Snyder's first at bat tonight at Aberdeen

Snyder's first at bat tonight at Aberdeen
In his first at bat tonight with the IronBirds, Brandon Snyder hit a booming double to deep center field. Batting against Tri-City right-hander Bobby Doran, Houston's fourth-round pick last month, Snyder ripped a 2-1 pitch out near the warning track in center for an easy double. It was his first game at bat since June 17 while with Norfolk. Snyder, batting third and playing at first base, came up after Trent Mummey struck out and Austin Knight lined out. Snyder scored on a Kipp Schutz RBI...
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Brandon Snyder staying positive amidst a trying season

Brandon Snyder staying positive amidst a trying season
It has been a tough year for Brandon Snyder. The O's 2005 first-round pick has struggled at Triple-A Norfolk for the second year in a row and also has had to deal with an injury that has kept him off the field since June 17. But tonight he is here in Aberdeen, at Ripken Stadium on an injury-rehab assignment with the IronBirds. He is expected to play three games here before re-joining the Tides. Snyder first felt some pain during that June 17 game at Toledo. "I have some torn or...
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Brandon Snyder at Aberdeen tonight

Brandon Snyder at Aberdeen tonight
Orioles 2005 first-round draft pick Brandon Snyder returns to Aberdeen tonight. Snyder, who played for the IronBirds in parts of 2005 and 2006, will play the next three games with Aberdeen on an injury-rehab assignment. Snyder is coming back from an upper back injury and has not played for Triple-A Norfolk since June 17. He is batting .255-5-28 in 64 games and was hitting .327 in June at the time of the injury. My Orioles minor league tour continues tonight in Aberdeen after Bowie last...
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Roberts' return could be for real this time

Roberts' return could be for real this time
For any O's fan it was a positive sight. Seeing Brian Roberts take the field in Bowie last night. Even though he had on a Baysox uniform, the mannerisms and actions out at second base looked quite familiar. After watching Roberts play and talking with him before and after the game, this thought came to mind: This time Roberts may actually make it back on the field. He looked good in the game vs. Binghamton, going 2 for 5, and is now 10 for 20 in six injury rehab games. Bigger tests will...
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Roberts pleased with his game at Bowie

Roberts pleased with his game at Bowie
After playing five games in the day time in the Gulf Coast League, Brian Roberts' comeback took another step tonight as he played for the Double-A Bowie Baysox. "There is nobody in the stands (in the GCL) and you're playing at Noon, you are just trying to wake up at that point," Roberts said. "Nice to play a night game and get back into the normal routine of the season. The fans were fun." Roberts had a double in the first and RBI single in the second, going 2 for 5 with two runs...
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B-Rob gets rung up in the eighth

B-Rob gets rung up in the eighth
Brian Roberts may have just batted for the last time in his first game with Bowie since May of 2006. Getting to bat right-handed (vs. a lefty) for the first time on the night, Roberts was called out on strikes on an 0-2 pitch vs. Roy Merritt. He got ahead 0-2, Roberts then fouled one off before Merritt threw a backdoor curve ball that broke back over the outside corner. Roberts is 2 for 5 tonight with two runs and an RBI. Roberts night at Bowie: 1st - Double on a grounder down third-base...
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Roberts drives one deep, but gets retired

Roberts drives one deep, but gets retired
Brian Roberts has flied out deep to right with two men on in the last of the sixth. He drove the right fielder to the warning track for the catch. So Roberts is 2 for 4 now in this game with two runs scored, a double and an RBI single. Roberts has had a quiet night in the field, although he finally had a ball hit his way to end the top of the sixth. It was a routine grounder hit pretty slowly and he had an easy play and flip throw to end the inning. In the third, Roberts was the middle man...
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Not this time

Not this time
Brian Roberts grounded out, first baseman to pitcher covering, to lead off the last of the fourth. So he is 2 for 3 tonight with two runs scored and an RBI. He is now 10 for 18 (.556) on his injury-rehab assignment. Roberts has not had any balls hit to him yet at second base. He handled the back end of a 6-4 fielders choice in the second and was in the middle of a 6-4-3 double play in the third that began with a nice stop of a hard one hopper by Baysox shortstop Greg Miclat. The Baysox...
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Roberts second at bat tonight

Roberts second at bat tonight
Brian Roberts came up in the last of the second with two on and two out after walks to Brandon Waring and Greg Miclat. The pitcher, before throwing a single pitch to Roberts, twice made pickoff throws to first base. On the second one, he threw wildly past first, scoring Waring and sending Miclat to third, so Roberts then batted with a man on third. On an 0-1 pitch, Roberts hit an RBI ground ball single to center for a 3-1 Bowie lead. Roberts is now 2 for 2 with an RBI. After Roberts' RBI...
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Roberts first at bat with Bowie (updated)

Roberts first at bat with Bowie (updated)
After going 8 for 15 in five games with the Gulf Coast League Orioles, Brian Roberts led off the last of the first here tonight at Bowie and Roberts hit a ground ball double down the third-base line on a 1-0 pitch from right-hander Chris Schwinden. He slid safely into second ahead of the throw from the left fielder. That was Roberts first at bat with the Bowie Baysox since he played here on May 17 and 18 of 2006, then also on an injury-rehab assignment. The Binghamton Mets took a 1-0 lead in...
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Starting a little late in Bowie

