It's not often that I find myself 10 pages deep into MLB.com's sortable player statistics, but that's how far you have to go to find Mark Reynolds if you search by batting average. It turns out that page 10, which in this case lists players ranked between 451 and 500 for average, is a pretty interesting place for Orioles fans.
In addition to Reynolds who, for the record, is No. 460 for average, page 10 contains names of guys who have played for the Birds this season or who were talked about...
For the last week or two, most pre-draft speculation has centered on the Orioles taking Oklahoma high school pitcher Dylan Bundy with the fourth pick in tonight's draft.
But what if University of Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen and Bundy are both still on the board when the Orioles pick?
What if Hultzen is gone, but Trevor Bauer of UCLA is still out there?
(I am kind of assuming that Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon will be gone by the fourth pick, but nothing is for sure in the draft).
A...
The Orioles had a chance to win a series today against a Toronto team that tormented them last year, by winning 15 of 18 against them.
But Yunel Escobar's three-run homer in the fourth off Jeremy Guthrie broke a 2-2 tie and Toronto went on to a 7-4 win this afternoon in front of 25,431 at Camden Yards.
The Orioles are just 7-22 in their last 29 games against Toronto and are just 3-10 this season in their last 13 games versus American League East opponents.
Guthrie falls to 2-8 with an ERA...
Orioles 2010 first-round draft pick Manny Machado today has been officially activated off the disabled list and is in uniform for Single-A Delmarva against West Virginia. He has been out since May 5 with a left knee injury.
Machado injured his left knee on May 5 against Asheville and was placed on the disabled list on May 7, retroactive to May 6. He has missed the last 29 Shorebirds games recovering from the injury. In 25 games, he was batting .333 (30-90) with 20 runs scored, six doubles,...
For the Orioles:
Robert Andino 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Derrick Lee 1B
J.J. Hardy SS
Mark Reynolds 3B
Nolan Reimold LF
Craig Tatum C
Jeremy Guthrie RHP
The Orioles haven't announced a starter for Tuesday night's game against the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards, but the name might be revealed later this afternoon.
Alfredo Simon and Chris Jakubauskas are the two bullpen candidates. I'm predicting that Simon gets the assignment, but nothing is official and I've been wrong many times in the past. I'm sure at least one of you is keeping a list.
"We'll take it through today and make a call after today. We'll be able to tell you after the...
The much-maligned Orioles bullpen has been pretty solid lately. Over the last six games, the 'pen has combined to allow just one run and 10 hits covering its last 18 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.49.
The Orioles got three scoreless innings out of the 'pen last night as Jim Johnson, Koji Uehara and Kevin Gregg combined to fan five batters without a walk.
Here is an update on some of the bullpen pitchers:
Jeremy Accardo: Has allowed just one run and five hits over six innings in his last five...
The Orioles wanted to stretch out Jason Berken at Triple-A Norfolk to make him a more effective long reliever and give them the option of starting him if the need arises later this summer.
Berken threw 84 pitches over 5 2/3 innings tonight, so the plan with Berken most definitely has not changed.
Berken allowed two runs and five hits, with one walk and five strikeouts, and he left with Norfolk trailing Rochester, 2-1.
The 5 2/3 innings matches Berken's total in his first two starts with the...
Mark Reynolds came to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth inning tonight, but he wasn't thinking about trying to hit a grand slam.
"No, I wasn't," he said. "That would be the best result possible, but I was trying to get a pitch to hit, trying to barrel the ball. The home run was a bonus. I was just trying to hit a hard ground ball up the middle or shoot a gap, just tie the game. It's a bonus that the ball went out."
It did and, with one swing, Reynolds produced his first...
Jake Arrieta threw 11 of his 15 pitches for strikes in the first inning. Unfortunately, one of them landed on the flag court.
Former Oriole Corey Patterson homered in his first career at-bat against Arrieta, giving Toronto a quick 1-0 lead.
