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Matthew Taylor: Baseball as a family bond

June 19, 2015, 5:40am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: Baseball as a family bond

I had the pleasure of visiting Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn., this week. With Father's Day approaching, the wonderful independent bookstore had a display of books for dad that, as you might expect, included titles celebrating the father-son bond as expressed through baseball. I'm fortunate to share that bond with my father and to be developing that bond with my son. However, the bookstore display had me thinking about my daughter. My kids are too young to really know what they like...

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Zach Wilt: Machado flourishing as O's leadoff hitter

June 18, 2015, 5:18am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: Machado flourishing as O's leadoff hitter

We often underestimate the importance of the leadoff hitter. He's the guy that gets things started, sets the table for the rest of the order and ends up with the most plate appearances at the end of the season. A struggling hitter atop a lineup can doom an inning or, at the very least, limit the damage against an opposing pitcher. One of my biggest concerns when the Orioles lost Nick Markakis to free agency was how they would be able to replace his production at the top of the lineup. Markakis...

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Domenic Vadala: Crab cakes, cheesesteaks and forced rivalries

June 16, 2015, 6:39pm

Orioles

Domenic Vadala: Crab cakes, cheesesteaks and forced rivalries

This week could be called "forced rivalry week" in Major League Baseball with lots of teams playing two-game home-and-home series against regional or natural rivals. Admittedly, some of these so-called rivalries are more forced than others. This would normally be O's vs. Nats week; however, those two teams will play two three-game series later this summer and into the autumn. So the Orioles ended up with Philadelphia this week, which makes sense based on geography. The Atlanta-Boston series...

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Matthew Taylor: Orioles history flush with Yankees ties

June 12, 2015, 5:09am

Orioles

It may seem a strange choice for an Orioles blogger to write about a former Yankees manager and a former Yankees outfielder on the weekend that the Bronx Bombers visit Camden Yards for a three-game set. However, there's good reason for that decision. With his next win, former Yankees manager Buck Showalter will tie former Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer on the Orioles' all-time managerial wins list at 407. Should the Orioles win the weekend series, Showalter will pass Bauer while New York is in...

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Matt Kremnitzer: Another scrap heap success story for O's

June 15, 2015, 7:33pm

Orioles

Matt Kremnitzer: Another scrap heap success story for O's

The Orioles currently have three relief pitchers who have thrown more than 10 innings and posted sub-2.00 earned run averages. The first two, Zach Britton and Darren O'Day, are names you'd expect. But the third isn't, because his name is Chaz Roe. As MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski wrote in May, Roe thought his career was coming to an end a few years ago. A career minor leaguer up to that point with the Rockies (2006-2010) and Mariners (2011), he failed a drug test before the 2012 season,...

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Opposite dugout: Struggling Phillies are ripe for the picking, ready for rebuilding

June 13, 2015, 4:32pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Struggling Phillies are ripe for the picking, ready for rebuilding

Manager: Ryne Sandberg (3rd season) Record: 22-42 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Maikel Franco (.282 with 6 HR, 16 RBIs), LF Ben Revere (.277 with 15 SB), 1B Ryan Howard (11 HR, 28 RBIs), RHP Aaron Harang (4-7, 3.04 ERA), RHP Jonathan Papelbon (12 saves, 1.05 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (1-2 in 2012) Pitching probables: June 15: RHP Aaron Harang vs. LHP Wei-Yin Chen, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 16: RHP Jerome Williams vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 17: RHP Ubaldo...

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Andrew Stetka: On Buck Showalter's Baltimore legacy

June 14, 2015, 1:30pm

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: On Buck Showalter's Baltimore legacy

Buck Showalter created another milestone this weekend by moving into third place on the Orioles' managerial wins list. The skipper now has 408 wins and passed Hank Bauer, who helped lead the Orioles to their first World Series title in 1966. If he sticks with it, Showalter will have a chance to pass Paul Richards for second place on the list. Showalter has a long history as a manager outside of Baltimore, but it's time to start viewing him as an Oriole before anything else. Showalter came to...

