SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles first baseman Derrek Lee will stay back in camp today and hit soft tosses in the indoor cage. He doesn't expect to debut tomorrow because of "general soreness" in his right wrist area, and he won't project when he'll enter the starting lineup.
"I don't want to put days on it," he said. "I probably made that mistake the first time. When it feels good enough to go out there, I'll go out there.
"I haven't done anything today, so I'm not sure where it is...
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Assuming that Justin Duchscherer's hip remains pain-free, the right-hander will start Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater.
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Duchscherer will work the first inning. He also could return for the second if his pitch count is down and he isn't forced to sit for a prolonged stretch while the Orioles bat.
"I'm going to let Duke start the game," Showalter said. "We don't want him to sit around for a...
FORT MYERS, Fla. - It's been raining in Fort Myers, and one of the locals says more precipitation is on the way. Could arrive around noon.
For the Twins:
Denard Span CF
Tsuyoshi Nishioka 2B
Danny Valencia 3B
Luke Hughes DH
Jeff Bailey 1B
Jason Repko RF
Rene Tosoni LF
Steve Holm C
Alexi Casilla SS
Brian Duensing LHP
Sean Burnett, former Oriole Jim Hoey, Chuck James, Scott Diamond and Anthony Swarzak also are slated to pitch.
Besides Jeremy Guthrie and Rick VandenHurk, the Orioles brought...
SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm minutes away from getting back in my car and heading to Fort Myers for today's game against the Minnesota Twins.
For the Orioles:
Randy Winn RF
Robert Andino 2B
Nolan Reimold LF
Jake Fox DH
Josh Bell 1B
Felix Pie CF
Brendan Harris 3B
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis SS
Jeremy Guthrie RHP
Rick VandenHurk will follow Guthrie to the mound.
The Orioles and Red Sox played to a 4-4 tie in 10 innings. If you predicted that outcome, go to the window and collect your money.
Josh Bell drew a two-out walk, which is newsworthy when you consider that he walked twice and struck out 53 times in 53 games with the Orioles last season. He took a close 2-2 pitch, fouled a ball off his foot and took another pitch outside of the strike zone.
Tyler Henson grounded into a force to end the game.
Matt Wieters was supposed to make the trip to Fort...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Jake Fox has taken this game into extra innings.
Fox belted a solo home run off Red Sox reliever Matt Fox, giving him three bombs this spring.
You can't sneak a fastball past this guy. When will they learn?
Left-hander Chris George is pitching for the Orioles in the top of the 10th inning, and he just struck out the first batter he faced.
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen took the good from today's start at Ed Smith Stadium, which meant overlooking the three runs and six hits he allowed to the Red Sox. He was stretched out to three innings and 46 pitches. He got in his work.
Bergesen immediately brought up the three runs he allowed in the second inning after getting the first two outs and two quick strikes on Drew Sutton, who's double started the rally.
"Having two outs and an 0-2 count and then you give up a three-spot,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter said there's "nothing definitive" regarding first baseman Derrek Lee, who's dealing with some soreness above his right wrist.
"He feels a little better than he did yesterday," Showalter said. "We'll see how he is tomorrow. We don't plan on taking him to Fort Myers tomorrow. At the very earliest Monday, but it may be later than that. It's not a big deal for me right now."
Luke Scott and Josh Bell will take ground balls at first base tomorrow...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen has allowed three runs and six hits in three innings against the Boston Red Sox, who kept most of their regulars in Fort Myers. Bergesen has also walked a batter and struck out two.
The Red Sox did all their scoring with two outs in the second inning on Drew Sutton's double, Jose Iglesias' RBI single, a walk and Oscar Tejada's two-run triple.
Bergesen gave up a leadoff single to Will Middlebrooks in the third, but got a double play with the next pitch and...
SARASOTA, Fla. - We've come full circle today. Brad Bergesen is back on the mound.
Bergesen started the first exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, and he'll face the Boston Red Sox this afternoon in Sarasota.
I wonder if Red Sox fans will take over Ed Smith Stadium?
The players have another meeting this morning, so the clubhouse is closed to the media until batting practice ends. I'll head over to the ballpark in a few hours, once everyone is on the field.
Mark...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed that first baseman Derrek Lee won't travel to Fort Myers tomorrow. The earliest he can debut is Monday, but nothing is certain at this point.
