Tonight's game, McFarland and Ripken

Tonight's game, McFarland and Ripken
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are heading back to Bradenton tonight, where their first attempt to play the Pirates was washed away by rain. I drove there, set up in the press box, met with manager Buck Showalter in his office, watched him examine the outfield with the umpires, and drove back to my hotel. I still tingle over the memory. We have a night game, which means the media isn't allowed inside the Orioles' clubhouse in Sarasota before 1:30 p.m. It's almost like a day off. More...
Continue reading

Orioles make four cuts with one more pending (de San Miguel also cut)

Orioles make four cuts with one more pending (de San Miguel also cut)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have reassigned pitchers Mike Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Zach Braddock, and catcher Luis Martinez to minor league camp. One more player will be cut today, but manager Buck Showalter hadn't informed him. Wright allowed one run and three hits today. Braddock still hasn't pitched after undergoing surgery last summer to repair a torn labrum, but he's finally been cleared to throw off a mound. Martinez didn't get any at-bats because of a strained oblique, but...
Continue reading

Hammel and more from Ripken (Flaherty with walk-off homer)

Hammel and more from Ripken (Flaherty with walk-off homer)
SARASOTA, Fla. - There's a strong wind blowing out to left field, which makes it a typical day here at Ed Smith Stadium. And pretty much every ballpark in the state of Florida. I'm not sure exactly how that works, but I've witnessed the same thing in Dunedin, Bradenton, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers ... you name it. Mike Wright surrendered a run in the fifth inning and Toronto catcher Henry Blanco homered on the first pitch thrown by Daniel McCutchen in the sixth - a routine fly ball carrying...
Continue reading

Game update and (more) Ripken quotes

Game update and (more) Ripken quotes
SARASOTA, Fla. - Jason Hammel didn't complete the third inning today, leaving after 2 1/3 with the score tied 1-1. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four. Mark Hendrickson replaced Hammel with two runners on base, issued a two-out walk and escaped the jam. The Orioles scored five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-1 lead. Toronto committed two errors that accounted for four of those runs. Steve Pearce contributed a run-scoring double that raised his spring RBI total to...
Continue reading

Orioles continue to scout Dodgers pitchers (Reimold homers)

Orioles continue to scout Dodgers pitchers (Reimold homers)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have been scouting Los Angels Dodgers pitchers Aaron Harang, Ted Lilly and Chris Capuano, figuring that at least one of them will become available in a trade. The Dodgers' rotation is overflowing and the Orioles haven't closed the door on acquiring another veteran starter, though there's no shortage of arms in their camp. Harang, 34, went 10-10 with a 3.61 ERA in 31 starts last season. He's due to make $7 million this season, and his contract includes a $7...
Continue reading

Notes on Machado, Reimold, Bundy, Wada and more (updated)

Notes on Machado, Reimold, Bundy, Wada and more (updated)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manny Machado is starting at third base again today, but he will have a root canal later this afternoon. Manager Buck Showalter will remove him from the game after a few at-bats. Getting Machado out of the lineup this spring has been like pulling teeth, so it seems appropriate. Machado won't make the trip to Bradenton on Friday, but he will likely play Saturday night against the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers. Showalter wants Machado to face Red Sox left-hander Felix...
Continue reading

O'Day reflects on yesterday

O'Day reflects on yesterday
SARASOTA, Fla. - The next time reliever Darren O'Day pitches in a spring training game, he doesn't expect the Orioles to hold a 13-run lead against a largely anonymous opponent in winds that could lift a house off its foundation. O'Day made his spring debut yesterday against Team Spain and allowed two runs and three hits in the seventh inning. "The goal yesterday was to get out there in a game and throw and be healthy and make sure everything works," he said. "It was a tough game to...
Continue reading

Orioles' lineup against the Blue Jays (and Toronto lineup)

Orioles' lineup against the Blue Jays (and Toronto lineup)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' outfield for today's game against the Toronto Blue Jays will consist of Steve Pearce in left field, Nate McLouth in center and Conor Jackson in right. Nolan Reimold is batting leadoff and again serving as the designated hitter. He may return to the outfield on Sunday. For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold DH Brian Roberts 2B Conor Jackson RF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth CF Manny Machado 3B Steve Pearce LF Jason Hammel RHP Mike Wright,...
Continue reading

Game, cuts and Cal

Game, cuts and Cal
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' regulars go back to work today. They've basically been given a three-day reprieve. No game on Monday, a road game on Tuesday, a minor league workout yesterday disguised as a game against Team Spain. The Orioles remain in Sarasota today, and they're playing the Toronto Blue Jays for the third time this spring - and the first away from Dunedin. Most of the regulars will be in the lineup, with the exception of right fielder Nick Markakis, who will take off a few...
Continue reading

Jim Johnson on his first outing of 2013

Jim Johnson on his first outing of 2013
SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's game between the Orioles and Team Spain lasted 3 hours, 40 minutes. Jim Johnson was only responsible for part of it. Johnson, making his first appearance this spring, allowed an unearned run and one hit in the eighth inning. His appearance was brief compared to many others on this blustery day. "I got a couple fastballs up," he said. "Other than that, I'm a lot better than where I was at this point last year." Johnson was slowed in camp last spring because of...
Continue reading

More from today's game and Urrutia (O's win 19-7)

