Orioles pitchers raised kids' spirits during hospital visit

Orioles pitchers raised kids' spirits during hospital visit
While fans must be enjoying the good starting pitching they have seen from some of the young Orioles starters, you may not know these guys are pretty solid people, as well. Pitchers Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta and Jeremy Guthrie recently paid a visit to the kids at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. They did this because they really wanted to and not so someone like me would write it about. They did it to help some kids who face real challenges right now and not because someone from the Orioles...
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Will Showalter juggle lineup?

Will Showalter juggle lineup?
If Orioles manager Buck Showalter is considering major or minor changes to his lineup, he isn't going to publicize it. "I wouldn't tip my hand if I was," he said. "They certainly don't need to see it and read it and whatever. I trust them, but they understand that at some point we're going to have to be a little better. But to hand it on one person... "We've had periods where we've done well offensively, and we will again. I hope it starts tonight, but I'm certainly not going to be...
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Matusz: "The pain's gone"

Matusz: "The pain's gone"
The look on Brian Matusz's face earlier today made it obvious that he felt good throwing in the outfield and from the front of the bullpen mound. He was grinning and eager to talk about the sessions. He also gave teammate Chris Tillman an enthusiastic fist bump before heading back inside the clubhouse. Matusz and Tillman did some long-tossing from 120 feet. Matusz threw 15-20 light pitches in the bullpen before returning to his locker. "I felt really good. I felt good health-wise and I felt...
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Hardy increases workload

Hardy increases workload
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy didn't report any discomfort after swinging a bat yesterday for the first time since going on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. Hardy increased the intensity of his activities today, which included running and throwing. Hardy eventually will go on an injury rehab assignment. The initial plan called for him to play at least two games in the minors. Brian Matusz (strained left intercostal) threw from a slight incline on the lower portion of the...
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Orioles and Red Sox lineups (with Matusz update)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (with Matusz update)
The Orioles are sending out their regular lineup again tonight against the Red Sox. 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 Zach Britton LHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Gonzalez 1B Youkilis 3B Ortiz DH Lowrie SS Drew RF Crawford LF Varitek C Buchholz RHP Also, Brian Matusz played catch in the outfield and did some throwing in the bullpen, though it's impossible to...
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Anthony Amobi: Remembering what made me a fan

Anthony Amobi: Remembering what made me a fan
It's been a tough stretch for Baltimore Orioles fans over the past decade. No matter where you reside - whether it's in Maryland, Florida, California or any part of the world - it's been startling to see what has happened to the Orioles. Sadly, they have not had a winning season since Bill Clinton was president of the United States of America. Yet, despite it all, I and most of my friends who rooted for the Orioles growing up still do so today. It's obvious that the Birds have lost more...
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Trying to change these Sox (with Mahoney update)

Trying to change these Sox (with Mahoney update)
If you need some good news to perk you up, the Yankee fans left Baltimore after Sunday's game. They had to make room for all the Red Sox fans. Didn't perk you up? Sorry. The Orioles have lost 11 of 13. The Red Sox have won five in a row and eight of nine. I'm really doing a lousy job of improving your moods. Again, sorry. As I mentioned yesterday, the Orioles have been outscored 10-2 in the first inning this season. Boston has pitched back-to-back shutouts. Probably not a good idea...
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Machado hits second professional home run

Machado hits second professional home run
I can't let you go to bed without a Manny Machado update. I'd never forgive myself if you tossed and turned all night. Machado hit his first home run in the South Atlantic League, and his second as a professional, in Single-A Delmarva's 7-3 victory over Savannah. Machado, who hit one home run in the Gulf Coast League last year, in his first at-bat on Aug. 28 after being the third-overall pick in the draft, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to leave his average at .290. All three RBIs came on...
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Derrek Lee and slow starts in April

Derrek Lee and slow starts in April
It won't make any fans that are down on Derrek Lee feel any better, but Lee has had slow starts in April before. His start this April is worse than his start last April but better, in some stat categories, than his start in April 2009. In 2009, by the way, he finished with an average of .306 and hit 35 homers with 111 RBIs and an OPS of .972. He finished ninth in the National League Most Valuable Player vote that year. None of this means he will have a season like that this year, but it...
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Feeling left out so far (updated)

Feeling left out so far (updated)
The Orioles' shifted much of their winter focus to finding right-handed bats that would improve their record against left-handed pitching. Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy were added to the 25-man roster via free-agent signings or trades. What could go wrong? Well, we're dealing with an extremely small sample size less than a full month into the season, but the Orioles are 1-4 against left-handed starters. They beat David Price in the season-opener at Tropicana...
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Minor league notes on Hoes, Atkins, Mummey and more

