One vote for Matusz

One vote for Matusz
So the Orioles are considering Brian Matusz to make Tuesday's start in Detroit in the place of the injured Brad Bergesen. I don't have a vote, but in this blog I do. I sign off big time on that move. And, it's not just because I've seen him pitch three or four times in person this year and his stuff has looked great. It's because his maturity and poise appear off the charts as well. Matusz can handle it. Plus, his pitches sure look Major League quality. In seven starts at Bowie,...
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Tonight's pitchers: Hernandez vs. Beckett

Tonight's pitchers:  Hernandez vs. Beckett
RHP David Hernandez (3-2, 3.20) tonight will make his 8th start of this year, his 3rd at home and his 2nd in a row vs. the Boston Red Sox. Hernandez is coming off back-to-back very strong starts at Yankee Stadium (one run, six innings) and Fenway Park (one run, seven innings). In those two games he pitched 13 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs for a 1.38 ERA. Over his last four starts, he is 2-0, 2.45. The four starts were all on the road at Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and...
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Updating Hobgood, Bell and Johnson

Updating Hobgood, Bell and Johnson
O's top draft pick Matt Hobgood made his third start at Bluefield tonight. For the third time in a row, he gave up runs. In two innings vs. Johnson City, the right-hander allowed six hits and three runs (two earned). In five innings on the year, he has allowed nine hits and four earned runs for an ERA of 7.20. He was scheduled to throw about 50 pitches. Hobgood pitched on eight days rest tonight, but I'm told he is fine physically. The club just wanted to give him longer between starts...
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That's why

That's why
Watching David Hernandez struggle to keep his pitch count down tonight vs. Boston, it is easy to understand why the Orioles did not want Chris Tillman's second start to come vs. the Red Sox. Hernandez, making his 8th start, certainly struggled with his command, but the Sox are just a relentless bunch in that lineup and work the count so well. The O's made a wise choice to have Tillman's second start come Monday vs. Detroit on the road. That is no picnic, but I like his chances better that...
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Beckett and Sox blank O's, 4-0

Beckett and Sox blank O's, 4-0
Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis hit solo homers to back the seven innings of scoreless pitching of Josh Beckett as the Red Sox blanked the Orioles 4-0 Saturday night. The crowd of 49,384 was the 4th largest in Camden Yards history and second sellout of the season. Beckett, now 13-4, 3.27, gave up six hits in his seven shutout frames with two walks and five strikeouts. He threw 107 pitches and is 6-2 in 12 career starts vs. Baltimore. He is the Major League's first 13-game winner. Over...
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Hernandez with his take on his start

Hernandez with his take on his start
Five days after holding the Red Sox to one run over seven innings at Fenway Park, O's right-hander David Hernandez was not able to duplicate that outing vs. Boston. "They made me work tonight. I made it hard on myself not throwing strikes early in the count. I had to use my fastball to try and get by," Hernandez said. He struggled with command early on and needed 50 pitches to get through the first two innings. On the night he gave up seven hits and two runs over 4 1/3 innings, throwing...
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Post-game and Minor League notes - Sox blank O's

Post-game and Minor League notes - Sox blank O's
O's hurler David Hernandez took the loss, giving up seven hits and two runs over 4 1/3 innings. He had four strikeouts and walks which helped elevate his pitch count. He had thrown 50 pitches after two innings and 92 after four. He finished with 102 pitches, just 57 for strikes. Hernandez had pitched to an ERA of 1.38 in his previous two outings at New York and Boston. The O's fall to 2-9 on the year vs. Boston, including a mark of 1-4 in Baltimore. They are 14-26 vs. the AL East and...
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Sunday baseball: Boston at Orioles

Sunday baseball:  Boston at Orioles
Game Preview Boston (61-42) at Orioles (44-59) After posting 6-5 and 4-0 wins over the Orioles this weekend, the Boston Red Sox can do something today no team has been able to do all year. That is sweep the Orioles three straight in Baltimore. The O's have been swept in three game series five times this year, but all came on the road. In April the O's lost four straight at Boston. The last time the Sox swept a three-game series at Baltimore was April 7-9, 2006. After the Birds had...
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Steve Johnson scheduled to start today

Steve Johnson scheduled to start today
Even though he didn't arrive at New Britain until after 8 p.m. last night, Steve Johnson is scheduled to take the ball and make his first Bowie Baysox start today. Johnson and Bowie take on New Britain today at 1:35 p.m. Johnson went 1-1, 1.69 in two starts at Double-A Chatanooga before Thursday's trade to the Orioles. At two levels this year in the Dodgers system, he made a combined 18 starts, going 9-5, 3.61. Josh Bell is now also with Bowie.
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Today's pitchers: Berken vs. Buchholz

Today's pitchers:  Berken vs. Buchholz
RHP Jason Berken (1-8, 6.21) today makes his 13th start of this season, his 8th at home and the 2nd of his career vs. Boston. Berken is 0-8 over his last 11 starts after winning his Major League debut, May 26th vs. Toronto. But he left with a lead in his last start, Tuesday vs. Kansas City. He gave up just two runs and six hits over six innings, but when KC tied the game in the 8th he was denied the victory. It was just his second quality start of the year. The Orioles are 2-10 in his 12...
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MacPhail comments on Matusz, Steve Johnson update (MacPhail audio)

