Orioles' young pitchers lectured this morning (O's down 9-0)

Orioles' young pitchers lectured this morning (O's down 9-0)
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell met with four of their young pitchers before today's game to stress the importance of holding runners and increasing times to the plate. Miguel Castro was in the group after Aaron Judge stole second base off him in Friday night's 8-2 loss. Rookie Jimmy Yacabonis also attended the meeting. "I said, 'You're not going to survive up here if you're that slow to the plate. You're not going to,' " Showalter said. "Go talk...

Showalter on Scott's arrival and today's lineup

Showalter on Scott's arrival and today's lineup
NEW YORK - Left-hander Tanner Scott had a work day this morning and will come off the taxi squad before Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Yankees. The Orioles are discussing the corresponding 40-man roster move necessary to create a spot for Scott, 23, who went 0-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 24 starts at Double-A Bowie. He allowed 45 hits, walked 46 batters and struck out 87 in 69 innings. "Tanner is in the building," said manager Buck Showalter. "He hasn't pitched in a week, so he's...

Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - Left-hander Tanner Scott has arrived at Yankee Stadium, though he's expected to be on the taxi squad today before the Orioles select his contract from Double-A Bowie on Sunday. J.J .Hardy is in today's lineup, his first appearance since coming off the disabled list Sept. 8. He hasn't started since June 18. Tim Beckham is the designated hitter against left-hander Jordan Montgomery and Austin Hays is in right field. Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis are on the bench. Adam Jones is back in...

J.J. Hardy on sitting, mentoring and final homestand

J.J. Hardy on sitting, mentoring and final homestand
NEW YORK - The first sign that Orioles manager Buck Showalter was ready to empty his bench Thursday night came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Austin Hays headed out to center field as the replacement for Adam Jones. Showalter would step out of the dugout again before the top of the seventh to alert plate umpire Brian O'Nora of more changes. As the bottom half unfolded, Hays shifted over to right field and Joey Rickard took over in center. Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander played left...

Orioles fall four games below .500 with 8-2 loss (with quotes)

Orioles fall four games below .500 with 8-2 loss (with quotes)
NEW YORK - The leash on Gabriel Ynoa tonight stretched only into the fifth inning, giving him enough slack to throw 64 pitches. He came out of a tie game at Yankee Stadium following a one-out walk. Miguel Castro got busy again. Castro also got burned. Didi Gregorius hit a two-run homer off Castro to put the Yankees in front, and the Orioles continued their freefall with a 8-2 loss before an announced crowd of 40,460. The Orioles (72-76) have lost eight of nine games, moving four below .500 for...

Showalter on Jones, Hays, Hardy and Ynoa (O's down 4-2)

Showalter on Jones, Hays, Hardy and Ynoa (O's down 4-2)
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter decided to rest Adam Jones tonight. Or more specifically, the center fielder's legs. Austin Hays is playing center field in his first major league start. Jones is expected back in the lineup on Saturday afternoon. "The turf bit him pretty good over in Toronto, and the couple pickoff plays at second that kind of made him wince a little bit," Showalter said. "I thought it was best to give him a day, especially with the 4 o'clock and 1 o'clock. He's...

Tanner Scott likely to have contract selected over weekend

Tanner Scott likely to have contract selected over weekend
NEW YORK - The Orioles aren't done bringing up their top prospects over the final weeks of the season. Left-hander Tanner Scott is expected to join the club in New York this weekend, according to an industry source. Scott would join catcher Chance Sisco and outfielder Austin Hays as additions to the expanded roster. Scott, 23, went 0-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 24 starts at Double-A Bowie, with 17 runs and 45 hits in 69 innings. He walked 46 batters and struck out 87, and opponents batted .188...

Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - Austin Hays is making his first major league start tonight, replacing Adam Jones in center field. Manager Buck Showalter wants to give Jones a night off before the two day games that follow. Pedro Álvarez is serving as the designated hitter in his first start of 2017. Trey Mancini leads all rookies with 42 multi-hit games. Tim Beckham is 10-for-54 (.185) this month. Chris Davis is 6-for-45 (.133) with 21 strikeouts. The Orioles and Rays are tied for third place in the American...

Wondering what's next and a look at tonight's matchup

Wondering what's next and a look at tonight's matchup
NEW YORK - Last night's 13-5 victory assured the Yankees of their first season series win over the Orioles since 2013. Must be all those runs. Aaron Judge has hit 11 home runs against the Orioles, the most by a Yankees player versus any opponent in a single season since Roger Maris had 13 against the White Sox and Mickey Mantle had 11 against the Senators in 1961. Judge has scored 27 runs against the Orioles, the most by any player against any team in a single season since Willie Mays' 28...

O's take beating in the Bronx with 13-5 loss (with quotes)

O's take beating in the Bronx with 13-5 loss (with quotes)
NEW YORK - If a starter falls on hard times in the Bronx and doesn't make a sound, did it really happen? Left-hander Wade Miley turned in the shortest outing of his career tonight, allowing six runs and retiring only one batter, and the Orioles suffered another embarrassing defeat to the Yankees, 13-5, before an announced crowd of 37,128. The PA system was on the fritz until Miley was on the bench, his 19th and final pitch resulting in Todd Frazier's three-run homer. Miley faced seven batters...

