orioles

Roberts tweets update

July 07, 2011, 2:43pm

Orioles

Brian Roberts tweeted earlier today that he's been taking swings in the cage "the past few days." I was told that Roberts will be re-evaluated by Dr. Michael Collins next Wednesday in Pittsburgh, which is a longer wait than I expected. Roberts is hoping to be cleared for full baseball activities. Swinging a bat represents progress, considering that he had been limited to playing catch and tracking pop ups, along with his conditioning program. Manager Buck Showalter indicated that Alfredo...

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Show up early Saturday

April 22, 2011, 7:16pm

Orioles

The Orioles are anticipating a large walk-up crowd for tomorrow's 7:05 p.m. game against the Yankees, so you'll want to plan accordingly if you're purchasing tickets or risk being stuck in a long line. If you had my level of patience, you would have camped out overnight. All points of sale will be open at Camden Yards, but the large turnout creates the possibility of significant wait times. The club is advising fans to stop by the box offices in the morning or early-to-mid afternoon to buy...

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Tillman skipped in rotation

April 22, 2011, 2:39pm

Orioles

Brad Bergesen will make tomorrow's start against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia, and Jake Arrieta will start Sunday's finale. Chris Tillman is being skipped in the rotation because of a sore groin muscle, according to manager Buck Showalter. Tillman apparently felt good enough to pitch Sunday, but tonight's postponement allows him to gain additional rest. He can pitch in relief if needed. Following Monday's open date on the schedule, the rotation for the series against the Red Sox...

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Showalter on Gonzalez

April 22, 2011, 1:33pm

Orioles

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is trying to use struggling left-hander Michael Gonzalez in less-pressurized situations, though it's not an easy proposition. Gonzalez has allowed runs in five of his six appearances, and home runs in back-to-back outings. Gonzalez isn't pitching as well as he'd like, of course, and "he's not pitching as well as I want him to, too," Showalter said. "He's still going to pitch. In the American League, you don't have somebody down there who doesn't pitch...

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Showalter on Izturis, random notes

April 22, 2011, 12:50pm

Orioles

As I wrote in my last entry, shortstop Cesar Izturis is expected to start tomorrow night. He hasn't been in the lineup since April 17. Izturis is the type of individual who won't sulk while he's sitting. He's also available to counsel Robert Andino. "As advertised, as we thought," manager Buck Showalter said. "It was a good move for us. Izzy's like having a seventh coach. He gets it, he understands the game. He's going to do this for a long time when he quits playing. He's going to...

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Matusz and Simon updates, Yankees lineup

April 22, 2011, 12:24pm

Orioles

Matusz and Simon updates, Yankees lineup

Left-hander Brian Matusz threw from 120 feet on flat ground today and didn't report any pain related to his left intercostal muscle. He'll throw again on Sunday, with a slightly more aggressive approach, and progress to two mound sessions at Camden Yards if he doesn't experience any setbacks. Matusz is slated to throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. He could return to the minor league complex in Sarasota after the homestand, which would enable him to throw in nicer weather. The...

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No offense, no relief

April 21, 2011, 8:10pm

Orioles

The offense is back. Or it isn't. Pick a night. The Orioles scored 16 runs in their last two games before last night, but Scott Baker shut them out for seven innings, and they managed only one run on Vladimir Guerrero's infield hit off Jim Hoey. It's especially disturbing when you consider that they didn't score after the third inning in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory. That's one run in 14 innings. The No. 2 hitter, Nick Markakis is batting .203. No. 3 hitter Derrek Lee is batting...

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Guthrie and Roberts on tonight's game

April 21, 2011, 6:34pm

Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie turned in another quality start, but he wasn't satisfied, saying he was "outpitched" by Minnesota's Scott Baker and took the loss. "I didn't make the big pitches where I needed to," he said. "It's a reoccurring thing and it's not good enough, not good enough tonight, not good enough last time, not good enough the time before. So we'll work on it, try to get better, make better pitches." At least Guthrie has his health. "I felt much stronger today than I felt the...

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Postgame Showalter

April 21, 2011, 6:19pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter spent about five minutes taking questions from reporters after tonight's 3-1 loss to the Twins. On Jeremy Guthrie: "His health, he's turned the corner. He's in good shape. He gave us a real chance to win. Deserves a better fate. Just ran up against a guy who was as good as he was tonight, and maybe a little better. Got a changeup out over the plate to (Jim) Thome. And we just didn't put much together offensively. We didn't square up many balls at all. We knew...

