Good stuff from Gonzalez (updated)

Good stuff from Gonzalez (updated)
The last time Michael Gonzalez took the mound, he threw 25 pitches in one-third of an inning and was booed by the Camden Yards crowd as he walked to the dugout with his head down. Gonzalez was charged with two runs and two hits in a 6-2 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday. He was encouraged afterward, despite the numbers, and manager Buck Showalter stated that the left-hander would find much better results if he brought the same stuff into his future appearances. Well, Gonzalez pitched two...
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Gonzalez, Tillman and Andino come up big as O's lead 2-1 in seventh

Gonzalez, Tillman and Andino come up big as O's lead 2-1 in seventh
Struggling reliever Mike Gonzalez just did a very nice job in the last of the sixth as the Orioles were able to hold onto a lead tonight in their game at Chicago. The O's are up 2-1 in the seventh. Gonzalez came on for starter Chris Tillman with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth. He got Adam Dunn looking and then Alex Rios hit a fly ball to medium center field. Adam Jones made the catch and a nice one-hop throw home, but Jake Fox could not hang on to the throw and a run...
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A few observations (updated)

A few observations (updated)
Not to keep comparing Matt Wieters to Jake Fox behind the plate, but Adam Jones' throw to the plate in the sixth easily beat Alexei Ramirez. However, Fox couldn't hold onto the ball, and Alex Rios was credited with a sacrifice fly that cut the Orioles' lead to 2-1. Pretty gutsy of manager Buck Showalter to bring in left-hander Michael Gonzalez with the bases loaded and no outs. Gonzalez should have been back in the dugout without a run scoring. Gonzalez struck out two and induced a fly...
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O's receive C Hester from Arizona to complete Reynolds trade

O's receive C Hester from Arizona to complete Reynolds trade
The Orioles today announced that they have received catcher John Hester from the Arizona Diamondbacks to complete their December 2010 trade for third baseman Mark Reynolds. Hester has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. A 13th-round selection out of Stanford University by the Diamondbacks in 2006, Hester has batted .263 (10-38) in 10 games with the Triple-A Reno Aces this season. In 300 career minor league games, he has thrown out 29% of baserunners. Hester played in 53 major league games for...
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Orioles receive Hester to complete Reynolds trade

Orioles receive Hester to complete Reynolds trade
When the Orioles traded relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Dec. 6 for third baseman Mark Reynolds, they also were supposed to receive a player to be named later. It's later. And he's been named. The Orioles also have received catcher John Hester, who was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Hester, a 13th-round pick out of Stanford in the 2006 draft, is batting .263 with three doubles, one homer and five RBIs in 10 games with Triple-A Reno. He's thrown out...
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Orioles and White Sox lineups

Orioles and White Sox lineups
With an afternoon game looming tomorrow, Jake Fox will start behind the plate tonight while Matt Wieters rests. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Jake Fox C Robert Andino SS Chris Tillman RHP For the White Sox: Juan Pierre LF Alexei Ramirez SS Carlos Quentin RF Paul Konerko DH Adam Dunn 1B Alex Rios CF A.J. Pierzynski C Mark Teahen 3B Gordon Beckham 2B Philip Humber RHP
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A few random pregame notes

A few random pregame notes
I hope you're not playing a drinking game where you do a shot each time Vladimir Guerrero draws a walk. Then again, if you plan on driving later, it's the perfect game. Guerrero is the first non-pitcher in Orioles history to not draw a walk in his first 100 plate appearances. He walked 35 times with the Rangers last season. If it happens during a game at Camden Yards, I really hope the Orioles halt play and retrieve the ball for him. The pitcher could sign it first. The Orioles have...
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Orioles' minor league teams are playing well now

Orioles' minor league teams are playing well now
Charlie Sheen would like the Orioles' minor league affiliates these days as they have been doing a lot of winning lately. Triple-A Norfolk has won four of its last six games to get to 7-15 on the season. Double-A Bowie is 6-3 over its past nine games to get to 11-10. Single-A Frederick has won five of six to get to 10-10 and Single-A Delmarva has won eight in a row to improve to 13-9. That is the Shorebirds' longest win streak since a nine-gamer in May of 2006. At Norfolk, Brandon Snyder is...
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Now it's Tillman's time

Now it's Tillman's time
Too bad White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen didn't tweet last night. I bet he could have strung together lots of profanities in 140 characters. Brian Roberts leads the Orioles with 19 RBIs. If you predicted it back in spring training, you're wasting your talents doing whatever you do for a living. It was interesting that Roberts told reporters in Chicago he's been dealing with a sore hamstring that kept him from stealing bases. We assumed he was being cautious, at the urging of the club,...
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Observations on Scott and Lee (and Wieters, Rapada)

Observations on Scott and Lee (and Wieters, Rapada)
Luke Scott was 0-for-8 against left-handers this season before homering off White Sox starter John Danks in the top of the fourth inning. Scott is a career .242 hitter in 476 at-bats against southpaws, compared to .275 in 1,612 at-bats against right-handers. Derrek Lee has hit safely in seven of his last nine games. He's got seven hits in his last 16 at-bats, with RBIs the last two nights. Down on the farm, second baseman Ryan Adams is 3-for-4 with an RBI for Triple-A Norfolk, raising his...
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Unraveling early for Arrieta (updated)