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#AskJPA: MASN president, Orioles executive VP John P. Angelos takes to Twitter to answer fan questions

June 12, 2015, 12:34pm

Orioles

Following his first successful #AskJPA Twitter session, Orioles executive vice president and president of MASN, John P. Angelos, once again took to his Twitter (@JohnPAngelos) to answer fans' questions. Twitter has given baseball and Orioles fans the opportunity to communicate directly with players, executives, writers and more in a personal and direct way. And this was no different; when fans submitted questions using #AskJPA on Twitter, they were answered by Angelos himself. Fans wondering...

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Opposite dugout: As A-Rod approaches milestone, Yankees might be in trouble with Miller on DL

June 11, 2015, 6:56pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: As A-Rod approaches milestone, Yankees might be in trouble with Miller on DL

Manager: Joe Girardi (8th season) Record: 33-26 Last 10 games: 8-2 Who to watch: DH Alex Rodriguez (.270/.373/.505 with 11 HR, 29 RBIs), LF Brett Gardner (.276/.352/.433 with 27 RBIs), C Brian McCann (.264 with 9 HR, 38 RBIs), 1B Mark Teixeira (17 HR, 45 RBIs), RHP Michael Pineda (7-2, 3.33 ERA), RHP Dellin Betances (11 holds, 0.28 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 4-3 Pitching probables: June 12: RHP Michael Pineda vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 13: LHP CC Sabathia vs. RHP Bud...

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Zach Wilt: What's made Zach Britton so good this season?

June 10, 2015, 7:48pm

Orioles

Zach Wilt: What's made Zach Britton so good this season?

After an All-Star-caliber performance in which he recorded a league-high 51 saves 2012, Jim Johnson scuffled the next season. The Orioles closer still managed 50 saves, but blew nine along the way and the Birds finished 6 1/2 games out of the wild card. Johnson allowed two more hits per nine innings in 2013, as a result recording a 9.75 ERA over 12 innings in May of that season. Johnson's success in the ninth inning was predicated on the success of his sinker. Unlike most closers, he relied on...

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Savage Eagles get instruction from Hardy and Dickerson, part of LUNGevity benefit auction

June 10, 2015, 4:28pm

Orioles

Savage Eagles get instruction from Hardy and Dickerson, part of LUNGevity benefit auction

The Savage Eagles, an under-12 travel baseball team from Howard County, got the chance of a lifetime this afternoon at Camden Yards. For about an hour, they got hands-on tutelage from Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and third base coach Bobby Dickerson on the same field where the Birds play. The fielding drills instruction fulfilled an experience auctioned off at the Winter Meetings in San Diego in December to benefit the LUNGevity Foundation in memory of the late Monica Barlow, the former Orioles...

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Umpires brighten patients' day at Johns Hopkins Children's Center

June 10, 2015, 1:05pm

Orioles

Umpires brighten patients' day at Johns Hopkins Children's Center

The men who decide whether a pitch is a ball or strike, whether a player is safe or out (and, more recently, who pore over video replays to determine the status of contested plays) have a whole bunch of new fans in Baltimore. The four major league umpires - Cory Blaser, Laz Diaz, Chris Guccione and Jeff Nelson - working tonight's Orioles game spent part of Wednesday morning at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center as part of UMPS CARE Charities' Blue for Kids program. The men in blue ditched...

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Take on Adam Jones at your own game: CareFirst Fan Challenge is back

June 05, 2015, 7:48am

Orioles

Take on Adam Jones at your own game: CareFirst Fan Challenge is back

Going out on a limb here, but just guessing you can't smack a baseball as far as Adam Jones or track down a high fly ball as well as the Orioles' center fielder. But that doesn't mean you can't beat him at your own game! That's right: The CareFirst Fan Challenge is back, and it's time for you to challenge Jones to whatever contest you'd like! This year, entering the fan challenge is easier than ever. Simply tweet us whatever you'd like to challenge Jones in using #IChallengeAJ. Tweets...

