Hoes remains upbeat despite illness

Hoes remains upbeat despite illness
He got off to a great start this year for the Frederick Keys. At the age of just 20, second baseman L.J. Hoes was living up to his prospect status and playing maybe even better than the Orioles had a right to expect in his first season in the Carolina League. But Hoes has been out of the lineup since May 15 as he deals with a mysterious illness that doctors seem to have struggled to get a handle on. There has been talk that it's not anything serious and Hoes should be back soon. But right...
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So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?

So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?
It's not exactly drama like the 1971 or 1979 World Series, but the Orioles are linked again with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have the second pick in the first round of next Monday's First-Year Player Draft. Most figure they will select between high school shortstop Manny Machado and prep pitcher Jameson Taillon, with the remaining player left for the O's to take. (That's after Bryce Harper goes first to the Nats). So what will Pittsburgh do with that second pick? I spoke via...
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Kolodny is heading to extended spring training

Kolodny is heading to extended spring training
It was a minor league transaction that probably went under the radar among a lot of fans. On May 24th, Tyler Kolodny of the Delmarva Shorebirds was transferred to Aberdeen's roster. Some that follow the minors very closely asked a question. Why would the O's take a player with 10 homers, among the most in the Sally League, off the Delmarva roster. As it turns out, there were two major reasons. Kolodny was being disciplined due to a team matter. Seondly, the Orioles want him to improve...
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It certainly is not all Dave Trembley's fault

It certainly is not all Dave Trembley's fault
Well, a manager does have to live with his won-loss record. For Dave Trembley, he is saddled with 15 and 36. It's clear some of you feel he has earned every bit of that. If you look deeper at how the Orioles, a team on the rise according to many experts over the winter, got to this point, much that has happened has been out of Trembley's control. For the most part. It's not his fault that: *Brian Roberts, Felix Pie, Mike Gonzalez, Brad Bergesen and Jim Johnson got injured. So have...
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Swept away in Toronto

Swept away in Toronto
Well, at least that didn't take too long. Toronto beat the Orioles 6-1 to complete the three-game sweep today as the Orioles scored just three runs in the series. The Orioles are 0-6 vs. the Jays on the year and have lost eight in a row and 17 of their last 19 games at Rogers Centre. Gary and Mike talk with Dave Trembley following the O's 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays They have now lost five in a row, nine of 11 and 12 of the last 15 contests and are 6-18 on the season vs. the AL East. Is...
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One week and counting before the draft

One week and counting before the draft
The First-Year Player Draft is now just a week away and the Orioles have the third pick in the the first round next Monday. It's their highest pick since they drafted Ben McDonald with the first overall selection in 1989. Which ever player they select with that pick could cost a lot of money in a signing bonus. O's scouting director Joe Jordan said that money will not be a factor in deciding which player to take. "It's not something for me that will be separator. We are just going to...
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Bell and Snyder start to hit a bit

Bell and Snyder start to hit a bit
Heading into this season, many fans were excited to track the progress of Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder at Triple-A. They could be future cornerstones at the corner infield spots in Baltimore. When they both started slowly, some jumped off their respective bandwagons. And, while no one is hyping anything about their play, both are hitting better recently and improved their stats from April to May, perhaps showing some progress. Both have really picked it up at bat over the last several...
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Notes and numbers

Notes and numbers
Here are some pre-game stats and facts to consider before the final game of the Orioles-Blue Jays series in Toronto. After 5-0 and 5-2 losses, the O's will need a win today to avoid being swept in a three-game series for the fifth time on the year. They have been swept at home vs. Toronto and Tampa and on the road at Seattle and New York. The Orioles have won just two series all year and are 2-13-2 in series this season. They are 0-11-1 in their last 12 road series since taking the series...
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Millwood is a class act

Millwood is a class act
When the Orioles acquired Kevin Millwood from the Texas Rangers last December for reliever Chris Ray, they were expecting him to be the leader of an inexperienced rotation and show the Orioles' young starters what it takes to be a consistent member of a major league staff. Millwood has gone beyond expectations. Now if only the Orioles could give him some support. Millwood lost his last start in Toronto to fall to (0-5) on the season. But his winless record is misleading. Millwood has an...
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Matt Angle moves to Triple-A

Matt Angle moves to Triple-A
Matt Angle, one of the O's top outfield prospects, was moved today from Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk and immediately joined the Tides lineup as the leadoff hitter and center fielder. Angle went 5 for 22 in 16 games for the Orioles in spring training but suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand very late in camp and underwent surgery. He joined Double-A Bowie on May 13 and hit .383-1-9 in 14 games. He went six for nine in his last two Baysox games on Thursday and Friday and hit .429 vs....
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The hanger went far (update...O's lose again)

