orioles

Is it Tillman time?

April 09, 2010, 12:02pm

Orioles

While I am sure that there is more Chris Tillman could learn and more polish he could add to his game in Triple-A the rest of this season, it also seems quite clear by the numbers that he has made major improvements throughout this season. It's time for a change in the O's rotation with Rich Hill out and Chris Tillman in. Tillman is 8-5, 2.42 in 17 starts and is slated to start for Norfolk tonight. Here's hoping his next start after that will be early next week in Baltimore vs. Kansas...

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steve melewski orioles

Matinee baseball: O's at New York

April 09, 2010, 11:58am

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (41-52) at New York (56-37) Things are getting this rough for the Orioles. They've allowed just ten hits in two games and a team average of just .182 to the Yankees, but they have lost both games of their series at New York. This afternoon at 1:05 p.m. New York can wrap up its second three-game home sweep of the Orioles this season. Jason Berken (1-7, 6.44) pitches for the O's vs. A.J. Burnett (8-4, 3.81), New York's 82 million dollar right-hander. A loss today...

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steve melewski orioles

Today's pitchers: Berken vs. Burnett

April 09, 2010, 11:53am

Orioles

RHP Jason Berken (1-7, 6.44) today makes his 11th start of this season, his 5th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. the Yankees. Since pitching to an ERA of 2.25 over his first two starts, Berken has mostly struggled. He is coming off his second worst start of the year. Last Friday at Chicago he took the loss and allowed six runs and two homers in 4 1/3 innings. He had pitched to an ERA of 4.58 in his previous four starts. Berken has just one quality start on the year and has pitched...

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steve melewski orioles

O's swept in New York

April 09, 2010, 11:52am

Orioles

Winning pitcher A.J. Burnett picked up his 9th win as the Yankees beat the Orioles 6-4 Wednesday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep. The O's are 0-6 at New York this season and have lost ten straight games in the Bronx. Burnett is now 9-4, 3.74. He gave up two runs in seven innings. Over his last seven starts, he is 5-1, 1.93. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano had RBI singles in the first for New York and a two-run single by Nick Swisher capped the four-run first inning. Gary Thorne...

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steve melewski orioles

Post-game Notes: tough series in NY

April 09, 2010, 11:50am

Orioles

This is the second time this season the O's were swept in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. They lost three straight by a combined 27-9 score from May 19-21. They lost the three games this time by five total runs. The O's have been swept five times on the season in three game series. All five came on the road. They were also swept at Toronto, Oakland and Florida. The O's have lost ten straight games at New York. They are 13-29 at New York since the 2005 season. The O's now...

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Tillman and Hobgood take the mound tonight

April 09, 2010, 11:48am

Orioles

Tillman and Hobgood take the mound tonight

He may or may not make his next start in Baltimore, but Chris Tillman is scheduled to make a start tonight for Triple-A Norfolk at Gwinnett. O's Director of Player Development David Stockstill said it is anticipated to be a "normal" start and we should not expect to see Tillman pulled after just a few innings. After pitching in a doubleheader last Friday, Wednesday would have been Tillman's usual day to pitch, but he was bumped back a day. "Sometimes you give a young kid an extra day...

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More pitchers show their stuff on the O's farm

April 09, 2010, 11:47am

Orioles

More pitchers show their stuff on the O's farm

While pitchers like Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz attract most of the attention in the O's minor leagues, having great seasons, others are emerging with strong seasons, but sometimes get overshadowed by the top hurlers. Two pitchers that fit in that category are Pat Egan and Nate Moreau. Egan, a 24-year-old right-hander began this season at Delmarva, is now at Frederick, but also made a brief and successful stop at Double-A Bowie. Pitching mostly in relief, his combined stats at three...

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New spring home to help the minors too

April 09, 2010, 11:46am

Orioles

The news this week that the Orioles are moving their spring training home to Sarasota starting next year, will help the Major League O's in many ways. The facilities will be better and spring training travel much easier. The O's will even likely now see some of their AL East rivals for spring games. But it will help the O's minor leagues in many ways as well. The O's minor leaguers have already been in Sarasota at Twin Lakes Park. Now the Major League camp will be about 10 miles away...

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Weekend preview: O's at Boston

April 09, 2010, 11:44am

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (41-53) at Boston (55-39) The last time the Orioles played the Red Sox the series ended with two wild games. In the middle game of three, the O's went to the last of the 7th down 10-1 and rallied to beat the Sox 11-10. It was the greatest comeback ever in O's history. But the next day, the Birds took a 5-1 lead to the 9th and lost 6-5 in 11 innings. Boston scored four in the 9th to tie the game. Tonight the clubs begin a three-game series at 7:10 p.m at Fenway...

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Tonight's pitching matchup: Bergesen vs. Penny

April 09, 2010, 11:42am

Orioles

Tonight's pitching matchup: Bergesen vs. Penny

RHP Brad Bergesen (6-4, 3.51) tonight makes his 18th start of this season, his 8th on the road and his 2nd start of 2009 vs. Boston. As well as he has pitched this year, Bergesen tonight is looking for his first career road win. Bergesen, 2009: Home: 6-1, 2.82 and team is 8-2 Road: 0-3, 4.57 and team is 1-6 Bergesen took the loss over the weekend vs. the White Sox when he allowed six straight hits in the 5th inning following an error. On the night he gave up 10 hits and four runs (two...

