O's draftee gets College World Series save

O's draftee gets College World Series save
The Orioles third-round draft pick, right-hander Dan Klein, picked up a save in the College World Series on Monday night. He pitched a shutout ninth inning as his UCLA squad beat TCU, 6-3. It was his tenth save of the season as UCLA improved to 2-0 in the series. Klein, showing a 93-MPH fastball, along with a change and curve, gave up a one-out single but nothing else in closing out the win. The Orioles will not be talking contract with Klein or the other two players they drafted from UCLA...
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Minor moves

Minor moves
Here are a couple of roster moves from the Orioles farm system today: *RHP Zach Clark goes from Bowie to Norfolk. *LHP Chris George goes from Norfolk to Bowie. *SS Pedro Florimon joins Aberdeen on an injury-rehab assignment. Clark, who has been with the O's since 2006, was 1-1, 3.41 with Bowie. George pitched in 14 games, nine as a starter at Triple-A and went 2-2, 4.28 in 61 innings with the Tides. The 23-year-old Florimon has struggled this year at Bowie in his first full season at the...
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Townsend set to return to the diamond

Townsend set to return to the diamond
It's been a tough season for first baseman Tyler Townsend, the Orioles third-round pick out of Florida International in the 2009 draft. It began with Townsend suffering a hamstring injury during winter workouts. But he felt fine when spring training began. Then, he hurt the hamstring again and didn't report to Delmarva until April 20. He would go 5 for 10 at bat with 2 RBI over the next three games. Then, he hurt that same hamstring in his left leg again. He returned to Sarasota for...
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O's fall at San Diego in 50th loss of year

O's fall at San Diego in 50th loss of year
Win two in a row? It's been a long time coming for these 2010 Orioles. Win a road series? That hasn't happened all year. Couldn't do it today either at San Diego. I thought with a 4-0 lead and Jake Arrieta on the mound, maybe, but........ Since winning three in a row vs. Seattle and Cleveland from May 12-14, the Orioles have not been able to win even two in a row. Here is what happened after each recent win: 5-18: Beat KC 4-3 in 11 innings, then lost two in a row. 5-21: Win 5-3 at...
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Wieters note

Wieters note
It was for sure a pleasant sight to see Matt Wieters rip a three-run double to left center to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead after a half inning at San Diego. Wieters began today hitless in his last 13 at bats and with just one hit over his last 22 at bats as his average dipped to .222 and some fans were calling for him to be sent back to Triple-A. Maybe that one swing, having come in a real clutch, two-out, bases loaded situation, can get him going. Wieters had just 3 RBI over his previous 19...
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Hobgood skips one start

Hobgood skips one start
The Orioles top pick in last June's draft, right-hander Matt Hobgood has not pitched for the Delmarva Shorebirds since June 11, but is expected to make his next start when the Shorebirds season resumes later this coming week after the upcoming All-Star break. Hobgood was skipped one turn due to slight shoulder soreness that is not believed to be anything more serious than that. When the Shorebirds reset their rotation after the All-Star break, the 19-year-old hurler is expected to be in...
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Joe Jordan with more comments on Mummey

Joe Jordan with more comments on Mummey
The latest Orioles draft pick to agree to terms is fourth-round pick Trent Mummey, an outfielder from Auburn that was taken with the 118th overall selection. Mummey is expected to take his physical in Baltimore on Monday and, if all goes well there as expected, he will then officially sign and soon after likely join the Aberdeen IronBirds. Mummey missed the first 28 games of Auburn's season with an ankle injury, but then hit .366-17-54 in just 36 games. He was a first-team all SEC selection...
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Millwood finally gets one

Millwood finally gets one
Kevin Millwood is finally a winner in 2010. Wonder how his stomach was feeling in that last of the ninth. It had the look of many others that got away from the Orioles this year and the latest was in that park just last night. But Alfredo Simon stranded the tie run at third as he picked up the final two outs, and, even though he gave up a run in the ninth, the O's got a 5-4 win to even the series. Millwood, after giving up three runs in the first with the help of a botched rundown that...
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Good pitching on the farm

Good pitching on the farm
The four starting pitchers tonight at the O's full-season affiliates combined to give up just one earned run and pitch to an ERA of 0.38 this evening. Here is the rundown: Norfolk's Troy Patton: 5IP, 6H, 3R, 1ER Bowie's Zach Britton: 6IP, 2H, 0R Frederick's Ryan Berry: 5IP, 2H, 0R Delmarva's Kenny Moreland: 8IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER That is 1 ER and 12 hits over 24 innings for the four. Patton has now pitched to an ERA of just 1.84 over his last five starts, lowering his ERA for the year...
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The botched rundown

The botched rundown
Well, you knew San Diego would score after the Orioles botched that rundown between second and third in the last of the first. Cesar Izturis was chasing the runner toward third base and just needed to keep running at him and there likely would have been two runners at third and an easy third out. But he made a throw he didn't need to make and a return throw was too late and the O's botched a basic rundown. Jim Palmer and Eddie Murray sounded amazed and stunned in the booth. Nick Markakis...
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Saturday minor league notes