Arrieta is coming off the shortest outing of his career, when he lasted only 2 1/3 innings in a 4-3 loss in Seattle. He allowed four runs and four hits, with four walks and three strikeouts, and threw 68 pitches before leaving the game. Eight of the 17...
Before tonight, Mark Reynolds was 6-for-52 with 26 strikeouts lifetime with the bases loaded.
Make it 7-for-53 with 26 strikeouts. And one home run.
Reynolds received a huge ovation as he circled the bases and disappeared into the dugout. It doesn't happen often around here.
He's hitting .190, and he struck out for the 57th time this season, but none of that matters at the moment.
Jim Johnson needed six pitches to get through the seventh after replacing starter Jake Arrieta, but manager...
Orioles farm clubs have a combined record of 106-114 beginning play tonight after going 2-2 last night.
Single-A Frederick has the best record at 32-22 and is leading its division by 2 1/2 games in the Carolina League North.
Here are some O's minor league leaders through Friday's games.
Homer leaders:
9 - Josh Bell (Norfolk) and Tyler Townsend (Frederick)
8 - Ronnie Welty (Bowie)
7 - Jonathan Schoop (Delmarva) and Brandon Snyder (Norfolk)
RBI leaders:
46 - Kipp Schutz (Frederick)
33 -...
For the first time since May 16, first baseman Derrek Lee is expected back in the Orioles' lineup tonight. If he comes through batting practice fine, he will officially be back on the roster. He is listed on tonight's lineup card, batting fifth.
Lee spent some time in extended spring training in Sarasota and then played for Double-A Bowie last night, going 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk.
"I just felt like swinging was the big deal. If I could do that with full force, then I could...
If the Orioles are to get their struggling offense going tonight here at Camden Yards, they'll have to do it against left-hander Ricky Romero, who is pitching very well right now.
Over his last four starts, Romero is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.21 and a .194 batting average against. He has needed just 13.9 pitches per inning in that stretch.
Romero is 5-4 with an ERA of 2.88 overall that is 10th best in the American League on the season and is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.60 in eight career starts against...
The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated first baseman Derrek Lee from the 15-day disabled list. Lee was placed on the DL on May 19, retroactive to May 17, with a strained left oblique.
To make room for Lee on the 25-man roster, left-hander Pedro Viola has been optioned to Double-A Bowie.
Lee has batted .231 (36-156) with six doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI in 40 games for the Orioles.
Viola appeared in one game for the Orioles, May 30 at Seattle, and struck out two in 1.2...
I published some comments today from ESPN's Keith Law as he sized up some of the best pitching prospects in this year's draft, which begins Monday.
Law appeared on my radio show this week on 105.7 FM The Fan in Baltimore.
While he was on air, I asked his opinion of Orioles' scouting director Joe Jordan.
Law said overall Jordan has a done a good job with more successes than failures and he talked about his selections of Billy Rowell and Matt Hobgood. You can hear that comment below.
...
Orioles first baseman Derrek Lee will begin his injury rehab assignment tonight at Double-A Bowie.
Lee was supposed to report to the Baysox last night, but took some time to attend to his family after his grandfather passed away.
Lee has been on the disabled list since May 17 with a strained left oblique.
The veteran first baseman is hitting .231 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 40 games this season.
Here's the Orioles' lineup for today's game against the Blue Jays:
LF Felix Pie
CF Adam Jones
RF Nick Markakis
DH Vladimir Guerrero
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
1B Luke Scott
3B Mark Reynolds
2B Robert Andino
P Zach Britton
Brian Matusz and Zach Britton currently are pitching back-to-back in the rotation. Yes, the rotation is in a bit of a shambles, what with it only having four members, one of whom is just back from the disabled list. But Matusz and Britton are pitching back-to-back in the Orioles rotation. Two lefties who are renowned around baseball just happen to be pitching consecutive games for the Orioles. When looking ahead to upcoming series, Orioles fans often see two lefties pitching for an opposing...