Steve Melewski

Lee picks up two hits in return to Orioles

June 04, 2011, 7:43pm

Orioles

After getting two hits last night in the Eastern League, Derrek Lee returned to the Orioles and got two hits tonight in four at bats in the American League. He had been out since May 16 with a strained left oblique and said he came through the game with no issues physically. "I feel fine, felt good," he said. Batting fifth in the order for the first time on the year, Lee came up with singles in the second and sixth innings and scored both times. "I am just going to go out there and play...

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Reynolds talks about the rap that produced four O's runs

June 04, 2011, 6:25pm

Orioles

Reynolds talks about the rap that produced four O's runs

Mark Reynolds came to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth inning tonight, but he wasn't thinking about trying to hit a grand slam. "No, I wasn't," he said. "That would be the best result possible, but I was trying to get a pitch to hit, trying to barrel the ball. The home run was a bonus. I was just trying to hit a hard ground ball up the middle or shoot a gap, just tie the game. It's a bonus that the ball went out." It did and, with one swing, Reynolds produced his first...

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Reynolds slams one out to left as O's top Toronto 5-3

June 04, 2011, 5:41pm

Orioles

Reynolds slams one out to left as O's top Toronto 5-3

In his 53rd career at-bat with the bases loaded, Mark Reynolds delivered his first grand slam. His shot to left in the last of the sixth tonight unloaded the bases and gave the Orioles a 5-3 lead. They won by that score over Toronto in front of 20,086 at Camden Yards. It was just the O's seventh win in their last 28 meetings with Toronto. Until the slam, Reynolds was a career .115 hitter with a slugging percentage of .192 with the bases loaded. He was 6-for-52 with four doubles and 26...

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Is Hultzen emerging as likely O's draft pick?

June 04, 2011, 4:17pm

Orioles

Is Hultzen emerging as likely O's draft pick?

With the First-Year Player Draft now less than 48 hours away, is it becoming more likely that the Orioles take a college pitcher rather than Dylan Bundy, the high school right-hander that so many mock drafts have linked the club with? The answer is: Quite possibly. In a tweet tonight, Baseball America's Jim Callis said his best projection now has Bundy going with the third pick to Arizona after Pittsburgh, picking first, takes Gerrit Cole of UCLA and Seattle nabs Rice infielder Anthony...

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Minor league leaders

June 04, 2011, 3:48pm

Orioles

Orioles farm clubs have a combined record of 106-114 beginning play tonight after going 2-2 last night. Single-A Frederick has the best record at 32-22 and is leading its division by 2 1/2 games in the Carolina League North. Here are some O's minor league leaders through Friday's games. Homer leaders: 9 - Josh Bell (Norfolk) and Tyler Townsend (Frederick) 8 - Ronnie Welty (Bowie) 7 - Jonathan Schoop (Delmarva) and Brandon Snyder (Norfolk) RBI leaders: 46 - Kipp Schutz (Frederick) 33 -...

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O's challenge tonight: Romero is on a roll

June 04, 2011, 1:43pm

Orioles

O's challenge tonight: Romero is on a roll

If the Orioles are to get their struggling offense going tonight here at Camden Yards, they'll have to do it against left-hander Ricky Romero, who is pitching very well right now. Over his last four starts, Romero is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.21 and a .194 batting average against. He has needed just 13.9 pitches per inning in that stretch. Romero is 5-4 with an ERA of 2.88 overall that is 10th best in the American League on the season and is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.60 in eight career starts against...

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Lee talks about returning to the Orioles

June 04, 2011, 12:49pm

Orioles

For the first time since May 16, first baseman Derrek Lee is expected back in the Orioles' lineup tonight. If he comes through batting practice fine, he will officially be back on the roster. He is listed on tonight's lineup card, batting fifth. Lee spent some time in extended spring training in Sarasota and then played for Double-A Bowie last night, going 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk. "I just felt like swinging was the big deal. If I could do that with full force, then I could...

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Keith Law with a take on Joe Jordan

June 04, 2011, 7:02am

Orioles

I published some comments today from ESPN's Keith Law as he sized up some of the best pitching prospects in this year's draft, which begins Monday. Law appeared on my radio show this week on 105.7 FM The Fan in Baltimore. While he was on air, I asked his opinion of Orioles' scouting director Joe Jordan. Law said overall Jordan has a done a good job with more successes than failures and he talked about his selections of Billy Rowell and Matt Hobgood. You can hear that comment below. ...

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ESPN's Keith Law on the top pitchers in the draft

June 03, 2011, 9:19pm

Orioles

ESPN's Keith Law on the top pitchers in the draft

In his mock draft from May 18, ESPN's Keith Law had the Orioles taking Oklahoma high school pitcher Dylan Bundy with the fourth pick in Monday's draft. In his mock draft out yesterday, Law now projects University of Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen to be the O's pick. He has Pittsburgh taking UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole with the first pick before Seattle takes Anthony Rendon of Rice and Arizona selects UCLA hurler Trevor Bauer. Law was a guest on my radio show this week on 105.7 FM in Baltimore...

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Jays get early lead on Britton, O's

June 03, 2011, 3:52pm

Orioles

The Toronto Blue Jays have taken a 3-0 lead to the bottom of the third tonight against Zach Britton and the Orioles. This would probably be a bad time to remind everyone that Toronto went 15-3 against the Orioles last year and has won 20 of the last 26 games between the teams. They out-homered the Orioles last season 34-8 in the 18 games. It wasn't a longball tonight, but a Mark Reynolds' error that helped Toronto to two runs in the second. After a leadoff single by Juan Rivera, catcher...

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Are AL hitters making adjustments against Zach Britton?

