Steve Melewski

Decision day is getting close for the future of the Frederick Keys (with update)

May 23, 2011, 4:17pm

Orioles

Decision day is getting close for the future of the Frederick Keys (with update)

There will be an important decision coming soon that could impact the Orioles' minor leagues: whether the Single-A Frederick Keys will continue to play in Frederick and at Harry Grove Stadium beyond this season. The City of Frederick sought and received two requests for proposals that seek to be awarded the lease to play in that stadium in 2012. The Keys filed a request and so did the independent Atlantic League, through owner Peter Kirk. The city will pick one of the two that filed requests...

Tags:

Dan Klein gets off to a great start in the minor leagues

May 23, 2011, 6:38am

Orioles

Dan Klein gets off to a great start in the minor leagues

When the Orioles sent right-hander Dan Klein to Single-A Frederick to begin the season, you had to figure he'd have a good chance to move up to Double-A later this year. But it came very fast, as Klein moved to Bowie after just seven games with the Keys and was in the Eastern League on May 2. "I really didn't think about it (moving up) too much going into the year. I just wanted to throw the ball the best I could and what happens happens. They moved me pretty fast, but I wasn't thinking...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski dan klein

Tillman battles to keep his spot in the rotation

May 22, 2011, 5:26pm

Orioles

Tillman battles to keep his spot in the rotation

Chris Tillman may not be pitching deep into many of his starts, but he is pitching pretty well. But with Brian Matusz nearing a return from the disabled, is Tillman pitching well enough to remain in the rotation? After Sunday's outing against Washington, where he gave up just one run, Tillman's ERA is 1.13 over his past three starts, lowering his ERA on the year from 7.16 to 4.95. Tillman has allowed just two runs over 16 innings in those three starts and has given up just one run in four...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski chris tillman frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar bobby bundy

Vlad talks about his game-winning homer

May 22, 2011, 1:36pm

Orioles

When the Orioles signed Vladimir Guerrero, they probably envisioned he would have some big hits like he had today. After the Orioles were shut out on one hit through six innings this afternoon by Washington's Jordan Zimmerman, Guerrero provided the win with one key swing. His homer to left, a line shot on an 0-2 pitch, gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the seventh and they won by that score. "I was looking for a good pitch to hit. Just to make contact, not for a home run, and I hit it out,"...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 vladimir guerrero

Wieters and Gregg talk about the play that ended the game

May 22, 2011, 1:17pm

Orioles

Wieters and Gregg talk about the play that ended the game

You don't see many games end that way. With the Orioles nursing a 2-1 lead in the ninth and pinch runner Brian Bixler on first with one out, Kevin Gregg threw a 3-2 pitch to the Nats' Roger Bernadina, who had two hits in the game already. Bernadina took a called third strike, then Matt Wieters threw a quick strike. Bixler was caught stealing at second on a double play to end the Orioles' series-clinching win. Matt Wieters talks about his game-ending play following the Birds' 2-1 win "I...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3 kevin gregg matt wieters

Not this time: Orioles bullpen holds lead as O's top Nats 2-1

May 22, 2011, 12:26pm

Orioles

This time, the Orioles' bullpen did not give up the lead. And, after giving up 17 runs in Friday's loss, the Orioles beat the Nationals today 2-1 at Camden Yards in front of 33,626 to come back and win this series, two games to one. The game ended on a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play as Matt Wieters caught pinch runner Brian Bixler trying to steal. After Chris Tillman gave up just one run and six hits over five innings, the 'pen combined to pitch four shutout innings and...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles chris tillman vladimir guerrero

A quick note or two about the Orioles' offense

May 22, 2011, 10:42am

Orioles

Somewhat lost in the two pitching debacles of Thursday and Friday, where the Orioles allowed 30 runs over two games, is that the offense continues to make a slow, but steady resurgence. In the first two games of the series versus the Nats, the Orioles had 26 hits, batted .351, scored 13 runs and went 8-for-21 with runners in scoring position. Over the Orioles last 11 games, the team batting average is .298, raising the mark on the season from .233 to its current .251. Here is how some...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 vladimir guerrero

