Notes on Young and Schoop before Game 3 of ALDS

Notes on Young and Schoop before Game 3 of ALDS
DETROIT - The weather this morning seems better suited for November baseball. The Orioles should be able to chill the champagne and beer without ice. They're one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1997. The elements and early start times don't faze them. It's business as usual for a team that won 96 games during the regular season and took the division by 12, yet remains an underdog and an inexplicable success story to so...
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Jones: "We tee high and let it fly"

Jones: "We tee high and let it fly"
DETROIT - No matter where a series shifts in the playoffs, the Orioles are going to remain the same. They will continue to be aggressive at the plate, regardless of the situation. And they make no apologies for it. "You just let it go, man," said center fielder Adam Jones before heading outside to take his swings in batting practice. "You've seen us all year. We tee high and let it fly. That's been our motto. Sometimes it's good, sometimes we look crazy for six, seven innings, but...
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Notes on the Game 3 lineup, defense at third base, Davis and more

Notes on the Game 3 lineup, defense at third base, Davis and more
DETROIT - Now that we know the Orioles' starter for Game 3 of the American League Division Series, we can start playing around with the lineup that will face Tigers left-hander David Price. It appears that Ryan Flaherty will make another start at third base despite the presence of a southpaw on the mound. Manager Buck Showalter trusts Flaherty's defense. Also, left-handers are batting .258 against Price this season and right-handers are hitting .234. Flaherty batted .288 in September and he...
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Norris: "There's nothing holding me back"

Norris: "There's nothing holding me back"
DETROIT - Bud Norris was told yesterday on the flight to Detroit that he would start Game 3 of the American League Division Series. "Going into the postseason, we knew that anything was possible, and Buck (Showalter) said for all of us to be ready," Norris said. "He said he wanted to move things around and said, 'You got the ball in Game 3.' And I got excited and came prepared for tomorrow." Norris will be appearing in his first playoff game with a chance to pitch the Orioles into the...
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Showalter on decision to start Norris in Game 3

Showalter on decision to start Norris in Game 3
DETROIT - The Orioles are taking batting practice this afternoon at Comerica Park while also braving the cold. Temperatures have dipped into the 40s and players are wearing hooded sweatshirts. Executive vice president Dan Duquette is sporting the Orioles wool cap that was given to fans at a recent game. We learned today that Bud Norris will start Game 3 on Sunday afternoon. Manager Buck Showalter indicated yesterday that Miguel Gonzalez would take the mound, saying, "It would be fairly safe...
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Norris to start Game 3 (plus ALCS ticket info)

Norris to start Game 3 (plus ALCS ticket info)
DETROIT - Right-hander Bud Norris is now listed as the Orioles' starter for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday at Comerica Park. Manager Buck Showalter indicated yesterday that Miguel Gonzalez would start the contest while Norris would be in the bullpen and was likely to start Game 4 on Monday, if needed. Gonalez said he was told Friday that he would start Game 4 if the O's don't clinch with Norris starting Game 3. Norris and Showalter will meet with reporters this...
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Adam Jones on key hit by pitch, playing in Detroit and other O's notes

Adam Jones on key hit by pitch, playing in Detroit and other O's notes
It started with an errant pitch. A pitcher missed his spot by several inches and hit a batter. When Joba Chamberlain plunked Adam Jones with one out and no one on in the eighth inning yesterday, it was the start of a big Orioles rally. It was a big mistake by Chamberlain. You can't hit a batter to fuel a rally leading by three with no one on base. Down 6-3, the Orioles went on to score four times, the last three on Delmon Young's pinch-hit, bases-loaded double as the O's comeback stunned...
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A look at some heroes from first two ALDS games for O's

A look at some heroes from first two ALDS games for O's
You want a real unsung hero from the first two games of the American League Division Series? How about Orioles third base coach Bobby Dickerson? He had aggressive sends of Alejandro De Aza in the eighth inning Thursday night and J.J. Hardy in the eighth yesterday. Both players scored critical runs in what were, at the time, close games. When you coach third and a runner gets cut down at home, the fans notice and are often critical and questioning of the move. So Dickerson should get some props...
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Rest of ALDS times announced, Guilmet traded

Rest of ALDS times announced, Guilmet traded
If the Orioles can't close out the American League Division Series on Sunday, you'll need to know the starting times for Game 4 and a possible Game 5. Game 4 on Monday at Comerica Park will begin at 12:07 p.m. unless the Royals sweep the Angels in the other Division Series. If that happens, the Orioles and Tigers will start up at 1:37 p.m. Either way, the baseball gods are testing the Orioles' ability to win day games. Game 5 on Wednesday at Camden Yards would begin at 5:37 p.m. if the...
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Zach Britton on last of eighth and top of ninth (plus other clubhouse quotes)

Zach Britton on last of eighth and top of ninth (plus other clubhouse quotes)
Zach Britton admitted that for a brief moment today, he was like a fan. While he was warming up in the last of the eighth inning Delmon Young came to bat. Seconds later, Young lined a pitch into left field to score three runs and give the Orioles a 7-6 lead. Britton let out a cheer in the bullpen and then realized now he was going into the game and it would be a save situation in the ninth. So it was an interesting few minutes for the O's closer. He took a moment to notice how crazy the...
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Delmon Young talks about his pinch-hit, three-run double

