The Orioles optioned four players this morning and assigned three others to minor league camp. The Orioles optioned Brandon Erbe and Troy Patton to Triple-A Norfolk, and Luis Lebron and Chorye Spoone to Double-A Bowie. Armando Gabino, Chris George and Mike Hinckley were assigned to the minor league camp. You're "optioned" if you're on the 40-man roster. You're "assigned" if you're a non-roster invitee.

Michel Hernandez, who was competing for the backup catching job, will miss the next four to six weeks with a fractured right index finger. The competition is down to Chad Moeller and Craig Tatum. Hernandez suffered the injury while blocking a ball in the dirt. He got three at-bats Saturday in Tampa, but he couldn't throw the next day. X-rays revealed the fracture. Trembley said the club might add a catcher, along with some other players, for Saturday's split-squad game.

You can choose your own dipping sauce. David Hernandez, Koji Uehara and Dennis Sarfate are slated to pitch tomorrow against the Twins in Fort Myers. Kevin Millwood is scheduled to throw five innings in the B-squad game in Sarasota, with Jim Johnson going the last two. Matt Wieters will catch Millwood. Jason Berken will start Wednesday against the Blue Jays in Sarasota, followed by Kam Mickolio and Cla Meredith. Jeremy Guthrie pitches Thursday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, followed by...

Manager Dave Trembley understands why Troy Patton believes he could evolve into a reliever in this organization, with so many young starters ahead of him and jostling for position in the upper levels of the minors. But the left-hander's role won't undergo any immediate changes. "I brought that up early in the year in our meetings, if we could ever envision him being a guy like (Mark) Hendrickson - a long guy, a left-handed guy, a swing guy. But I don't think we're ready to do that with...

The Boston Red Sox loaded the bases against Brad Bergesen without scoring. Mike Cameron grounded the first pitch to third baseman Justin Turner. Mike Lowell, playing for the first time this spring, followed with a single into right field. Victor Martinez flied to right on a 3-1 pitch, and David Ortiz got ahead, 3-0, before walking. J.D. Drew singled to right field, with Lowell holding at third. Adrian Beltre hit a tapper in front of the batter's box, and catcher Craig Tatum stepped on the...

Brad Bergesen needed only nine pitches, including seven strikes, to get through the second inning. His count stands at 30. Tug Hulett reached on a two-out bunt single, but Mike Cameron flied to right. Bill Hall grounded out to begin the inning, and Jeremy Hermida became Bergesen's first strikeout victim. Brandon Snyder hit a wind-blown ground-rule double in the top of the second, and Craig Tatum was hit by a pitch, but the Orioles didn't score. Justin Turner singled to lead off the...

David Ortiz hit a two-run homer to right field, where a strong wind is blowing out, and Brad Bergesen has come out of the game with two outs in the third inning and the Orioles leading, 5-2. Bergesen allowed five hits, walked one and struck out one. He threw 41 pitches, 27 for strikes. Victor Martinez singled with one out before Ortiz hit a towering fly ball that cleared the fence. Cla Meredith has entered the game.

...A guy sits on a bus for 90 minutes so he can throw one pitch. Cla Meredith replaced starter Brad Bergesen with two outs in the third inning and retired Adrian Beltre on a grounder to second. One pitch, one strike. Chris Tillman entered the game in the bottom of the fourth, and not because he's been bumped from the rotation. The rainout on Friday disrupted the pitching schedule. Luke Scott doubled in the top of the fourth. He's having quite a day.

Manager Dave Trembley went to his bullpen again in the bottom of the sixth, bringing in right-hander Frank Mata. I'm sure Trembley had other ideas for this game, but Chris Tillman only gave him 2 2/3 innings. Tillman is charged with two runs and four hits, including Josh Reddick's long blast. He walked three and struck out one. The unofficial count is 59 pitches, 29 strikes. Mata ended the inning with a strikeout, so props to him. There's nothing the Mata with him. Update: There's...

Brian Roberts was examined by back specialist Dr. Lee Riley at Johns Hopkins and is heading back to Sarasota. "He's on a plane as we speak," president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. MacPhail wouldn't confirm whether Roberts received an epidural for his lower back, which was anticipated yesterday once the club revealed that the second baseman was leaving camp. "Now we'll wait and see how he responds to the medication. In a day or two we'll know," MacPhail said. Roberts...