Ryan Adams looks back on his first night in the major leagues

May 22, 2011, 8:17am

Orioles

Ryan Adams looks back on his first night in the major leagues

Now that he is on his third day in the big leagues, Ryan Adams is getting more and more comfortable being in a big league clubhouse. He made his major league debut Friday night, batting ninth at second base and got his first hit, going 1-for-4 against Washington. He has been hearing from a lot of family and friends since his call-up from Triple-A Norfolk, but he said today it took a while for some of those messages to get to him. "When I was in Lehigh Valley, before we went to Syracuse, my...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 ryan adams

There is no reason for the Orioles to bring Brian Matusz back too soon

May 21, 2011, 7:12pm

Orioles

I watched Brian Matusz pitch six shutout innings on just 70 pitches last night for Double-A Bowie against Erie at Prince George's Stadium. I am sure most Orioles fans can't wait to see Matusz back on the mound and producing those kind of results for the big league club. He has been out all year with a strained intercostal muscle. But even with two rehab starts under his belt, in which he has allowed just five hits and one run over ten innings between Frederick and Bowie, I think the smart...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 featured_sidebar bobby bundy brian matusz

Matusz talks about his six shutout innings tonight at Bowie

May 21, 2011, 4:15pm

Orioles

Matusz talks about his six shutout innings tonight at Bowie

BOWIE, Md. - Brian Matusz has completed his work tonight at Double-A Bowie and left with a three-hit shutout and 2-0 lead after six innings and 70 pitches. Matusz gave up a bunt single in the second, a double in the fourth and an infield single in the sixth. Only three runners reached second base against him and two of those did that with stolen bases. He will meet with Buck Showalter and pitching coach Mark Connor tomorrow at Camden Yards to determine whether his next start will be in the...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski brian matusz frontstory_orioles2

Matusz departs after six shutout innings at Bowie

May 21, 2011, 3:41pm

Orioles

Matusz departs after six shutout innings at Bowie

BOWIE, Md. - Brian Matusz is still working on a shutout tonight at Prince George's Stadium. He just pitched around a one-out error and stolen base to blank Erie in the fifth and is leading 1-0. Matusz got a popout to start the fifth and then No. 7 hitter Andy Ciriaco reached on an error charged to third baseman Carlos Rojas. But Matusz got a strikeout and soft line drive out to end the inning. Through five, he has allowed just two hits and one walk with one strikeout. Only one runner has...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski brian matusz frontstory_orioles2

Matusz with three scoreless for Bowie (another zero in fourth)

May 21, 2011, 3:13pm

Orioles

Matusz with three scoreless for Bowie (another zero in fourth)

BOWIE, Md. - Brian Matusz has pitched three shutout innings for Double-A Bowie against Erie tonight in his second injury rehab start. He has allowed just one hit and one walk so far. After a 1-2-3 first inning and a quick second where he gave up just a bunt single, Matusz got a double play ball to help him move quickly through the third inning. He issued a leadoff, five-pitch walk and then got No. 9 hitter Shawn Roof to hit into a 5-4-3 double play. Four pitches later, a groundout ended the...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 brian matusz

Very quick first for Matusz at Bowie (updated with second inning)

May 21, 2011, 2:40pm

Orioles

Very quick first for Matusz at Bowie (updated with second inning)

BOWIE. Md. - Wearing a white No. 10 Bowie Baysox jersey, Brian Matusz retired Erie leadoff hitter Jamie Johnson on a flyout to center on his second pitch. That got his second injury rehab start under way. He pitched a 1-2-3 first inning on just five pitches, all strikes. He retired the No. 2 hitter on a pop to shallow left on the first pitch and got No. 3 hitter Rawley Bishop to ground out on an 0-1 count. That was fast. The Baysox are coming to bat in the last of the first here at Prince...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 brian matusz

