Feel good story: Former Oriole Hoey returns to majors with Twins

Feel good story: Former Oriole Hoey returns to majors with Twins
The last few seasons, Jim Hoey pitched in the Orioles' minor leagues, battling back after two surgeries to try to get back to Baltimore and the major leagues. Hoey will make that return to the majors in Baltimore, but not with Baltimore. Traded by the Orioles to the Twins in December with Brett Jacobson in the deal for shortstop J.J. Hardy, Hoey began this year at Triple-A Rochester but was recalled to the majors today after the Twins' win over Tampa. That means he will be with the club...
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Rapada coming to Baltimore (updated twice)

Rapada coming to Baltimore (updated twice)
Left-handed reliever Clay Rapada will join the Orioles at Camden Yards tomorrow, signaling another roster move involving the bullpen. Rapada will give the Orioles a second left-handed reliever, along with struggling veteran Michael Gonzalez. Chris Jakubauskas will be placed on the disabled list to make room for Rapada. Rapada has appeared in two games with Triple-A Norfolk, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out three in two scoreless innings. He looked like an early favorite to make...
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Uehara walks, Orioles stumble again

Uehara walks, Orioles stumble again
The Orioles trailed by two runs in the top of the ninth. Derrek Lee swung at the first pitch from Indians reliever Chris Perez and flied out. Vladimir Guerrero swung at the second pitch and flied out. Luke Scott swung at the first pitch and missed it, putting him in an 0-1 hole. Scott eventually ran the count full before taking a called third strike to run the losing streak to seven games. The ball was so far outside, it would have rolled into the third base dugout, but why should anything go...
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Swept away in Cleveland: O's losing streak reaches seven

Swept away in Cleveland: O's losing streak reaches seven
For the Orioles, this was another day when they fell behind early and were frustrated on offense. The Birds lost, 4-2, at Cleveland this afternoon as they were swept in the three-game series and their losing streak reaches seven games. The Orioles completed a winless road trip, going 0-5 in New York and Cleveland with one rain out. Things have gotten so bad for the Orioles that Koji Uehara even issued a walk in the 8th inning. In fact, he walked two batters in the frame. That was the first...
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Calling Triple-A

Calling Triple-A
No, the Orioles aren't calling up anyone from Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides, off to a 1-8 start, are leading Charlotte, 8-1, in the bottom of the fifth inning. That's what I call a reversal. Mike Ballard has allowed one run and four hits, walked one and struck out seven. He signed a minor league deal and didn't receive a spring training invite, though he got into five games and racked up a 10.00 ERA. Nick Green and Brendan Harris have homered today for the Tides. Green has four...
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Bergesen's day is done (updated)

Bergesen's day is done (updated)
Brad Bergesen is shaking hands in the dugout and seeking warmth beneath a sweatshirt, so we'll assume that he's finished for the day. Bergesen threw two innings on Wednesday and was making his first start since April 6. He's registered the Orioles' last three complete games, but manager Buck Showalter told reporters earlier today that the right-hander wasn't going nine innings. Showalter settled for 88 pitches in five. Bergesen is charged with two earned runs. A third run scored after...
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Today's silver lining (updated)

Today's silver lining (updated)
The Orioles are losing again today, 1-0, on a Carlos Santana home run leading off the second inning. They're in another early hole, though not as deep as we've seen in other games on this awful road trip. Here's the good news: Brad Bergesen is mostly forcing the Indians to hit the ball on the ground. Of the six outs he's recorded, five have come on ground balls. He also struck out Matt LaPorta to end the second. When Bergesen makes hitters pound the ball into the ground, he usually wins...
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Matusz staying in Sarasota

Matusz staying in Sarasota
Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Cleveland that Brian Matusz is making progress in his throwing program in Sarasota, Fla., but there are no immediate plans to bring the left-hander to Baltimore. There was early talk of Matusz throwing a bullpen session this week for pitching coach Mark Connor and bullpen coach Rick Adair, but he hasn't advanced enough to schedule one. Showalter wouldn't commit to a date or speculate whether Matusz might remain at the minor league complex throughout...
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Orioles lineup against Indians

Orioles lineup against Indians
Can Brad Bergesen be the stopper today? Someone has to apply the brakes on this six-game losing streak. Here's the Orioles' lineup for the final game of their miserable road trip, which doesn't include Adam Jones: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Mark Reynolds 3B Felix Pie CF Matt Wieters C Cesar Izturis SS Brad Bergesen RHP The Indians activated Grady Sizemore from the disabled list. He'll bat leadoff and play center field...
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The O's have earned their way to six straight losses

The O's have earned their way to six straight losses
Maybe that old baseball saying that "you are never as good as you look when you are winning and never as bad as you look when you are losing," applies to these Orioles. They sure looked good during a 6-1 start. We can only hope they are not as bad as they have looked during the 0-6 run since. They sure have looked bad. In three of the losses, they were pretty much blown out. That would be the last two days and the 13-1 loss to Texas. In the 7-4 loss in game one at Yankee Stadium, it was...
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Fox on the run (updated with final score)

