Roch Kubatko

Orioles lineup vs. Marlins (updated)

March 04, 2020, 4:45am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Richie Martin is starting at second base today as the Orioles continue their East Coast trip with a 1:05 p.m. game against the Marlins in Jupiter. Austin Hays is leading off and playing center field - another hint, perhaps, of where he'll be slotted on opening day. JosÃ© Iglesias, who had three hits yesterday against the Nationals, is batting second. Anthony Santander remains the designated hitter. Pat Valaika is playing first base while vying for a utility job. Stevie...

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Some Orioles observations halfway through spring training

March 03, 2020, 4:47pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Watching the Orioles play the back nine in spring training allows the observers - tanned unevenly from hours spent on the field and in outdoor media scrums - to draw their own conclusions on a few important subjects and others that might not warrant a mention. Including those that should have been obvious before the first workout. Here are a few: The Orioles are serious about evaluating Renato NÃºÃ±ez again at third base. They don't want to surrender to a lineup that...

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Harvey happy with debut appearance and role

March 03, 2020, 5:08am

Orioles

Harvey happy with debut appearance and role

SARASOTA, Fla. - The first spring outing for Hunter Harvey confirmed a couple of important points. The illness that shut him down in camp didn't hurt his velocity, and high winds are murder on a mullet. Harvey tossed a scoreless seventh inning yesterday afternoon against the Rays, a one-out single unable to leave a mark. Brian O'Grady directed a ground ball into right field and Austin Wynns threw him out attempting to steal. The radar gun at Ed Smith Stadium had Harvey's fastball...

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Mancini held back from road trip

March 03, 2020, 4:54am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini isn't making the two-day trip to the East Coast due to flu-like symptoms that he can't shake. Mancini said he's going to be fine, but advised a couple of reporters to keep their distance from him. He quipped that they didn't want the details. Manager Brandon Hyde removed Mancini after two at-bats yesterday because he "isn't feeling great." Mancini is 4-for-14 with two RBIs in five Grapefruit League games. Rather than take every position...

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Orioles lineup vs. Nationals

March 03, 2020, 2:40am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Trey Mancini, who was removed yesterday after two at-bats because of some lingering effects from his illness, isn't in today's lineup against the Nationals in West Palm. Austin Hays also is sitting out the game, with Yusniel Diaz getting the start in center field. Diaz tripled yesterday for his first spring hit. Hanser Alberto is leading off and playing second base. Mason Williams is in right field. Anthony Santander continues to serve as the designated hitter. Ryan...

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Pitching market losing appeal for Orioles

March 02, 2020, 2:45pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are on a rotation roll of late, with Asher Wojciechowski the latest starter to impress yesterday with three scoreless innings. They've got Tommy Milone throwing this morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex and Wade LeBlanc prepping for Wednesday's start in Jupiter. John Means retired all nine batters he faced Sunday in Clearwater. Alex Cobb impressed in his simulated game and hasn't experienced any discomfort in his hip or knee. Other candidates are making their...

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Velazquez and Valaika in thick of utility competition (3-3 tie)

March 02, 2020, 9:43am

Orioles

Velazquez and Valaika in thick of utility competition (3-3 tie)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Velazquez lined a single into right-center field this afternoon off Rays starter Charlie Morton, who handed the ball to his manager and exited one out short of completing the third inning. At the plate again in the fifth, Velazquez coaxed a walk out of former Orioles reliever Oliver Drake. He's 4-for-9 with three stolen bases this spring. Velazquez is the last Orioles player to crack the camp roster after a Feb. 19 waiver claim. He's also migrating toward the front of...

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Hyde on Cobb, Harvey, Hardy and more

March 02, 2020, 6:50am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb is going to wait a little longer before making another start. Cobb will pitch in a simulated game Friday while the Orioles play the Yankees in Tampa. His next start is March 11 versus the Blue Jays in Dunedin. "He threw right around 50 pitches yesterday and looked great and he felt great after," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Actually threw a little bit more than we had planned for and he felt outstanding during it and after, so we're good to go." The adjustments...

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LeBlanc finally gets chance to make second spring start

March 02, 2020, 5:15am

Orioles

LeBlanc finally gets chance to make second spring start

SARASOTA, Fla. - The device used by Orioles pitcher Wade LeBlanc to measure his spring training is built with the most basic parts. "They haven't told me to go home yet," he said, "so it's going pretty good." Sounds pretty accurate. LeBlanc has made only one exhibition start, back in the Feb. 23 home opener. He's scheduled to take the ball again Wednesday afternoon against the Marlins in Jupiter. Part of a "pretty standard" camp for the 35-year-old lefty, who's getting lots of work on...

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Orioles lineup vs. Rays

March 02, 2020, 4:32am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Hunter Harvey is making his exhibition debut today with the Orioles hosting the Rays. Harvey is recovered from his illness and threw a simulated game to pass his final test. Pat Valaika is playing shortstop today and Andrew Velazquez is the second baseman. Martin Cervenka is the designated hitter. Chris Davis is batting third and playing first base and Renato NÃºÃ±ez is getting another start at third base. Chance Sisco is catching Asher Wojciechowski. Available...

