orioles

Like most pitchers, Matusz needs the command as much as the velocity

June 18, 2011, 10:41am

Orioles

Like most pitchers, Matusz needs the command as much as the velocity

Brian Matusz is having a good start so far today in Washington. We'll see whether that continues deep into this game, but his outing so far is very encouraging. Some fans will say it's because he is throwing harder today and his velocity seems up a tick or two from earlier starts. But with Matusz it is almost never about the velocity. It's about his excellent four-pitch assortment, commanding those pitches and keeping the hitters off balance. When he can work ahead in the count and use all...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 brian matusz

South Atlantic League All-Star Game set for Tuesday in Salisbury

June 17, 2011, 9:22am

Orioles

South Atlantic League All-Star Game set for Tuesday in Salisbury

The Orioles' Single-A Delmarva affiliate is getting set to host the South Atlantic League All-Star Game on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury. The Shorebirds last hosted this game in 1999. We will have full coverage from the game Tuesday on MASNsports.com with pregame, in-game and postgame reports. Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver will headline Fan Fest that day which will take part in the stadium parking lot beginning at 2:30 p.m. Weaver is scheduled to appear at...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski delmarva shorebirds frontstory_orioles2 manny machado

Where to start with this loss?

June 17, 2011, 8:57pm

Orioles

This had to be one of the ugliest Orioles losses of the year. They had numerous chances to score more than four runs. They had poor relief pitching. They allowed three unearned runs. They had 18 hits and somehow managed to turn that into four runs. It was another game where a Mark Reynolds' mistake was glaring. After the game, Buck Showalter would not pin the loss on Reynolds' throwing error in the last of the fifth, but that fueled Washington's four-run inning. Showalter correctly said...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski mark reynolds

Hot Nats bats provide challenge for Britton tonight

June 17, 2011, 1:53pm

Orioles

Hot Nats bats provide challenge for Britton tonight

While Zach Britton has to bat in tonight's game in Washington, how he pitches against a hot team will still very likely be the bigger determining factor in whether he and the Orioles get a win tonight. After giving up 14 earned runs in 16 2/3 over a three-start stretch, Britton returned to earlier form in his last start against Oakland on June 8 when he gave up just one run over 6 1/3 innings to post his first win since May 1. Britton is 2-2 with an ERA of 4.94 in four road starts in...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 zach britton

Bridwell on the mound as Aberdeen begins its 10th season tonight

June 17, 2011, 9:50am

Orioles

Bridwell on the mound as Aberdeen begins its 10th season tonight

When the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds begin a new season tonight in the New York-Penn League, hosting Hudson Valley, right-hander Parker Bridwell be the Birds' starting pitcher. Many fans know his name because Bridwell received the third-largest bonus of any O's draft pick last year behind Manny Machado and Conner Narron. Taken in the ninth round out of Hereford (Texas) High School, Bridwell got a $625,000 bonus, which was more than some players taken in the second round. With...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 parker bridwell manny machado

Postgame notes after O's end Toronto losing skid

June 16, 2011, 12:42pm

Orioles

Postgame notes after O's end Toronto losing skid

Here are a couple of notes and stats coming out of today's Orioles win in Toronto while we await the Nats series and the latest O's MRI and injury news, this one involving pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. * The Orioles struggled to hit with runners in scoring position in Toronto, going 1-for-10 today and 3-for-27 in the series. The Orioles are just 5-for-40 (.125) with RISP the last five games. * After being held to just four hits Wednesday night, the Orioles picked up 10 today. It's the fifth time...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles3 j.j. hardy

O's overcome miscues and Guthrie's early exit to beat Toronto

June 16, 2011, 11:09am

Orioles

O's overcome miscues and Guthrie's early exit to beat Toronto

A day that featured another Orioles' base-running mistake and a key error in the last of the sixth inning, along with Jeremy Guthrie leaving his start with an injury, still ended in a win for the Orioles today at Toronto. The Orioles scored twice in the top of the ninth to snap a 2-2 tie and beat the Blue Jays 4-3 this afternoon. That ended their 16-game Toronto losing streak. It's the longest road losing streak versus one club in team history. Today marks the first O's win at Rogers Centre...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski ryan adams vladimir guerrero frontstory_orioles1 jeremy guthrie

Hardy homer note

June 16, 2011, 9:58am

Orioles

J.J Hardy's homer, a solo shot in the sixth, gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead on Toronto today at Rogers Centre. Hardy, who hit 26 homers with Milwaukee in 2007 and 24 in 2008, now has seven homers, or one more than he had all of last year with Minnesota. Hardy homers: 2009: 6 in 340 at bats, 1 every 56.7 at bats 2010: 7 in 142 at bats, 1 every 20.3 at bats Hardy had a slugging percentage of .394 last year and was at .489 before today's game in which he has a bloop double in addition to the...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles2 j.j. hardy

Updating Townsend and Mummey

June 16, 2011, 9:02am

Orioles

The Orioles initially were hopeful that when the Carolina League All-Star break ended and the second half began on June 23rd that Tyler Townsend and Trent Mummey might return to the Frederick Keys lineup. But it looks like neither will be able to be activated then as both players are rehabbing hamstring injuries and are on the disabled list. Both players got hurt in a June 8 game at Potomac. Townsend made the All-Star game but will not be able to play in next Tuesday's game. In 52 Keys...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 trent mummey tyler townsend

MacPhail on the radio

June 15, 2011, 9:56pm

Orioles

If you didn't get a chance to hear Andy MacPhail interviewed Wednesday on 105.7 the Fan FM in Baltimore, you missed a good, wide-ranging interview with the Orioles' team president. He appeared on the Ken Weinman and Vinny Cerrato show that airs each weekday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m on the Fan. Many topics were addressed and here are some excerpts from the interview. MacPhail was asked about Brian Matusz: "He's healthy. For whatever reason, from where he was in spring training to the time he...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 Andy MacPhail brian matusz

