Guerrero back in cleanup spot (Berken injured)

Guerrero back in cleanup spot (Berken injured)
J.J. Hardy is batting leadoff tonight and Vladimir Guerrero has returned to cleanup. Robert Andino is batting seventh. His name has appeared in the seventh spot once this season, but he doesn't have an official at-bat. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Robert Andino 2B Nolan Reimold LF Josh Bell 3B Jo-Jo Reyes LHP Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Oakland that reliever Jason Berken has a sore...

The Orioles GCL and DSL teams clinched the playoffs, plus other notes

The Orioles GCL and DSL teams clinched the playoffs, plus other notes
Two Orioles' minor league teams clinched playoff berths today. The Orioles entry in the Dominican Summer League is headed to the playoffs and clinched its division with a record of 45-24. The DSL Orioles have the third best record in that 33-team league. In the DSL, six teams make the playoffs, the five division winners and a wild card team. Two teams get opening-round byes and the first two rounds are best of three series with the championship series a best of five-game set. The O's DSL...

Some stats, facts & notes as the O's take on the Angels

Some stats, facts & notes as the O's take on the Angels
Checking in with plenty of stats and notes as the Orioles begin a weekend series in Anaheim tonight against the Angels: *The Orioles have lost two in a row, five of seven, eight of 11 and 14 of their last 19 games. Since they were 30-31 on June 10, the Orioles are 17-43 over the last 60 games, a winning percentage of just .283 in that time. *The Orioles have won seven of their last nine games vs. the Angels. They went 6-0 last year against Los Angeles, sweeping the season series for the first...

Who's the MVO?

Who's the MVO?
Even the teams with the worst records in baseball name a Most Valuable Player. I think it's the law. In Baltimore, that honor is known as Most Valuable Oriole - or MVO if you'd like to save space. I'm always reminded of the year that the media bestowed that honor upon B.J. Surhoff. Reporters gathered at his locker after a game, seeking his reaction to the news. He looked up from his stool and said, "I know why you chose me. Cal's hurt and you hate Albert." An instant classic. We still...

Worth noting

Worth noting
Reliever

What makes a good draft?

What makes a good draft?
Here is a question I get a lot from fans about the baseball draft. What makes a good draft? How many of the Orioles' draft picks can be expected to make the major leagues? My experience has been that very few players make it and very, very few become stars. But I went to a great source with that question the other night on my radio show on 105.7 FM the Fan in Baltimore when I asked Jim Callis of Baseball America that question. What makes a good draft? "If you look at the percentages of the...

Can Reimold recapture 2009 form in season's final games?

Can Reimold recapture 2009 form in season's final games?
There are several players that need to step up their games and show what they can do in what is left of this Orioles season. One player I put in that category is outfielder Nolan Reimold. Reimold is finally getting to start just about every day in left field and he needs to start looking more like the player the Orioles saw in 2009 than what he has shown the past two years. In 2009 in 104 games, Reimold hit .279 with 15 homers, 45 RBIs and an .831 OPS in 358 at bats. He was the American...

James Baker: The ultimate back-alley dice game

James Baker: The ultimate back-alley dice game
Otherwise known as the Major League Baseball draft. The Orioles just completed what many are calling a very successful draft. It seems to me that the draft has only been getting serious mainstream attention over the last three, maybe four years, I don't remember the draft being televised or dissected as much when I was younger. Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing and a byproduct of the wondrous age of information in which we all live. Not to mention that baseball is trying to get in on...

What are we saying about Simon? (Orioles lose 6-5)

What are we saying about Simon? (Orioles lose 6-5)
In his last three starts, Alfredo Simon has gone 4 2/3, 5 2/3 and 5 1/3 innings. He's allowed four earned runs, four earned runs (six total) and five earned runs (six total). He's also served up four home runs in those three games. Simon will get another loss today unless the Orioles rally from a 6-4 deficit in the eighth inning. He didn't bring his best stuff, as evidenced by the two homers he surrendered to Kurt Suzuki, the eight hits, two walks, hit batter and pitch count that...

Your incremental Davis update

Your incremental Davis update
First baseman Chris Davis had his right shoulder examined earlier today by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who has cleared his schedule in case the Orioles need him. Yocum confirmed the original diagnosis that Davis has a small tear in his right shoulder. The plan for now is to have Davis rehab it rather than undergo surgery. Davis was placed on the 15-day disabled list after being scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of continuing soreness in the shoulder. At that moment, doubts rose whether Davis...

