SARASOTA, Fla. - Adam Russell stranded two runners in the top of the ninth inning to record the save in the Orioles' 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Russell issued a walk and gave up a single with one out before getting a strikeout and a line drive to short.
Dylan Bundy wasn't especially pleased with his outing, when the Twins loaded the bases in the fifth inning on two singles and a walk. Bundy struck out two.
"First batter was good," Bundy said. "Other than that, I was a little...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Dylan Bundy gets mixed reviews for his 2013 Grapefruit League debut.
Bundy, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, needed 27 pitches to make it through the fifth inning. Seventeen were strikes.
The Twins loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Chris Colabello struck out looking to end the rally.
Now for the good parts:
One of the hits off Bundy was a broken-bat single. He appeared to strike out Brian Dinkleman with the count full and two...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles observed a moment of silence for Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver after a video tribute.
Zach Britton threw 19 pitches, 13 for strikes, in a scoreless first inning. Eduardo Escobar reached on an infield hit with one out and Josh Willingham singled to left. Brian Roberts bobbled a potential double-play ball, settling for the force at second, and Chris Parmelee lined to short.
Jake Arrieta threw seven of his 11 pitches for strikes in the second. He walked Drew...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Once Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz completes his start on Monday, he will be followed to the mound by Mark Hendrickson, Daniel McCutchen and Pedro Strop.
Those are the only confirmed pitchers for the Orioles. Others will be used, of course.
Starters are expected to work one inning in their first turns before logging two innings in their next outings.
The Yankees are sending pitchers Vidal Nuno, Bryan Mitchell, Corey Black and Shane Greene to Sarasota on Monday.
I've...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said outfielder Nolan Reimold will make the trip to Dunedin and will be in the starting lineup for Sunday's exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Reimold will face Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle. Jair Jurrjens will start for the Orioles.
First baseman Conor Jackson is taking batting practice today. Assuming that his lower back doesn't flare up, he also will make the trip to Dunedin and play against the Blue Jays.
Danny Valencia,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Roberts is starting at second base and leading off today in the Orioles' exhibition opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Nate McLouth is batting second, and J.J Hardy has dropped to seventh. Also, Nick Markakis is serving as the designated hitter - no health issues, just his choice - and Chris Dickerson is playing right field.
For the Orioles:
Brian Roberts 2B
Nate McLouth LF
Nick Markakis DH
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Chris Davis 1B
J.J. Hardy SS
Manny Machado...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter will post his lineup for today's exhibition opener against the Minnesota Twins after the media arrives at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
It's safe to assume that Nate McLouth will start in left field, since Showalter indicated that most of his "regulars" will play the first few innings, the Twins are starting right-hander Kevin Correia and Nolan Reimold is being eased into competition. The left-handed-hitting McLouth seems like a...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Nick Markakis returned to the Orioles this morning after flying back to Baltimore on Wednesday to attend a funeral.
Markakis underwent a test before leaving to determine the cause of his acid reflux symptoms - the same procedure given to third baseman Manny Machado and left-hander Zach Braddock.
"I had the test done in 2005 and they just wanted to go in and do a checkup and make sure everything was OK," Markakis said.
"I had a little reflux and everything turned out...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, Steve Johnson, Dylan Bundy, T.J. McFarland, Todd Redmond, Zach Clark and Adam Russell will pitch Saturday in the Orioles' exhibition opener against the Minnesota Twins.
As you can tell, each pitcher is scheduled to throw one inning.
Jair Jurrjens, Troy Patton, Mike Belfiore, Kevin Gausman, Mike Wright, Daniel Schlereth and Eduardo Rodriguez will pitch Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin. Manager Buck Showalter will likely...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada estimated that he threw 15 pitches today in his third half-mound session this week. He remains scheduled to throw off a regular mound Monday for the first time since his ligament-reconstructive surgery in May.
"It felt the best today," he said through his interpreter/athletic trainer.
Wada hasn't experienced any setbacks in his recovery from the surgery.
"It's gradually getting better and better, day by day," he said. "Today was more...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are holding a normal workout today before Saturday's exhibition opener against the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Defensive drills, batting practice, a few bullpen sessions.
