DUNEDIN, Fla. - Shortstop J.J. Hardy continues to be bothered by soreness in his right shoulder, and he received a cortisone injection yesterday in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort and get back into the lineup.
Manager Buck Showalter said Hardy could play Friday against the Tigers in Sarasota.
"He's a little sore from (the injection) today, but he's getting there. I'm hoping he's a Friday player," Showalter said.
Team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens examined Hardy's shoulder...
DUNEDIN, Fla. - I'm back in Dunedin for the first time since Koji Uehara limped off the mound with a hamstring injury in his first spring training with the team.
I can't say that I missed this place.
The Orioles are so fortunate to reside at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. So very fortunate.
Today's lineup has inspired a few quips from the Blue Jays' media and press box employees. Of the nine starters, six of them have uniform numbers in the 70s, 80s or 90s. That's fine in the NFL. In...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter wasn't kidding yesterday when he warned reporters that they'd be watching a "prospects game" today in Dunedin.
The Blue Jays aren't getting the A team.
Jai Miller has returned from a knee ailment and will serve as the designated hitter. Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop will work as double play partners. Rule 5 pick Ryan Flaherty will start at first base.
And by the way, it's a pretty big start for Dana Eveland as he tries to make the...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The choice was obvious. How Mike Mussina will be received at Camden Yards remains the mystery.
Mussina has been elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame, setting up a reunion that was destined to happen in spite of his final eight pinstriped seasons.
Former second baseman Rich Dauer was chosen by the Veterans Committee. And longtime scout Walter Youse was chosen as the Herb Armstrong Award winner for non-uniformed personnel who have made significant contributions to the ballclub...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter went a lot easier on Tsuyoshi Wada than the Japanese left-hander following today's 5-0 loss to the Twins.
"I thought he pitched good last inning," Showalter said. "He had trouble getting the ball where he wanted to. Away from his arm slot. But he made some adjustments. I like what I saw with the command, as far as the ball down. You can see why he had success and will again. You can tell his command is going to be good. He was barely missing.
"He...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles won't be no-hit today. Robert Andino doubled off Twins reliever Glen Perkins in the eighth inning and was thrown out at third base.
Tsuyoshi Wada ripped himself after today's start. Here's a sampling. I'll add more later.
"It didn't go that well. I'm not satisfied."
"I wasn't able to throw correctly with my normal form today. The first-pitch strike with the fastball I pitched was hit easily. I have to work on it more."
"I was missing a lot of...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Tsuyoshi Wada threw 48 pitches and gave up four runs in the first two innings of his first Grapefruit League start. Troy Patton began warming in the third. Wada looked like he was headed for an early exit.
Instead, Wada retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the third. Patton replaced him to begin the fourth, causing Wada to fall one inning short of his intended limit.
Early, yes, but it could have been worse.
Wada threw 62 pitches, 38 for strikes. He allowed four...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Jake Arrieta's next start was moved back a day, which puts him on the mound Saturday against the Pirates in Bradenton.
What's he been told?
"Pretty much that they want to maximize my off-days and my ability to recover, give me an extra day here and there if it's available," he said. "I'm all for that. I like where I'm at physically, but the off days definitely will help."
Couldn't this change signal that he's going to start the April 6 opener at Camden Yards?
"I...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Alfredo Simon, sidelined with a groin injury, will pitch Wednesday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. He'll throw a couple of innings after starter Dana Eveland leaves the game.
Outfielder Jai Miller (knee) will make the trip to Dunedin and is expected to play.
Outfielder Endy Chavez (groin) could return to the lineup Thursday night against the Yankees in Tampa.
Manager Buck Showalter said Tsuyoshi Wada could make two more starts after today, though he'll have to get...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Pat Neshek has pretty much done everything in his power to break camp with the Orioles next week, but he still regards himself as a long shot. And he seems perfectly fine with those odds.
Neshek hasn't allowed a run in seven appearances covering 6 1/3 innings. He's given up three hits, walked none and struck out six.