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Guthrie done after seven (updated w/ final score)

April 21, 2011, 5:05pm

Orioles

Guthrie done after seven (updated w/ final score)

Jeremy Guthrie deserved better than leaving tonight's game with a 2-0 deficit. Guthrie allowed two runs and seven hits, walked none and struck out four. He also hit two batters. He threw 104 pitches, 68 for strikes. His only clean inning was the first, but he kept batting. Unfortunately for the Orioles, Scott Baker has suffocated the Orioles' offense with seven shutout innings and only four hits allowed. He's struck out nine batters. Speaking of being stingy, Guthrie has surrendered two...

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Guthrie through the third (updated)

April 21, 2011, 3:45pm

Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie has made one mistake tonight, and he's trailing, 1-0, because of it. Jim Thome homered to center field with one out in the second inning, upping his career total to 591. Thome was batting .163 with one homer, five RBIs and a .279 slugging percentage. Guthrie also allowed a two-out single to Denard Span in the third. He's thrown 38 pitches, 26 for strikes, and his fastball has topped out at 94 mph. Twins starter Scott Baker, looking for his first victory of 2011, retired the...

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Taking a walk with Lee

April 21, 2011, 2:47pm

Orioles

Derrek Lee has two RBIs this season, and they both came on April 6, when he hit his only home run of the season. He's carrying a .206 average that's been dragged down, in part, by his 2-for-11 stretch in this series. At least he's been patient. Lee has nine of the Orioles' 42 walks to lead the club in that category. Is Lee going through an adjustment period after switching leagues? "I think there's some of that, too," manager Buck Showalter said. "I think we lose sight of that, but...

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Matusz on the mend

April 21, 2011, 12:54pm

Orioles

Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz says he's been pain-free for six or seven days after a minor setback, and he's ready to take the next steps in his progression toward a return to the rotation. Matusz reported to Camden Yards today after a stint at the minor league complex in Sarasota, where he's been rehabbing a strained intercostal muscle. He'll remain here for the rest of the homestand. What happens next is anybody's guess. "I feel really good," he said. "I played catch three days in a...

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Second look at second guesses

April 21, 2011, 2:46am

Orioles

After scoring 20 runs during their eight-game losing streak, the Orioles have totaled 16 in the last two nights. That's why it doesn't pay to panic. It's a 162-game season. The bats were bound to heat up. Nick Markakis went 2-for-4 after falling into a 1-for-20 slump. Vladimir Guerrero became the first Oriole to homer in consecutive games. Just when I started to get used to Matt Wieters producing loud outs and looping base hits, he's now producing loud hits. He's driving the ball with...

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Postgame Showalter

April 20, 2011, 6:14pm

Orioles

Manager Buck Showalter had no doubt that Denard Span's fly ball with two outs in the ninth would stay on the right side of the fence. He just wasn't sure whether it would actually hit the fence. "I thought at the very worst it would be off the wall," Showalter said following the Orioles' 5-4 victory over the Twins. "I'm glad he didn't hit it two hours earlier. The ball was flying. It was a weird wind earlier, so we were fortunate." Buck Showalter meets with the media to discuss the...

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Gregg saves the night

April 20, 2011, 5:27pm

Orioles

Kevin Gregg entered in the ninth inning with the Orioles ahead, 5-4. Save situation. He's the closer. Gregg ran the count to 3-1 on leadoff hitter Steve Holm and induced a pop up in front of the mound. The crowd cheered. Yes, cheered. Matt Tolbert stepped to the plate and fell behind, 1-2. More applause. Tolbert swung through an 84 mph splitter for the second out. The ovation grew louder. Fans rose to their feet and kept cheering. Denard Span took a ball, fouled off a 93 mph fastball...

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Johnson removed after one inning (updated)

April 20, 2011, 5:03pm

Orioles

Johnson removed after one inning (updated)

Jim Johnson retired the Twins in order in the top of the seventh on only eight pitches, six of them strikes. He got two ground balls and struck out Denard Span. With the Orioles clinging to a two-run lead, I would have let Johnson pitch the eighth, as well. And a few reporters here are in agreement. However, Koji Uehara has entered the game, and you have to figure that Kevin Gregg will pitch the ninth if it's a save situation. Gregg hasn't turned in a clean outing in five tries, and he...

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Choosing between Andino and Izturis (updated)

April 20, 2011, 4:33pm

Orioles

Choosing between Andino and Izturis (updated)

Derrek Lee dug out another ball in the dirt tonight, sparing Robert Andino a throwing error. Lee crouched and backhanded the ball in a sweeping motion. Sir Smooth. I asked manager Buck Showalter earlier today if he had a tough decision choosing between Robert Andino and Cesar Izturis. Andino had reached base nine times in his last 10 at-bats. Izturis was 3-for-7 with two RBIs lifetime against Twins starter Nick Blackburn. "Yes and no," he replied. "Every day's a little different. What are...