orioles

The value of Uehara

April 02, 2011, 5:48pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Rays made things interesting in the eighth. And by "interesting," I mean heart-pounding. Michael Gonzalez returned to his little dome of horrors and walked the first two batters he faced, including Ben Zobrist on four pitches. He fell behind, 2-0, to Johnny Damon before retiring him on a foul pop. Gonzalez was done. In his place came Koji Uehara, who didn't walk a batter in his last 32 appearances of 2010. Uehara got a called third strike on pinch-hitter Sam...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3

Scott left game with groin injury

April 02, 2011, 6:28pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Luke Scott is listed as day-to-day after straining his right groin muscle during tonight's game. Felix Pie pinch-ran for Scott in the seventh inning after the veteran reached on a fielder's choice. It proved to be a key substitution, as Pie threw out B.J. Upton at the plate to end the bottom of the seventh and keep the game scoreless. Pie had replaced Scott in left field. We weren't aware of the injury until after the Orioles' 3-1 win. It just looked like sound...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles1

Pregame notes and quotes (updated)

April 02, 2011, 2:30pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - I had a little time to kill before the Orioles took the field for batting practice, so I asked J.J. Hardy about last night's rundown that ended with him plowing into the Rays' B.J. Upton. Third base umpire Scott Barry called Upton out, which brought manager Joe Maddon from the dugout for a prolonged argument. Hardy assumed that he was guilty of obstruction, which would have stoked an eighth-inning rally. Hardy spun around and almost spiked his glove after making...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles3

A no-no no more (updated)

April 02, 2011, 5:13pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Well, it was fun while it lasted. B.J. Upton singled to center field off Orioles reliever Jeremy Accardo with two outs in the seventh inning to break up the collective no-hit bid. I could have sworn I ordered the combination no-hit platter tonight. It was a clean single, and it came after Brian Roberts made a nice backhanded stop and off-balance throw to retire Dan Johnson. Upton stole second despite a pitch-out, with catcher Matt Wieters bobbling the ball and making...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1

Tillman makes it interesting (updated)

April 02, 2011, 4:31pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Rays have two baserunners through five innings against Chris Tillman, both coming on walks. That's it. TIllman has thrown 80 pitches, so getting him through the ninth will be quite a challenge. But hey, he wasn't even supposed to start tonight. Kelly Shoppach swung through a 92 mph fastball to end the fifth, the 10th consecutive batter retired by Tillman. Tillman had to fight to make the club out of spring training, and it mostly happened because Justin...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Orioles-Rays lineup, Simon and Matusz updates

April 02, 2011, 11:50am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Here are the lineups for tonight's game at Tropicana Field: For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Chris Tillman RHP For the Rays: Zobrist 2B Damon LF Longoria 3B Ramirez DH Johnson 1B Upton CF Joyce RF Shoppach C Brignac SS Shields RHP Also, an Orioles official confirmed that pitcher Alfredo Simon has obtained his visa and will enter the U.S....

Comments

Tags:

alfredo simon orioles

Tillman in the first (updated)

April 02, 2011, 3:40pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Chris Tillman blanked the Rays in the first inning, but they made him work for it. Tillman went to a three-ball count to the first three hitters, though he retired Ben Zobrist on a foul pop up and struck out Johnny Damon on a 91 mph fastball. Evan Longoria walked after taking two curveballs out of the strike zone with a 1-1 count and a 92 mph fastball that also missed. Manny Ramirez fell behind, 0-2, looked at a 94 mph fastball that missed outside and lined to right to...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Looking back on perfect season

April 02, 2011, 6:19am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One game, one win. That's perfection in my book. Of course, a franchise with 13 straight losing seasons can't function without a little adversity. The entire front office might break out in a rash if all the news is good. The revelation about Brian Matusz's back and the MRI result put a real damper on last night's festivities. Jeremy Guthrie should have been the center of attention. He was brilliant. "I've seen him pretty good, last August and September, but...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontstory_orioles2

Matusz scratched tomorrow with sore back

April 01, 2011, 1:22pm

Orioles

Matusz scratched tomorrow with sore back

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz won't make tomorrow night's start against the Rays because of soreness on the left side of his back. Matusz is scheduled to undergo an MRI at 5:30 p.m.. The disabled list is a possibility, though manager Buck Showalter didn't want to venture into that territory without getting the results. Chris Tillman is one candidate to replace Matusz tomorrow night. Brad Bergesen and Jake Arrieta aren't available. The Orioles also could choose to bring...

Comments

Tags:

brian matusz frontfeatured_orioles orioles frontstory_orioles1

Matusz's update and lineup

March 29, 2011, 5:02am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Matusz won't throw today after being hit on the left biceps during yesterday's simulated game. He's wearing an ice pack on his arm to reduce the inflammation, but he told reporters this morning that there's only a small bruise. No pain that should keep him from pitching Saturday. Matusz is hoping to throw tomorrow, as long as the inflammation stays down. "I feel pretty good about it today," he said. "It's not too swollen. It's a little bit black and blue....

