Now that the internet connection is back here in the Ripken Stadium press box, I can tell you that Manny Machado's first game in Aberdeen was a success for him, even though the IronBirds are getting trounced.
Vermont leads 11-2 in the 7th.
Machado went 1 for 3 with a single to center in the third. He crushed a ball in the fifth that was caught by the left fielder.
In the field at short, he had just one ball hit to him but he made a highlight play out of it. It ended the Vermont fifth as...
After spending most of this summer not playing on a team, O's first-round draft pick Manny Machado admits he is still knocking some rust off.
He's played two games as a DH in the Gulf Coast League and tonight he debuts for the Aberdeen IronBirds here at Ripken Stadium, where he will bat third and play shortstop vs. Vermont.
"I've definitely been rusty, but you've got to adjust. I'm getting back into shape.
"(This is) Very different. Gulf Coast League was hot. This is nice here, I...
With a starting lineup that includes Mychal Givens at second, Manny Machado at short and Conner Narron at third, it should be an exciting night here in Aberdeen.
I'll cover Manny Machado's latest press conference, which is set for about 5:15 today and file posts from here at Ripken Stadium during the night.
Most of the O's top minor league brass is here and they may even be joined by O's manager Buck Showalter later.
Glad I got here early to beat the rush.
Machado went 1 for 7 with a...
It probably doesn't happen very often, but last week the Orioles agreed to terms with a player that did not get taken in the June draft, but one they feel has a lot of talent.
They came to terms with 18-year-old Glynn Davis of Catonsville Community College, a player with great speed that played shortstop in junior college but will move to center field in the O's minors.
The right-handed hitting Davis hit .430 with ten homers and 35 steals, but went almost totally un-scouted at Catonsville. ...
In an amazing pitchers duel on Sunday afternoon, Jeremy Guthrie out-dueled Jared Weaver as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 to complete a three-game sweep.
O's pitching allowed just one run on 16 hits in this series as LA went scoreless over the last 26 innings.
Guthrie, who improved to 8-13, 3.94, gave up just four hits over 8 1/3. He walked one, fanned five and threw 107 pitches, 73 for strikes.
Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter about the O's 1-0 win over the Angels
O's...
O's scouting director Joe Jordan said he will not put too much importance into the stats for Manny Machado in his first few games with the Orioles.
The O's top draft pick went 1 for 7 the last two days for the Gulf Coast League O's with a two-run homer there on Saturday.
"I just think it's important to get on the field. Be a part of our practice routine, our hitting routine and progression. Being around the instructors and coordinaters. There is an orientation that needs to take place...
Some notes to ponder as the O's and Angels play this afternoon in the final game of the series and the Orioles six-game road trip to Chicago and LA.
*The Orioles today are looking for their fifth series sweep of the year. They swept three from Boston at home at the end of Aprill and took three from the Nats in June. They swept four at Texas right before the All-Star break and took three from this Angel team August 3-5 in Buck Showalter's first games as manager.
The Orioles have been swept...
Who would have thought that it would be August 28th this year before Kevin Millwood got his first win of the season vs. an American League team?
But he beat the Los Angeles Angels tonight for his third win. He is 2-1 in four starts vs. the National League this year and was 0-13, 5.36 in 21 starts vs. AL clubs.
But Millwood allowed six hits over eight innings as the O's beat the Angels 5-0 and they've taken the first two in this series.
Millwood is now 3-14, 5.34. He walked just one and...
Triple-A Norfolk rallied from 4-0 down to beat Gwinnett 5-4. It gives the Tides their first four-game win streak of the year. They had won three in a row eight times, but never got to four.
Rhyne Hughes and Brandon Snyder homered and Lou Montanez went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Montanez is 12 for 31 (.387) during a seven-game batting streak.
New Britain scored an unearned run in the last of the ninth to beat Bowie 6-5. The Baysox are a game and a half out of an Eastern League playoff berth after...
After this year, the Orioles will end their long relationship with the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League.
Here is a statement from Andy MacPhail:
"On behalf of the Orioles, I wish to express our deepest appreciation to the town and residents of Bluefield for their support of the Orioles organization and over a thousand players who have worn the Bluefield Orioles uniform in the last 53 seasons. While extremely difficult, we believe the decision to end our affiliation with Bluefield...