Fox on the run (updated with final score)
Just once, I'd like for Tim Belcher to have a mound conference with Nick Bierbrodt. I think it would be a gas. OK, sorry. Jake Fox started a seventh-inning rally with a triple into left-center field. Taking third base was a huge gamble on Fox's part, considering that the Orioles were down by four runs. If he's out, he may as well keep walking into the clubhouse. And make sure not to pass manager Buck Showalter in the dugout. Fox made it safely on a close play and scored on Brian...
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Silver lining time again

Silver lining time again
Luke Scott had no homers and one RBI before today. Now he has one homer and two RBIs. Could this be the start of a hot streak? Indians starter Josh Tomlin might have fanned the flames, instead of the slugger, in the fifth inning. Scott has a hit in four straight games and six of his last seven. Scott is a former Indians farmhand, in case you forgot. The Astros acquired him in a 2004 trade. Did you know that Scott spent his first professional season on the disabled list after undergoing...
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Fox trots around the bases (updated 3 times)

Fox trots around the bases (updated 3 times)
Jake Fox provided the first run today and some comic relief. Fox homered in the third inning to reduce the Indians' lead to 2-1 over the Orioles. Fox stumbled as he rounded first base and had to go back to make sure he touched the bag and avoid an embarrassing appeal and out. Players were laughing in the dugout as he came down the steps. You'll recall that Fox had 10 home runs in spring training, 11 if you count the interleague game. He was 0-for-7 before today's game. Fox is making his...
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Are Lee and Guerrero usually slow starters?

Are Lee and Guerrero usually slow starters?
I was wondering today if Derrek Lee and Vlad Guerrero have been slow starters in their careers. They have not hit much so far and maybe they are just not good hitters in early-season games. Well, both do have some good stats hitting in April. Lee has a career .270 average and .852 OPS in the month with 51 homers. But maybe the good news is that his April OPS ranks just fifth highest among the six months of the season. So he gets better after April according to his track record. The same is...
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Offense has been all wet

Offense has been all wet
The sun came out in Cleveland and then it disappeared again. Another bad storm moved through the area, but they're projecting a 3:05 p.m. start at Progressive Field. How are the bats supposed to heat up in these conditions? The Orioles rank 24th in the majors with a .226 average. They've scored 46 runs, more than only four teams. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters earlier today that he doesn't have any immediate plans to juggle the lineup. He believes in track records and figures that...
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Heath Bintliff: Orioles offense offers more of the same

Heath Bintliff: Orioles offense offers more of the same
Hello, MASNsports.com readers. My name is Heath Bintliff and I have been writing Dempsey's Army, a Baltimore Orioles blog, since 2006. Although I grew up in Maryland, I now live in Atlanta and have been away from Maryland for 11 years. As you might imagine, there are not a lot of O's fans down here in Georgia, so I needed an outlet for my Orioles thoughts and the blog was born. Dempsey's Army offers statistical analysis, historical perspective, commentary, prospect watching and various...
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Orioles lineup vs. Indians (and more Guthrie)

Orioles lineup vs. Indians (and more Guthrie)
Jeremy Guthrie will take the mound today as the Orioles attempt to halt a five-game losing streak. Guthrie has got to play stopper today, and he seems the most qualified on the staff. He's allowed one run and seven hits in 14 innings, and he should have better stamina today. Here's the Orioles' lineup, which includes Jake Fox behind the plate: 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...
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The O's offense: Mostly dormant through 12 games

The O's offense: Mostly dormant through 12 games
Last year, when the Orioles had a pretty mediocre offense, they averaged just 3.8 runs per game. So far this year, with an offense that is expected to be greatly improved, they are averaging 3.8 runs per game. The Orioles just are not hitting much right now and I'm sure some fans are getting restless to see some runs at this point. It's too early to get real concerned, but the team batting average is just .226. During the five-game losing streak, the O's have scored just 12 runs with a...
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In defeat, we learned a lot about Britton

In defeat, we learned a lot about Britton
It wasn't all going to be all roses and gumdrops for Zach Britton in his major league career. After two dominating efforts in his first two major league starts - Britton had allowed just one run in 13 2/3 innings prior to last night, earning two wins in the process - the left-hander finally proved he is, in fact, human. It's sad to read, I know. But it's true. Britton was touched by the Indians for five runs in six innings of work. He allowed eight hits and gave up the first home run of...
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Britton takes first loss as O's skid reaches five

Britton takes first loss as O's skid reaches five
After starting the year at 6-1, the Orioles have now lost five in a row to fall back to 6-6. Zach Britton took his first major league loss as Cleveland scored four in the third inning to beat the lefty and the Orioles 8-2 in the start of a three-game series. Britton gave up five runs and eight hits over six innings in falling 2-1 with an ERA of 2.75. Asdrubal Cabrera had a pair of two-run singles as the Tribe improved to 9-4. Justin Masterson improved to 3-0 with an ERA of 1.33, allowing just...
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