Starting a little late in Bowie
Brian Roberts play with the Bowie Baysox will be delayed a bit. A brief, but intense shower passed through Prince George's Stadium and the tarp was on the field for a while. As we approach, 7:10, the tarp is off the field and I'm told the game should start here around 7:30. Here is tonight's Baysox lineup: 2B - Brian Roberts 3B - Ryan Adams LF - Tyler Henson RF - Joel Guzman 1B - Joe Mahoney DH - Brandon Waring C - Caleb Joseph CF - Danny Figueroa SS - Greg Miclat Eddie Gamboa will come...
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More from Roberts pre-game interview

More from Roberts pre-game interview
Here is more from today's lengthy pre-game interview with Brian Roberts and reporters here in Bowie at Prince George's Stadium. Roberts continues his injury-rehab assignment tonight here playing for the Double-A Bowie Baysox. Is there something that will serve as the final test to show you are ready to return to the O's? "I haven't slid yet. Well, I've slid feet first. I haven't tried to steal a base. I haven't had to make a diving play in the field or anything. I'm looking forward...
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Brian Roberts: "Things are good"

Brian Roberts: "Things are good"
Brian Roberts will play second base and bat leadoff tonight for the Bowie Baysox, as his injury rehab assignment continues in the Eastern League and he looks to soon re-join the Orioles. Roberts will play nine innings here tonight, DH tomorrow, then play second base and all nine innings again on Wednesday. He could stay with the Baysox longer, but his schedule is not certain beyond that game just yet. Roberts does say he feels as good physically now as he has at any point this...
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Roberts heads to Bowie (w/Snyder & Mahoney updates)

Roberts heads to Bowie (w/Snyder & Mahoney updates)
Brian Roberts will play at Bowie tonight for the first time since he played two games there on an injury-rehab assignment in 2006. I will be there to cover his play and get some pre and post-game quotes. Roberts was officially added to the Bowie roster today and is expected to play the whole game tonight. He is also expected to meet with reporters before and after the game, so there should be no shortage of B-Rob info coming your way later. Roberts played five games in the Gulf Coast...
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Tillman talk

Tillman talk
O's right-hander Chris Tillman will take the mound at Camden Yards tonight vs. Tampa. We'll see if he can follow up on his excellent outing before the break at Texas where he beat the Rangers and out-dueled Cliff Lee. He took a no-hitter in the seventh and gave up just two hits and a run over 7 1/3. It was his first start after going back to Triple-A for three starts. O's pitching coach Rick Kranitz said this time Tillman returned a more confident pitcher and one that can now rely on...
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Escobar with a Slam as Toronto completes sweep

Escobar with a Slam as Toronto completes sweep
The Orioles are still looking for their first win of the year vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. Yunel Escobar's first homer of the year was a second-inning Grand Slam off Brian Matusz, as the Jays whipped the O's 10-1 Sunday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep. Juan Samuel talks with the media following the Oriole's 10-1 loss to the Blue Jays The Jays are now 9-0 on this season vs. the Orioles and have won three straight series vs. Baltimore for the first time since they won four straight...
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Bell gets to play and someone special gets to watch

Bell gets to play and someone special gets to watch
Josh Bell is excited today. Not only is he making his fifth Major League start for the Orioles, but someone special gets to watch him play in person. "I get excited every time you get to play. My mom will be here today. She's been waiting to see me play in the big leagues since 2005 when I signed." Bell's mom made the trip to Camden Yards from her home in Florida. She got to see him play in person several times when he was in the minors. "She was a bit of a roadie, usually got to...
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Jays top Birds to improve to 8-0 vs. the Orioles

Jays top Birds to improve to 8-0 vs. the Orioles
The Toronto Blue Jays did two things Saturday night that they have been doing a lot this season. They hit two more home runs and once again, they beat the Orioles, as their pitching staff, as usual this season, held the O's hitters in check. Toronto is now 8-0 vs. the Orioles on the year after their 3-2 win in front of 28,518 at the Yard. Juan Samuel talks with the media after the O's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays Major League homer leader Jose Bautista hit number 25, a two-run shot off Jason...
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Bundy and Britton putting up zeroes

Bundy and Britton putting up zeroes
Surely, I will jinx them by writing this once again, but the Delmarva Shorebirds are getting good starting pitching again tonight, so far. Righty Bobby Bundy has put up four scoreless this evening vs. West Virginia. Delmarva starting pitchers have now allowed just 3 ER over 63 2/3 innings over the last 11 games. In his last start, Bundy gave up just two hits and two runs that were unearned over six frames. Meanwhile, Zach Britton is making his third Triple-A start for Norfolk tonight. He...
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MacPhail's Q&A with the season ticket holders

MacPhail's Q&A with the season ticket holders
O's president Andy MacPhail had his latest "state of the Orioles" address for the club's season ticket holders at the ballpark on Saturday afternoon. Here is an excerpt of some of the questions he got, topics that were addressed and his answers. MacPhail was asked about the plan to rebuild with youth. Is he staying the course with that or does he now have to go in a different direction? "I think you have tried the band aid approach here. I just don't see anyway in the American League...
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