Orioles are moving lefty reliever Cole McCurry to Triple-A

June 14, 2011, 2:10pm

Orioles

Lefty relief pitcher Cole McCurry is joining the Triple-A Norfolk Tides after pitching with great stats this year for Double-A Bowie. The 25-year-old McCurry was a 43rd-round draft pick in 2007. This season for the Baysox, he went 4-0 with an ERA of 0.80. Over 33 2/3 he allowed just 18 hits and three earned runs. He walked 14, fanned 44 and had an opponent batting average against of just .155. McCurry actually was even better versus left-handed hitters. They are just 2-for-35 (.057) against...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 cole mccurry

One losing streak will end tonight

June 14, 2011, 1:39pm

Orioles

One team will end a losing streak tonight at Rogers Centre. The Orioles have lost 14 straight in that park and are just 1-19 in their last 20 games in Canada. They have lost 23 of 25 there. The Orioles' last win in Toronto was August 7, 2009 by a 7-5 score. Jason Berken got the start and win while Jim Johnson got a save. Nolan Reimold and Nick Markakis had two RBIs each. Meanwhile, Toronto has lost four games in a row being outscored 38-8 in that time. Toronto has lost five in a row at...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 chris jakubauskas j.j. hardy

Bridwell will be Aberdeen's opening night starter

June 13, 2011, 8:43am

Orioles

Bridwell will be Aberdeen's opening night starter

When the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds begin a new season on Friday night at home against Hudson Valley, 19-year-old right-hander

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 parker bridwell

Orioles stats and facts

June 12, 2011, 7:19pm

Orioles

Let's check in with a few Orioles stats and notes after a disappointing end to the weekend. It began with the Orioles blanking Tampa Bay 7-0 Friday, but they lost a late lead and the game Saturday night and fell behind early in losing Sunday. * Vlad Guerrero had back-to-back games on May 15 and 16 with two doubles each. But in the 22 games since then, Guerrero has just three total extra-base hits. His homer yesterday was his sixth of the year and first since May 22 versus Washington....

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles1 featured_sidebar j.j. hardy vladimir guerrero

Reynolds on his injury and his defense

June 12, 2011, 2:12pm

Orioles

The Orioles don't ever want to lose any player to injury, but now that Mark Reynolds is hitting homers, they'd really like to keep his bat in the lineup. Reynolds is confident he can play Tuesday after leaving today's game in the eighth with a left forearm contusion. He took a shot off the bat of Sean Rodriguez off that arm in the fifth inning and had it taped after the game. Reynolds said X-rays on his arm were negative. "I think the day (off tomorrow) will do some good," he said....

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontstory_orioles3 mark reynolds

Matusz: "I'm 100 percent healthy"

June 12, 2011, 1:54pm

Orioles

Brian Matusz may have had a rough day today and a short outing, but it had nothing at all to do with being hurt or any injury. "I'm 100 percent healthy," Matusz said. It was the shortest non-injury start of Matsuz's career, and he gave up four runs and four walks over just 1 1/3 innings today in a 9-6 loss to Tampa. "From the get-go I didn't get a good feel warming up in the bullpen," Matusz said. "Just one of those days where you have to battle without your good stuff. They were...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar brian matusz

Rays get to Matusz early, take series finale 9-6

June 12, 2011, 1:11pm

Orioles

Rays get to Matusz early, take series finale 9-6

The Orioles won two of their first three series this year against Tampa Bay, and when they beat the Rays 7-0 on Friday, three out of four was looking quite realistic. But the Orioles could not close out the game last night and Brian Matusz exited early today as the Rays won 9-6 to win the series. Matusz faced 13 hitters and 10 reached base on five hits, four walks and an error. He gave up four runs in just 1 1/3, throwing 52 pitches. He falls to 1-1 this season with an ERA of 5.11 after three...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles brian matusz

Rays ran wild early today vs. Matusz, O's

June 12, 2011, 11:11am

Orioles

Rays ran wild early today vs. Matusz, O's

Maybe it was a combination too good for Tampa Bay to pass up. A pitcher who can be slow to the plate with runners on base and a catcher that, well, is not Matt Wieters. Tampa Bay took advantage of that to steal four bases in the top of the first inning today against Brian Matusz. It looked like they had a fifth in the top of the second but Johnny Damon was called out. While today's short start of just 1 1/3 innings could raise concerns about Matusz and topics like fastball velocity could...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1 brian matusz

No June swoon for Reynolds

June 12, 2011, 9:28am

Orioles

The term June swoon does not apply to Mark Reynolds. After starting June hitless in five at-bats in the month's first two games, he is 8-for-24 with five homers and 11 RBIs. His June OPS is 1.244 after he picked up his first two-homer game as an Oriole last night. It was his 10th career two-homer game. After picking up five hits, three of them homers, over the last three games, Reynolds is now batting .205. This is his highest average since he was at .212 on April 19. The month has also...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski frontfeatured_orioles featured_sidebar frontstory_orioles2 mark reynolds

Britton is on board with the plan to move his next start back

June 12, 2011, 8:10am

Orioles

Britton is on board with the plan to move his next start back

Orioles lefty Zach Britton said it was not unexpected news. He was told today by manager Buck Showalter that his next start will likely be Friday in Washington and not Tuesday in Toronto. Britton has already pitched 82 innings and the club knew at some point Britton would pitch too many innings this year if he continued to go every fifth day. He pitched 153 innings last year between the minors and majors. "Obviously I don't want to skip starts, but I know they are doing it for a good...