Notes on Beckham, Villar, Jones and Wynns (O's down 8-0)

Notes on Beckham, Villar, Jones and Wynns (O's down 8-0)
CLEVELAND - Tim Beckham is getting a rest day, nothing related to a health issue, which also allows the Orioles to take another look at Jonathan Villar at shortstop. "He's fine," manager Buck Showalter said. "He's just been playing a lot. Get some different looks, moving people around. You'll see some more of that before the year's over, especially when we do the September call-ups. "These are precious looks to kind of have an idea of what we have and what we don't have going into the...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
CLEVELAND - Jonathan Villar is playing shortstop today for the series finale against the Indians at Progressive Field. The Orioles' bench includes Tim Beckham, who gets the day off. Trey Mancini is batting second behind Cedric Mullins. Craig Gentry gets another start in right field. Jace Peterson is playing second base. Mullins is 10-for-28 (.357) since the Orioles selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk, and five of his hits are for extra bases. Dylan Bundy and Alex Cobb had compete games...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
CLEVELAND - If we're warned not to be fooled by spring training and September numbers, what about August performances in a rebuild? Jonathan Villar has looked pretty good in the field since coming over from the Brewers, and he can run and steal bases. I separate the two because other players - Felix Pie and David Lough come to mind - have been fast and also useless on the basepaths. Villar showed again yesterday that he also can take a pitch for a ride. He clobbered a fastball from Indians...

Wrapping up a 4-2 win and Cobb's complete game

Wrapping up a 4-2 win and Cobb's complete game
CLEVELAND - Alex Cobb had no idea about his pitch count today as he sat in the dugout after the seventh inning. He only knew that it felt light. Pitching coach Roger McDowell checked on him. Cobb said he was good and asked for the total more out of curiosity than any signs that his day was ending. Barreling toward his fourth career complete game, Cobb returned to the mound in the eighth at 77 pitches. Paul Fry stopped warming in the bullpen. Mychal Givens sat back down in the ninth. Cobb was...

Villar and Mullins homer, Cobb tosses complete game

Villar and Mullins homer, Cobb tosses complete game
CLEVELAND - Cedric Mullins has heard in the past that he's the prototypical leadoff hitter, probably because there aren't prototypical cleanup hitters who are measured at 5-foot-8. It's more than his size, however, as Mullins demonstrated this afternoon while pushing a bunt past the mound in the third inning. Austin Wynns drew a one-out walk against Indians rookie Adam Plutko and Mullins reached on his bunt single. Plutko scrambled to field it and no one was covering first base - perhaps...

Showalter on Thome: "I could talk about him for hours" (O's up 4-2)

Showalter on Thome: "I could talk about him for hours" (O's up 4-2)
CLEVELAND - The addition of outfielder John Andreoli earlier today on a waiver claim has filled the Orioles' 40-man roster. They optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Andreoli's father, also named John, played linebacker for the NFL's New England Patriots and USFL's Boston Breakers in the 1980s. The younger Andreoli is cousins with former major league pitcher Daniel Bard. Today's game will begin after the Indians conclude their ceremony for Jim Thome that includes the retiring of his No. 25....

Orioles claim John Andreoli off waivers

Orioles claim John Andreoli off waivers
CLEVELAND - The Orioles have claimed outfielder John Andreoli off waivers from the Mariners today and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. The announcement came during batting practice before today's game against the Indians at Progressive Field. The Mariners designated Andreoli, 28, for assignment on Friday after he batted .287/.397/.401 with 18 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 36 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 89 games with Triple-A Tacoma. Andreoli made his major league debut this summer...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
CLEVELAND - Cedric Mullins is back in the leadoff spot for this afternoon's Orioles game against the Indians. Craig Gentry is playing right field and hitting eighth, while Austin Wynns is catching and batting ninth. Indians rookie right-hander Adam Plutko is making his seventh major league start and 12th appearance. He's never faced the Orioles. Left-handers are batting .313/.385/.638 against him during his brief career. Right-handers are hitting .221/.242/.474. Alex Cobb is 3-2 with a 3.64...

Cobb on 3-15 record: "It's just ugly, it's just bad"

Cobb on 3-15 record: "It's just ugly, it's just bad"
CLEVELAND - The losses hurt like line drives hit up the middle. And Alex Cobb just can't seem to avoid them. A pitcher's record doesn't provide the most accurate read on a season. The Mariners' Felix Hernandez was voted the American League Cy Young Award in 2010 and he was one game above .500. One of Kevin Gausman's parting gifts earlier this summer was a no-decision after nine scoreless innings in Oakland. But Cobb sees "3-15" beside his name and is embarrassed. Leading the majors in...

Orioles move 50 games below .500 with 2-1 loss (updated)

Orioles move 50 games below .500 with 2-1 loss (updated)
CLEVELAND - The Orioles are starting two rookies in their weekend series against the Indians, who continue to lead the American League Central by a wide margin and ran their winning streak to six games tonight. David Hess took the mound for the opener and Yefry Ramírez closes out the series on Sunday afternoon. There will be moments that encourage and reminders that the jump from Triple-A to the majors is the largest in sports, as manager Buck Showalter has stated on many occasions. Patience...

