Draft pick updates

Draft pick updates
Now that the draft is over, even though there are just a few weeks left in the minor league seasons, here are the affiliates where some of the recently signed players will be reporting to: Manny Machado - Gulf Coast League Dan Klein - Aberdeen Matt Bywater - Aberdeen Parker Bridwell - Gulf Coast League Alex Schmarzo - Aberdeen Klein has thrown two bullpen sessions with Aberdeen and is now on the IronBirds active roster. He may throw one live batting practice session before he gets into his...
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Minor League notes

Minor League notes
Bowie infielder Ryan Adams is not noted for his glovework, but he sure is swinging a hot bat right now. Since June 1, Adams is batting .335 with 26 doubles over 67 games. The Orioles' second-round pick in 2006, he is among the league leaders in several categories in the Eastern League. His .302 average is tied for 5th, while he is 2nd with 136 hits and 52 extra-base hits and he leads the league with 40 doubles. Adams was playing mostly second base earlier, but has been playing a lot...
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Checking out some O's stats, facts and notes

Checking out some O's stats, facts and notes
Let's take a look at some Orioles stats and notes as we await the third and final game of the Seattle series tonight at Camden Yards. *The Orioles were shutout for the eighth time this year last night. They were held to three hits, which tied a season-low output that they were held to in five games this year. *Josh Bell did go 2 for 3 with a double. Bell is 8 for 21 (.381) over his last six games, raising his average from .167 to .232. That was his third Major League multi-hit...
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O's can't score as Millwood pitches a good game

O's can't score as Millwood pitches a good game
Kevin Millwood has been down this road before. He knows the landmarks on the side of the road and every pothole at this point. It was a night where he pitched well, but got little, or should we say, no run support. Millwood gave up just one run and six hits over eight innings, but Luke French topped that as Seattle beat the Orioles 4-0 tonight. Kevin Millwood talks about his outing after the O's 4-0 loss "I worry about things I can control and scoring runs is obviously something I can't...
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French pitches Seattle past the Birds to even the series

French pitches Seattle past the Birds to even the series
A 24-year-old left-hander making his first career appearance vs. the Orioles shut them down tonight and took a no-hitter into the sixth as Seattle beat the Birds 4-0, in front of 14,739 at Camden Yards. The Orioles were shutout for the eighth time in 2010, as Seattle evened the series at a win each. Luke French, who had allowed 9 ER in 20 innings in three August starts, gave up just three hits over 7 2/3 with three walks and strikeouts. Josh Bell got the first Baltimore hit with a single to...
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An honor for Buck

An honor for Buck
As he gets ready to manage the Orioles tonight, Buck Showalter has been honored today. It's an honor he may not even know about yet. He's been named the manager on the New York Penn League's All-Time team. Showalter managed the Oneonta Yankees in 1985 and 1986. His '85 team went 55-23 in the short-season league and beat Auburn for the league title. A year later, his club went 59-18 and lost to Newark in the semi-finals. So his record was 114-41 (.735) in his first two seasons as a...
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Talking about Machado in the O's clubhouse

Talking about Machado in the O's clubhouse
O's outfielder Adam Jones can't quite relate to all the hype and attention that O's first-round pick Manny Machado has gotten. Jones was a high draft pick, but not like Machado. Jones was a supplemental first round pick, taken 37th overall by Seattle in 2003. "I was never as highly touted as him. I was the end of the first round," Jones said. "He's drawing comparisons to A-Rod and all that stuff. I think it's stupid when scouts and all that compare people to other people. If...
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Buck staying positive on Simon

Buck staying positive on Simon
O's reliever Alfredo Simon got five outs last night, but it was the one he didn't get that stands out. With one out in the top of the tenth, Seattle catcher Adam Moore blasted a 430-foot shot to left that gave the M's a 4-3 lead. The O's would tie it up and win it an inning later, but Simon continues to struggle. He has now allowed a homer in four straight outings and in six of his last ten appearances. Since he has taken over as O's manager, Buck Showalter has chosen to focus mostly...
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It all happened pretty much as expected

It all happened pretty much as expected
When the dust settled and the day was over, there were no real surprises. The Orioles got Manny Machado and they said from the beginning they were confident they would. Jim Callis, in this space last week, said it was 99.9 percent certain. He said that for a few reasons I'm sure but one of the biggest was that most of these kids do sign every year. In the end, all the worry about how many O's unsigned top ten picks there were as the deadline neared was wasted worry. The O's total...
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More on Manny and a few other things

More on Manny and a few other things
In the end, the O's added three draft picks today getting top pick Manny Machado, seventh-round pick Matt Bywater and 19th-round pick, pitcher Kenneth Wise. Scouting director Joe Jordan told me tonight that Manny Machado did not get a Major League contract. It wasn't expected that he would. I asked Jordan what had to happen to officially finalize this deal that the sides agreed to about three minutes before the midnight deadline. Was it just a matter of hitting a few computer key...
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O's get Machado

