O's vs. Jays - the stats

O's vs. Jays - the stats
If you are squeamish, you may want to skip these stats. Yes, the O's are 0-9 this season vs. Toronto, 0-6 in Baltimore and 0-3 in Toronto. The Orioles have lost eight in a row at Rogers Centre and 17 of their last 19 there. They have been out-scored by Toronto this year 48-16, out-homered by them 18 to 1 and Toronto has produced 45 extra-base hits in the season series this year vs. the O's 11. The Jays slugging percentage vs. the Orioles is .547 with an OPS .887 in the nine games. The...
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Updates on Mahoney and Hoes

Updates on Mahoney and Hoes
There is news to report today on two players that have been among the best this year in the Orioles farm system: L.J. Hoes and Joe Mahoney. Mahoney has been named the latest Player of the Week in the Eastern League. The 23-year-old lefty hitter went 3 for 3 in his first game at Bowie on July 9 and has been hitting ever since. He has now played 15 games at Double-A, batting .439-6-15 with an OPS of 1.317. He is batting .487 vs. right-handed pitching. Over his last four Baysox games, Mahoney...
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Monday morning musings

Monday morning musings
Some opinions for a Monday morning: *Jake Arrieta's post-game interview after Sunday's loss to Minnesota should play well with fans who have been wondering about accountability on this O's team. Arrieta took the fall for the loss and should have. But I think it was a good sign to hear him say "I really won't accept outings like this and this is not acceptable." I would like to hear more Orioles talk like this after a loss. Too often we hear how tough the other pitcher was and what...
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Arrieta takes the fall for O's latest loss

Arrieta takes the fall for O's latest loss
He may have pitched poorly on Sunday vs. Minnesota, but if you are looking for an Oriole to step up and take the blame for a loss, Jake Arrieta did just that in the O's clubhouse minutes after a 10-4 defeat vs. the Twins. "Honestly it's pretty embarrassing to go out there and not be able to give your team a quality start. I prepare myself too well to allow these kind of things to happen. I've gotta go out there and battle through six or seven innings, no matter if I have good stuff or...
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Homestand ends with a thud as Twins bomb O's, 10-4

Homestand ends with a thud as Twins bomb O's, 10-4
After sweeping four from Texas heading into the All-Star break, the O's lost 10-4 to Minnesota Sunday afternoon to conclude a 2-8 homestand coming out of the break. The homestand was marked by poor starting pitching and the fact the O's scored two runs or less six times vs. the Blue Jays, Rays and Twins. Juan Samuel talks with the media after the Oriole's loss 10-4 to the Twins Today, Jake Arrieta took the loss, falling to 3-3, 5.40. He was in trouble almost from the first pitch and gave...
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A few notes, quotes and stats

A few notes, quotes and stats
Checking on some notes, quotes and stats while watching the Twins whip the O's today at the Yard as clouds roll in beyond the outfield fences. *Did you see where the Delmarva Shorebirds played an 18-inning game Saturday night that actually ended just after midnight this morning. Lakewood won 8-7 and it was the Shorebirds first 18-inning game since May 20, 2005. The losing pitcher was outfielder Levi Carolus, despite the fact he gave up just one hit over two innings. He did issue a...
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Wieters talks about his return to the O's lineup

Wieters talks about his return to the O's lineup
When last seen on the field, Matt Wieters played on July 9th at Texas. But he injured his right hamstring that night and has been on the DL since. That stint ends today as Wieters returns to the O's lineup batting seventh and catching. "It's been hard these past couple of weeks sitting and watching. It will be good to be back on the field and get to play. "I was able to get work in and be around the club, take BP and catch bullpens. I've been doing baseball activities, so the...
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MacPhail on the Tatum decision & the trade market

MacPhail on the Tatum decision & the trade market
O's president Andy MacPhail made the decision this morning to option Craig Tatum to Triple-A to make roster room for Matt Wieters, who comes off the DL today. A few minutes ago, outside the manager's office, MacPhail talked about the decision to send Tatum out and also had some comments on the current trade market in baseball. "All the time I've been in baseball, sometimes the hardest thing for players to really get their arms around is sometimes things happen to him that really don't...
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Matusz: "I made a big stride today."

Matusz:  "I made a big stride today."
Brian Matusz hates questions about his previous starts. But he had to know someone would ask how he dealt with giving up 10 ER over 4 2/3 coming into this start tonight. Was it a test for him mentally as he took the mound tonight vs. Minnesota, coming off those two outings? "For me, I take one game at a time. If I have a bad game, I forget about it. But the media likes to put a lot on, you know, if he has a couple bad starts is he going down (to the minors) and you guys make a big deal...
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Mixed bag for Matusz

Mixed bag for Matusz
Well, this was a better outing for lefty Brian Matusz. Not good, but better. After giving up 10 ER in just 4 2/3 over his past two starts, tonight he gave up six hits and three runs over five innings. Matusz's velocity seemed to be up over his last outing and he hit 91 and 92 on the gun, more Matusz- like. But his control abandoned him at the start as he walked three of the first four hitters to load the bases. But he gave up just one run that inning and did a very good job of minimizing...
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An update on Erbe at Aberdeen (also Mickolio)

An update on Erbe at Aberdeen (also Mickolio)
In his first outing in a game since June 20 for Norfolk vs. Toledo, right-hander Brandon Erbe allowed two runs in the third inning at Ripken Stadium tonight for Aberdeen vs. Hudson Valley. Erbe, who has been out since then with right shoulder soreness, pitched scoreless ball in the first and second innings. He gave up just one hit and the two runs over three innings with two walks and one strikeout. Erbe hit the first batter of the game and then retired the next six. His fastball was...
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Does a lack of runs hurt Matusz's cause?