"Coming in, I wanted to improve a lot on my command. That was my main focus, and I think I've done that," he said. "I feel really good out there....
SARASOTA, Fla. - Tsuyoshi Wada makes his first Grapefruit League start, and second appearance, this afternoon against the Twins. Chris Tillman will follow him to the mound.
For the Orioles:
Nolan Reimold LF
Nick Johnson DH
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 3B
Wilson Betemit RF
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Tsuyoshi Wada LHP
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Pirates scored an unearned run off Jim Johnson after his leadoff walk to Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the seventh, but Matt Wieters responded with his third hit of the night, an RBI single in the top of the eighth to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
Tommy Hunter threw 15 more pitches in the bullpen after racking up 70 over six scoreless innings.
Hunter was much better tonight than in his Grapefruit League debut.
"Fastball was getting located," he said. "That was...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Where was Tommy Hunter in 1971 and 1979?
The Orioles could have used him in the World Series.
Hunter was in total control tonight against the Pirates, shutting them out on one gift double, walking one and striking out five in six innings. He threw 70 pitches, 48 strikes.
Alex Presley walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but Hunter got a 6-3 double play and struck out Andrew McCutchen. Rod Barajas reached in the second inning when first baseman Wilson Betemit...
BRADENTON, Fla. - We had a flurry of roster activity this afternoon, with pitchers Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken, and infielder Matt Antonelli optioned to Triple-A Norfolk; pitcher Dontrelle Willis, infielder Steve Tolleson, catcher John Hester and outfielder Scott Beerer reassigned to minor league camp; and second baseman Brian Roberts and pitcher Zach Britton going on the 15-day disabled list.
One more pitcher will be reassigned, but he hadn't been informed before batting practice....
BRADENTON, Fla. - Forgive the earlier typo. Matt Wieters is catching and Ronny Paulino is serving as the designated hitter.
Here's more from second baseman Brian Roberts, who will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list and accompany the team to Baltimore for opening day:
Is this news an important part of his progression?
"Every day is a bigger step than the day before," he said. "My doctor thinks this is a huge part of this process, being in those environments. When you have these...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Second baseman Brian Roberts will go on the 15-day disabled list and head north with the Orioles rather than stay back at extended spring training. He'll continue to take batting practice and infield, and expects to accompany his teammates to Toronto and Chicago on the first road trip. He'll probably skip Anaheim.
"That's the plan now, try to stay with the team and go that way," he said. "I really didn't want to be separated again and be down here away from my teammates...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are making their first trip to Bradenton tonight, which is pretty unusual. It's typically one of our first stops.
Tommy Hunter will make his second Grapefruit League start after allowing two runs and five hits over five innings against the Blue Jays on March 21.
As spring training winds down - only 10 games remain if you count the two against college teams and the finale at Triple-A Norfolk - the 25-man roster still hasn't come into complete focus.
Barring a...
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jason Berken finally made it back on a mound today, throwing a scoreless sixth inning in his first spring training game. The hamstring injury is in the past. Now he's waiting to find out what the future holds for him.
"I was anxious and excited to get out there," he said. "A leadoff double isn't the way I wanted to start, but fortunately I was able to stay out of it some. As a whole, I felt good, felt healthy. All my pitches were working pretty good, so I'd say first...
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Trent Mummey doubled with two outs in the eighth inning to score Steve Tolleson, who singled and stole second base, and Dana Eveland escaped a jam in the ninth in the Orioles' 5-5 tie with the Phillies.
Neither team scored in the 10th, and the Orioles head back to Sarasota with a 9-9-5 record.
Five ties actually ties a spring training record, though the research only goes back to 1996. The 2006 Dodgers and 2010 White Sox also had five ties, according to STATS LLC.
The...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Matusz retired six of the first seven batters he faced before the third inning. That's when his start took a turn for the worse.
"Just started leaving the ball out over the plate," Matusz said after allowing three runs and four hits. "Got a couple guys on base, and (Jim) Thome got up there and he's the type of hitter in that lineup who will hurt you and he did. Got a little erratic, but just battled my way through."
Thome drove a fastball over center fielder...