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Not yet Tillman time

April 09, 2010, 11:40am

Orioles

It's looking like, for now, Jason Berken and Rich Hill will stay in the O's rotation. Will that be for just one more turn through or more, we don't know. Such was reported in a Baltimore Sun story earlier tonight. Moments ago on the MASN telecast, O's president Andy MacPhail was asked about Chris Tillman. "We haven't finalized anything yet," MacPhail said. "Most of the pitchers Tillman was with last year at Bowie are here like Berken, Bergesen and Hernandez. We should see Tillman...

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Sox take series opener, 3-1, over Orioles

April 09, 2010, 11:37am

Orioles

The bottom four batters in the Red Sox lineup combined to drive in all three runs tonight as Boston beat the Orioles 3-1, to snap a five-game losing streak. The O's loaded the bases with one out in the ninth vs. Jon Papelbon. But he fanned Luke Scott for the second out and struck out Melvin Mora on a 3-2 pitch to record his 25th save. Jason Varitek had an RBI single and Jed Lowrie a sac fly as Boston took a 2-1 lead in the 4th. An inning later, an RBI groundout by J.D. Drew made it a 3-1...

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Post-game Notes: O's fall at Fenway

April 09, 2010, 11:34am

Orioles

Since the O's scored 21 runs on 37 hits in the three-game series at Chicago to start this trip, the O's have struggled on offense. In the last four games of this trip, they have scored just 10 runs on 31 hits with only seven extra-base hits. The O's were 0 for 6 tonight with runners in scoring position and are 3 for 29 over the last four games with RISP. The O's loaded the bases in the 9th vs. Jonathan Papelbon, but he fanned Luke Scott and Melvin Mora to end the game. Papelbon is now...

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Saturday night baseball: O's at Boston

April 09, 2010, 11:30am

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (41-54) at Boston (56-39) For the Orioles lately it's been a story of close but no cigar or wins. They have a similar story riding vs. Boston. The O's have lost their last four games on their current road trip by 7 total runs. Of the O's seven losses vs. Boston this year, five have come by two runs or less. The O's latest frustration came during Friday's 3-1 loss at Boston. They loaded the bases with one out in the 9th vs. Jonathan Papelbon, but he fanned Luke...

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Tonight's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Lester

April 09, 2010, 11:27am

Orioles

RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-8, 5.12) tonight will make his 20th start of this season, his 10th on the road and the 9th of his career vs. Boston. Guthrie is coming off one of his best starts of this year. He got the win last Sunday at Chicago, giving up just three hits and two runs over eight innings. He allowed two solo homers and threw 108 pitches. The O's are 8-11 when Guthrie starts, but have won four of the last five. In three July starts, he is 1-1, 5.19. In nine road starts, Guthrie is...

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O's tell Sano "we want you to be an Oriole"

April 09, 2010, 11:26am

Orioles

O's tell Sano "we want you to be an Oriole"

Orioles director of international scouting, John Stockstill, is back from the Dominican Republic tonight. In recent days he has met with the representatives for Dominican shortstop Miguel Angel Sano. "We certainly expressed an interest in him becoming a Baltimore Oriole," Stockstill said. During a week or so in the country, Stockstill met Sano's representatives and officials from Major League baseball. Stockstill would not comment when asked if the O's have begun contract negotiations...

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Sox score early in win over O's

April 09, 2010, 11:24am

Orioles

David Ortiz hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Boston was on its way to a 7-2 win over the Orioles Saturday night. The Sox have taken the first two games of this series. The Orioles, who are 1-8 this year vs. Boston, have lost 11 in a row at Fenway Park and are 1-16 on the road this season vs. AL East clubs. Jacoby Ellsbury added a pair of RBI doubles for Boston, which improved the Majors best record at home to 33-14. The O's have now lost five in a row, scoring a total of 12...

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Post-game Notes: Sox win again vs. O's

April 09, 2010, 11:22am

Orioles

Nolan Reimold went 2 for 3 with a double and run scored in Saturday's loss. Reimold is 5 for 6 in this series with two doubles, two runs and two walks. He has increased his average from .259 to .277 the last two days. David Ortiz started the Boston scoring with a three-run homer in the first inning. His 13th of the year came on a 1-0 pitch from Jeremy Guthrie. It was his 25th career homer vs. Baltimore pitching. He has homered more vs. only three teams. He has 34 homers vs. Tampa, his...

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Sunday baseball: Orioles vs. Red Sox

April 09, 2010, 11:20am

Orioles

Game Preview Orioles (41-55) at Boston (57-39) The road trip that has featured just one win and dropped the Orioles 14 games under the .500 mark comes to an end this afternoon. Boston can sweep three straight from the O's with a win today at 1:35 p.m. David Hernandez (2-2, 3.55) will pitch for Baltimore vs. 42-year-old right-hander John Smoltz (1-3, 6.31) The Orioles win last Sunday at Chicago was their only win so far on this trip. They are 1-7 on the trip and 15-34 on the road this...

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Today's pitchers: Hernandez vs. Smoltz

April 09, 2010, 11:19am

Orioles

RHP David Hernandez (2-2, 3.55) today makes his 7th start of this season, his 5th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. Boston. Hernandez allowed just one run over six innings but did not get a decision last Monday at New York. He gave up just three hits, throwing 103 pitches. Over his last three starts, Hernandez is 1-0, 2.89 (6ER in 18 2/3IP). Right-handed batters are hitting .286 vs. Hernandez while lefties bat .257. He has allowed an average of just .158 when pitching with runners...