So, is Josh Bell a nugget or not?
Too early to know.
He really needed a hit and got two big ones on Friday in the O's win over the Angels. He didn't start, but came on when Brian Roberts left with a hip strain.
I thought Bell would take off a bit after his two-homer game a week ago today vs. Cliff Lee.
But he was 1 for 14 with seven strikeouts after that, before Friday's game.
On the plus side, Bell looks more comfortable now in the field. He made a real nice backhand stop last night....
Brad Bergesen has been pitching well in many of his recent starts and tonight was one of his best.
He held Los Angeles to one run and four hits over eight innings, throwing 102 pitches, as the Orioles beat the Angels 3-1 in the weekend series opener. Bergesen is now 6-9, 5.55 in 22 starts.
Over his last six starts, the right-hander is 3-0, 2.70.
The O's played solid defense behind Bergesen with Cesar Izturis making several solid stops.
Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter his thoughts on the...
When the Orioles took the field for the last of the fourth tonight at Anaheim, Brian Roberts was not at second base.
He was replaced by Julio Lugo, who moved from third to second as Josh Bell entered the game, batting first and playing at third base.
We are awaiting word why Roberts left the game.
He doubled leading off the contest, stole third and later scored on a Nick Markakis single. He struck out in the third inning.
The O's and Angels are tied 1-1 as the O's now bat in the top of...
We've mentioned it a few times in this space and the Orioles made it official this afternoon.
Top draft pick Manny Machado is heading for Aberdeen.
He will work out with the IronBirds on Sunday, but will not dress for that game but is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday against Vermont at 7:05 p.m.
I'm told he is expected to start at shortstop and play six innings in the game that night.
Machado went 0 for 3 today in his first pro game for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and is...
Sometimes baseball is not that complicated.
There are two reasons the O's have lost some games lately: Their starting pitching has not been as good as it was when they went 8-1 in Buck Showalter's first nine games and their offense is producing less.
Oh - So, that's why they are 5-9 over the last 14 games.
Happy to spell it out for you.
Actually, the offense - overall and for some individuals - has slowed. Edwin Jackson blew through the O's lineup with ten strikeouts last night as the...
O's 22-year-old pitching prospect Zach Britton has had an excellent season. He has pitched well at the two highest levels of the minors and could be a fixture at some point in the future in the Orioles rotation.
That future could come as early as the next week or two as Britton knows the O's have considered him for a September callup.
For now, he just waits to see whether his final starts of the 2010 season will be in Norfolk or Baltimore.
"This is an opportunity I thought about back in...
Jake Arrieta needed 35 pitches to get through the first inning and 70 to pitch through three. Meanwhile, Edwin Jackson fanned seven over the first four innings.
One team got excellent starting pitching and the other did not as the White Sox routed the O's 8-0 Thursday night to win the three-game series, two to one.
Arrieta gave up seven hits and four runs and lasted just four innings tonight. He falls to 4-6, 5.10 and threw 85 pitches.
Arrieta, who was making his 15th Major League start...
O's top draft pick Manny Machado is expected to make his pro debut on Friday when he serves as designated hitter for the Gulf Coast League Orioles.
Machado is expected to DH in the Gulf League Friday and Saturday. Saturday is the last day of games in the GCL and Machado is expected to join Aberdeen on Sunday.
While Machado is expected to play in games for the IronBirds, it's also possible that he just joins the club for workouts over the season's final days. Machado has been working out...
The Orioles have agreed to terms with Glynn Davis, an 18-year-old shortstop from Catonsville Community College near Baltimore.
The right-handed hitter and thrower was the youngest player on the Catonsville CC team this past season and was a Juco All-American. He hit .430 with 10 homers and 35 steals. Davis was named Catonsville CC's Male Athlete of the Year.
Speed is said to be his best tool and reports say he runs as well as some of the fastest players currently in the O's minors like...
O's pitching prospect Zach Britton made his 10th start for Norfolk last night and pitched well.
Now the question is when and where will his next start be and will he be an O's September callup?
In an interview with Britton this afternoon, he mentioned that the day of his next start has not been set and he didn't think it would be next Monday, August 30th, his next scheduled day to pitch.
That leads me to wonder if the Orioles are considering pushing that next Britton start back two days...