Jim Callis and Joe Jordan on high school vs. college in the draft (with update)

Jim Callis and Joe Jordan on high school vs. college in the draft (with update)
It's a topic that followers of the first year player draft in baseball have debated for years: Should a club draft more high school players that may have a higher ceiling with their talent or more college players that they have scouted more and are closer to the majors? In the recent listing by Baseball America of its top 100 prospects in the game, there was some interesting math worth discussing. Of the game's current top 100 prospects on that list, 50 were drafted out of high school and...
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Updates on Duchscherer, Lee and Atkins

Updates on Duchscherer, Lee and Atkins
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter just arrived in Clearwater after staying back to watch Justin Duchscherer throw off flat ground and further test his left hip. Showalter indicated that Duchscherer got through the session without incident and could throw off a mound Friday. "He had a good day," Showalter said. "Threw on flat ground, stretched it out. We'll see how he feels the next day or two. It was good. It was encouraging." Also, Derrek Lee took batting practice...
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Today's lineups

Today's lineups
SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm heading to Clearwater later this morning. Here's the Orioles' lineup: Randy Winn RF Felix Pie CF Josh Bell 3B Matt Wieters DH Nolan Reimold LF Jake Fox C Brendan Harris 2B Joe Mahoney 1B Cesar Izturis SS Chris Tillman RHP Left-hander Zach Britton will follow Tillman to the mound. Left-hander Michael Gonzalez also will pitch today. Mahoney said he's eager to get some at-bats after fouling a ball off his right knee during Sunday's intrasquad game. For the...
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Ken Rosenthal takes a shot or two at the Orioles

Ken Rosenthal takes a shot or two at the Orioles
Well, it wasn't Keith Law this time. A frequent critic of the Orioles over the years, Ken Rosenthal takes a few pokes at the team in a column today. The former Baltimore Sun reporter and columnist, who now works for Fox Sports and MLB Network, makes some valid points and remains, in my opinion, one of the top writers/analysts that covers the game. However, Rosenthal does seem to often have a little extra zing or two heading the O's way. To me, the timing of today's posting, on the same...
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Showalter time

Showalter time
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter gave today a passing grade. A nice ceremony before the first pitch to celebrate a refurbished Ed Smith Stadium, and an inspired power display that triggered a 12-6 victory over the Rays. Who could complain? "I'm glad that the weather held out for us," Showalter said. "It was a lot of fun. You couldn't have scripted it much better. It was a good start for the ballpark and everything. The organization and the city of Sarasota put a lot of time and...
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Peter Angelos speaks on O's fortunes, Guerrero, Sarasota renovations

Peter Angelos speaks on O's fortunes, Guerrero, Sarasota renovations
Orioles managing partner Peter G. Angelos took in today's home exhibition opener in the renovated Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla., and spent a few minutes chatting with WBAL-AM announcers Joe Angel and Fred Manfra during the top of the eighth inning during broadcast of the game. "We always like the club in the beginning of the season," Angelos said, referring to the O's victory in their Grapefruit League opener Monday and a 12-6 lead over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. "Hopefully, this will be...
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Markakis speaks

Markakis speaks
SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's attendance: 7,497. That's a record for Ed Smith Stadium. Jason Berken gave up two runs in the top of the seventh inning while I was waiting for Nick Markakis in the clubhouse. That's what happens when I leave my seat. The Orioles held a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the seventh until Brandon Snyder doubled to score two runs. Make it 12-6. David Riske only retired two batters in the sixth. He allowed the back-to-back homers to Manny Ramirez and B.J. Upton, and Casey...
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Guthrie talks about today's outing

Guthrie talks about today's outing
SARASOTA, Fla. - Here are some quotes from Jeremy Guthrie, who retired all six batters he faced today: On his outing: "Everything felt like it left off at the end of last season, so that's good. I haven't thrown a strike in five months, so it's nice to go out there and be able to do that. Work ahead. The command wasn't tremendous, but I told Matt (Wieters) we would work on corners the next couple times, I guess. We worked on strikes." On the offensive outburst: "The guys are taking...
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Markakis having big day (updated)

Markakis having big day (updated)
SARASOTA, Fla. - First base coach Wayne Kirby walked over to Nick Markakis this morning and asked whether the right fielder was ready to go to work after he stayed back in camp yesterday while the Orioles opened their exhibition schedule in Brandenton. Markakis responded with a nod and a fist bump. Boy, was he ready. Markakis has homered twice, singled and driven in four runs through four innings. He connected twice off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine and lined an RBI single off reliever...
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Fox and Markakis tee off in second (updated)

Fox and Markakis tee off in second (updated)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Jake Fox just unloaded on Andy Sonnanstine, figuring that the Rays' starter is fair game today. Fox, batting ninth today, homered to left-center field on the first pitch thrown to him. Orioles 5, Rays 0. Matt Wieters flied to left before Fox stepped to the plate. Fox is starting at first base today. He's trying to make the club as the backup catcher or second utility infielder. Just as I was going to send this entry, Nick Markakis launched his second home run in two...
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Markakis, Guerrero and Jones homer in first