Delmon Young talks about his pinch-hit, three-run double
Delmon Young was asked if it was Orioles magic. "Magic is the word to use, but we are just trying to beat a very good ballclub in Detroit," Young said. "We did it yesterday and we've been doing it all year against teams in our division. When we get guys on, we feel like we can win. "They gave us an opportunity with (Adam) Jones getting hit by the pitch. Nelson (Cruz) and (Steve) Pearce came through with base hits, so we had the opportunity." Made it sound simple anyway. But Young...
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Ausmus after Game 2 loss: "If we have a lead in the eighth inning Sunday, we're going to have to find somebody"

Ausmus after Game 2 loss: "If we have a lead in the eighth inning Sunday, we're going to have to find somebody"
After again watching his bullpen let the Orioles post a big eighth inning to cement a Division Series win, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus didn't know how he'd handle a lead going forward with his club one game away from being eliminated. For the second straight game, Joba Chamberlain and Joakim Soria simply couldn't record outs. Handed a three-run lead in the eighth, the late-inning duo combined to surrender four runs on three hits and a walk in their combined one inning of work. In Game 1 a...
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O's game blog: It's Chen against Verlander in Game 2

O's game blog: It's Chen against Verlander in Game 2
Since the Orioles moved to Baltimore in 1954, their postseason winning percentage of .588 (50-35) ranks second in the majors behind only Miami at .667 (22-11). The Orioles look to add to that here this afternoon. According to ESPN Stats & Info, since 1995, 61 percent of teams that won Game 1 of a Division Series went on to win the series. And 12 of the last 14 Game 1 winners went on to advance. The last 13 teams to take a 2-0 lead went on to win the Division Series. After pitching well in...
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Markakis on early game, first playoff experience and Orioles fans

Markakis on early game, first playoff experience and Orioles fans
The Orioles may not have the most speed in the majors, but they're used to fast turnarounds. They're back at Camden Yards this morning for a 12:07 p.m. start in Game 2 of the Division Series. Sleeping fast, as manager Buck Showalter advises, may have included a few players spending the night here. Showalter's been known through the years to crash in his office - he had a Murphy bed in Arizona - but he wouldn't admit whether it happened last night. Right fielder Nick Markakis figures...
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Tigers J.D. Martinez: "It's just one loss" (updated)

Tigers J.D. Martinez: "It's just one loss" (updated)
During his Game 2 American League Division Series pregame press conference at Camden Yards this morning, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he would not know if outfielder Rajai Davis would play today until after batting practice. Davis has been hampered since Saturday by a ligament sprain in the pelvic area. He played last night, going 1-for-3 but was pinch hit for in the ninth inning. Update: Davis is in the lineup for Game 2, batting ninth in center field. Ausmus talked about his team...
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Operation October: ALDS Game 2

Operation October: ALDS Game 2
*We'll be updating this entry all day, so keep scrolling and check back often! REMINDER: We'll be covering the Birds on the road, so be sure to check out Operation October daily for insider's access throughout the team's postseason run! 10 a.m. - About last night Game 1 was fun, right? Let's do it all over again today! The gates are open and we're two hours away from first pitch. Can the Orioles carry last night's offensive momentum into today? (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs =...
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Gonzalez will start Game 3, Joseph catching today

Gonzalez will start Game 3, Joseph catching today
Miguel Gonzalez is scheduled to start Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday in Detroit. Gonzalez won't be in the bullpen today unless there's an emergency. Bud Norris is available in relief today and is expected to start Game 4 if necessary. As for today's lineup, the only change is Caleb Joseph behind the plate. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Alejandro De Aza LF Adam Jones CF Nelson Cruz DH Steve Pearce 1B J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 3B Caleb Joseph C Jonathan Schoop...
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Jonathan Schoop talks about playing in his first playoff game

Jonathan Schoop talks about playing in his first playoff game
Well, the kid got off to a good start in the first major league playoff game of his life. Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop went 2-for-4 last night. He singled in the second inning in his first postseason at-bat and then added a two-run double in the eight-run eighth. Schoop ended the regular season batting just .109 (6-for-55) over his last 20 games with one homer and two RBIs. He'll take the hits but he loved the win. "I felt really good to get a few hits and to help the team win....
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Andrew Miller on playoff bullpen usage and other notes and quotes from the Game 1 win

Andrew Miller on playoff bullpen usage and other notes and quotes from the Game 1 win
The 1966 Orioles didn't do it. Neither did the great teams from 1969, '70 and '71. Or the 1983 World Series champs. None of them scored 12 runs in a playoff game. The Orioles' previous best was 11 runs four times before last night's 12-3 win over Detroit in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. The last time the O's scored 11 runs was Oct. 7, 1983 in Game 3 at the White Sox in the AL Championship Series. That date is also notable for this reason: The Orioles won that game 11-1...
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Third base not an issue for Orioles in Game 1

Third base not an issue for Orioles in Game 1
After committing seven errors at third base in their final 10 games of the regular season, the Orioles were flawless in the field yesterday in the opener of the American League Division Series. Try to figure out baseball. I dare you. Ryan Flaherty didn't burn his fingers on the hot corner. He made every play, including a clean grab of Torii Hunter's bouncer with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth. He also walked and collected an RBI single in an eight-run eighth inning. Flaherty...
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