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Domenic Vadala: Getting a grip on a slippery situation

June 09, 2015, 6:33pm

Orioles

Domenic Vadala: Getting a grip on a slippery situation

A few weeks ago, Brian Matusz and the Orioles became part of a league-wide discussion about foreign substances used by pitchers on the baseball. That kind of started up again late last week when it was announced that Matusz's eight-game suspension was being upheld (never mind the fact that Milwaukee's Will Smith had his shortened to six games for the same offense). I come at this from various angels. First off, I'm not a fan of opposing managers asking umpires to check guys. At a time when...

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Opposite dugout: Red Sox hoping to climb out of AL East basement

June 06, 2015, 10:03am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Red Sox hoping to climb out of AL East basement

Manager: John Farrell (3rd season) Record: 27-31 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 2B Dustin Pedrioa (.313 with 8 HR, 23 RBIs), SS Xander Bogaerts (.296, 21 RBIs), LF Hanley Ramirez (13 HR, 32 RBIs), LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 0.61 ERA), RHP Koji Uehara (2.37 ERA, 13 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 3-4 Pitching probables: June 9: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Miguel Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN2 June 10: RHP Rick Porcello vs. LHP Wei-Yin Chen, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 11: LHP Wade Miley vs. RHP...

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Andrew Stetka: It's too early to talk about the Orioles selling

June 07, 2015, 5:21pm

Orioles

Much of the talk surrounding the Orioles in recent weeks has been focused on the July 31 trade deadline and whether or not the team will be sellers going forward. Despite having taken two out of three over the Indians this weekend, the O's have struggled to gain traction this season and still sit last in the weak American League East. That said, we all know how the weak division has allowed the Orioles to remain just 5 1/2 games out of first place despite sitting in the cellar. I'm not...

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Opposite dugout: Despite what record and stats say, Indians can pose serious threat

June 04, 2015, 2:25pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Despite what record and stats say, Indians can pose serious threat

Manager: Terry Francona (3rd season) Record: 26-27 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Jason Kipnis (.330/.402/.509 with 5 HR, 26 RBIs), LF Michael Brantley (.303/.384/.469 with 4 HR, 32 RBIs), RF Brandon Moss (.253 with 10 HR, 32 RBIs), RHP Danny Salazar (5-1, 3.79 ERA), RHP Cody Allen (12 saves, 34 strikeouts) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (4-3 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 5: RHP Chris Tillman vs. RHP Shaun Marcum, 7:10 p.m., MASN2 June 6: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez vs. RHP Danny...

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Matthew Taylor: Mining major league talent from Maryland

June 05, 2015, 5:28am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: Mining major league talent from Maryland

Residents of the great state of Maryland can claim seven Hall of Famers as their own: Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Home Run Baker, Al Kaline, Vic Willis, and, of course, Cal Ripken Jr. and Babe Ruth. As the Babe Ruth statue outside Camden Yards demonstrates, Marylanders are proud of their native sons, even when they play for the Yankees. Last weekend's Brooks Robinson High School All-Star Game got me thinking about the connection between "Maryland, My Maryland" and the Major Leagues. The...

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Zach Wilt: Moves by GMs could be key in AL East race

June 04, 2015, 5:08am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: Moves by GMs could be key in AL East race

Simply put, the American League East is an absolute mess this season. The Yankees remain atop the division with their 29-25 record, but even the last-place Orioles are just five games out of first. Around the rest of the najors, cellar-dwelling teams aren't nearly as fortunate. The last-place Oakland Athletics (22-33) are 12 Â½ games back of the Houston Astros in the AL West. The last-place Milwaukee Brewers (18-36) trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 17 1/2 games in the NL Central. On June 4,...

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Domenic Vadala: A baseball anniversary and the Orioles' outlook

June 02, 2015, 4:35pm

Orioles

Today, June 3, is a notable date in the history of baseball, the 127th anniversary of the popular poem, "Casey at the Bat," by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. It was first published by the San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888. We all know the story. "The mighty Casey" is the heavy hitter for the team from the fictional town of Mudville. And with the "Mudville Nine" down by two runs in the last of the ninth with two runners in scoring position, the epic slugger Casey struck out to end the game....