More from today's game and Urrutia (O's win 19-7)
SARASOTA, Fla. - This game is moving too quickly for me to track. Seriously though, Niuman Romero had an RBI single in the fifth and Zach Britton gave up another run in the sixth - his third of the day in two innings. Adrian Marin bounced an RBI single into left field with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the sixth, and Buck Britton had a sacrifice fly. Orioles 10, Team Spain 4. Zach Britton allowed four hits, walked a batter and struck out one. He also threw three wild...
Continue reading

Hearing from Arrieta and Urrutia

Hearing from Arrieta and Urrutia
SARASOTA, Fla. - Zach Britton allowed two runs and two hits, with one walk, in the top of the fifth inning. The good news: He won't face Team Spain during the regular season. The Orioles lead 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jake Arrieta said he took a step forward today after allowing one unearned run in three innings. "Sometimes throughout the week before a start, a light bulb will go off, whether it's something small mechanically in the bullpen or something you are doing on a...
Continue reading

Game update and Showalter quotes (Canzler homers again)

Game update and Showalter quotes (Canzler homers again)
SARASOTA, Fla. - We're going to be here a while. The Orioles sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and took a 3-0 lead over Team Spain, which removed its starter, former Orioles farmhand, Richard Salazar, with one out in the second. Russ Canzler belted a three-run homer after Yamaico Navarro singled and Steve Pearce walked. Danny Valencia had an infield hit and Trayvon Robinson walked before LJ Hoes ripped a ground ball to the right side that deflected off...
Continue reading

A few quick hits before the first pitch (with Duquette quotes)

A few quick hits before the first pitch (with Duquette quotes)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles made Cuban defector Henry Urrutia available to the media today, and I'll pass along his quotes later this afternoon. Urrutia actually attended the Orioles' game in Cuba back in 1999. He sat in the stands as a 12-year-old. Urrutia's childhood hero was Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams, and he would like to wear No. 51 with the Orioles. Fred Ferreira also signed Williams, who was managed by Buck Showalter. Urrutia could also play first base, but the Orioles...
Continue reading

Pearce welcomes the competition (with Spain's lineup and note)

Pearce welcomes the competition (with Spain's lineup and note)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Pearce is back in the lineup today, starting at first base against Team Spain. Conor Jackson most likely will come off the bench. Yes, they're being paired up again in this blog entry. Pearce homered twice yesterday, giving him three this spring to go with nine RBIs. He's collected six hits in 11 at-bats. "I feel great at the plate, having good at-bats," he said this morning. "I'm swinging at good pitches and squaring balls up. I feel good right now and just...
Continue reading

Injury updates

Injury updates
SARASOTA, Fla. - Nick Markakis isn't in the lineup again today, which comes as no surprise, and he told a couple of reporters this morning that he will "probably rule out tomorrow." Markakis was scratched from Sunday's lineup because of stiffness in his neck. The Orioles are home again on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. They have back-to-back road night games Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton and Saturday against the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers. Most of the...
Continue reading

Orioles lineup versus Team Spain

Orioles lineup versus Team Spain
SARASOTA, Fla. - As expected, manager Buck Showalter is sitting most of his regulars for today's game against Team Spain. Nolan Reimold is leading off and serving as the Orioles' designated hitter. Steve Pearce is in the lineup, but Conor Jackson is not. For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold DH Yamaico Navarro SS Steve Pearce 1B Russ Canzler RF Danny Valencia 3B Trayvon Robinson LF LJ Hoes CF Niuman Romero 2B Jose Gil C Jake Arrieta RHP
Continue reading

Can Jackson and Pearce co-exist on 25-man roster?

Can Jackson and Pearce co-exist on 25-man roster?
SARASOTA, Fla. - As the Orioles file into the Ed Smith Stadium complex this morning and head to the dining area for breakfast, I fully expect Conor Jackson and Steve Pearce to arm wrestle for the last Pop-Tart. Two out of three falls to determine who gets turkey bacon and who gets the regular stuff. Jackson and Pearce aren't the only players in camp competing for a bench spot, but they've started to separate themselves from the reserve pack. Jackson is 8-for-19 with three homers, six RBIs...
Continue reading

Orioles postgame chatter following 6-6 tie

Orioles postgame chatter following 6-6 tie
DUNEDIN, Fla. - Conor Jackson singled, doubled and homered today. Steve Pearce homered twice and drove in three runs. Those two performances stood out the most in the Orioles' 6-6, 10-inning tie with the Toronto Blue Jays. "I feel good," Jackson said. "I'm swinging at strikes and getting ahead in counts and not getting behind and getting good pitches to hit and taking advantage of it. That's really the name of the game and that's what's happening right now. "There's a lot of spring...
Continue reading

Hearing from Johnson and Jurrjens (game ends in 6-6 tie)

Hearing from Johnson and Jurrjens (game ends in 6-6 tie)
DUNEDIN, Fla. - The wind is blowing out to left field, and the Orioles are taking full advantage of it. Conor Jackson's home run didn't need much help. He crushed the ball. The Orioles have 14 hits in seven innings, three more than the Toronto Blue Jays, and they continue to lead, 6-5. Kevin Gausman's fastball was hitting 97 mph in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed two straight singles to begin the inning, but he got a fly ball and a called third strike on a 97 mph heater. The next...
Continue reading