Minor league notes on Hoes, Atkins, Mummey and more
A couple of fans have written to ask me about LJ Hoes and why he played left field Sunday for Single-A Frederick. This is not a position change and Hoes is still considered a second baseman. But as I have written many times now, the Orioles plan to have many of the minor leaguers play other positions from time to time. It just makes sense to do it while they are in the minors as they take a look at them there and see if the players can add to their respective resumes. It's why we will see,...
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The Red Sox get their act together

The Red Sox get their act together
When the Orioles started 6-1 while Boston was going 0-6, it was quite a reversal of fortunes for the two teams. After the additions of players like Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, Boston was a popular pick to win the American League East, the AL and even the World Series. Then came their worst start since 1945. But predictably, the Red Sox have gotten their act together and they are 10-5 since then, while the Orioles are 2-11. In winning five in a row and eight of nine, Boston's starting...
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Anthony Amobi: Amid struggles, O's still deserve fans' support

Anthony Amobi: Amid struggles, O's still deserve fans' support
Good morning everyone, I'm Anthony Amobi and this is my first entry as a guest blogger for MASNsports.com First and foremost, I'm a hardcore Orioles fan and have been through thick and thin. It's a been rough time for us fans over the past 13 years; however, I'm an eternal optimist and believe better days are head for Orioles fans. I'm a native of the Washington, D.C., area and currently reside in Maryland. Growing up, I was introduced the Orioles as a teen and I've been a fan ever...
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Summing it up in three words

Summing it up in three words
I tried to find a succinct way to sum up yesterday's 11-inning loss to the Yankees, but I decided to let catcher Matt Wieters do it. "It definitely stinks." Thanks, Matt. Wieters also could have been talking about the weather or this 2-11 stretch that is starting to look a lot like the 2-16 start last season, except it's been sugarcoated a bit because it's following a 6-1 start. Make sense? If the Orioles began this season 2-11, the anger and frustration would be dialed up even more....
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Not a completely lost weekend

Not a completely lost weekend
While the Orioles were outscored 21-6 by the Yankees the last two days, is was not all bad. Yesterday's game seemed to featured big play after big play in the final innings. The O's matched the Yankees and looked like they would pull out a huge comeback win that was much needed. After 11 losses in 13 games, fans are predictably down. There were a few things to take from the weekend, however. * Jake Arrieta battled well again versus the Yankees. He has made four career starts against New...
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Clubhouse quotes after the O's loss to New York

Clubhouse quotes after the O's loss to New York
Some postgame comments from the Orioles after their extra-innings loss to New York. Jake Arrieta on settling down after giving up two runs in the first: "Just made good pitches. Even the slider to Granderson (that he homered on) wasn't a bad pitch, he's swinging the bat well now. Had to bear down and make pitches when I needed to. I kept us in the game. The walks in the first was really the only thing I was upset about." Arrieta on the pitch to Granderson in the first: "It was a slider,...
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Postgame Showalter

Postgame Showalter
Orioles manager Buck Showalter couldn't fault Matt Wieters' pickoff attempt on Robinson Cano at second base in the top of the 11th inning. Wieters had the right idea, but the wrong execution. Cano was credited with a steal of third base after Wieters' made a wide throw, and the Yankees scored three times in a 6-3 victory over the Orioles that completed a sweep of this abbreviated series. Buck Showalter meets with the media after the O's 11-inning loss to the Yankees "It was a good...
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The rally comes up short: O's fall to Yankees in 11 innings

The rally comes up short: O's fall to Yankees in 11 innings
On a day the Orioles rallied from three runs down to tie the Yankees when they were down to their last out, they still lost the game, falling 6-3 in 11 innings. New York wins both games here in the rain-shortened series. The Orioles fall to 8-12 and are just 2-11 over the last 13 games. Robinson Cano, who had been 0-for-4, doubled to lead off the 11th off Jason Berken and then stole third base when catcher Matt Wieters tried to gun him down straying off the bag at second. After a strikeout...
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Rain stops, along with Orioles' momentum

Rain stops, along with Orioles' momentum
The Yankees have taken a 6-3 lead over the Orioles in the 11th inning after a 40-minute rain delay and another pitching change. Jason Berken replaced Jeremy Accardo with no outs and a full count on Robinson Cano, who lined a double to right field to extend his hitting streak to 16 games against the Orioles. With Nick Swisher batting, catcher Matt Wieters tried to pick off Cano at second base. Not a bad idea, except Cano broke for third as Wieters' throw to shortstop Robert Andino tailed to...
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Down on the farm

Down on the farm
The game is expected to resume at 5:35 p.m. following a major downpour. We're in the top of the 11th with the score tied, 3-3. It's nice to see the tarp off the field. Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 11th to defeat Durham, 6-5. Nick Green led off the inning with a single and took third on Brendan Harris' double. Blake Davis lifted a sacrifice fly with one out, and Matt Angle followed with the game-winning single. Angle returned to the Tides'...
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