Mullins meets Lofton, Gentry and Meisinger return (O's down 2-1)

Mullins meets Lofton, Gentry and Meisinger return (O's down 2-1)
CLEVELAND - Though the timing is coincidental, according to Orioles manager Buck Showalter, Cedric Mullins will bat leadoff in the majors for the first time tonight after meeting Indians outfielder Kenny Lofton, who's in town for Saturday's ceremony honoring Hall of Famer Jim Thome. Mullins is slotted first in the lineup against Indians starter Carlos Carrasco. He's batted seventh, eighth and ninth since the Orioles selected his contract. "I just thought it was a good matchup," Showalter...

Orioles lineup vs. Indians

Orioles lineup vs. Indians
CLEVELAND - Trey Mancini moves up to third in the order tonight and Cedric Mullins is leading off as the Orioles begin their three-game series at Progressive Field, where a light rain is falling and the tarp's on the field. Mancini has hit safely in 17 of 24 games since the All-Star Break and posted a .309 average (29-for-94) with four doubles, five home runs and 13 RBIs in the second half. Joey Rickard is in right field while Adam Jones spends his first day on the bereavement list. Renato...

Meisinger replacing Phillips in Orioles bullpen

Meisinger replacing Phillips in Orioles bullpen
CLEVELAND - The Orioles are recalling Ryan Meisinger from Triple-A Norfolk and putting him in the bullpen for tonight's series opener against the Indians at Progressive Field. Meisinger worked a scoreless inning last night at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, throwing 20 pitches, allowing two hits and striking out two batters. The Orioles had an opening on their 25-man roster after optioning reliever Evan Phillips to Norfolk following Wednesday night's 16-5 loss to the Mets at Camden Yards. The bullpen...

More on Gentry rejoining O's, tonight's game, Kline's candidacy

More on Gentry rejoining O's, tonight's game, Kline's candidacy
The Orioles begin their three-game series in Cleveland tonight with Craig Gentry replacing Adam Jones on the 25-man roster while the latter goes on the bereavement list. Gentry is out of minor league options, however, which brings uncertainty to the length of his stay. Jones will miss the entire series because he's required to be gone for a minimum of three days. He'll rejoin the club in Toronto. Paternity leave enables a player to return in fewer than three days. I'm not clear on why Major...

Orioles deciding on reliever to fill out 25-man roster (updated)

Orioles deciding on reliever to fill out 25-man roster (updated)
The Orioles will do a little more tweaking with their 25-man roster before Friday night's series opener in Cleveland. They need another reliever after optioning Evan Phillips following Wednesday night's 16-5 loss to the Mets. There isn't an obvious choice, especially with left-hander Donnie Hart ineligible after the Orioles optioned him on Saturday. He'd have to replace an injured player to return in fewer than 10 days. Also, the bullpen already is carrying three left-handers - Tanner...

Hitting a few Orioles topics on an off-day

Hitting a few Orioles topics on an off-day
A few random questions and thoughts as the Orioles enjoy another off-day before beginning a three-game series in Cleveland: * Is Joey Rickard's stock on the rise? He's making it hard for the Orioles to put him back on the Triple-A shuttle, collecting six hits in 20 at-bats this month - he was robbed of a hit to end last night's game - with a double, triple and home run. Rickard closed out July with six hits in 16 at-bats, including three doubles and a home run, and also had eight RBIs. The...

Orioles option Phillips, wrapping up 16-5 loss

Orioles option Phillips, wrapping up 16-5 loss
The Orioles are making another adjustment to their beleaguered bullpen. Right-hander Evan Phillips has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and a corresponding move will be announced before Friday night's series opener in Cleveland. Phillips faced four batters tonight without recording an out. He let two inherited runners score in the sixth inning after replacing Tanner Scott, walked two batters and served up a grand slam to Kevin Plawecki in the Mets' 16-5 win at Camden Yards. Acquired in the...

Bundy and bullpen with bad nights in 16-5 loss

Bundy and bullpen with bad nights in 16-5 loss
The Orioles' Dylan Bundy and the Mets' Zack Wheeler were the starters in a June 6 game at Citi Field and posted almost identical lines. Three hits and five strikeouts over seven scoreless innings. They met again tonight at Camden Yards and both right-handers allowed leadoff singles in the first inning on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. There had to be a separator or it would get creepy. Bundy surrendered two runs in the top of the first, Wheeler only one. Bundy threw 29 pitches, but Wheeler...

Notes on Valencia, Wynns, Sisco and more (O's down 14-5)

Notes on Valencia, Wynns, Sisco and more (O's down 14-5)
The news is light this afternoon at Camden Yards. I reported earlier that the Orioles released infielder Danny Valencia from his contract. He becomes a free agent. A team will sign Valencia now that he won't require any sort of compensation in return. "I'd be surprised if they don't," said manager Buck Showalter. "I'm sure there will be some interest now that that's kind of flushed out. I'd be surprised if Danny isn't playing again shortly for somebody." Rookie catcher Austin Wynns...

Orioles lineup vs. Mets

Orioles lineup vs. Mets
Rookie Austin Wynns is behind the plate tonight and Renato Núñez continues to bat second as the Orioles close out their two-game series against the Mets, as well as their latest homestand. Wynns has thrown out five of 12 runners attempting to steal. He also has five hits in 14 at-bats this month. Cedric Mullins is batting eighth tonight. Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter. Dylan Bundy shut out the Mets on three hits over seven innings in a 1-0 win on June 6 at Citi Field. Todd Frazier...