibition start, and he's slated to go two innings or throw 35 pitches. The Orioles will get another look...

Second to none

March 24, 2010, 10:35am

If the Orioles look outside the organization for a second baseman to replace Brian Roberts, they'll need to scan the rosters of the other teams. The middle infield shelves are bare in the free-agent market. If you check mlbtraderumors, you'll find the following players listed at the two positions: Second basemen: None Shortstops: None Must be brothers. Julio Lugo, Delwyn Young, Ramon Vazquez, Augie Ojeda, and Gregorio Petit are mentioned as possible fits. The Orioles will see Young...

Flanny on board (with quotes)

March 24, 2010, 10:34am

Former Orioles pitcher, pitching coach and executive Mike Flanagan is returning to the MASN broadcast booth. The network announced that Flanagan will replace Buck Martinez as an analyst. He'll work the games that Jim Palmer misses, which is approximately half of the schedule. It's nice to collect Cy Young winners. "I'm excited about being back and look forward to working with MASN to make it the best possible network, and hopefully add to that, to enrich the broadcast. I'm excited about...

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nick markakis

Orioles lineup

March 24, 2010, 10:33am

Felix Pie LF Cesar Izturis SS Adam Jones CF Miguel Tejada 3B Matt Wieters C Luke Scott 1B Ty Wigginton DH Lou Montanez RF Justin Turner 2B Brad Bergesen RHP Along with the other pitchers I mentioned earlier today, the Orioles also will bring Jason Berken, Brandon Erbe, Luis Lebron, Frank Mata, Josh Perrault and Ross Wolf.

Roberts: "I'm not concerned about missing Opening Day yet."

March 24, 2010, 10:31am

Brian Roberts said his stomach is feeling a lot better, though he's uncertain whether he had a reaction to medication or a virus, and he's hoping to resume baseball-related activities tomorrow. "I don't really have a timetable for sure yet," he said. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail expressed some concern about Roberts' herniated disk and the delay in getting him into the lineup. Is Roberts worried? "It's not ideal at this point, but I'm not concerned about missing...

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.