Your incremental Roberts update

Your incremental Roberts update
I'm not a big fan of incremental updates that don't really advance a story, but it's been a slow day and I feel guilty for posting only one entry, so here's a little something for you. Try to control your breathing and not be overcome by the excitement. Second baseman Brian Roberts made another visit yesterday to Dr. Michael Collins, who's billed as a sports-concussion specialist. I've never read his business card, but I assume that title appears on it. I'm told by a team official that...

Another losing series for the Orioles after loss at Oakland

Another losing series for the Orioles after loss at Oakland
It's one to thing to lose a game, but yet another to look bad and greatly contribute to your own demise. The Orioles did that today at Oakland. Buck Showalter talks to Jim Hunter about the Orioles' loss in Oakland A few things went wrong in their 6-5 loss at Oakland: * After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Alfredo Simon and his defense gave it right back as Oakland scored three in the last of the first. That rally included Nolan Reimold misplaying the ball on a line to drive...

O's third-round pick got his feet wet at Aberdeen before moving to Delmarva

O's third-round pick got his feet wet at Aberdeen before moving to Delmarva
It was during the third round of the First-Year Player Draft in June and East Carolina pitcher

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles have a day off in Anaheim before beginning a three-game series tomorrow night against the Angels. Maybe a few players will head over to Disneyland, which would be an appropriate place for them, considering that (insert your own joke here). The rotation is an absolute mess again, which is reason No. 1 why this season swirled down the drain. Jeremy Guthrie's bothered by some stiffness in his right shoulder. The club doesn't think it's serious, which means he'll probably have...

Heath Bintliff: Orioles not cleaning up

Heath Bintliff: Orioles not cleaning up
Everywhere I turn, it seems the Orioles are setting some new standard for futility. Today, it is on the offensive side and a spot in the order that a couple of offseason signings were supposed to upgrade: cleanup hitter. Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero was signed because he was a proven cleanup hitter, a run producer with a long track record. Guerrero, along with first baseman Derrek Lee, were to provide lineup protection, protection that was (at least according to many fans) to allow...

With a win Wednesday afternoon, the Orioles can pick up an elusive series victory

With a win Wednesday afternoon, the Orioles can pick up an elusive series victory
After Tuesday night's loss at Oakland, the Orioles play the A's this afternoon and a win would give them their first series win in nearly two months and their first road series win in more than three months. The Orioles' last win in any series was when they took two of three from the Reds at home June 24-26. Since then, they have lost 11 series and tied one. During that stretch, the Orioles have won the first game of the series three times, but they lost every other game in those three...

Delmonico is a kid from a baseball family

Delmonico is a kid from a baseball family
I wanted to let you in on a few other quotes and notes about Nicky Delmonico from my interview with him yesterday. He is the Orioles' sixth-round pick from Farragut High in Knoxville, Tenn. that signed just before Monday's deadline, accepting a $1.525 signing bonus from the O's and giving up his scholarship to play college ball and join his brother at Georgia. Giving up that size of a bonus, clearly the Orioles deemed Delmonico as a first-round talent, and he got more money than did 10...

Frederick outfielder Trent Mummey unlikely to return this season

Frederick outfielder Trent Mummey unlikely to return this season
Outfielder Trent Mummey of the Single-A Frederick Keys had an MRI on his injured hamstring that has kept him out since June 8 and he has not recovered well enough to return this year with just a few weeks left in the minor league season. The 22-year-old Mummey was the club's fourth-round draft pick last year out of Auburn and will wind up having played just 29 games this season. He hit .291 to start the year in 14 games with Single-A Delmarva with two homers and 12 RBIs. After moving to...

The GCL Orioles are closing in on a division title

The GCL Orioles are closing in on a division title
If the Orioles lose today and fail to win another series after taking the first game of the set, the fans' frustration level will just ratchet up again. It would make me want to be a caller, not the host, on my radio show tonight and vent a little. You can call in and do that tonight on Baltimore Baseball Tonight postgame from 10 p.m. to midnight on 105.7 FM the Fan in Baltimore. A couple of more quick notes from the minors: The Orioles squad in the Gulf Coast League is closing in on its...

Guerrero seeing doubles (updated twice)

Guerrero seeing doubles (updated twice)
Vladimir Guerrero has collected three doubles in the past two games, the most recent coming today in the first inning. A run scored as Guerrero found another gap in the Athletics' outfield, increasing the Orioles' lead to 2-0 before starter Alfredo Simon had thrown a pitch. Before arriving in Oakland, Guerrero hadn't registered a double since Aug. 4 in Kansas City. He totaled only one since July 30. Guerrero is 9-for-21 with seven RBIs since Aug. 11. Could moving down one spot in the...