Baysox lineup for Matusz's start

May 21, 2011, 12:23pm

Orioles

BOWIE, Md. - Here is tonight's lineup for the Double-A Bowie Baysox as they take on the Erie SeaWovles at 6:35 p.m. here at Prince George's Stadium. Brian Matusz is pitching tonight for Bowie, making his second rehab start. Matusz pitched four innings, allowing two hits and one run, Monday with Single-A Frederick. Matusz threw 60 pitches, 37 for strikes in that outing with Frederick and is expected to throw around 75-80 pitches tonight. Check back here tonight often for updates on the game...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 brian matusz

The Orioles haven't won since Monday's mess at Fenway

May 21, 2011, 6:06am

Orioles

It was less than a week ago. Last Sunday, the Orioles blew out the first-place Rays on the road 9-3. At that point, they had won five of six games and were just a game under .500, at 19-20. They took that momentum to Fenway Park and led Boston 6-0 in the sixth inning the next night. But they blew that game. The Orioles haven't won since. After a Tuesday rainout, they lost in 15 innings to the Yankees on Wednesday and wasted Zach Britton's great pitching. Now they have given up 30 runs over...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 brian matusz zach britton

A tough time for a good guy

May 20, 2011, 8:07pm

Orioles

Sometimes when you get to talk to the Orioles players as much as we do, you find out there are some good guys in that clubhouse. Guys any fan would want to root for. Jason Berken is one of those guys. Right now he is having a tough time getting people out and it got worse for him in the loss to the Nats when he gave up six runs and two homers in one inning. Berken has allowed 14 earned runs over his last 8 2/3 innings. He was sent to the minor leagues after Friday's loss to...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 jason berken

A take on Adam Jones batting second

May 20, 2011, 4:14pm

Orioles

I don't think he did it to tick off those that revel in stats, but manager Buck Showalter is batting Adam Jones second tonight for the second time this year. Jones came up with a solid single in the first tonight off Jason Marquis and then grounded out in the third. He is now 3-for-7 on the year when batting in that spot. Is that what they mean by small sample size? Yes, that is incredibly small. But I like Jones batting second and probably mentioned that two, 20 or a hundred times this...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar adam jones

With his bat starting to heat up, Reimold returns to the Orioles

May 20, 2011, 1:46pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter said one reason Nolan Reimold is returning to the Orioles is because he was swinging better the last few games with Triple-A Norfolk. Reimold agreed with that assessment. "I feel good right now, physically I feel great," Reimold said. "I have been more comfortable at the plate the last week or so. It's a good time to come up." Reimold had hit safely in his last four Triple-A games, going 6-for-16 with a double, two homers and four RBIs. Overall, he was batting...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 nolan reimold

Ryan Adams talks about making his major league debut tonight

May 20, 2011, 12:41pm

Orioles

Ryan Adams talks about making his major league debut tonight

Ryan Adams started at second base last night for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in Syracuse. He didn't know then that after the game he would be told he was coming to Baltimore to make his major league debut. Tonight, Adams will bat ninth and play second for the Orioles here at Camden Yards. He will make his big league debut after 458 minor league games in the O's organization. "I had no idea (I'd get called up)," Adams said. "I'd just been focusing on playing hard and taking care of what...

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 ryan adams

Can O's starting pitching get back on a roll this weekend?

May 20, 2011, 6:26am

Orioles

Can O's starting pitching get back on a roll this weekend?

After their great run of starting pitching was derailed last night against New York, we will find out if the Orioles can get back on the wagon this weekend against Washington, which has struggled offensively. Before last night, Orioles' starters had pitched to an ERA of 1.29 over the previous eight games. But Brad Bergesen gave up eight runs, all earned, in just 3 1/3 innings against the Yankees. In fact, during the eight-game run, O's starters had given up just eight earned runs total over...