It was a night where Aberdeen pitchers gave up 17 hits and it made a long game seem even longer in an 11-5 Ripken Stadium loss to Vermont. But still, the IronBirds' debut of Manny Machado, the Orioles' first-round pick, was a success. He went 1 for 3 at bat, with a third-inning single, and had an excellent play in the field, ranging up the middle to his left to record an out in the top of the fifth. He played five innings as he is still knocking off the rust from a summer where he didn't...

Now that the internet connection is back here in the Ripken Stadium press box, I can tell you that Manny Machado's first game in Aberdeen was a success for him, even though the IronBirds are getting trounced. Vermont leads 11-2 in the 7th. Machado went 1 for 3 with a single to center in the third. He crushed a ball in the fifth that was caught by the left fielder. In the field at short, he had just one ball hit to him but he made a highlight play out of it. It ended the Vermont fifth as...

Update 2:With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Machado lined the first pitch he saw to the left fielder. He's now 1-3. In a move that was expected Michael Rooney replaced Machado at short. Mychal Givens is now 1-3 and Conner Narron is 0-1 and was hit by a pitch. Vermont is beating Aberdeen 10-2 in the fifth. Update 1: Machado led off the third with a single up the middle on a 1-2 count. Vermont is ahead 3-2 over Aberdeen. Playing in front of a crowd that includes Orioles manager...

After spending most of this summer not playing on a team, O's first-round draft pick Manny Machado admits he is still knocking some rust off. He's played two games as a DH in the Gulf Coast League and tonight he debuts for the Aberdeen IronBirds here at Ripken Stadium, where he will bat third and play shortstop vs. Vermont. "I've definitely been rusty, but you've got to adjust. I'm getting back into shape. "(This is) Very different. Gulf Coast League was hot. This is nice here, I...

Left-hander Zach Britton is listed as tonight's starter for Triple-A Norfolk, with Chris Tillman taking the hill tomorrow night. Tillman is expected to join the Orioles once teams are allowed to expand their rosters on Wednesday. The trick is finding room for him in the rotation. Britton's chances of coming up appear to be diminishing, but mostly because of space issues, not worries about the amount of innings that he's logged. Manager Buck Showalter seemed more optimistic about...

With a starting lineup that includes Mychal Givens at second, Manny Machado at short and Conner Narron at third, it should be an exciting night here in Aberdeen. I'll cover Manny Machado's latest press conference, which is set for about 5:15 today and file posts from here at Ripken Stadium during the night. Most of the O's top minor league brass is here and they may even be joined by O's manager Buck Showalter later. Glad I got here early to beat the rush. Machado went 1 for 7 with a...

Second baseman Adam Kennedy has played well in the last month in a variety of responsibilities. He has been a defensive stopper at second, a rally starter leading off the ballgame, the clutch hitter with a big run-scoring double and maybe, more importantly, a teacher and mentor to young shortstop Ian Desmond. Kennedy said he told Desmond he is in a good position with this team in more ways than one, especially with a chance to bat second in the lineup on a consistent basis. "It is a huge...

A staff meeting this morning put me a little behind schedule it posting this week's 'Where in the Yard?', but as promised every Monday, there's a new photo posted for you below. Take a look at the image and let us know (using the comment box below), what the item is and where it's located in or around Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Your guesses will be held until Wednesday to avoid revealing the answer, but you'll be able to check back between now and then to see if your name has been...

I'm savoring my last morning before my daughter starts school. That means staying in bed past 6:30 a.m. and not trying to pack a lunch while half asleep. Tomorrow starts a whole new routine for me, so you'll see blog comments approved and entries filed a lot earlier. I suppose that's a good thing. How nasty was Michael Gonzalez's slider yesterday? Bobby Abreu had no chance at the last one. I just wish Gonzalez could avoid falling into the third base dugout on every pitch. If I'm a...

It probably doesn't happen very often, but last week the Orioles agreed to terms with a player that did not get taken in the June draft, but one they feel has a lot of talent. They came to terms with 18-year-old Glynn Davis of Catonsville Community College, a player with great speed that played shortstop in junior college but will move to center field in the O's minors. The right-handed hitting Davis hit .430 with ten homers and 35 steals, but went almost totally un-scouted at Catonsville. ...