Luke Scott is still scheduled to appear at today's Orioles Cook-Off at ESPN Zone. He didn't cancel after being scratched from last night's lineup with a sore left shoulder. Scott couldn't swing a bat yesterday without experiencing discomfort in the shoulder, but he can wield a spoon. Scott told reporters last night that he might undergo an MRI today. I don't know if his appearance downtown means that his condition improved dramatically and he might be able to play, or if he didn't want...

You might have been thinking it. I know that I was thinking it. "Why is Will Ohman coming into this game?" (And why am I using quotation marks for a thought? Good question.) I suggested to a few reporters in the press box that I'd bring back Mark Hendrickson for the ninth. The tall lefty had cruised through two innings, allowing only an infield hit and striking out one. He threw 14 of his 21 pitches for strikes. I've rarely seen him better. Put him back on the mound in the ninth inning,...

So what do CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, Mark Buehrle, John Lackey, Rick Porcello and Gil Meche all have common? Besides being pretty good pitchers they all have ERA's higher than Jeremy Guthrie right now. I wonder how many fans would admit they wanted Guthrie gone after he led the AL in losses and homers allowed last year. He went 10-17, 5.04. Now after ten starts, he is 3-4, 3.64. He is tied for first in the AL with eight quality starts and that is in ten outings. He...

Some more clubhouse quotes after the Orioles 5-1 win over Oakland from Ty Wigginton, Jeremy Guthrie and Nick Markakis. Wigginton on the win: "A lot of credit goes to Guthrie. He did a good job getting us in and out of the dugout. Miggy got a couple of walks and Nicky came through with a big homer late in the game." Guthrie on his night: "I thought the quality of my stuff was so-so. This was not one of my better games pitched, but it was a nice way to battle. That's important,...

Manager Dave Trembley praised the Orioles' situational hitting and bullpen after tonight's 5-1 victory. How many times has that happened? The sixth inning was huge, scoring twice on two walks, a wild pitch and two fly balls. And Mark Hendrickson pitched his best game of the season, according to Trembley, before Will Ohman retired the side in order in the ninth. "Productive outs. We turned the tables on them and worked the count," Trembley said. "I thought there were four at-bats in...

Two injuries on the same play. Yep, sounds like the 2010 Orioles. On the same play where Alfredo Simon suffered a hamstring injury Sunday at Washington, Luke Scott suffered a strained left shoulder. He was in the original starting lineup tonight, but was scratched before game time. "Right now it feels better. It was aggravated and inflamed. But I've got some good anti-inflammatories in me and I'm icing it for the second time. I'm hoping it will be getting better here very soon,"...

Oakland pitchers walked the first two batters in the fourth and sixth innings tonight and the Orioles turned that into three runs in a 5-1 win over the A's in front of 14,686 Tuesday at Camden Yards. Ty Wigginton and Adam Jones had sac flies in the sixth after the O's took advantage of an error to plate a run in the fourth. Nick Markakis hit a solo homer in the eighth. It was just his third of the year and first in 22 games since May 1st when he homered vs. Boston. Later that inning, Matt...

The Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to lead, 5-1. Nick Markakis homered and Matt Wieters added an RBI double off the out-of-town scoreboard after striking out twice. Mark Hendrickson allowed one hit in two scoreless innings after replacing Jeremy Guthrie. I'd let him pitch the ninth, too, but Will Ohman has entered the game. Can we still call Ohman the closer? Just for tonight? Did you know Brian Matusz's last college outing came against Tyson Ross, who pitched in relief...

The Orioles pieced together two productive at-bats after Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada walked to open the sixth inning, and they've taken a 3-1 lead over the A's. Ty Wigginton was swinging away - wise choice, I thought - and produced a sacrifice fly to right field after the runners had moved up on Tyson Ross' wild pitch. Adam Jones followed with another fly ball to right to score Tejada, who alertly took third on Wigginton's sac fly. Good at-bats, good baserunning. Now we're...

The Orioles didn't rip the cover off the ball - I'm not sure they smudged it - but they manufactured a run to tie the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada walked to begin the inning. Ty Wigginton tapped to the mound, and A's left-hander Dallas Braden got the out at third base. Adam Jones followed with a ground ball that resulted in an out at second, but shortstop Cliff Pennington made a wide throw to first that allowed Tejada to score. Happy Birthday,...