Does a lack of runs hurt Matusz's cause?
Since Brian Matusz shut down the Boston Red Sox on just two hits over seven scoreless innings on the fourth of July, he has made back-to-back starts where he lasted just three and 1 2/3 innings. He has given up 10 ER over 4 2/3 in those two starts as his ERA jumped from 4.56 to 5.21. I'm still firmly on the Matusz bandwagon, in fact I couldn't even find the edge to jump off if I wanted to, I am so firmly on that bandwagon. Having said that, it would silence some of the doubters a bit if he...
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Minor league news on Erbe, Mickolio and Joseph

Minor league news on Erbe, Mickolio and Joseph
Norfolk Tides pitcher Brandon Erbe, who made four injury rehab starts for the Aberdeen IronBirds last year, will be back at Ripken Stadium tonight, beginning another injury rehab assignment. He'll be joined by Norfolk and former O's reliever Kam Mickolio. Erbe has been on the DL since June 25 and has not pitched since June 20 due to right shoulder soreness. He is 0-10, 5.73 in 14 Triple-A starts this year. Mickolio, who pitched in three O's games back in April, hasn't pitched since June...
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Townsend moves to Frederick

Townsend moves to Frederick
After a recent hitting tear, Delmarva Shorebirds first baseman Tyler Townsend has moved to Frederick. He will join the Keys for their game tonight vs. Myrtle Beach. In 30 games for the Shorebirds, Townsend, last year's third-round draft pick, hit .342 (40-117) with three home runs and 26 RBIs. Townsend's bat, like the weather, heated up this month. In 21 games, he batted .354 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. He also totaled 10 doubles. As of July 24, he leads the Orioles minor league...
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Looks like Luke is locked in

Looks like Luke is locked in
Did you ever notice that Luke Scott seldom hits what some might call a "cheap homer." One of those balls where the outfielder leaps at the wall and it just goes over his glove. No, he usually hits the kind where the outfielder doesn't need to bother running out near the wall, because the ball is sailing well over it. Like his two-run blast off Minnesota's Anthony Slama last night. He turned around a 94-MPH fastball on a 1-1 count, driving it 394 feet to right field. It gave the O's a...
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B-Rob on the win and his first game back

B-Rob on the win and his first game back
Brian Roberts is back and the Orioles won. Jeremy Guthrie's pitching and Luke Scott's clutch homer had a lot to do with that, but Roberts was back on the field for the O's for the first time since April 9th in their 3-2 win over Minnesota. He went 0 for 4 with two ground outs, a strikeout and a line out to the outfield. He had a few routines plays in the field. Here are his post-game comments. How did it go? "It was good, it was fun to be back out there, be with the guys and play the...
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Guthrie and Scott come up big as the O's edge the Twins

Guthrie and Scott come up big as the O's edge the Twins
Jeremy Guthrie, who was the first AL pitcher to suffer 10 losses this year, ended a nine-start winless drought, as the Orioles beat Minnesota 3-2 Friday night. Guthrie gave up six hits and two runs over seven innings, throwing 99 pitches as he gained his fourth win of the year and first since May 25 vs. Oakland. In four career starts vs. Minnesota, Guthrie is 3-0, 2.96. Jeremy Guthrie talks with the media about his start in the O's 3-2 win over the Twins Guthrie took a shutout to the...
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Sixth-inning homers

Sixth-inning homers
The Orioles entered the sixth inning leading by a run and exited it the same way. Just with a different score. After Joe Mauer's two-run homer in the top of the sixth off Jeremy Guthrie gave Minnesota a 2-1 lead, Luke Scott crushed a pitch for a two-run homer in the last of the sixth for a 3-2 O's lead. Scott hit a 1-1 pitch from Anthony Slama (yes, his real name) out to the left of the big scoreboard in right field. It was a 394-foot shot that didn't take long to leave the Yard. This...
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Snyder back to Norfolk (update - he homers)

Snyder back to Norfolk (update - he homers)
Brandon Snyder was activated off the DL by the Triple-A Norfolk Tides today and is batting seventh and playing first base at Lehigh Valley tonight. Snyder, who last played for the Tides on June 17, went 3 for 13 with a double and homer in three games on an injury rehab assignment with Aberdeen. Snyder resumes his play with the Tides with a five-game batting streak, during which he went 7 for 18. Update: His first time up tonight, Snyder hit a two-run homer in the top of the second in that...
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Roberts set to return to lineup

Roberts set to return to lineup
It was Friday afternoon, April 9 and the Orioles were playing Toronto in their home opener. It was 55 degrees at game time and 48,891 filled the Camden Yards stands. And Brian Roberts was in the O's lineup. He re-injured his back that day sliding into second base on a successful steal in the bottom of the first. He later scored, but soon after came out of the game. He has not been seen in the O's lineup since. That changes tonight, when Roberts officially comes off the DL to bat first...
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