MacPhail comments on Matusz, Steve Johnson update (MacPhail audio)
Neither Andy MacPhail or Dave Trembley have yet to confirm that Brian Matusz will be the Orioles' starting pitcher Tuesday at Detroit, but all signs point to that happening. Here are some quotes from MacPhail on this situaiton from today's Orioles Insider Roundtable Show heard on the O's Baltimore flagship station, 105.7 FM, the Fan. "Matusz is probably the most prepared of all minors leaguers (for a callup). That is the way we are likely to go. This is not necessarily through the rest...
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Sox bomb O's to sweep series

Sox bomb O's to sweep series
The Boston Red Sox scored 14 runs on 16 hits today. And, that was just in the first four innings. The Sox scored a season-high 18 runs while O's pitching allowed a season-high 23 hits in Boston's 18-10 win over the Orioles on Sunday afternoon. Boston sweeps the series and it's the first time all year the Orioles have been swept three strait at home. Boston scored four in the 1st, two in the 2nd, one in the 3rd and seven in the 4th in leading 14-6 after four frames. Part 1: Dave Trembley...
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Post-game Notes: Sox sweep O's

Post-game Notes:  Sox sweep O's
After scoring 10 runs on 24 hits in the first two games of this series, Boston produced 18 runs on 23 hits on Sunday. They ended the series with 28 runs on 47 hits. Boston's 18 runs and 23 hits are season highs. The O's staff actually allowed more runs once this year when Texas scored 19 vs. the O's on April 15th. The O's 23 hits allowed was a season-worst. In the first four innings of this game, Boston went 16 for 27 at bat. O's starters worked to an ERA of 10.22 in this series,...
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Now what for the O's and Mora?

Now what for the O's and Mora?
He's played ten years with the Orioles and in over 1,200 games. He is in the top ten all-time in some O's career offensive categories and it seemed that some year down the line he'd be headed to the Orioles Hall of Fame. But Sunday, with the MASN camera rolling and reporters scribbling notes as fast as they could, Melvin Mora took his biggest swing of this season - and burned a bridge along the way. I don't understand why he made the comments he did. Was he set off because David Ortiz...
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Take two for Tillman

Take two for Tillman
With his first start, and all the hype that went with it, now out of the way, Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight in Detroit for his second Major League start. "I feel like I'll be a lot more comfortable," Tillman said. "That first outing had a lot to do with nerves, trying to do too much. Now that I got my feet under me a little, I should do better. "I need to get my off-speed stuff over for strikes. Last outing, my changeup was okay early but fell off late in the game. I didn't...
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Series preview: O's at Detroit

Series preview:  O's at Detroit
Game Preview Orioles (44-60) at Detroit (54-49) With Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz expected to start the next two nights for the Orioles, the pressure is on that pair to restore order to Orioles' pitching. They'll take the mound in Detroit where tonight the O's and Tigers begin a four-game series. The Red Sox hit .395 over the weekend vs. O's pitchers with 28 runs on 47 hits. They capped a three-game sweep with Sunday's 23-hit, 18-10 victory. O's starters worked to an ERA of 10.22...
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Tonight's pitchers: Tillman vs. Verlander

Tonight's pitchers:  Tillman vs. Verlander
RHP Chris Tillman (0-0, 5.79) tonight makes his second career Major League start. Wednesday vs. Kansas City in his big league debut, Tillman gave up seven hits and three runs over 4 2/3 innings. He walked one with two strikeouts and threw 93 pitches. A late O's rally led to a 7-3 win and took Tillman off the hook for a loss. He gave up three solo homers to KC after allowing just one homer in his last six Triple-A starts. The 21-year-old right-hander was acquired by the O's from Seattle...
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Tigers with a walk-off win, 6-5 over the Orioles

Tigers with a walk-off win, 6-5 over the Orioles
Another night and another frustrating loss for the Orioles. Tigers outfielder Clete Thomas hit a solo homer to center with two outs in the last of the ninth off Danys Baez to give Detroit a 6-5, walk-off win over the Birds to start this four-game series. The O's and rookie Chris Tillman could not hold a 5-0 lead they gained in the top of the first inning. Gary and Buck interview Dave Trembley after the O's 6-5 loss to the Tigers For the second straight start, Tillman did not get a...
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Post-game Notes: O's lose series opener at Detroit

Post-game Notes:  O's lose series opener at Detroit
The O's current stretch of losing close games continued with Monday's 6-5, bottom of the ninth loss at Detroit. Nine of the Orioles last 12 losses have come by one or two runs. The O's fall to 11-14 in one-run games and have lost their past five one-run decisions. The Rookie - Rookie Chris Tillman did not get a decision again in his second Major League start. He gave up three runs in the first inning, but on the night allowed seven hits and five runs over six innings. Tillman threw 100...
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I'm not a scout, but......

I'm not a scout, but......
I'll pass along some thoughts here on Brian Matusz who will make his Major League debut for the Orioles tonight. I have seen Matusz pitch several times this year at both Frederick and Bowie. I don't see the game with the critical eye of a scout and can't quite project if what I saw of Matusz at Bowie will translate vs. big league hitters. I can just tell you what I saw first-hand. First off, don't expect Matusz to light up any radar guns. He throws 90, 91 mostly and I don't remember...
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