Saturday minor league notes
Delmarva and Frederick play games today and tomorrow and that will end their respective first halves and bring those two clubs to their All-Star breaks. Delmarva is playing well and takes a five-game win streak into tonight's home game vs. Lexington. The Shorebirds have allowed just nine runs during their season-high win streak. Delmarva has now won eight in a row at Perdue Stadium, its longest home win streak since taking ten in a row there in July and August of 2005. Kieron Pope...
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Updates on Mummey and Klein with Joe Jordan (plus Aberdeen note)

Updates on Mummey and Klein with Joe Jordan (plus Aberdeen note)
The latest Orioles draft pick to agree to terms is fourth-round pick Trent Mummey, a lefty hitting outfielder from Auburn that was taken with the 118th overall selection. Mummey is expected to take his physical in Baltimore on Monday and, if all goes well there as expected, he will then officially sign and soon after join the Aberdeen IronBirds. A Baltimore Sun report said Mummey was signed to a $252,000 bonus. "It was a slot signing," O's scouting director Joe Jordan said. "We feel...
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Two-strike approach

Two-strike approach
When I hear the term "two-strike approach" I think of a batter and how they want to protect the plate and swing at anything close when the count is 0 and 2. But maybe O's pitchers need a better "two-strike approach." The stats say the O's hurlers are among the worst in AL when the count is 0-2. Worst batting average against, 0-2 count: .227 - Oakland .205 - Orioles .204 - Minnesota Only Oakland gives up a higher batting average this year on an 0-2 pitch than the O's. The Yankees...
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A blown lead and second guessing Wieters

A blown lead and second guessing Wieters
Well, it's official. The Orioles have now lost more games when leading after eight innings in just 67 games this year then they did in all 162 games last year. They are 14-5 this season when leading after eight in blowing tonight's 2-1 lead heading to the last of the ninth. Last year, they were 55-4 when leading after eight. The Orioles have the worst save percentage in the AL now at 47.8 percent. They have saved 11 games in 23 chances. Only four teams in the league are under 68...
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O's pitchers among worst supported

O's pitchers among worst supported
It should come as no suprise that of the seven pitchers in the AL getting the worst run support, three start for the Orioles. Here are the seven getting the worst support in the league. This is for the run support average over nine innings. 2.38 - Kevin Millwood, O's 2.56 - Dallas Braden, Oak 2.93 - Zack Greinke, KC 3.02 - Ben Sheets, Oak 3.24 - Gavin Floyd, CWS 3.28 - Jeremy Guthrie, O's 3.36 - Brian Matusz, O's The O's starting pitching ERA this year is now up to 5.11. On May 19 it...
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Five 2010 draft picks make debuts as IronBirds win opener

Five 2010 draft picks make debuts as IronBirds win opener
The Aberdeen IronBirds began their ninth season of play in the New York-Penn League tonight with a win in the season opener, 5-2 at home vs. Hudson Valley. The IronBirds used six extra-base hits and a three-pitcher, three-hitter to send 6,671 fans home happy from Ripken Stadium. Starting pitcher Justin Anderson got the win allowing just one hit, a solo homer, over six innings. T.R. Keating pitched two scoreless and Brian Parker gave up a run in the ninth. L.J. Hoes began his rehab...
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Shorebirds will host the 2011 All-Star game

Shorebirds will host the 2011 All-Star game
The Delmarva Shorebirds have announced that they will host the 2011 South Atlantic League All-Star Game on June 21, 2011 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. "We are extremely excited to host the 2011 All-Star Game, and to showcase Arthur W. Perdue Stadium and Delmarva's attractions to the rest of the league," said General Manager Chris Bitters. "We're also excited to partner with Perdue and use this opportunity to highlight the importance of the three local food banks. This partnership is...
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It's not all bad right now

It's not all bad right now
From the O's good news department as they get set to begin a series in San Diego tonight, four of the young pitchers are throwing well right now. Brian Matusz, who starts on the mound tonight at Petco Park, and Jake Arrieta have pitched to a ERA of 2.70 over their last five combined starts. After going through a four-start stretch where his ERA was 9.50, Matusz has pitched to an ERA of just 2.66 over his last three starts and pitched a career-high eight innings in his last outing vs. the...
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The amazing story of O's minor leaguer Lance West

The amazing story of O's minor leaguer Lance West
Even the most diehard observer of the Orioles minor leagues may not know his name. That's okay with Lance West. And this will probably be a real good season for him with Aberdeen this summer even if he doesn't get one hit. Because, for the first time in his life, he'll be playing baseball with sight in both eyes. "I was blind in my left eye, my dominant eye. I had a rough season last year, so I went to see a doctor and found out I had a lazy eye I was born with and it never...
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Flying under the radar in the minors

Flying under the radar in the minors
I decided to put together a list of some minor league players that are enjoying good seasons with mostly little fanfare. They are flying a bit under the radar right now. Some may be considered prospects, others may not, but all seem to be doing well on the field this summer. Armando Gabino: The 26-year-old righty was claimed off waivers from Minnesota and is 4-0, 2.62 at Norfolk. His last four appearances have come as a starter. The league has hit just .218 off him and right-handed...
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