A look at CF depth in the O's minors

The Orioles, like any organization, would like to create a situation where they have solid depth throughout their minor leagues with prospects at both the lower and higher levels. While some fans right now would question the Orioles' minor league depth and may well be right about that, at certain positions the Orioles are becoming well stocked. Center field is one of those positions. When the 2011 season began last week the O's had a center fielder that will be batting leadoff at each of...
Brad Bergesen hasn't reported to Triple-A Norfolk and won't make tonight's scheduled start in Gwinnett. He's still in Baltimore, waiting to find out whether he'll be recalled to start Wednesday night in New York. A team official said a final decision hasn't been made, but it's fair to speculate that Bergesen will get the assignment. The Orioles can recall Bergesen in fewer than 10 days because he'll be replacing shortstop J.J. Hardy, who will go on the disabled list. An MRI today...
The Orioles begin their season series with the Yankees on Tuesday. The last time the teams met, the O's posted an improbable 4-3 victory in 11 innings at Camden Yards. Luke Scott homered off Mariano Rivera in the ninth, and the Birds used good fortune - and even better managing - to escape unscathed in the 11th inning after the Yankees put a runner on third with nobody out. It was a thrilling game, made more special for me by the fact that I was there with my dad and my wife. Dad and I still...
Nationals fans watch the team's hiccups as they happen. Those hiccups are what make Washington baseball worth cheering for from the stands of Nationals Park. It's that whole underdog thing the north side of Chicago knows so well - minus the Billy Goat and alleged curse. Kind of. I feel obligated to admit that I grew up five minutes, walking, from Wrigley Field. Ever since I can remember, my late father would take me to Wrigley all the time. And, when he didn't, we passed that ivy-covered...
The Orioles aren't playing tonight, so they'll need to wait a little longer to end the first losing streak of 2011. I'm still impressed that Jeremy Guthrie gave the Orioles six quality innings yesterday, less than a week after being hospitalized with pneumonia. That was one of the guttier performances we'll witness on this club in any season. If I had a vote, I'd want the Orioles to recall Brad Bergesen to make Wednesday's start in New York. I think he gives you a better chance to...
Potomac Nationals shortstop Rick Hague crushed a 10th-inning, walk-off double to lift the P-Nats to a dramatic, 7-6 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats Sunday. It marked the first win of the season for the defending Mills Cup champions and involved big plays from Eury Perez, Destin Hood, Cutter Dykstra Stephen King, Brian Peacock, Jeff Kobernus and Steven Souza. The Rice University product from Spring, Texas, says the work the team did in Florida is showing off even this early in the...
One year after dealing with a miserable 2-16 start, these are better times for the Orioles. Even after losing the last two games against Texas, the club is off to a 6-3 start and in first place in their division. "I say it's good," O's outfielder Nick Markakis said of the club's start. "We've got a winning record and we just played a really good ballclub. It's not like we got blown out, we played close games with the exception of one. I think, overall in the first week we did pretty...
Pitching just a couple of days after getting out of the hospital, O's right-hander Jeremy Guthrie threw well versus Texas Sunday, even if he didn't feel 100 percent or have some of his usual velocity. "Legs felt good, but it's a strange feeling. I don't breathe very well and I get tired," said Guthrie, who had a form of pneumonia. "It's like you running a few sprints and being tired. Normally I can run a bunch of sprints before I get tired, now one of them makes me tired. It takes a...
Manager Buck Showalter summed up a 3-0 loss to the Rangers that included Ian Kinsler's two-run shot off Jim Johnson in the seventh inning and left the Orioles 3-3 on their first homestand of 2011. "Home runs hurt us today," Showalter said. "Obviously, we gave in a little bit there on Kinsler. I like our chances there 1-0. But we had the tying run at the plate more than once and some good people there who over the course of the season will deliver." Buck Showalter meets with the media to...
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Chris Tillman is the likely starter for Tuesday night's series opener against the Yankees. Jake Arrieta will start Thursday over left-hander Zach Britton, who will take the ball Friday in Cleveland. Showalter wants to give Britton an extra day to rest after his extended Game 1 start yesterday. The Orioles are still listing Wednesday's starter as TBA. Chris Jakubauskas is one possibility if they stay in-house, but they also could call up a pitcher while...
Jeremy Guthrie returned to the mound for the first time since the O's season opener today. He pitched well, but it did not lead to a win. Texas takes two of three from the Orioles, winning 3-0 today behind Derek Holland in front of 21,452 at Camden Yards. The Orioles, who begin a series Tuesday in New York, fall to 6-3 while the Rangers are 8-1. The Orioles scored five runs over the first three innings Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. But since that point, they have scored just...