Jiménez starting on Sunday (O's down 13-2)

Jiménez starting on Sunday (O's down 13-2)
NEW YORK - Ubaldo Jiménez is expected to start Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Yankees after the Orioles had listed the spot as TBD. Manager Buck Showalter wants to give Dylan Bundy extra rest again, pushing back the right-hander to the home series against the Red Sox that begins Monday night. The choice basically came down to Jiménez or Chris Tillman. "We've got really only two options there," Showalter said. "Ubaldo's coming off a good start, so it will probably be...

Orioles and Yankees lineups

Orioles and Yankees lineups
NEW YORK - The Orioles are sticking with their standard lineup tonight as they begin a four-game series against the Yankees. Seth Smith is in right field again and Mark Trumbo is the designated hitter. Welington Castillo is catching. The Orioles have scored 12 runs in the last seven games, losing the first six before last night's 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto. They're batting .181 on the road trip, but the pitching staff has produced a 3.65 ERA in 49 1/3 innings. According to the...

Orioles trying for better results in the Bronx

Orioles trying for better results in the Bronx
No longer bogged down by a lengthy losing streak, the Orioles close out their road trip at Yankee Stadium, where they've lost five of six games. Their only win came on April 30 and it required 11 innings, the last two covered by Logan Verrett, who has since been designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles were swept in a three-game series June 9-11, losing by a combined score of 38-8. Dylan Bundy, Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman totaled 10 2/3 innings and allowed...

Faulkner outrighted, Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Faulkner outrighted, Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Left-hander Andrew Faulkner cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Faulkner joins Logan Verrett, Tyler Wilson and Jayson Aquino as pitchers who were outrighted since Sept. 5 after the Orioles designated them for assignment. Faulkner, 24, was 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 34 games with Triple-A Norfolk. He allowed only one home run in 38 2/3 innings and opponents were batting .216. Left-handers posted a .208 average. The Orioles acquired Faulkner from the Rangers on April 6 for...

Ynoa included in rotation for four-game series in Bronx

Ynoa included in rotation for four-game series in Bronx
Gabriel Ynoa is getting another chance in the rotation. The Orioles are listing Ynoa as their starter for Friday night's game against the Yankees in the Bronx. Left-hander Wade Miley opens the four-game series Thursday night. Jeremy Hellickson is pitching Saturday afternoon, but the Orioles haven't named a starter for Sunday afternoon. The Yankees are countering with Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino and left-handers Jordan Montgomery and CC Sabathia. Outfielder Austin Hays could crack the...

Rotating some thoughts about starting pitching in 2018

Rotating some thoughts about starting pitching in 2018
The mind can't erase what happened last night, but it can skip ahead again. Upon first glance of the 2018 schedule, I have to wonder why the Orioles are forced to play in Seattle between trips to Kansas City and Tampa. Not that I expect logic from Major League Baseball, but this is beyond ridiculous even by its standards. A Thursday opener is a bit unusual, but it's the product of the new collective bargaining agreement that provides more off-days. And before anyone asks, the open date that...

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays (Gentry activated)

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays (Gentry activated)
Joey Rickard gets the start in right field tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Blue Jays and attempt to halt their losing streak at five games. Manager Buck Showalter apparently sought a defensive upgrade and turned to Rickard. Caleb Joseph is catching tonight. Welington Castillo was taken to the hospital last night after being hit in the groin area by a foul ball. The club described the injury as a "contusion." No roster move has been announced, though Showalter hinted...

Act like contenders or play the kids?

Act like contenders or play the kids?
I'm in the process of dividing up the Orioles fan base, putting the "we're still alive" crowd on one side of the room and the "start playing prospects because the season's over" crowd on the other. No fighting, please. There's a special section for the "it's over" crowd that started up in June. I'm roping them off and tossing them snacks. At what point should the Orioles play Austin Hays every day in right field and get a head start on spring training? They put him on the 40-man...

Orioles reveal 2018 schedule

Orioles reveal 2018 schedule
The Orioles will open the 2018 season at home against the Twins on March 29, with their first road trip to follow in Houston and the Bronx. The schedule includes two trips to the West Coast, as opposed to one this year. The Orioles play in Anaheim and Oakland May 1-6 and fly to Seattle in September for three games wedged between trips to Kansas City and Tampa - the odd stretch even by Major League Baseball standards. The final road trip takes the Orioles to the Bronx and Boston from Sept....

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Mark Trumbo is starting in right field tonight and Seth Smith is the designated hitter for the Orioles' series opener against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Tim Beckham remains at shortstop. J.J. Hardy hasn't played since coming off the disabled list. Welington Castillo is catching tonight. Opponents are batting .351 against Ubaldo Jiménez in the second inning this season and he's allowed 22 runs. For the Orioles Tim Beckham SS Manny Machado 3B Jonathan Schoop 2B Adam Jones CF Trey...