Post-game Notes: O's whip Blue Jays

Post-game Notes:  O's whip Blue Jays
The offense returns - Coming into tonight's game, the O's had scored just seven runs over the last three games and 13 runs over the last five. They matched the five-game output with 13 runs tonight. The O's had just four extra-base hits over the last three games. Tonight they got two doubles and three homers. The O's went 14 for 38 at bat and 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Three players had multi-RBI nights. It was the most O's runs since they scored 13 August 28th vs....
Continue reading

The final Saturday: Toronto at Orioles

The final Saturday:  Toronto at Orioles
Game Preview Toronto (75-85) at Orioles (62-98) Who could have predicted that Chris Waters and Michael Aubrey would be heroes in back-to-back O's wins following a 13-game losing streak? But after Waters pitched the O's to a win Thursday, Aubrey slugged the O's to victory Friday night in the first game of the last series of the year. Aubrey homered twice, hit his first Major League Grand Slam and drove in six runs as the O's beat Toronto 13-7 Friday.
Continue reading

Roberts talks about being named the MVO

Roberts talks about being named the MVO
Brian Roberts took time today to react to the news that he has been named Most Valuable Oriole for the second time. He also won the award in 2005. "It's something you don't set out to accomplish, that's not your goal. But we had some guys that had some good years on this team. I don't even know who picks it, but it's something humbling and very much appreciated." The Louis M. Hatter MVO award is voted on by local media that regularly cover the team. Nick Markakis finished second in...
Continue reading

Tonight's pitchers: Hendrickson vs. Richmond

Tonight's pitchers:  Hendrickson vs. Richmond
LHP Mark Hendrickson (5-5, 4.38) tonight makes his 53rd appearance and his 11th start of this season, his 6th start at home and the 13th of his career vs. Toronto. In three starts since moving back into the rotation on September 17, Hendrickson is 0-1, 4.11. Over the last two starts he has given up 5ER over 12 innings with all five runs scoring on solo homers. In six games, three starts in Septmber, Hendrickson is 0-1, 3.32.
Continue reading

Looking for a three-game win streak

Looking for a three-game win streak
Can anyone remember the Orioles' last three-game win streak? A win tonight, and they lead 5-2 after four frames, would make three in a row. They have gone this whole second-half without a three-game streak. They went all of July without one. You have to go back to June 17-21st when the O's won five straight, for the last streak of three or more wins. That's over three months and 91 games ago. The O's won the last two games of a home series with the Mets, then swept three at Philly for...
Continue reading

A three-game win streak! O's top Jays

A three-game win streak!  O's top Jays
Mark Hendrickson picked up his first win as a starter since April 10th as the Orioles beat Toronto 6-3 Saturday night in front of 23,254 at Camden Yards. The O's improved to 63-98 with the win to guarantee they will avoid a 100-loss season. The O's now have their first three-game win streak in over 90 games. The last streak of three or more wins was a five-game streak from June 17-21.
Continue reading

Hendrickson makes a good final impression

Hendrickson makes a good final impression
Last night Michael Aubrey stated his case to be an Oriole in 2010. Over the last month or so, Mark Hendrickson has been doing the same thing. He got the win Saturday night, giving up six hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings vs. Toronto. Hendrickson is now 6-5, 4.37. Since September first, in seven games, four starts, he is 1-1, 3.55
Continue reading

Post-game Notes: O's double up Toronto

Post-game Notes:  O's double up Toronto
On the Mark - Mark Hendrickson got the win in his first start of this year, on April 10th vs. Tampa. Tonight, in his 11th start, he picked up his second win as a starter. Hendrickson, now 6-5, 4.37, pitched 6 1/3 and gave up six hits and three runs. He threw 90 pitches, 55 for strikes. In four starts since he re-joined the rotation on September 17th, he is 1-1, 4.15. In six games since September 1st, he is 1-1, 3.55. He has now recorded three straight quality starts.
Continue reading

The final game: Toronto at Orioles

The final game:  Toronto at Orioles
Game Preview Toronto (75-86) at Orioles (63-98) Now that they won't end this season losing, say, 20 games in a row or with 100 losses, what's left for the O's to play for in today's 2009 finale? Probably the chance to end the year on a four-game win streak and with a series sweep of Toronto. Today, at 1:35 p.m. the O's host the Blue Jays in the final game of this season. Jeremy Guthrie (10-17, 5.05) faces lefty Ricky Romero (13-9, 4.26).
Continue reading

Today's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Romero

Today's pitchers:  Guthrie vs. Romero
RHP Jeremy Guthrie (10-17, 5.05) today makes his 33rd start of this season, his 17th at home and the 11th in his career vs. Toronto. Over his last four starts, Guthrie is 0-4, 5.68. In the previous four starts, he went 3-1, 1.33. He leads the American League in losses, earned runs allowed and homers allowed. Guthrie's 17 losses is five more than his previous career high. It ranks him tied for 6th in all-time single season losses by an O's pitcher. A loss today would move him into a tie...
Continue reading