June 03, 2011, 2:16pm

Orioles

Are AL hitters making adjustments against Zach Britton?

Manager Buck Showalter was asked today if American League hitters are starting to make some adjustments against lefty Zach Britton, who is pitching tonight here against Toronto. Over his last two starts against K.C. and Oakland, Britton has allowed 19 hits and nine earned runs over 11 2/3 innings as his ERA has increased from 2.14 to 2.93. Buck Showalter talks about if it's time for Zach Britton to begin making adjustments "No. There are no secrets," Showalter said. "They had watched...

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Jones on the catch: "If I get an ESPY, we'll talk about it."

June 03, 2011, 1:59pm

Orioles

Jones on the catch: "If I get an ESPY, we'll talk about it."

Adam Jones was in no mood to brag about his great catch against Seattle on Wednesday earlier today in the Orioles' clubhouse. He was asked what it was like to get national attention over the play where he ran back to the warning track and made a basket catch with his back to the infield to rob Miguel Olivo of extra bases. It was the Play of the Night on ESPN's "SportsCenter" and a top web gem on "Baseball Tonight." "I don't care. It's a great catch, but that was Wednesday and today...

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Showalter talks about Nick Markakis' struggles at the plate (with Pie note)

June 03, 2011, 1:14pm

Orioles

Showalter talks about Nick Markakis' struggles at the plate (with Pie note)

One of the biggest issues surrounding the Orioles lately has been the continued lack of production from right fielder Nick Markakis. Markakis does not have an extra-base hit over the last 15 games and 64 at-bats and has just two over his last 24 games. He has now gone 10 games without a multi-hit contest. Buck Showalter discusses Nick Markakis' struggles with the media "I think it's been frustrating for him," manager Buck Showalter said. "A day or two goes and you think he is on his...

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Showalter pregame updates on Lee, Duchscherer, Fox and more

June 03, 2011, 12:42pm

Orioles

Showalter pregame updates on Lee, Duchscherer, Fox and more

Derrek Lee will bat leadoff and serve as the designated hitter tonight for Double-A Bowie. Showalter said it's not certain how many games Lee will play with Bowie. He did say the plans for his grandfather's funeral were finalized and it will be next Friday in California. Lee will leave the team Thursday (he likely would be activated by then) and perhaps be placed on bereavement leave where he can come off the roster for several days. "We'll go day-to-day with that (Lee)," Showalter said....

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Is it too risky to draft a high school pitcher?

June 02, 2011, 7:36pm

Orioles

Is it too risky to draft a high school pitcher?

The debate will rage on at least for a few more days. Should the Orioles shy away from drafting a high school pitcher with the fourth pick in round one of Monday's First-Year Player Draft? Should they take a college player or pitcher that is likely closer to getting to the majors? The last three times the Orioles drafted a high school pitcher in Round 1, they took Matt Hobgood in 2009, Adam Loewen in 2002 and Richard Stahl in 1999. Only Loewen ever made the majors and Hobgood is rehabbing...

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Steve Johnson gets on a roll at Double-A Bowie

June 02, 2011, 11:05am

Orioles

Steve Johnson gets on a roll at Double-A Bowie

For right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson, the start of the season this year has been quite different than last season. The kid from Baltimore was 3-6 with an ERA of 6.14 in his first 17 starts for Double-A Bowie last year as he battled issues with control and his pitching mechanics. But he had a solid second half last summer and then further retooled his mechanics this winter and it looks like it is all paying off for him now. He is 4-1 with an ERA of 2.02 in eight Bowie starts after pitching...

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Updates on Schoop and Machado

June 02, 2011, 10:25am

Orioles

It looks like Jonathan Schoop, the 19-year-old infielder for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds, should return to the lineup soon after missing games Tuesday and Wednesday. Schoop, from Willemstad, Curacao, recently fouled a ball off his foot, forcing him out of the Shorebirds' lineup. Schoop is off to a great start for Delmarva, batting .305 with 12 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 30 RBIs. He has a .362 OBP, a .498 slugging percentage and an .859 OPS. Schoop, who last played on...

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Will Buck Showalter have input in the Orioles' draft?

June 01, 2011, 3:42pm

Orioles

There have recently been some rumblings in baseball circles and some reporters have been wondering whether Orioles manager Buck Showalter will have any input into the team's selections in the upcoming First-Year Player Draft. The theory is that Showalter wants to win now and doesn't have time to wait around for a high school player to get to the majors. Thus, he would want the Orioles to draft a closer-to-ready college player with the fourth pick of the first round "The X-factor for the...

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Matusz pitches, Orioles win

June 01, 2011, 3:08pm

Orioles

Well, it's not that simple, but the Orioles are now 9-0 over Brian Matusz's last nine starts after winning today at Seattle. During that stretch, the Orioles have five wins over AL East opponents. It's a big lift to the team to have a healthy Matusz back, and, even though he did not get the win today, the team did and that is the most important thing. Over his last nine starts, dating to last August, Matusz is now 6-0 with an ERA of 1.57. The Orioles have beaten, in order, Texas, the...

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Matusz, Jones and 'pen all come up big as road trip ends with a win

June 01, 2011, 2:14pm

Orioles

Matusz, Jones and 'pen all come up big as road trip ends with a win

Brian Matusz returned to the Orioles today to start what he hopes will be a solid season and Adam Jones saw his solid season continue this afternoon as the Orioles won the final game of their road trip, 2-1 at Seattle. The win snapped the Orioles' five-game losing streak. Gary Thorne interviews Buck Showalter after the O's 2-1 win For the second time this year, the Orioles won a game started by Mariners' rookie sensation right-hander Michael Pineda, even though he didn't get tagged with...