O's get Machado
The Orioles have come to terms with their top draft pick, Miami prep shortstop Manny Machado, the third pick in the first round. Machado's bonus is between five and six million dollars. Machado goes 6'2" and 180 pounds and is a right-handed hitter. He just turned 18 July 6th. This season for Miami's Brito High he batted .639-12-56 and had 27 doubles in 86 at bats and 44 of his 55 hits went for extra bases. As a junior, he hit .636-8-53. Last summer he helped lead the USA 18 and under...
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Matt Bywater interview

Matt Bywater interview
While we wait for the stroke of midnight....... Pepperdine pitcher Matt Bywater confirmed tonight that he agreed to a bonus of $195,000 to come to terms with the Orioles. He said the O's upped their offer sometime around 4 pm West Coast time today and he happily accepted the deal. "We were getting the feeling that was where it was going to stay. Going into the day, we needed them to go up a little and they did, so we jumped on it." So now he gets to live out his dream and play pro...
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Not Manny, but one Boras client signs (Taillon signs)

Not Manny, but one Boras client signs (Taillon signs)
Maybe Scott Boras is working his way up the first-round ladder. He is the representative for four players in the first-round that were unsigned to start today, including O's pick shortstop Manny Machado. Tonight, there are reports that one of his players, outfielder Gary Brown of Cal-State Fullerton, taken 24th overall by the Giants, has agreed to terms. It's reported to be a deal worth 1.45 million. Boras also represents the seventh overall pick, pitcher Matt Harvey who was taken by the...
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A scout's take on Matt Bywater

A scout's take on Matt Bywater
O's scout Gil Kubski was the area scout for O's third-round draft pick Dan Klein of UCLA and also for seventh-round pick pitcher Matt Bywater, who agreed to terms with the club tonight. Here is Kubski's take on Bywater: "He's a 6'3", 6'4" left-hander, real lean. I think he's going to get bigger and stronger when it's all done. He's not a flame thrower, about 87 and will touch 90. "But he's got an outstanding change-up. If there's a better change-up in the country this year...
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Orioles now confirm: Bywater comes to terms

Orioles now confirm:  Bywater comes to terms
The Orioles have now confirmed that they have come to terms with pitcher Matt Bywater, their seventh-round draft pick out of Pepperdine. The 6'3", 195-pound lefty went 6-5, 2.40 as a junior this past season. Over 97 2/3 innings, he allowed 88 hits with 30 walks and 83 strikeouts. The 21-year-old Bywater, from Thousand Oaks, California, pitched five complete games for Pepperdine with four shutouts. Early last season, he pitched a four-hit shutout with ten strikeouts vs. then 4th-rated...
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Matt Bywater update

Matt Bywater update
Pepperdine pitcher Matt Bywater, the Orioles seventh-round draft pick, said he has had some phone conversations with club officials today, but he still does not have an agreement with the team as of a little after four this afternoon. "Not so much progress at this point," Bywater said. "I'd like to be optimistic, I guess we are kind of at a standstill," he said. The 21-year-old lefty went 6-5, 2.40 in college this year with five complete games and four shutouts. He fanned 83 in 97 2/3...
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O's 3rd-round pick missed 2009 but is healthy now

O's 3rd-round pick missed 2009 but is healthy now
While awaiting tonight's draft developments... The Orioles are excited that their third-round draft pick, pitcher Dan Klein of UCLA, should be pitching sometime soon for the Aberdeen IronBirds. Klein was 6-1, 1.90 with ten saves for the Bruins team this year that made the College World Series. It was a big year for Klein as he showed the scouts he was healthy after he took a redshirt year and didn't pitch for UCLA in 2009. Klein missed some time the previous season as well due to shoulder...
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Urban hopeful he'll be an Oriole

Urban hopeful he'll be an Oriole
As of a little after two o'clock this afternoon, there is no announcement of any additional signings of O's draft picks. But there is a long way to go before the midnight deadline. One player the O's still could sign is right-handed pitcher Austin Urban from Richland High in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Urban was taken in the 27th round and told me a few moments ago that he hopes this day ends with his agreeing to terms with the Orioles. He has a college commitment to Penn State, but said...
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What if they don't sign Machado?

What if they don't sign Machado?
First of all, don't let that headline scare you. There is no word yet on whether the O's will or won't sign Machado tonight, but the guess remains that they do get it done. I'll keep you posted all night with anything I hear. Meanwhile, as of 7pm, no other O's signings to announce and the clock is ticking toward midnight. If the O's don't come to terms with Manny Machado by midnight tonight, they will lose his rights and will get a compensation pick in next year's draft that could...
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Jordan on the one that got away & others that may still sign

Jordan on the one that got away & others that may still sign
The Orioles have already agreed to terms with 36 draft picks and may add more before this day is over. But, apparently one they will not get is pitcher Dixon Anderson of Cal, who was drafted by the O's in round six with the 178th overall selection. A draft-eligible sophomore, the 6'5", 225-pound Anderson went 5-4, 5.17 in 17 games, 13 starts, for the Golden Bears, this past season. O's scouting director Joe Jordan said a deal did not get done and Anderson will likely return to college...
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