Cal Ripken Jr. on the Orioles: "I think they're positioned pretty well"

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. participated in a conference call earlier today to promote TBS's baseball coverage. Ripken will be in the network's booth for the July 19 game between the Dodgers and Nationals in D.C.

Ripken, a 19-time All-Star, said he isn't surprised that the Orioles will have four representatives in next week's game with the selections of outfielder Adam Jones, third baseman Manny Machado and relievers Zach Britton and Darren O'Day. He's also impressed that the club has battled through adversity and sits in second place in the American League East, 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees.

"They've been hit with the injury bug and somehow they find a player to contribute and get them to where they need to be," Ripken said. "You know how good Buck Showalter is as a manager at finding different talent and handling the bullpen. Zach Britton and Darren O'Day as All-Stars, it's really indicative of how great they've been at the back end of the bullpen. Their numbers are extraordinary.

"I think a lot of people were concerned that they lost Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis in the offseason, where was the offense going to come from? They are in a particularly good position now having weathered some of the injuries with Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop back. I think they're positioned pretty well and I'm not surprised about four All-Stars. They've got a good ballclub."

Ripken also commented on the value of winning a championship when weighing free agency decisions. It's a pertinent topic in Baltimore with the eight pending free agents on the Orioles' roster.

"I think there's a lot of considerations when you think about your career that don't always revolve around money," he said. "It's where you want to play. I played in my hometown and we went through some major rebuilding processes. Even through those, I wanted to stay here and get through those and back to the World Series.

"There are a lot of considerations, the money being what it is. You have choices in how much you make. Sometimes people say, 'How much money is enough?' It depends on situation and what your needs are. I applaud people thinking about their life instead of their job just in terms of money."

Ripken also was asked about Alex Rodriguez's first half and exclusion from the Midsummer Classic. Rodriguez, as you may recall, switched positions with Ripken in the 2001 All-Star Game, nudging him over to shortstop.

"I think all of us could agree that what Alex has done in the first half has surprised us," Ripken said. "He's been nothing short of amazing. I kind of think that the All-Star team isn't always based on someone's first-half performance. A lot of times you'll pick your All-Stars because they are All-Stars for their career. Based on his first-half numbers, he's very deserving."

The Orioles are 1-2 in extra innings following last night's 4-2 loss to the Twins. They're 11-12 in one-run games and 7-12 in two-run games.

O'Day ranks fifth in the majors among relief pitchers with a 1.10 ERA.

Torii Hunter is 2-for-14 with a triple and five strikeouts against O'Day. He fanned last night in the eighth inning. The current Twins are 4-for-32 vs. O'Day.

Trevor Plouffe is 3-for-4 with a double lifetime against Britton, who's converted 19 saves in a row and 23 out of 24 opportunities. Joe Mauer is 3-for-7 with a double.

Mauer is 5-for-14 with two doubles and a home run against Tommy Hunter. He's 2-for-2 with a home run against Brad Brach.

Bud Norris has never faced the Twins and he's squared off against only two of their current players. Hunter is 3-for-14 with two doubles and a home run against him, and pitcher Tommy Milone is 0-for-1 with a strikeout.

Brach has posted a 1.42 ERA over his last 10 appearances since June 11. He leads Orioles relievers and is tied for fourth in the American League with 46 strikeouts.

Left-hander Brian Matusz has been charged with one earned run and struck out 19 over his last 14 outings over 12 1/3 innings.