orioles

Hardy's the first to score in 2011 (updated)

April 01, 2011, 3:54pm

Orioles

Hardy's the first to score in 2011 (updated)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - J.J. Hardy is the first Oriole to cross the plate this season, scampering home on Nick Markakis' two-out single in the third inning to break a scoreless tie. Hardy doubled with one out off Rays starter David Price, and took third base on the left-hander's errant pickoff throw. The ball actually went through Hardy's legs. Brian Roberts struck out, but Markakis lined a single into left-center field. Hardy batted .351 in spring training. He's looking pretty good at...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 brian roberts j.j hardy jeremy guthrie

More pregame Showalter (updated)

April 01, 2011, 2:23pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Brian Matusz dominated the news today, but in case you were wondering, manager Buck Showalter didn't have any updates on Justin Duchscherer, who saw a chiropractor on Wednesday because of back discomfort. Maybe it's contagious. "I know Richie (Bancells) and them were getting their arms around a plan of attack, so to speak," Showalter said. "Nothing really new, but I may have something afterward." Showalter and his training staff were too busy trying to schedule...

Comments

Tags:

orioles brian matusz justin duchscherer

Showalter talks about Matusz

April 01, 2011, 1:45pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - This is no way to start a new season. Brian Matusz left the ballpark to undergo an MRI on his back after experiencing pain while trying to throw. He's a candidate to join Justin Duchscherer on the disabled list and create a possible ripple effect in the rotation. No. 3 starter Chris Tillman could be bumped up a day and start tomorrow night, or the Orioles could bring up a pitcher from their minor league camp. Manager Buck Showalter indicated that the pain is to the...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 brian matusz

A few pre-opener notes

April 01, 2011, 11:18am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The weather is gorgeous here, which means nothing once we're inside the dome. But it was a much calmer drive this afternoon. The Orioles are 2-2 against the Rays in season openers, winning in 1999 and 2006, and losing in 2008 and 2010. They're 8-9 when beginning the season on the road, losing their last three to the Rays, Twins (2007) and Royals (1995). The all-time series between the Orioles and Rays is tied, 111-111. I'm trying to calculate how many of those losses...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 jeremy guthrie

It's finally here

April 01, 2011, 5:17am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - All the talk, all the debating, all the words plastered on this blog. We tracked every rumor at the winter meetings - didn't Nolan Reimold almost get traded? - and waiting for the Orioles to find a first baseman and veteran starting pitcher. We wondered if they would finally hire enough coaches to start the season. We argued the merits of signing Vladimir Guerrero and whether it would actually happen. It seems so long ago. Now here we are, ready to kick off the 2011...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles1 vladimir guerrero

Reynolds homer notes and minor league monthly awards

July 05, 2011, 3:12pm

Orioles

Reynolds homer notes and minor league monthly awards

Here are some Mark Reynolds homer notes after he hit Nos. 19 and 20 in Monday's game. * Reynolds' last five hits have been homers and seven of his last eight hits are home runs. * With 20 homers, Reynolds became the first Oriole since Charles Johnson in 2000 to hit 20 or more homers before the All-Star break. Johnson hit 20 in 2000. According to Elias, the last Oriole to hit 20 before the break in his first year with the Orioles was Frank Robinson (21) in 1966. Robinson won the Triple Crown...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3 mark reynolds oliver drake steven bumbry

MacPhail indicates he wants Jordan to return as scouting director

July 06, 2011, 9:41pm

Orioles

MacPhail indicates he wants Jordan to return as scouting director

We don't yet know whether Andy MacPhail will return after this season as the Orioles president of baseball operations. But if he does, MacPhail made it clear during an interview this week that he'd like director of scouting Joe Jordan to return on his staff. The contracts of both men are up after this season. Jordan took his current position in November of 2004 and has led the last seven O's drafts. "This thing is never going to work if Joe doesn't do his job well," MacPhail said....

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar andy macphail joe jordan

Orioles agree with 10th-round draft pick

July 06, 2011, 3:50pm

Orioles

The Orioles have come to terms with their 10th-round draft pick, University of Virginia right-handed pitcher Tyler Wilson. He went 10-0 with an ERA of 2.24 this year as a senior for a Cavalier team that made the College World Series. The Orioles have now signed six of their top 10 picks getting pitchers Mike Wright (round three), Kyle Simon (round four), Matt Taylor (round five), Trent Howard (round seven) and Devin Jones (round nine) along with Wilson. They have come to terms with 15 picks...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1 tyler wilson

The Orioles have good memories of their last Texas trip

July 04, 2011, 11:02am

Orioles

The Orioles begin a series in Texas tonight against the Rangers. The Orioles really enjoyed their last visit to Arlington. They swept four straight, July 8-11 last year right before the All-Star break, from a Rangers team that would go on to win the American League. They won by scores of 6-4, 7-6, 6-1 and 4-1. This was the Orioles' first four-game sweep at Texas in 34 years, since June of 1976 and their first four-game road sweep of any kind since 1995. The players that drove in the runs in...

Comments

Tags:

nick markakis orioles steve melewski josh bell

Are O's fans diggin' the longball?

