The Orioles were the featured team last night on MLB Network's 30 in 30 club previews. Analysts John Hart and Dan Plesac had several positive comments about the club and its outlook for 2011.
"There should be a lot of excitement with the finish they had with Buck Showalter," Hart said. "There used to be a time when the Oriole Way really meant something. I see that coming back with Showalter - attention to detail, fundamentals. I think they are really going to make an improvement, even...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Top of the morning to you. I'm leaving in an hour to make my third trip to Bradenton this spring. Don't be green with envy.
For the Orioles:
Felix Pie CF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nolan Reimold LF
Matt Wieters DH
Jake Fox C
Randy Winn RF
Brendan Harris 2B
Josh Bell 3B
Brandon Snyder 1B
Chris Tillman RHP
Josh Rupe and Jeremy Accardo also are scheduled to pitch. The Pirates are listing Ross Ohlendorf, Evan Meek (still trying to inherit the earth) and Joe Beimel.
Left-hander Zach...
TAMPA, Fla. - I'll be brief, and not because I'm facing an hour drive back to Sarasota.
The Orioles were held to one hit, Vladimir Guerrero's double off Mariano Rivera with two outs in the seventh.
If you love a parade, you were in heaven with all the relievers used tonight.
"Some guys threw the ball well, some guys struggled," manager Buck Showalter said. "We didn't swing the bats very well. Another day. We'll see more games, see more people play."
The Orioles need to see better...
TAMPA, Fla. - The Orioles were spared the indignity of being no-hit in an exhibition game. They just needed someone named Mariano Rivera to replace Ivan Nova.
Vladimir Guerrero doubled to right-center field off the Yankees' closer with two outs in the seventh.
Finally, a hit.
Nova hit a batter and walked one through the sixth. He threw only 59 pitches. The Yankees were going to push him to 75, but I guess they wanted this Rivera kid to get some work.
Guerrero flied out and struck out...
TAMPA, Fla. - Rick VandenHurk faced six batters tonight and retired none of them.
VandenHurk was removed after allowing three runs. Armando Gabino inherited a bases loaded mess, so his line wasn't officially complete.
It is now.
Another run scored on a fielder's choice grounder from Alex Rodriguez. Robinson Cano followed with an RBI single. Five runs charged to VandenHurk.
Yankees 9, Orioles 0
VandenHurk gave up three hits, walked three batters and threw a wild pitch. He's surrendered...
TAMPA, Fla. - Craig Tatum doesn't like missing games unless it's part of his life as a backup catcher.
Tatum remains shut down with tightness in his right oblique. He hopes to take batting practice tomorrow.
Tatum sustained the injury while slipping on the plate during an infield drill, and he aggravated it while rounding third base in Saturday's game in Kissimmee.
"Buck (Showalter) asked me if I could play and I was like, 'Yeah, I can play.' And they were like, 'We're going to shut...
TAMPA, Fla. - Jim Johnson was amused to find two reporters waiting for him outside the clubhouse after tonight's start.
"Are you kidding?" he asked with a grin.
Nope. We needed the starter, and Johnson qualified tonight.
Johnson allowed one run on three hits. Derek Jeter reached on an infield hit after the ball deflected off Johnson's glove. Nick Swisher singled on a hit-and-run, and Mark Teixeira doubled for a 1-0 lead.
"Oh, I was so nervous," Johnson said, clearly in jest.
He...
TAMPA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter indicated that Brian Roberts, Derrek Lee and Koji Uehara could appear in games this weekend.
Roberts hit off a tee from both sides of the "plate" and is encouraged by his progression.
Lee didn't take live bating practice, instead hitting soft toss, but it could happen tomorrow. His debut is tentatively set for this weekend.
Koji Uehara had another positive bullpen session and is close to appearing in his second spring game.
"I've got all three...
SARASOTA, Fla. - After a nice stretch of home cooking, the Orioles hit the road again for another game played under the lights. The clubhouse opens to the media at 2 p.m. and I'll be Tampa-bound about an hour later for tonight's matchup with the Yankees.
Since Jeremy Guthrie is getting his innings at the minor league complex, the Orioles will dip into their bullpen for tonight's game. Jim Johnson, Rick VandenHurk, Mark Hendrickson, Michael Gonzalez, David Riske and Clay Rapada are making...
SARASOTA, Fla. - For the Orioles:
Robert Andino 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Luke Scott LF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Matt Wieters C
Josh Bell 1B
Cesar Izturis SS
Jim Johnson RHP
No, the Orioles aren't considering a role change for Johnson. It's just a bullpen game while Jeremy Guthrie threw five innings against a bunch of Red Sox Triple-A hitters at Twins Lake Park.