Lee is dealing with some mild soreness above his right wrist.
Brian Matusz threw a bullpen session today and is convinced that he'll be ready to start on Tuesday after having a wart removed yesterday from his left middle finger.
"It felt fine," he said. "It doesn't feel irritated at all....
SARASOTA, Fla. - Here's the Orioles' lineup for today's game against the Red Sox:
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Luke Scott LF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Mark Reynolds 3B
Adam Jones CF
J.J. Hardy SS
Matt Wieters C
Joe Mahoney 1B
Brad Bergesen RHP
For the Red Sox:
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Oscar Tejeda 2B
Carl Crawford LF
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Juan Carlos Linares DH
Mark Wagner C
Nate Spears RF
Drew Sutton 1B
Jose Iglesias SS
Alfredo Aceves, RHP
LAKELAND, Fla. - Break up the Orioles!
They won again today, getting home runs from Nolan Reimold and Jake Fox in a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Left-hander Mike Ballard, who will be part of the minor league camp, made the trip here and pitched the last two innings. Ryan Strieby hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth to complete the scoring.
Manager Buck Showalter thinks it's unfair that Jake Arrieta is charged with an earned run after shortstop Nick Green lost Brennan...
Jake Fox hit his second spring home run, a two-run shot off Tigers right-hander Alberto Alburquerque in the eighth inning.
Orioles 5, Tigers 1.
Fox came into the game batting .571. He was 0-for-3 before this at-bat.
Robert Andino walked before Fox stepped to the plate and deposited a ball on the hill beyond the left field fence.
Nolan Reimold walked and Josh Bell reached on an infield hit. Tough inning for Alburquerque.
Update: It got a lot tougher. Alburquerque threw a wild pitch while...
LAKELAND, Fla. - The Orioles were being shut out on one hit going into the top of the sixth inning, but not any more.
Randy Winn singled and Brendan Harris walked to open the inning. Charlie Furbush retired the next two batters, but Nolan Reimold launched the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
Reimold got all of that one.
Reimold also homered in the exhibition opener against the Pirates in Bradenton.
Jason Berken has replaced David Riske in the...
LAKELAND, Fla. - It started to rain in the top of the fifth, but it's already clearing up as we approach the bottom half of the inning.
Welcome to Florida.
The Orioles still trail the Tigers 1-0 as David Riske enters the game. They have one hit - Cesar Izturis' bloop single - and back-to-back walks by Josh Bell and Nick Green in the fifth. Bell stole second with Green at the plate.
Ryan Drese allowed one hit and struck out one over two scoreless innings.
Towson University's Casper Wells...
LAKELAND, Fla. - First baseman Derrek Lee's debut with the Orioles is being delayed because of some mild tenderness in his right wrist.
Lee's thumb is fine, according to manager Buck Showalter. The wrist is a little tender, so the club will give him another day and re-evaluate him on Sunday.
Lee hit soft toss today.
Also, Brian Matusz had the wart removed from his left middle finger this morning in Philadelphia. Showalter estimated that Matusz could resume throwing in three or four days,...
Jake Arrieta is charged with one run and two hits in two innings. He also walked two batters.
Arrieta threw 33 pitches, 17 for strikes.
The Tigers' run scored when shortstop Nick Green misplayed Brennan Boesch's pop-up for a hit with two outs in the first inning.
Detroit starter Rick Porcello retired the first eight Orioles before Cesar Izturis' bloop single into left field. Randy Winn swung at the next pitch and bounced into a force.
Ryan Drese has entered the game in the top of the...
LAKELAND, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer arrived at the Ed Smith Stadium complex as I was heading to my car for the drive to Lakeland.
Duchscherer said he's having a "light day" today. Sounds like he might play catch and receive more treatment on his left hip.
Duchscherer hopes to throw live batting practice tomorrow. He threw off the half mound and regular mound yesterday. Assuming he makes it through the session without any glitches, he could appear in his first game early next week....
SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm still trying to catch my breath after this newsy day, which included significant health updates on Justin Duchscherer, Koji Uehara, Derrek Lee and Brian Matusz.
No Mitch Atkins update? What the heck?
Matusz will fly to Philadelphia early tomorrow morning to have a wart removed from his left middle finger. Manager Buck Showalter pointed to the exact location while trying not to flip us off.
"Plans are for him to fly back tomorrow night," Showalter said. "There is...