Markakis, Guerrero and Jones homer in first
SARASOTA, Fla. - I almost forgot that a game was being played today. Brian Roberts singled off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine in his first spring at-bat, and Nick Markakis followed with a home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch. One out later, Vladimir Guerrero crushed the first pitch thrown to him. The ball cleared the left-center field fence in about three seconds. Orioles 3, Rays 0. Update: Adam Jones just cleared the seats in the party deck beyond the left field fence. That's three...
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Lee: "I don't foresee it being too much longer"

Lee: "I don't foresee it being too much longer"
SARASOTA, Fla. - Derrek Lee took batting practice for the third straight day as he draws closer to playing in his first exhibition game. Lee can't pinpoint when he'll debut for the Orioles, but his surgically repaired right thumb is responding well to the BP sessions and fielding drills. "Hopefully soon," he said. "Today was the third day in a row hitting off coaches and it's still feeling good. I don't see a reason to keep delaying it. I'm still going to be cautious, but I'm...
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Waiting on Lee

Waiting on Lee
SARASOTA, Fla. - A light rain is falling at the newly refurbished Ed Smith Stadium as the Orioles take batting practice. Not a drop the entire time we've been here until today. Naturally. Manager Buck Showalter hasn't provided an exact date when first baseman Derrek Lee will make his Orioles' debut in an exhibition game. He's mostly leaving it up to Lee, who continues to take batting practice and participate in fielding drills. "I don't think anything's imminent," Showalter said....
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Duchscherer feeling fine this morning (updated)

Duchscherer feeling fine this morning (updated)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer remains encouraged by the condition of his left hip this morning. "Everything was OK yesterday," he said. "It's one of those weird things where guys who have surgery and come back might have a day or two where they just feel concerned, worried. So far, since the other day, everything's felt fine. I threw off flat ground, and they have a half mound, and everything was fine. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it was just a one-day cranky...
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Passing along rehab advice: Spoone has been where Erbe is going

Passing along rehab advice: Spoone has been where Erbe is going
As Brandon Erbe continues to progress from his surgery last August to repair a torn labrum, he can turn to Chorye Spoone for advice. A fellow Maryland native, Spoone had shoulder surgery in September 2008 and has pretty much made a full recovery after pitching 132 innings last summer for Double-A Bowie. "I told him there will be days when you feel like something is hurt in your arm and it hurts to throw, like during your throwing program," Spoone said. "But you need to realize that the...
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Showalter time

Showalter time
BRADENTON, Fla. - With the wind blowing out to left field today, and lifting up a few houses, manager Buck Showalter had to be pleased with his pitchers. They allowed four runs, the last two on Miles Durham's homer off Josh Rupe in the bottom of the ninth that produced two unearned runs. Lyle Overbay homered off left-hander Clay Rapada in the fifth inning. "Rapada had as good an inning as anybody and gave up (a home run)," manager Buck Showalter said. "You've got to look at the...
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Encouraging news on Duchscherer and others

Encouraging news on Duchscherer and others
BRADENTON, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer has a lot to learn about being shut down for 48 hours. After playing catch yesterday, Duchscherer threw off flat ground, a flat mound and a half mound this morning in Sarasota. Manager Buck Showalter stayed back to watch before heading to Bradenton for the Orioles' 6-4 victory over the Pirates. Showalter said that Duchscherer was throwing with "some hops" on the half mound and didn't have any discomfort in his left hip. Duchscherer will take off...
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Orioles build on lead (updated)

Orioles build on lead (updated)
BRADENTON, Fla. - Brendan Harris doubled with the bases loaded to score two runs in the top of the eighth, and Robert Andino followed with a sacrifice fly to increase the Orioles' lead to 6-2. Does this make you feel any better about the 1979 World Series? What about '71? Same here. I'm still bitter. Nolan Reimold has homered and walked three times. He raced home on Harris' double to right-center field. As I mentioned earlier, Vladimir Guerrero went 2-for-3 in his Orioles' debut. When...
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Bergesen: "I felt good today for the first outing" (updated)

Bergesen: "I felt good today for the first outing" (updated)
BRADENTON, Fla. - Craig Tatum's infield single produced another run in the sixth inning and increased the Orioles' lead to 3-1. Matt Angle crashed into the center field fence while running down a long drive in the bottom of the sixth. He collapsed to the ground after making the throw, but he stayed in the game. Koji Uehara ran the count full to the leadoff hitter, Jose Tabata, and gave up a single into center field. Must be the first exhibition game. A run scored off Uehara with two...
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Two scoreless for Drese (updated)

Two scoreless for Drese (updated)
BRADENTON, Fla. - Ryan Drese retired all six batters he faced today, getting four ground balls, a fly ball and a called third strike. All three outs in the third inning came on grounders to shortstop J.J. Hardy. Andrew McCutchen almost beat out a grounder in the fourth. Cesar Izturis bobbled the ball and took his time making the throw to first. McCutchen can fly. Drese hasn't pitched in the majors since making two starts with the Nationals in 2006. He looked good today. Clay Rapada is...
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