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Sister's motivation moving Mason McCoy toward majors

March 02, 2020, 3:36am

Orioles

Sister's motivation moving Mason McCoy toward majors

SARASOTA, Fla. - The pushing started at a young age. Brother and sister inspiring each other to be better in sports. In games played at the family table. Pretty much anything that determined a victor and a loser. Trash talking was optional but pretty much a constant. Verbal jousting also qualified as a sport. Bending the rules was an exercise. Breaking them, as Madison McCoy accuses Mason McCoy of doing, was a ploy that illustrated, better than anything she can cite, just how badly he wanted to...

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Five Orioles reassigned to minor league camp

March 01, 2020, 12:16pm

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Five non-roster players have been removed from the Orioles spring training camp roster, including infield prospects Rylan Bannon and Mason McCoy and left-handers Zac Lowther and Alexander Wells. Infielder Malquin Canelo, a longshot candidate to win a utility job, also has been reassigned to minor league camp. Bannon, McCoy, Lowther and Wells never were in line to head north with the club. They'll report to Twin Lakes Park and await their assignments, which could lead to a...

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Hardy's former teammates excited about his arrival in camp

March 01, 2020, 11:05am

Orioles

Hardy's former teammates excited about his arrival in camp

SARASOTA, Fla. - JosÃ© Iglesias has video stored in his phone of three at-bats in the same game that concluded in the same fashion. Three outs that remind him of J.J. Hardy's mastery at shortstop. Grounders in Hardy's vicinity that appear to be infield hits until Iglesias hears the popping sounds from the first baseman's mitt. The ball beats him to the bag by a fraction of a second. So impressive that Iglesias can't get angry about it. The opposing shortstop instead tips his cap to Hardy,...

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Cobb on simulated game, Stewart on ankle

March 01, 2020, 6:19am

Orioles

Cobb on simulated game, Stewart on ankle

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb was held back in camp this morning and assigned a simulated game on the Ed Smith Stadium field while left-hander John Means traveled to Clearwater. The top two starters in the Orioles rotation got in their work on the same day. Cobb threw a lengthy bullpen session prior to the sim game, with Austin Wynns catching him. The veteran right-hander has gotten over the illness that slowed him in camp and restricted him to one inning in his only exhibition start. Whatever he...

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Orioles lineup vs. Phillies

March 01, 2020, 3:51am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Mountcastle is in left field today against the Phillies and Stevie Wilkerson is playing first base as the Orioles attempt to run their winning streak to five games in a row. Dilson Herrera keeps moving around, with today's game putting him in right field. Hanser Alberto is leading off and Rio Ruiz is batting cleanup. Mason Williams gets the start in center field. Regulars who are staying back in Sarasota include Austin Hays, Trey Mancini, Anthony Santander, Chris Davis...

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Ruiz making bid to be regular third baseman, more on Davis

February 29, 2020, 1:53pm

Orioles

Ruiz making bid to be regular third baseman, more on Davis

SARASOTA, Fla. - The shifting of players to various positions in camp bumped Rio Ruiz to the bench yesterday after he started at third base the previous afternoon in Bradenton. He's also played first base in a game. He hasn't stopped hitting. Ruiz singled twice against the Pirates and is 7-for-12 with a double, RBI and run scored. He's driving the ball to the opposite field. Nothing cheap about his production. "I like the way he's swinging the bat," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He's off...

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Davis homers again, Akin improves (O's win 12-6)

February 29, 2020, 9:44am

Orioles

Davis homers again, Akin improves (O's win 12-6)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Don't fall in love with spring training stats. Pretty sound advice, but what about a crush? Chris Davis is threatening to take back his old nickname. The first baseman with his 25 extra pounds of good weight hit his third home run this afternoon, a three-run shot to right-center field off former Orioles farmhand Stephen Tarpley. Davis walked in the first inning and flexed in the second, this time pulling the ball after taking aim at left and left-center in previous starts. He...

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Is it too late for Orioles to sign a starter? (plus other notes)

February 29, 2020, 6:46am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - As the pages of the calendar flip to a new month on Sunday, the chances of the Orioles bringing in a veteran starter could be moving further away from reality. Time is running out to get a pitcher ready for opening day and the preferred scenario doesn't include innings and arms built up in extended spring training. Manager Brandon Hyde must proceed as though he's got to choose from among the pitchers already in camp. "I think you have to," he said. "We go on the mindset...

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Orioles and Marlins lineups

February 29, 2020, 4:41am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis is batting fifth today for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Marlins in Sarasota. Davis has reached base in seven of his eight plate appearances, with two singles and two home runs. Yusniel Diaz was the designated hitter yesterday and he's in left field this afternoon. Anthony Santander remains in the designated hitter role when he's in the lineup. Pedro Severino is catching. Pat Valaika, a super-utility candidates, is starting at second base. Left-hander Keegan Akin...

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Martin taking offense with defense-only reputation

February 28, 2020, 3:02pm

Orioles

Martin taking offense with defense-only reputation

SARASOTA, Fla. - Richie Martin is blocked at shortstop and unsure whether he can claim second base or a utility job. He's no longer hearing how he should focus only on his defense at short and not worry about what he offers at the plate. Hold the gravy. Spring training 2020 certainly has a different feel and sound for Martin, the former Rule 5 pick who came within a home run yesterday of the cycle. Martin was allowed back at his old position while JosÃ© Iglesias stayed in Sarasota for...