O's skipper Juan Samuel did not actually say the words that Brad Bergesen will be his starting pitcher on Saturday, but he did say Bergesen will join the team tomorrow. I think it's a pretty safe assumption at this point that Bergy takes the mound here Saturday at 4:05 p.m. Samuel was asked about Bergesen returning so soon, after just two Triple-A outings this time when he went back, covering 7 2/3 innings. "The report is he threw the ball okay in his starts and then his bullpen session...

This weekend when the Orioles host the Nationals for inter-league play, MASN will return its popular mixed booth broadcast. The "Battle of the Beltways" resumes on Friday evening when the Nationals travel to Baltimore for the three-game series. On Friday and Saturday, MASN will feature a special three-man booth with Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer and two-time All Star Rob Dibble, each team's primary color analyst. Veteran broadcasters Bob Carpenter and Jim Hunter will take turns calling...

O's interim manager Juan Samuel said today that Brad Bergesen will join the Orioles tomorrow and that Koji Uehara could be activated as soon as Saturday. The O's will then likely be facing two roster moves over the next few days, to activate Bergesen to make Saturday's start and another move to get Uehara back active. Samuel today said those moves would probably involve removing one pitcher and one position player from the 25-man active roster. Koji pitched a simulated inning today,...

For the Orioles: 2B Julio Lugo 3B Miguel Tejada RF Nick Markakis 1B Ty Wigginton LF Luke Scott CF Adam Jones DH Jake Fox C Craig Tatum SS Cesar Izturis RHP Kevin Millwood For the Marlins: LF Chris Coghlan 1B Gaby Sanchez SS Hanley Ramirez DH Jorge Cantu 2B Dan Uggla CF Cody Ross RF Mike Stanton 3B Wes Helms C Ronny Paulino LHP Nate Robertson Be sure to check Steve Melewski's blog on MASNsports.com for pre-game notes and comments from interim manager Juan Samuel.

Chris Tillman has turned in two perfect innings for Triple-A Norfolk today, striking out one and throwing 16 of his 22 pitches for strikes. Nolan Reimold is making his third consecutive start at first base. He singled in his first at-bat. As expected, outfielder Felix Pie is reporting to Single-A Frederick today to continue his injury rehab assignment. He'll move up to Double-A Bowie next week. Pie was 1-for-8 with a run scored in two games with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. He served as...

That would be me into a new townhouse, not the Orioles in the AL East standings. I'm listed as questionable for tonight's game because I've got movers arriving this morning and furniture later in the afternoon. I normally report to Camden Yards around 3 p.m., 30 minutes before the clubhouse opens, but I don't like my chances today. Friends and colleagues are saying I'm crazy if I don't take the entire night off, but they've got better examples than that one. Steve Melewski can do the...

Earlier this week, O's left-handed pitching prospect Zach Britton found out he was selected to the USA team for the Futures Game. One reason Britton got selected for the prestigious game is his excellent sinker-slider combination of pitches that has made him one of the top pitchers in the Eastern League this year. But he also found out recently that, while the O's are delighted with his success, they want him to work hard on improving his change-up as well. The message was delivered in an...

Brian Matusz offered a simple explanation for the two home runs he surrendered in the third inning that turned a 4-0 lead into a 4-4 tie. "I left the ball up, and when your team scores four runs in the second for you, you want to go out and throw up zeros - just go out and go 1-2-3, keep the momentum our way, and I just lost concentration and left the ball up," he said. "A lineup like that, they will take advantage of it. It's a good hitting team." It would be understandable if the...

So how much does tonight's loss hurt, after the Orioles bolted to a 4-0 lead in the second inning? "They all hurt," interim manager Juan Samuel told reporters. "We are trying to win as many games as we can. They all hurt. After scoring those four runs, we thought, 'OK, we could add,' but we've been in that situation before many times. They all hurt." Each and every one. Juan Samuel talks with the media following the O's 7-5 loss to the Marlins Matt Wieters wasn't bunting on his...

Sometimes managers make moves that can get second guessed. Actually, that seems to happen with any move a manager makes that didn't work. I am second guessing Juan Samuel's decision tonight to bring in Alfredo Simon to pitch in the top of the ninth. It was not a save situation. In fact, Florida led 6-5 as it came to bat in the ninth. The Marlins would add a run and four hits off Simon, a big insurance run and go on to win the game, 7-5. This move had little to do with the O's loss,...