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Matusz: "I'm 100 percent healthy"

June 12, 2011, 1:54pm

Orioles

Brian Matusz may have had a rough day today and a short outing, but it had nothing at all to do with being hurt or any injury. "I'm 100 percent healthy," Matusz said. It was the shortest non-injury start of Matsuz's career, and he gave up four runs and four walks over just 1 1/3 innings today in a 9-6 loss to Tampa. "From the get-go I didn't get a good feel warming up in the bullpen," Matusz said. "Just one of those days where you have to battle without your good stuff. They were...

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Rays get to Matusz early, take series finale 9-6

June 12, 2011, 1:11pm

Orioles

Rays get to Matusz early, take series finale 9-6

The Orioles won two of their first three series this year against Tampa Bay, and when they beat the Rays 7-0 on Friday, three out of four was looking quite realistic. But the Orioles could not close out the game last night and Brian Matusz exited early today as the Rays won 9-6 to win the series. Matusz faced 13 hitters and 10 reached base on five hits, four walks and an error. He gave up four runs in just 1 1/3, throwing 52 pitches. He falls to 1-1 this season with an ERA of 5.11 after three...

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Rays ran wild early today vs. Matusz, O's

June 12, 2011, 11:11am

Orioles

Rays ran wild early today vs. Matusz, O's

Maybe it was a combination too good for Tampa Bay to pass up. A pitcher who can be slow to the plate with runners on base and a catcher that, well, is not Matt Wieters. Tampa Bay took advantage of that to steal four bases in the top of the first inning today against Brian Matusz. It looked like they had a fifth in the top of the second but Johnny Damon was called out. While today's short start of just 1 1/3 innings could raise concerns about Matusz and topics like fastball velocity could...

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No June swoon for Reynolds

June 12, 2011, 9:28am

Orioles

The term June swoon does not apply to Mark Reynolds. After starting June hitless in five at-bats in the month's first two games, he is 8-for-24 with five homers and 11 RBIs. His June OPS is 1.244 after he picked up his first two-homer game as an Oriole last night. It was his 10th career two-homer game. After picking up five hits, three of them homers, over the last three games, Reynolds is now batting .205. This is his highest average since he was at .212 on April 19. The month has also...

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Britton is on board with the plan to move his next start back

June 12, 2011, 8:10am

Orioles

Britton is on board with the plan to move his next start back

Orioles lefty Zach Britton said it was not unexpected news. He was told today by manager Buck Showalter that his next start will likely be Friday in Washington and not Tuesday in Toronto. Britton has already pitched 82 innings and the club knew at some point Britton would pitch too many innings this year if he continued to go every fifth day. He pitched 153 innings last year between the minors and majors. "Obviously I don't want to skip starts, but I know they are doing it for a good...

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Despite not playing every day, Adams is enjoying his first big league chance

June 12, 2011, 7:25am

Orioles

Despite not playing every day, Adams is enjoying his first big league chance

For Ryan Adams, the last few weeks have been a bit of a mixed bag. He's been through the excitement of getting his first call to the major leagues. But also, for the first time in his life, he has not played much. "It's just kind of part of it when you get called up," Adams said in the Orioles' clubhouse. "(Robert) Andino's been playing really well and it's most about the experience and learning for me right now anyway. I've been here trying to work hard and enjoy every moment and...

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A rare off night for Bundy at Frederick

June 11, 2011, 7:53pm

Orioles

On the night the Orioles selected his brother Dylan in the first-round of the draft, Bobby Bundy picked up his sixth win for the Single-A Frederick Keys with another strong outing last Monday. But after walking just 13 batters in 62 2/3 innings in his first 11 starts, Bundy struggled with his control last night and took the loss as Lynchburg beat Frederick 3-2 in front of 6,752 at Harry Grove Stadium. "I was really trying to keep the ball down. I had a couple of calls that could have gone...

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Townsend and Mummey provide updates on their hamstring injuries in Frederick

June 11, 2011, 1:04pm

Orioles

Townsend and Mummey provide updates on their hamstring injuries in Frederick

FREDERICK, Md. - The Keys have the best record in the Carolina League, but for now they are playing without two of their best players. Within about five minutes of each other Wednesday night, the Keys' Tyler Townsend and Trent Mummey suffered hamstring injuries at Potomac that sent both to the disabled list. It's still too early to know exactly when either will return to the Keys' lineup. "It is one of those things we are being cautious with right now," Townsend told me a few minutes...

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Givens could be headed to Aberdeen to play SS

June 11, 2011, 8:04am

Orioles

Givens could be headed to Aberdeen to play SS

When the Short Season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds begin a new season of New York-Penn League play next Friday, there is a good chance that Mychal Givens will be their starting shortstop. The 21-year-old Givens, the Orioles' second-round pick in 2009, would move to Aberdeen from Single-A Delmarva for two main reasons. One, it would give him a chance to play short. He's been playing at second base for Delmarva this year with Manny Machado first and later Jonathan Schoop playing at short for...

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Markakis' night and the pursuit of .500

June 11, 2011, 4:20am

Orioles

In the minutes after last night's game, in his postgame press conference, manager Buck Showalter was not ready to proclaim that Nick Markakis is out of his batting slump. Showalter knows that one game - even one as strong as a six-RBI game for Markakis - doesn't mean he has turned around his season. But it sure had to be a great sight for Orioles fans to see their right fielder have a night like that. Markakis hit his third career grand slam in the second and added a two-run double in the...

