Reliever Mike Gonzalez will throw live batting practice tomorrow in Sarasota, the first time he's faced hitters since going on the disabled list. He's also scheduled to throw an inning in Thursday's extended spring training game. Brian Roberts expanded his baseball activities today by hitting off a tee. He also fielded ground balls again from Juan Samuel. Roberts will fly to Sarasota this week while the Orioles are on the road and continue to increase his workload. Manager Dave Trembley...

Some may be second guessing why Alfredo Simon threw a split-finger pitch on an 0-2 count to Austin Kearns in the ninth inning last night. Kearns hit the pitch for a three-run homer and 4-2 Cleveland lead. Catcher Matt Wieters, who called for the pitch, won't second guess that decision. "No, once it's over, it's over, you can't take it back. Second guess, you can't do it in this game." Wieters felt the splitter has been a solid pitch for Simon. The count was 0-2 and he called for a...

David Hernandez won't make today's start because of soreness in his right shoulder that cropped up about two weeks ago. Left-hander Mark Hendrickson will take Hernandez's turn today. Hernandez is regarded as day-to-day. Hernandez said he usually feels the discomfort the day after his start, but it surfaced during his most recent outing on Tuesday, when he allowed five runs (four earned) and five hits, with four walks, in 5 2/3 innings. That's when he decided to alert the club. "I was...

That's what it says on the lineup. For the Orioles: Corey Patterson LF Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Ty Wigginton 2B Luke Scott DH Garrett Atkins 1B Craig Tatum C Julio Lugo SS Mark Hendrickson LHP For the Indians: Cabrera SS Sizemore CF Choo RF Kearns LF Branyan 1B Peralta 3B Grudzielanek 2B LaPorta DH Marson C Westbrook RHP

Manager Dave Trembley's in his office, but he hasn't posted the lineup. Players aren't due to report here until noon, but I counted six in the clubhouse at 10 a.m.: Matt Wieters, Jason Berken, Ty Wigginton, Kevin Millwood, Brad Bergesen and Cesar Izturis. I spent way too much time replaying last night's game in my head, though it did drown out some of the voices, so that part was pretty cool. I'm on record as saying I hate when the baton keeps getting passed, because you just know...

Lost a bit in the O's bullpen meltdown Saturday night was that Brian Matusz did not give up a run over seven innings vs. Cleveland. Matusz was coming off his worst start of the year, when he gave up six runs last Sunday vs. Minnesota. But he was not necessarily motivated by that effort on Saturday, he said. But he pitched shutout ball and it was the first time in 16 career Major League starts that he did not allow a single run. "I forgot about the last start. I don't think about that. ...

The Orioles will call up a reliever from Triple-A Norfolk tomorrow to replace first baseman Rhyne Hughes on the 25-man roster. Alberto Castillo and Kam Mickolio are on the 40-man roster. The choice doesn't appear to be non-roster pitcher Dennis Sarfate, though he hasn't allowed an earned run in 7 2/3 innings and International League batters are 1-for-26 against him. Update: Mickolio is dealing with a sore back, so you can eliminate him from consideration. Look for Castillo to be in...

The Nationals will attempt to even up the four-game set with the Rockies in the final game of the series Sunday at Coors Field in Denver. With a win, the Nats would be 4-3 on the nine-game road trip. Two wins in both New York and Denver would be big before a pair in St. Louis to wrap up the trip. This is another opportunity for the Nats to separate themselves from 2009. But they need to get some early offense against the Rockies today, who have pretty much shut down the Nats since...

I don't second guess Alfredo Simon, a pitcher who has recently thrown some nasty split-finger pitches, for going with that pitch on that 0-2 offering to Austin Kearns in the ninth Saturday. To me it was much more about pitch location rather than pitch selection there, although Dave Trembley would not offer an opinion on pitch selection there after the game. But you need to bury that splitter on 0-2 and Simon had been doing that for the most part while going 5 for 5 in save chances. This...

After the game, Dave Trembley said he did not want to say publicly if he agreed with Alfredo Simon throwing a split-finger pitch on that 0-2 count to Austin Kearns in the ninth inning. The pitch found the middle of the plate and was not low in the zone as you intend with the splitter and Kearns three-run homer gave Cleveland a 4-2 lead. Alfredo Simon talks with the media about his blown save in the O's 8-2 loss "It was a split ball that didn't do too much. It was up and they got a good...