Nolan Reimold said he feels good after entering yesterday's intrasquad game in the third inning. Reimold and manager Buck Showalter are confident that the outfielder won't experience any physical issues this spring after his disc surgery. It's just a matter of building up strength in...
SARASOTA, Fla. - For left-hander Troy Patton, spring training feels the same as last year. It also feels different.
Patton showed up in camp a few years ago wondering if he had turned invisible. He went on road trips and didn't pitch. He seemed to have fallen out of favor, and out of any long-range plans.
Last spring, he had to beat out Zach Phillips for the job of sole left-hander in the bullpen. The competition went down to the final day. Phillips still had a minor league option remaining,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold wasn't originally slated to play in today's intrasquad game, but he talked his way into the batters box and left field.
"I sat down and talked to him today," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter. "He wanted to get out there and get some at-bats. He's been a full-go since he got here. He's been a full turn-loose. It's just waiting on the strength to come back.
"It'll be a process. You're not always going to be able to dictate some of the things you can...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles played their first game on the Ed Smith Stadium field, and they decided to have a little fun with it, sending out J.J. Hardy to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Chris Davis.
The rules were relaxed again for the last intrasquad game before Saturday's exhibition opener, starting with left-hander Mark Hendrickson staying on the mound in the bottom of the first inning until he recorded five outs.
Five up, five down for Hendrickson and his new sidearm...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Michael Phelps, winner of 22 Olympic medals and an avid fan of Baltimore sports, took five rounds of batting practice this morning on the main field at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
Phelps, wearing an orange jersey with No. 18 to match the number of gold medals he won, and a pair of green sneakers that clashed, received advice from a variety of players and coaches. First base coach Wayne Kirby, standing behind the cage, playfully barked, "This ain't no breast stroke. Come on...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter is using all left-handed pitchers for Team 2 in today's intrasquad game. That includes minor leaguer Eduardo Rodriguez, who will be called upon at some point behind starter Mark Hendrickson.
And to think, Rodriguez might have been pitching for Team 1 if he hadn't fallen down as a kid.
Rodriguez was 8 years old when he lost his footing while getting on a bus in Valencia, Venezuela. He landed on his right arm, the one he used to throw a...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter is putting names in alphabetical order again for today's intrasquad game, with the exception of Adam Jones in the leadoff spot. He wants Jones to receive additional at-bats before the World Baseball Classic.
Team 1:
Adam Jones CF
Wilson Betemit DH
Chris Davis 1B
J.J. Hardy SS
Manny Machado 3B
Nate McLouth LF
Steve Pearce RF
Brian Roberts 2B
Matt Wieters C
Chris Tillman RHP
Team 2:
Xavier Avery CF
Russ Canzler DH
Alexi Casilla 2B
Ryan Flaherty...
SARASOTA, Fla. - No early departures from camp today. The Orioles don't have a charity golf outing scheduled and the intrasquad game won't start until 1 p.m. It's going to last six innings, which also will push us deep into the afternoon.
Another reminder that left-handers Mark Hendrickson, Troy Patton, Daniel Schlereth and Eduardo Rodriguez will oppose Chris Tillman, Pedro Strop, Daniel McCutchen, Mike Belfiore and Kevin Gausman.
Of course, we're curious about Gausman, the fourth-overall...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter did his best to monitor both intrasquad games today, climbing up to the tower behind the bleachers for a while, then moving from field 3 to field 4. Terry Crowley tried to keep score, and various coaches offered assistance.
Observers of Steve Johnson's performance on field 3 had to come away impressed.
Johnson, pitching the bottom of the first inning, was given an extra batter to face after easily retiring the first three. Showalter wanted his...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Nick Markakis is expected back in camp on Friday after flying to Baltimore today for a funeral.
As I mentioned earlier, Markakis underwent the same acid reflux test administered to Manny Machado and Zach Braddock. That's why he didn't play today.
"He had it this morning, 7 o'clock," said manager Buck Showalter. "He had to have a little anesthesia to do it. That's why he didn't participate today.
"What happens is they have this acid reflux and they mention it in the...