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Joe Jordan talks about the Dylan Bundy negotiations (first pitch at 8:10)

June 10, 2011, 1:23pm

Orioles

Joe Jordan talks about the Dylan Bundy negotiations (first pitch at 8:10)

Update: Tonight's Orioles-Rays game has been delayed due to rain. No word on official start time. Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan said today he has not begun contract negotiations yet with top pick, pitcher Dylan Bundy. But he will have dinner with the Bundy family next week and the process should begin soon. Jordan has heard and seen the reports about Bundy seeking $30 million. He knows that won't happen and that in the end the player won't get anywhere close to that. "He is a very...

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Matusz through two starts: No concern over the fastball

June 09, 2011, 10:05pm

Orioles

Matusz through two starts: No concern over the fastball

After two starts since returning from the disabled list, Brian Matusz is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. Matusz gave up one run in 5 2/3 at Seattle and two runs over 5 1/3 Monday against Oakland. Matusz said he is certainly not yet in midseason form, but is generally pleased with his progress to this point. Reporters have noted his fastball velocity seems a bit down from where it was last year, but Matusz said he is not concerned about that. "A lot of people are talking about the fastball velocity,...

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Dan Klein feels his shoulder soreness will not become a major issue (audio added)

June 09, 2011, 11:17am

Orioles

Dan Klein feels his shoulder soreness will not become a major issue (audio added)

Right-hander Dan Klein, one of the Orioles' top pitching prospects, feels his current right shoulder soreness will not turn into a more serious problem. Klein is on the disabled list at Double-A Bowie and will have a precautionary MRI Monday in Baltimore so doctors can get a better look at his shoulder. Klein took a red-shirt season in 2009 while at UCLA and had an arthroscopic procedure on that shoulder, but he said the current soreness is not related to that at all. "No, it's not a...

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Taking an in-depth look at the Orioles' draft with Jim Callis

June 08, 2011, 10:08pm

Orioles

If you read the entry I wrote last night with Baseball America's Jim Callis, you know he is pretty high on the Orioles draft. He called it a "very good draft" for the Orioles and said it had the "makings of a terrific draft." He took some time with me to go over some of the Orioles' picks made after they tabbed Dylan Bundy with the fourth overall selection. Here are his comments on some of the picks. 2nd-round pick, third baseman Jason Esposito from Vanderbilt: "Jason Esposito in the...

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Keys win, but Mummey and Townsend come up injured

June 08, 2011, 8:10pm

Orioles

Keys win, but Mummey and Townsend come up injured

Even though they won their eighth game in a row on Wednesday night, the Frederick Keys were not in a mood to celebrate much after their game at Potomac. Two of their key players, first baseman Tyler Townsend and outfielder Trent Mummey both left the game with hamstring injuries within minutes of each other in the fifth inning of a 6-4 win. Mummey's hamstring appears to be the more serious of the two at this point. Mummey, playing center field, was running into the gap in right center...

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Britton's bounce back: Rookie pitches Orioles past Oakland

June 08, 2011, 5:37pm

Orioles

Well, for tonight there will be no talk of the American League catching up to Zach Britton. The rookie lefty had given up 14 earned runs and 25 hits over 16 2/3 over his past three starts, but he was back to his earlier form tonight, getting his sixth win as the Orioles beat Oakland 3-2. For the Birds, it's their first three-game home sweep of Oakland since July of 1998. Britton, who gave up six runs in 5 2/3 against Oakland on May 29, tonight gave up just one run and four hits over 6 1/3...

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Reynolds homer note

June 08, 2011, 4:26pm

Orioles

Mark Reynolds hit another homer tonight, a two-run shot in the 5th to give the Orioles a three-run lead that is now 3-1. Reynolds' 10th homer of the year, a team-leading figure, traveled 398 feet to left center field. It was his third homer in the last five games and he now has 32 RBIs which ties Adam Jones for the team RBI lead. It could be said Reynolds has been producing homers at a pace expected of him since May began. He hit just two homers in April but has now hit eight over the last...

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Baseball America's Jim Callis gives the Orioles high marks on the draft

June 08, 2011, 2:56pm

Orioles

Now that the draft is over, how did the Orioles do? We won't know for sure on that for a few years, but few analysts know the draft better than Baseball America's Jim Callis and he gives the Orioles high marks. "They got the best pitcher in the draft and depth after that," Callis said. "They got tremendous quality and quantity. There's an expression that every scouting director tells every GM on draft day they had the best draft in baseball. But I think this is a very good draft for the...

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Bowie closer moves to Triple-A

June 08, 2011, 1:09pm

Orioles

The Orioles have moved Bowie closer Jose Diaz to Triple-A Norfolk. They officially placed pitcher Dan Klein on the 7-day DL and added Pedro Viola from Baltimore along with pitcher Armando Gabino, who leaves Norfolk and joins Bowie. Diaz appeared in 25 games for Bowie, going 0-2 with a 1.48 ERA and an Eastern League-leading 17 saves in 19 opportunities. The right-hander struck out 28 batters in 24.1 innings of work. Klein has appeared in nine games for the Baysox, going 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA...

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It's time to give the Frederick Keys some major props

June 08, 2011, 8:10am

Orioles

It's time to give the Frederick Keys some major props

The Frederick Keys are one of the hottest teams in minor league baseball right now. The Keys beat Potomac 7-2 last night and that extended the club's win streak to seven games, the Keys' longest since August of 2005. The Keys have won 12 of their past 13 games and have the Carolina League's best record at 36-22, a .621 winning percentage. They are closing in on the first-half title in their division with a lead of 5 1/2 games with 12 contests to play. After finishing April a game under...