Unraveling early for Arrieta (updated)
Jake Arrieta had gone six innings in four of his five starts this season. Doing it again tonight will be a challenge. Arrieta gave up three runs in the bottom of the second inning tonight, two coming on A.J. Pierzynski's home run. A double by Mark Teahan and a two-out single by Juan Pierre increased Chicago's lead to 3-0. Run-scoring singles by Brian Roberts and Derrek Lee in the third cut the lead to 3-2. Lee came through with two outs, after a hard slide by Roberts broke up a potential...
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Reimold homers tonight

Reimold homers tonight
Triple-A Norfolk left fielder Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer in the first inning tonight, giving the Tides an early lead against Indianapolis. Reimold, who connected against former Orioles left-hander Brian Burres, is batting .250 with three homers and 11 RBIs. Josh Bell remains out of the lineup with a sore left knee. Blake Davis is starting at third base. Also, Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Chicago that left-hander Brian Matusz will throw two or three innings in an...
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Orioles lineup against White Sox

Orioles lineup against White Sox
Here's the lineup that the Orioles will use tonight while attempting to improve on their 1-5 record against left-handed starters: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Robert Andino SS Jake Arrieta RHP
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Guillen won't manage against Orioles for two nights

Guillen won't manage against Orioles for two nights
Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen won't be in the dugout for the first two games of his team's series against the Orioles, which begins tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. Major League Baseball sent out a press release announcing that Guillen has been suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount for "his actions on the field following the top of the first inning of his club's game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, April 27th at Yankee Stadium, and for his comments via...
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An early peek at top rookies, biggest surpises and worst messes

An early peek at top rookies, biggest surpises and worst messes
Orioles lefty Zach Britton is the best of the rookie pitchers playing key roles among teams in the American League East, but if April is any indication, Britton's biggest competition for the AL's Rookie of the Year award is going to come from the Mariners' Michael Pineda. Like Britton, Pineda, 21, wasn't expected to be in the majors so soon. Britton is in the big leagues because of injuries in the Orioles' rotation.Pineda told the Mariners in spring training that he was going to pitch...
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Random pregame notes

Random pregame notes
The Orioles are in search of their 11th win of the season after not winning their 11th game in 2010 until May 13. They're 4-4 in series-opening games this year and 18-8 since Buck Showalter took over as manager Aug. 3. Adam Jones has hit safely in nine of his last 12 games, raising his average from .189 to .231. Derrek Lee has batted .297 with four multi-hit games and a .333 on-base percentage since the start of the last homestand, raising his average to .247. Over the last three games, the...
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Happy anniversary: Recalling the end of the 21-game losing streak in 1988

Happy anniversary: Recalling the end of the 21-game losing streak in 1988
Where were you 23 years ago tonight? On April 29, 1988, shortly after 11 p.m. on the East Coast, the long nightmare that had become a season-opening 21-game losing streak by the Orioles ended (though it remains a record). Future Oriole and native Marylander Harold Baines rolled over on an offering from reliever Dave Schmidt, weakly grounding a ball to second base, where Pete Stanicek gobbled it up and tossed to Eddie Murray at first base. That completed a 9-0 Orioles victory over the White...
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Anthony Amobi: Gonzalez an example of risk not yielding reward

Anthony Amobi: Gonzalez an example of risk not yielding reward
It's no mystery to anyone that reliever Mike Gonzalez has had his share of struggles as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. When Gonzalez signed with the team before last season, I thought it was a decent signing at the time despite the money involved. Baltimore needed bullpen help after yet another lackluster season in 2009 and I thought that Gonzalez fit the bill. The southpaw reliever had a solid track record in the National League with Pittsburgh and Atlanta, so one would think he...
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Going badly for Gonzalez

Going badly for Gonzalez
Last night's 6-2 loss to the Red Sox has to be hung on the bullpen. Brad Bergesen allowed two runs over six innings in his best start of the season, but Jim Johnson and Michael Gonzalez were charged with two runs apiece, and Jason Berken let two inherited runners score. The offense managed only two runs and four hits, but I wasn't expecting fireworks with Jon Lester on the mound. Gonzalez was booed as he left it. The heat's no longer on Kevin Gregg. Not that fans have embraced Gonzalez in...
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Bergesen and Johnson talk about 6-2 loss

Bergesen and Johnson talk about 6-2 loss
I'll start with Brad Bergesen: Brad Bergesen meets with the media in the locker room after the Orioles 6-2 loss to Boston "Tonight, I felt like I kept us in the ballgame," he said. "I was facing a tough lineup like that and you know (Jon) Lester, his career against the Orioles, I knew just every pitch mattered tonight. I think the biggest thing for me was the sixth inning, getting in that jam and being able to get out of it. It was huge for me. I was very fortunate to be able to get...
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