July 04, 2011, 5:07am

Orioles

Mark Reynolds can sure fill up a stat sheet. He now has 18 homers to lead the Orioles. He has 46 RBIs and that ties Adam Jones to lead the club. He is also first on the Orioles or tied for first in doubles (15), runs (43) and walks (50). His 50 walks are more than twice the next highest total on the club and that is the 24 walks issued to Luke Scott. Reynolds is batting .229 and is on a pace for 36 homers and 92 RBIs with the Orioles at the mid-point of the season, the 81-game...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 mark reynolds

Reynolds' homer saves the day as O's win at Atlanta

July 03, 2011, 12:47pm

Orioles

Reynolds' homer saves the day as O's win at Atlanta

Batting fourth for the first time all year, Mark Reynolds hit another homer, and this one helped get the Orioles a win. After the Birds blew a 3-0 lead, Reynolds' two-run blast to left off Scott Proctor in the seventh, gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead and win today by that score as they salvaged the final game of the series in Atlanta. The Orioles ended a five-game losing streak and are 36-45 at the 81-game, halfway point of the season. Reynolds, who earlier had a sac fly, went 3-for-9 in this...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar jim johnson mark reynolds nick markakis zach britton

Wins have become scarce for Britton but he could get one today

July 03, 2011, 10:53am

Orioles

Wins have become scarce for Britton but he could get one today

When rookie lefty Zach Britton was 4-1 with an ERA of 2.84 at the end of April, his first month in the majors, who would have thought he'd have just six wins total with the All-Star game approaching? But Britton posted just one win in May and one win in June. It certainly wasn't because he had pitched poorly. His ERA is 3.38 through 16 starts. But when Britton took the mound in Atlanta today, he did so with just one win over his last 10 starts since a May 1 victory versus the Chicago White...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 zach britton

Reynolds homers twice, but O's fall 5-4 at Atlanta

July 02, 2011, 5:52pm

Orioles

Reynolds homers twice, but O's fall 5-4 at Atlanta

Mark Reynolds hit two homers tonight in Atlanta and Nick Markakis added another for the Orioles. But, thanks in part to a play that was not made in Atlanta's fourth inning, the Orioles lost 5-4 to the Braves tonight. With two outs and none on in the Atlanta fourth, Chipper Jones doubled and Freddie Freeman walked. Then Dan Uggla hit a liner to left. Luke Scott got his glove on the ball, but could not make the catch as a run scored and the O's failed to nail down the inning's third out on...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2 jake arrieta mark reynolds nick markakis

Josh Bell leaves Triple-A game

July 02, 2011, 3:32pm

Orioles

Orioles third base prospect Josh Bell left Game One of Triple-A Norfolk's doubleheader tonight with a left knee injury. He had just one at-bat in the Tides' 4-2 loss to Charlotte. Bell is leading all O's minor leaguers in home runs. On the year he is batting .256 with nine doubles, two triples, 13 homers, 36 RBIs and an OPS of .733. A club official did not know the severity of the injury yet but initially thought it was likely that Bell would not need to go on the minor league seven-day...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1 josh bell

Control and command will be important again for Arrieta tonight

July 02, 2011, 2:59pm

Orioles

Control and command will be important again for Arrieta tonight

As Jake Arrieta takes the mound tonight at Atlanta, here is an interesting Arrieta stat. He is the toughest Orioles' starter to get a base hit off of. Opponent batters hit just .233 off Arrieta while that number is .251 against Zach Britton and .263 against Jeremy Guthrie. There are some observers that feel Arrieta has the best "stuff" on the staff. He has a fastball that hits the mid-90s and a nasty slider. But he struggles with command and control and that is often a battle for him. If...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles jake arrieta

The Orioles' All-Star

July 02, 2011, 11:29am

Orioles

When the All-Star game reserves are announced on Sunday, my guess is that Adam Jones will be selected to the American League team for the second time. He would be my pick and, in my opinion, has been the Orioles' best player this year. Until I looked it up, I almost forgot he hit just .218 in April. But in May and June, Jones hit .313 with an OPS around .850. On the year, in 78 games, he is batting .286 with 15 doubles, 13 homers, 46 RBIs and an .801 OPS. Sure he could still draw more...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3 adam jones

Matusz back on the mound tonight for the Orioles

June 30, 2011, 1:35pm

Orioles

When Brian Matusz throws his first few pitches tonight, most of us will turn our attention to the radar gun to check out his velocity. But, just as important for Matusz will be his command and control of his other pitches. All four of his pitches have been finding too much of the middle of the plate recently, as he has given up 14 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings over his past three starts. So watch Matusz's secondary pitches tonight and how he is commanding them. It could be just as important...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1 brian matusz

After tough start, Davis trying to show he belongs

June 30, 2011, 12:52pm

Orioles

After tough start, Davis trying to show he belongs

Blake Davis is certainly enjoying his time in the major leagues. He has been with the Orioles since June 18 and is batting .313 (5-for-16) over five games. For Davis, he is in the majors about two years after it looked like he might make it the first time. He was having a solid spring training in March of 2009 with the Orioles and coming off a season where he hit .284 at Bowie. His stock was on the rise and he made a good impression in big league camp. But then he suffered an ankle injury...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles2 featured_sidebar blake davis

Wieters and Jones talk about Matusz

June 25, 2011, 7:07pm

Orioles

After he saw his pitcher, Brian Matusz, give up three homers and six runs over 4 2/3 versus the Reds, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said some of the pitches the Reds hit looked like decent pitches from his vantage point. "Most of the balls they hit were down. Brian's stuff was probably the best it's been since he's been up which is positive," Wieters said. "The changeup is starting to come around. He's still going to keep working and get locked back in like we know he is going to. The...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski brian matusz

Matusz on his outing against the Reds and his fastball velocity

June 25, 2011, 6:51pm

Orioles

Matusz on his outing against the Reds and his fastball velocity

After his latest tough outing, Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz was talking again about his velocity, which has still not returned to its 2010 output. "The velocity obviously isn't there. Being my fifth start, I feel I've made a lot of progress, but just have got to continue working and get a lot better," Matusz said after giving up six runs, nine hits and three homers in 4 2/3 in Saturday's 10-5 loss to the Reds. Brian Matusz talks about his struggles in the Birds' loss to the...