Steve Melewski

Checking in on Aberdeen's poor start and other minor league notes

June 27, 2011, 12:27pm

Orioles

Checking in on Aberdeen's poor start and other minor league notes

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds have gotten their new season off to a terrible start. Since beating Hudson Valley at home on opening night, Aberdeen has lost nine in a row. If Aberdeen loses at home tonight versus Brooklyn, the 10-game losing streak would tie a team record. It took two seasons to do that before, as the 2004 squad lost its last four and the 2005 team began 0-6. Aberdeen has struggled to score with just 29 runs and a .221 team average. Six of the IronBirds nine...

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How much does the O's brass use sabermetrics?

June 26, 2011, 9:02pm

Orioles

How much does the O's brass use sabermetrics?

When Orioles president Andy MacPhail and manager Buck Showalter met with season ticket holders at Camden Yards on Saturday afternoon, they were asked a few interesting questions. Among them, one fan asked if the O's brass uses sabermetrics in sizing up player acquisitions and in their daily preparations. A simple definition of sabermetrics calls it simply "the statistical analysis of baseball data." Another defines sabermetrics as the analysis of baseball through objective, empirical...

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Sweet 16: Markakis extends hit streak in win over the Reds

June 26, 2011, 2:58pm

Orioles

Sweet 16: Markakis extends hit streak in win over the Reds

Nick Markakis came up with three hits in five at bats in Sunday's win over Cincinnati. His average is at its highest point since April 9 and he now has a 16-game hitting streak. Markakis is batting .405 (30-for-74) during the streak, which is one off his career best. The batting streak has raised his average from .236 to .277. "I feel like I'm getting there," he said. "Just gotta take it day-by-day and try to continue what I'm doing. Get on base and get big hits when you need...

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Reynolds on his offense and defense against Cincinnati

June 26, 2011, 1:44pm

Orioles

Reynolds on his offense and defense against Cincinnati

When he came to bat in the fourth inning today, Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds had already made two errors, giving him 18 on the year. He might have wanted to redeem himself and he did by hitting a solo homer 443-feet to left field. But he said he wasn't thinking about trying to turn around his day as he batted against Homer Bailey. "I can't think that way. I have struggled over there at third base, it's no secret," Reynolds said. "Just gotta stay focused and not carry my at bats...

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The longball again: Orioles use three homers to beat Reds, 7-5

June 26, 2011, 12:48pm

Orioles

He hit a walk-off homer in the 12th inning on Friday night. Today's homer came much earlier but was still pretty important. Derrek Lee's three-run shot gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning today and they went on to beat Cincinnati 7-5 to win the series, two victories to one. Lee entered this game 6-for-8 in his career versus Reds starter Homer Bailey and is now 7-for-11. It was his sixth homer on the year. One out after Lee's 400-foot blast to left, Mark Reynolds crushed a...

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Guthrie looks to reverse recent trend for the starters today

June 26, 2011, 10:24am

Orioles

Guthrie looks to reverse recent trend for the starters today

I am sure Orioles manager Buck Showalter is not at all opposed to Jeremy Guthrie pitching deep into today's game with Cincinnati. In case you have not noticed, Orioles' starters have not been pitching deep into recent games. This weekend, Chris Jakubauskas went just five against the Reds Friday and Brian Matusz only 4 2/3 innings last night. Over the last nine games, Orioles' starters have pitched six innings or more just twice. They have just one quality start and an ERA of 5.32 in that...

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Minor league notes on Townsend, Davis and Pena

June 26, 2011, 8:09am

Orioles

Minor league notes on Townsend, Davis and Pena

The Frederick Keys will be getting their regular first baseman back today as Tyler Townsend has been activated from the disabled list for today's 6 p.m. home game vs. Wilmington He has been out since June 8 with a hamstring injury. He has been one of the Carolina League's best hitters this year batting .317 in 52 games with 19 doubles, 10 homers, 39 RBIs and an OPS of .915. At the time of his injury, he was batting .394 with two homers and eight RBIs in eight games in June. Townsend takes...

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Confident Jones has been hammering homers

June 25, 2011, 9:43pm

Orioles

Confident Jones has been hammering homers

The last two seasons, Orioles outfielder Adam Jones has hit 19 homers each year. His first-inning solo homer last night was already his 13th of this season. He has now tied Mark Reynolds for the team homer lead. After Saturday's game, Jones, now batting .291, was asked if this is the most confident he's ever been at bat as a major leaguer. "I wouldn't say it's the max," Jones said. "Since Day One I've felt confident and it's just now I'm starting to learn how to handle myself at...

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Wieters and Jones talk about Matusz

June 25, 2011, 7:07pm

Orioles

After he saw his pitcher, Brian Matusz, give up three homers and six runs over 4 2/3 versus the Reds, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said some of the pitches the Reds hit looked like decent pitches from his vantage point. "Most of the balls they hit were down. Brian's stuff was probably the best it's been since he's been up which is positive," Wieters said. "The changeup is starting to come around. He's still going to keep working and get locked back in like we know he is going to. The...

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Matusz on his outing against the Reds and his fastball velocity

June 25, 2011, 6:51pm

Orioles

Matusz on his outing against the Reds and his fastball velocity

After his latest tough outing, Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz was talking again about his velocity, which has still not returned to its 2010 output. "The velocity obviously isn't there. Being my fifth start, I feel I've made a lot of progress, but just have got to continue working and get a lot better," Matusz said after giving up six runs, nine hits and three homers in 4 2/3 in Saturday's 10-5 loss to the Reds. Brian Matusz talks about his struggles in the Birds' loss to the...