Guthrie allowed two runs and six hits, with two walks and one strikeout. He induced three double play...
No one is talking about any strikes or lockouts in Major League Baseball, but the collective bargaining agreement in the sport does expire after this coming season in December.
The sides have already had labor talks in Florida and they are expected to resume soon in Arizona.
Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan expects discussion about the First-Year Player Draft and the possible changes to it to be on the table over the next several months.
"Yeah, I do. I don't know necessarily what...
After producing seven hits in 17 at-bats for a .412 batting average in his first major league spring training camp, Orioles' first base prospect Joe Mahoney seems to have made the most of his initial chance to play for the Birds.
"It was a great experience. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot," Mahoney said last night. "I was fortunate enough to play well and hopefully make a good first impression with both the coaching staff and management."
"I think he's primed to have that year...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter provided a quick health update during batting practice. It never gets old.
Showalter said the MRI on Brian Roberts' back didn't show anything new. He still believes that Roberts, who's visiting a back specialist this morning, could be ready for the April 1 opener.
"I'm going to speak to Robby at lunch time," Showalter said. "I know talking to Richie (Bancells) that the MRI was nothing new there to speak of, so that's good news. Hopefully, we're...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Second baseman Brian Roberts returned to the clubhouse after visiting a back specialist today. He described his back as feeling "much better, definitely. Quite a bit better." And he remains hopeful of starting the April 1 opener after assuring reporters following yesterday's MRI that the discomfort wasn't related to his herniated disk.
"Saw the doc today and got good, encouraging news, so I'll start to try to progress starting today," Roberts said. "He just said that...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles didn't go down quietly in the ninth, scoring four runs in a 14-8 loss to the Astros before 5,262.
Robert Andino hit a two-run homer, Nolan Reimold and Michel Hernandez doubled, and Ryan Adams stroked an RBI single.
Manager Buck Showalter noted that Brad Bergesen's command "wasn't real good."
"He had one good inning. Got his work in, got his pitch count up a little bit. We'd like to see him be a little more sharp, but at this stage of spring training,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - That escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast. It jumped up a notch.
The Astros lead the Orioles, 14-4, in the ninth. They're outhitting the Orioles, 15-4.
Ryan Drese was charged with five runs and seven hits in three innings. That's no way to compete for a starting job.
Kevin Gregg talked about the mechanical adjustment, which didn't prevent him from serving up Brett Wallace's grand slam.
(Is it just me, or has Wallace already played for half the...
SARASOTA, Fla. - I passed along a few quotes from manager Buck Showalter this morning before heading to the clubhouse. Here are a few more:
On the results of Justin Duchscherer's MRA and Brian Roberts' MRI:
"With him and Robby, there wasn't anything new going on there, but that doesn't mean everything is fine. There's still things that have been a challenge for both of them."
On whether Duchscherer has been eliminated from the opening day rotation:
"Not yet. But it's certainly in...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen was pulled from today's game after four innings and 52 pitches, 26 for strikes.
Bergesen faced the minimum number of batters through 3 1/3 innings despite two four-pitch walks, but he allowed back-to-back singles, a sacrifice fly by Jason Michaels and Bill Hall's two-run homer.
Astros 3, Orioles 1.
Bergesen walked two and struck out one.
In his last three starts, Bergesen has allowed nine earned runs and 16 hits, and walked five, in 9 2/3 innings.
Kevin...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gregg allowed five runs (four earned) and three hits, with one walk, in one-third of an inning. Brett Wallace hit a grand slam, and Wynn Pelzer replaced Gregg after a runner reached on an error.
Pelzer had his own issues, surrendering a two-run double to Brian Bogusevic and hitting J.R. Towles.
Gregg explained later that he made a mechanical adjustment that pitching coach Mark Connor recommended. Gregg was focused on leaning forward, rather than staying back, to get...
SARASOTA, Fla. - I vowed to withhold this blog entry until Jake Fox's ball landed, but I don't have all day.
Fox crushed a 1-1 pitch from Astros starter Aneury Rodriguez and cleared everything in left field. Pretty much everything in Sarasota.
Fox's fifth spring home run gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. He also has eight RBIs.
Manager Buck Showalter gave Fox a start behind the plate and has been rewarded in multiple ways. Fox also threw out Bill Hall trying to steal to end the second...