The hanger went far (update...O's lose again)
I am not going to jump on Jason Berken. He is finally getting a deserved chance today to pitch in the later innings and not in long relief. But O's relief pitchers seem to make bad pitches at bad times lately. See Cla Meredith recently vs. Josh Willingham and Kevin Kouzmanoff. See Mike Gonzalez from the first week. See various other pitchers at other points late in games. Berken just left a 2-2 curve ball up and in, the definition of a hanging breaking ball, that Vernon Wells crushed to...
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Taking advantage of Toronto's mistake (w-update)

Taking advantage of Toronto's mistake (w-update)
The Orioles came up with three straight hits with two outs in the sixth inning today to take a 2-1 lead at Toronto. They took advantage of a mental error by Blue Jays left fielder Fred Lewis. First, Cesar Izturis hit a two-out double to right and Julio Lugo singled to left to tie the game, 1-1. On Lugo's single, Lewis made the wrong decision and threw home where he had no chance to get Izturis. His throw was not only well off line, but missed the cutoff man allowing Lugo to run to second...
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The failures of the offense (update)

The failures of the offense (update)
There are several things that can frustrate you when you watch the Orioles hitters: *The lack of production, an obvious one. *The fact they swing at so many pitches that are not strikes. *The fact they can't seem to adjust to a pitcher as the game wears on. *The fact that some players recognition of pitches is poor and they chase so many breaking balls. It would almost be better for the Orioles to face a 96 mile per hour flamethrower without good off-speed stuff. At least they could sit...
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Tillman time again

Tillman time again
Over the winter he was considered likely to begin the 2010 season in the Orioles starting rotation. But that didn't happen and now today, 22-year-old right-hander Chris Tillman makes his first Major League start of the year. Tillman was having a real solid year at Triple-A, highlighted by his no-hitter on April 28 at Gwinnett. That outing seemed to turn his season around. Tillman was only 1-3, 6.11 when he took the mound that night vs. the Braves affiliate. Over ten starts with Norfolk,...
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O's lay an egg in Toronto (Meredith to AAA)

O's lay an egg in Toronto (Meredith to AAA)
During a season of poor performances, the Orioles may have actually raised the bar on poor on Friday night in a 5-0 loss at Toronto. They made physical and mental errors in the first inning, failed to score or record an extra-base hit and basically looked flat, disinterested and just plain bad. Here are more notes from the latest O's loss: Roster move: After the game, the Orioles officially recalled Chris Tillman from Norfolk to make Saturday's start. Reliever Cla Meredith was optioned...
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Gabino takes Tillman's spot at Triple-A

Gabino takes Tillman's spot at Triple-A
While the Orioles have not yet made it official that Chris Tillman will make Saturday's start vs. Toronto, it is, of course, all but official and expected that the right-hander will take the mound Saturday vs. the Jays. For now, the O's will not move a pitcher up from Double-A to take Tillman's spot in the rotation, although that could change. Right-hander Armando Gabino will start on Sunday or Monday for Norfolk, when Tillman's turn next comes up. The Orioles appear to be open to moving...
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Where in the Yard? (Updated w/Answer)

Where in the Yard? (Updated w/Answer)
Happy Memorial Day everyone! And welcome back to the Orioles Buzz for another weekly 'Where in the Yard?' Most of you know the drill, but as usual, we'll give you a refresher. Simply take a look at the photo below and let us know what the item is and where it's located in or around Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Also don't forget that you can earn bonus points for being the first O's fan to guess correctly or for throwing out some extra trivia knowledge or posting a photo of yourself with...
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An Oriole near you

An Oriole near you
As O's fans settle into the heart of the baseball season, June promises a handful of Orioles player appearances in and around Baltimore. Catch former Oriole Larry Sheets at Hightopps Backstage Grille on York Road in Timonium for an O's Alumni MASN Viewing Party on Wednesday, June 2. Sheets will sign autographs and meet with fans from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. So don't miss a great chance to gather with your fellow Orioles fans (and Larry Sheets!) to watch the O's take on the Yankees June 2 at...
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Rowell removed from Frederick's roster (Rowell comments added)

Rowell removed from Frederick's roster (Rowell comments added)
When the Frederick Keys activated infielder Greg Miclat from the disabled list today the player removed from the roster was Billy Rowell, the Orioles first-round pick in 2006. Rowell has been transferred to Aberdeen's roster. I just spoke on the phone with Rowell, who is with the Keys in Lynchburg. He said he's a little banged up right now and the Orioles are taking him off the roster for a couple of days. He's dealing with a sore hamstring, strained thumb and an ankle strain. He could...
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Jordan preps for draft and O's No. 3 pick

Jordan preps for draft and O's No. 3 pick
The First-Year Player Draft is now less than two weeks away and the Orioles will have the third pick in round one on June 7. The man who will make the selection, O's scouting director Joe Jordan, has narrowed his choices but said he has not yet made his final call on which player he'd like to take. "We haven't made a decision and we won't until we get into the draft room and start going through it. I don't have to make a decision until the seventh, so I try to practice what I preach...
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