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Reds win homer-filled contest, 10-5, at Camden Yards

June 25, 2011, 6:06pm

Orioles

Reds win homer-filled contest, 10-5, at Camden Yards

It was not a home run derby contest tonight at Camden Yards although it looked like it at times. On a night when left-hander Brian Matusz struggled again, Cincinnati beat the Orioles 10-5 in a game that featured nine homers. All but one run scored in the game came via a homer as Cincinnati hit five and the Orioles hit a season-high four in front of 38,976 at Camden Yards. Matusz gave up three homers among nine hits and six runs in just 4 2/3 innings as he falls to 1-3 with an ERA of 6.85 in...

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Showalter's take on the Yankees was a big hit with the fans

June 25, 2011, 2:00pm

Orioles

Showalter's take on the Yankees was a big hit with the fans

In case there was any misunderstanding, Orioles manager Buck Showalter made it clear today how much he enjoys beating the Yankees. Showalter gave a most honest opinion on the subject at today's session with season-ticket holders here at Camden Yards. He was asked by one fan what it would take for the Orioles to beat the Yankees. "I can't stand the Yankees, OK," Showalter said. "That stays between us right here. I don't really care if they know, I think they can figure it out. "You...

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MacPhail talks contract and Showalter talks Roberts with season-ticket holders

June 25, 2011, 1:33pm

Orioles

MacPhail talks contract and Showalter talks Roberts with season-ticket holders

At the "State of the Orioles" address this afternoon with season ticket holders here at Camden Yards, O's president of baseball operations Andy MacPhal was asked by a fan about his contract. He is in the last year of his deal and the fan wanted to know if he will be staying with the Orioles. "I have always taken the position, unlike one my good friends in the game Jim Riggleman, let's just see how we do," MacPhail said. "Let's get to the end of the year and see how we do and take it...

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MacPhail addresses international spending with season-ticket holders

June 25, 2011, 1:15pm

Orioles

MacPhail addresses international spending with season-ticket holders

Orioles president Andy MacPhail and manager Buck Showalter just spent about 30 minutes taking fans questions here at Camden Yards as part of the latest "State of the Orioles" address with season ticket holders. MacPhail was asked by a fan why the club seems to be outbid by some other clubs in the international market. "We did spend more last year then we did the year before and we'll probably spend more this year than last year. We are actually making progress in that market based on what...

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D-Lee delivers the walk-off for the Orioles

June 24, 2011, 8:06pm

Orioles

After that recent stretch where he went 11-for-18, it was clear Derrek Lee's bat was coming to life. Tonight he provided another example with that clutch, walk-off homer to left, leading off the last of the 12th as the Orioles beat the Reds 5-4. Lee entered tonight batting just .128 on the year, going 6-for-47, when batting with runners in scoring position. He is a career .279 hitter with RISP. That homer did not come with RISP, of course, but it was pretty clutch. It kept the Orioles from...

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Random game notes

June 24, 2011, 4:14pm

Orioles

Some quick notes with the Orioles leading the Reds 4-0 after four innings tonight at the Yard. * While the Orioles are 20-18 at home on the year and have lost their last two at home, they are 10-4 over their past 14 games at Camden Yards. * The Reds went 5-for-8 batting with runners in scoring position in their last game, a 10-2 win over the Yankees Wednesday night in game two of a doubleheader. They had gone 2-for-27 with RISP in their previous five games. They are 1-for-4 tonight with RISP...

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For Blake Davis, it's time to get back on the horse

June 24, 2011, 1:48pm

Orioles

For Blake Davis, it's time to get back on the horse

He made a key error that allowed two runs to score Wednesday in the Orioles' 5-4 loss to the Pirates, but when Blake Davis showed up at Camden Yards today, he saw his name was in the starting lineup and he's back at second base. "Yeah, it's nice," Davis said, two days after his major league debut. "It shows a little bit of confidence in me and I was kind of excited when I saw my name. I'll just get back out there and get ready to play." Davis said many of his O's teammates were...

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More pregame Showalter

June 24, 2011, 1:23pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is often quite talkative on a lot of subjects during his daily pregame interview with reporters. But today he was not ready to say much about Jim Riggleman, who resigned yesterday as Nationals' manager. "I've known Jim for a long time," Showalter said. "There are a lot of things with a situation like this, you don't really know about. I should probably not weigh in because there are probably a lot of factors behind the scenes and it's not really any of my...

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Showalter on Davis and Arrieta

June 24, 2011, 12:43pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has Blake Davis back in the starting lineup tonight, at second base and batting ninth. He was asked if he was starting Davis to get him right back on the field after his error Wednesday scored two runs in the 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh. "That's not the only reason. But yeah, it was (a reason to start him)," Showalter said. "I thought the young man has done a lot to get the opportunity. Thought he had some good at bats in Pittsburgh too. He had a big at bat that...

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Some Orioles and Reds notes and stats

June 24, 2011, 5:31am

Orioles

Checking in with some stats and facts about both teams as the Cincinnati Reds make their first visit to Baltimore tonight since the 1970 World Series. * The Orioles hit .302 as a team and scored 4.2 runs per game during their nine-game road trip. Over the last six games they have 72 hits, a .324 team average and 28 runs scored. * Nick Markakis has the longest current hitting streak in the American League at 13 games. He is batting .400 (24-for-60) during the streak with a homer and eight...