Comments

Tags:

orioles brian matusz frontfeatured_orioles

Opening night lineup (and note)

March 31, 2011, 12:24pm

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles' lineup for tomorrow night's regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field should look pretty familiar to you, with one exception. Adam Jones moves up ahead of Luke Scott against left-hander David Price. Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Adam Jones CF Luke Scott LF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP NOTE: Forgot to mention it earlier. Manager Buck Showalter says former...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1

From St. Pete, Jones tweets get well wishes to Brooks

April 01, 2011, 7:11am

Orioles

From St. Pete, Jones tweets get well wishes to Brooks

Adam Jones has a lot on his mind today down in St. Petersburg, Fla., where the Orioles are getting ready to open their 2011 season against the Tampa Bay Rays. But the Orioles center fielder has enough of a sense of Baltimore baseball history to have tweeted get well wishes to hospitalized Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, who is recovering from a high fever and infection at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. "Stay strong my man. ... the O's family is with you and your family," Jones wrote on...

Comments

Tags:

adam jones frontstory_orioles3 oriole buzz orioles pete kerzel

Win home opener tickets at Friday Hightopps baseball chat

March 29, 2011, 7:11am

Orioles

Win home opener tickets at Friday Hightopps baseball chat

Want to go to the Orioles' home opener April 4? Don't have tickets, you say? Well, MASNsports.com will give you the opportunity to win a pair of opening day tickets Friday night at Hightopps Backstage Grille in Timonium. Steve Melewski and yours truly will be hosting another in our series of baseball chats that evening, from 6-7 p.m. At 7 p.m., we'll tune Hightopps' many televisions to the O's game in St. Petersburg, Fla., against the Rays on MASN. What better way to celebrate the start...

Comments

Tags:

frontstory_orioles2 orioles orioles buzz pete kerzel featured_sidebar

Brooks Robinson hospitalized, releases statement

March 31, 2011, 1:55pm

Orioles

Brooks Robinson hospitalized, releases statement

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson was hospitalized earlier today, which always brings a wave of concern - and maybe panic - over all of us, but he released a statement saying he's doing fine and it's not related to his cancer surgery. Here's the statement: "Thank you for your outpouring of concern. I was originally scheduled for a routine outpatient procedure at Greater Baltimore Medical Center on Thursday, March 31, 2011. The evening before surgery, I developed a fever...

Comments

Tags:

orioles featured_sidebar

Pre-workout Showalter - Part II

March 31, 2011, 11:31am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - We can still hear thunder rumbling outside the dome. I'm just relieved the roof hasn't collapsed. Speaking of thunderous echos, the Orioles are taking batting practice while I file this blog entry. Nick Markakis is knocking the paint off a few of the seats in right field. Luke Scott just bounced a ball off the back of the restaurant roof directly below the scoreboard in center field. Manager Buck Showalter said he won't rest any of his regulars during this...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles frontstory_orioles1

Pre-workout Showalter - Part I

March 31, 2011, 11:06am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter won't post his opening night lineup until after today's workout, but he told reporters not to expect any surprises. I'd assume that means he's using the same lineup that we saw at the end of the exhibition schedule: Roberts, Markakis, Lee, Guerrero, Scott, Jones, Reynolds, Wieters and Hardy. I'll pass along the official one later. Showalter explained why he chose Chris Tillman over Brad Bergesen for Sunday's start against the Rays. "I...

Comments

Tags:

orioles chris tillman justin duchscherer frontstory_orioles3

New season, new radio show

March 30, 2011, 9:09pm

Orioles

It's become a pretty important part of sports-talk on radio. That's the call-in show where fans and listeners can vent, analyze the game and react right after the game ends. Well, this year, after Orioles' games, you will have your chance to do just that and I will be the voice at the other end of the phone line. I am thrilled to officially announce that I will be hosting the "Baltimore Baseball Tonight" postgame edition on weeknights this year on 105.7 FM, The Fan in Baltimore. The show...

Comments

Tags:

orioles steve melewski

Bergesen talks about role

March 31, 2011, 10:39am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Brad Bergesen is "a candidate" to start the April 10 game against the Rangers at Camden Yards, according to manager Buck Showalter. Not necessarily the leading candidate. Just a candidate. Showalter is hesitant to name Bergesen the starter until making sure the Orioles aren't rained out Monday for their home-opener against the Tigers. Bergesen talked about being in the bullpen to begin the season. "I had the meeting with Buck and Goose (Mark Connor) yesterday and...

Comments

Tags:

orioles

Duchscherer shut down again

March 31, 2011, 6:24am

Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. - One last report from Sarasota. Pitcher Justin Duchscherer was sent to a chiropractor yesterday after complaining of back soreness. Apparently, his left hip is fine, but he's dealing with another setback. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said the club will wait 24 hours "and see how it is." "I'm not sure where we are right now," MacPhail said. "I think we're 24 hours from knowing the severity." Duchscherer threw two innings Tuesday in a simulated game...

Comments

Tags:

orioles frontfeatured_orioles

Talking Tillman and Rays lineup

March 31, 2011, 9:44am

Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - I drove through the worst rainstorm of my life to get here. Those tornado warnings are no joke. I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly, it's almost bent in half. Good luck with that one, Avis. I was pretty sure a traffic light turned green, but I couldn't move. Visibility was at an all-time low. But at least the water on the streets covered my tires. My GPS told me to turn right, and I yelled, "Where's the right?" I didn't need a GPS. I needed a...