Checking on the numbers

Checking on the numbers
Brian Roberts got his 30th stolen base in the first inning - check. A couple of batters later, Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer to up his RBI total to 101 - check. Jeremy Guthrie has pitched through the 6th and needs to 7 2/3 innings to hit 200 for his career high - no check yet.
Continue reading

O's win 5-4 in 11 innings in season finale

O's win 5-4 in 11 innings in season finale
What a wacky way to end a season. With runners on first and second and no outs in the last of the 11th, Jeff Fiorentino dropped a sac bunt. Pitcher Brandon League's throw was low and skipped off the first baseman's glove, allowing Michael Aubrey to score from second with the winning run. The O's celebrated an 11-inning, 5-4 walk off win over Toronto.
Continue reading

Season finale post-game notes and quotes

Season finale post-game notes and quotes
It's over now - The O's ended the season with a three-game sweep and four-game win streak. They finished 64 and 98. They went 39-42 at home and 25-56 on the road. They ended up 24-48 vs. the AL East. They went 6-20 in September and 4-0 in October. The three-game sweep was the O's first since taking three at Philly June 19-21. It was their second three-game sweep vs. Toronto after taking three from the Jays May 25-27. The O's and Toronto each won nine games in the season series,...
Continue reading

MacPhail speak

MacPhail speak
An added bonus in having Andy MacPhail running the Orioles baseball operations is that we are all getting to learn a new baseball vocabulary. On Andy's watch, the O's don't call up players from the minors, they "introduce" them to the bigs. Major Leagues meet Matt Wieters, Matt meet the Majors. Brian Matusz meet the show, show here's Brian, good luck trying to hit his changeup. The 2009 Orioles made plenty of introductions that all should lead to some improvement in 2010.
Continue reading

A matter of leadership

A matter of leadership
Dave Trembley was asked about leadership. What makes a leader? Do the Orioles have one? "Leadership is not what you say it's what you do. The way you go about it, the ability to offer suggestions or make corrections with younger players. Leadership is a presence. It's reliability, it's etched in stone like concrete. It's day in and day out, what you stand for." He provided an example from this year where he felt Brian Roberts showed leadership.
Continue reading

O's get little recognition on Baseball America's top 20 lists

O's get little recognition on Baseball America's top 20 lists
Should O's fans be concerned that Baseball America has released its top 20 prospects for five leagues where O's have affiliates and just three O's players have been mentioned? RHP Matt Hobgood was named the 4th best prospect in the Appalachian League while LHP Brian Matusz was rated number two and LHP Zach Britton as the 15th best prospect in the Carolina League. The O's had none of the top 20 prospects in the Gulf Coast League, the South Atlantic League or the New York-Penn League.
Continue reading

O's sign player from Guatemala

O's sign player from Guatemala
His name is Manuel Hernandez and the 17-year-old is the first player the Orioles have ever signed from the country of Guatemala. He has played outfield and infield for his national team and was signed last Friday by the O's during a ceremony that made big news in his homeland. No player from Guatemala has ever made the Major Leauges and Hernandez is just the seventh to ever sign with a big league club. He is a 6'1", 170-pound right handed hitter and thrower.
Continue reading

What's next for Billy Rowell?

What's next for Billy Rowell?
Billy Rowell, the 9th pick in the first-round of the 2006 draft, is becoming a bit of a problem for the O's organization. His stats are declining each season. Worse yet, some Keys' observers this year questioned his effort and work ethic. Others said he was far from the most popular player in the clubhouse. Somewhere amidst all of this there is massive power potential that remains untapped. He has hit just 16 homers in two full seasons in the Carolina League.
Continue reading

Tillman talk (plus Eastern League rankings)

Tillman talk (plus Eastern League rankings)
Chris Tillman said the 2009 season was quite a special one for him. It began with him as a Triple-A rookie at the age of 20 and ended with the 21-year-old Tillman picking up Major League wins vs. the Angels and Yankees. "I've grown a lot," Tillman said. "Coming into this season, I didn't have much of a changeup, didn't have much of a clue about how to hold runners on. I had only Double-A time. I've come far with my changeup. I've come farther than I expected to this year." After...
Continue reading

David Stockstill comments on his new role

David Stockstill comments on his new role
The Orioles announced today that David Stockstill will officially begin in his new position as the club's director of international scouting on April 5th. Stockstill, who has headed up the O's minor league operations since November of 2004, is in Florida now and will remain there through early April to help setup the club's minor league rosters. In his new role, David will oversee all the club's international operations, including scouting in the Far East, Latin America and beyond. He...
Continue reading