SARASOTA, Fla. - Luke Scott kept fouling off pitches from Tigers starter Max Scherzer in the first inning. Adding to the drama - the bases were loaded.
Scott finally got hold of a ball that didn't slam against the screen behind him, and he drove it over the left field fence for a grand slam and a 4-0 lead.
Scott has endured a terrible spring at the plate, but his RBI total climbed to 10 today. He began the day batting .185 with two homers.
Brian Roberts led off the inning with a double....
SARASOTA, Fla. - We're ready for today's game, which seems like the least important thing happening in camp today.
The Orioles added a bunch of minor leaguers, including Jeff Fiorentino, Rhyne Hughes and Blake Davis.
Here are some leftover pregame quotes from manager Buck Showalter:
On starting the year with one lefty reliever:
"It's not the conventional, but .... with so many young pitchers in our rotation, we're going to err on the side of length there. Like I told you, Clay (Rapada),...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen said he threw about 30 pitches off a bullpen mound today and is scheduled to pitch one or two innings on Wednesday. He's not sure whether that will take place at Twin Lakes Park or during the workout at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
"I threw all my pitches, regular bullpen, and I felt good," he said. "The plan is Wednesday throw one inning, two innings. I don't know exactly. But everything felt good. I feel fine to throw in a game."
Bergesen threw only...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Nolan Reimold was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk this morning, so you can add his name to the list of roster cuts.
Reimold batted .315 with three doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs, a .448 on-base percentage and a .537 slugging percentage.
Felix Pie made the team over Reimold, as expected. He's out of options and he's the backup center fielder.
Pie is batting .254 with three doubles, one triple, one homer, eight RBIs, a .254 on-base percentage and a .390 slugging...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The sun is shining here and it looks like we'll play.
For the Orioles:
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Derrek Lee 1B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Jake Fox C
J.J. Hardy SS
Zach Britton LHP
I should have added in my last post that Mark Hendrickson has been given 48 hours to find another major league job. He isn't obligated to stay in the organization.
Nick Green and Clay Rapada will remain in camp despite being cut.
Also, Brad...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles should have their camp roster down to 27 or 28 by the end of the day, and it won't include two left-handed relief candidates.
Mark Hendrickson and Clay Rapada are counted among today's cuts. Hendrickson can seek a major league job and decline an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.
Those moves leave Michael Gonzalez as the only left-hander in the bullpen for the April 1 opener against the Rays.
Other cuts include David Riske, Ryan Drese, Rick VandenHurk and Nick...
SARASOTA, Fla. - We had thunderstorms overnight and the fields are soaked. No idea whether the Orioles will play today, since the forecast today calls for more rain. It's clearing right now - I see blue sky - but that could change.
Still no lineup posted, but David Riske, Rick VandenHurk and Randy Winn have been eliminated from the camp roster. More cuts are coming, but those three are confirmed.
Riske and VandenHurk apparently left last night. VandenHurk is out of options, so he would have...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Michael Gonzalez breezed through the ninth inning to record the save in the Orioles' 4-3 victory over the Red Sox at sold-out Ed Smith Stadium.
Manager Buck Showalter said he contacted Terry Francona before the game, after learning that the Boston manager was aggravated by his comments about general manager Theo Epstein that appear in the April edition of Men's Journal.
"I talked to Terry a little bit before the game. I would be, too," Showalter said.
"I just felt like...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gregg allowed a hit and walk and struck out a batter in one scoreless inning.
Matt Wieters' two-run single in the bottom of the eighth tied the game, 3-3, and Ryan Adams followed with a single to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead.
Chris Tillman told reporters that he's changed his delivery in the later days of camp, which is interesting timing as he tries to make the team.
"I think I felt OK today," he said. "I was talking with Goose (Mark Connor) and Wieters, talking...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman threw 103 pitches in 5 2/3 innings today, leaving with two Boston runners on base after he got ahead of Paul Hoover, 0-2, and walked him.
Tillman allowed three runs and six hits, with four walks and three strikeouts. He hit David Ortiz to lead off the sixth.
That's a lot of pitches in fewer than six complete innings, and the walks remain a concern. However, Tillman's 3.93 ERA makes him look like a staff ace, not someone trying to earn a spot in the...
SARASOTA, Fla. - While the Orioles are playing the Red Sox today at Ed Smith Stadium, Jeremy Guthrie is making his final exhibition start against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.
According to the box score, Guthrie has allowed four runs and eight hits in three innings, with one walk, one strikeout, one wild pitch and one hit batter. The Sun's Dan Connolly tweets that Guthrie has thrown 65 pitches, 42 for strikes.
Yunel Escobar homered off Guthrie in the third.
Guthrie's spring ERA has jumped to...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman isn't making the boldest statement that he should be included in the opening night rotation.
Tillman has allowed two runs, on J.D. Drew's wind-aided homer to left, and four hits. He's also walked three batters and struck out two.
Tillman has thrown 51 pitches, 31 for strikes. It looks like his fastball is topping out at 90 mph.
Matt Wieters threw out Marco Scutaro trying to steal in the first inning. Drew followed with a walk.
David Ortiz singled to left...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen threw from 60 and 120 feet on flat ground today. He's scheduled to throw a bullpen session tomorrow if the discomfort doesn't return, and he could start Tuesday's exhibition finale against the Blue Jays in Sarasota.
"Everything felt OK," he said. "A little tight, a little tender, but it's nothing I can't throw through. I think right now the plan is hopefully a bullpen tomorrow. That's just where we are right now."
Bergesen could be instructed to throw...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen isn't sure when he'll get back on a mound or pitch in a game. He's just taking it one day at a time, cliché and all. That's the only approach when dealing with a bruised forearm.
"It's feeling better," he said this morning. "It's still obviously there. It's tender and sore, but it's getting better by the day. Today's plan is I'm going to go out and stretch, throw, and really go from there. That's all I know. There's no plan. I...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are playing split-squad games against the Red Sox at home and the Blue Jays in Dunedin. I'm staying here to watch Chris Tillman pitch. You can watch him on MASN.
For the Orioles:
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Derrek Lee 1B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Chris Tillman RHP
And for the Orioles (in Dunedin):
Robert Andino LF
Randy Winn DH
Nolan Reimold RF
Jake Fox 1B
Brendan Harris 3B
Felix Pie...
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - David Riske covered the last two innings for the Orioles, retiring all six batters he faced and striking out three to seal a 7-2 victory over the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park.
The bullpen brought it strong today with six scoreless innings, including two each from Jason Berken and Josh Rupe. The unit allowed three hits, didn't issue a walk and struck out seven.
"Boy, Riske has been impressive," manager Buck Showalter said. "Rupe continues to throw the ball well. I...
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Orioles wanted an offensive upgrade at shortstop.
They got it.
I know it's only spring training, but J.J. Hardy is batting .388 after going 3-for-4 today. He singled twice, doubled and knocked in two runs, and the Orioles are taking a 7-2 lead over the Rays into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Hardy has two homers and 10 RBIs to go with that impressive average.
Brian Roberts went 2-for-3 with a home run, walk and sacrifice fly. His average has climbed to...
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Jason Berken threw two scoreless innings, retiring the last five batters he faced. He allowed two hits and struck out three.
Josh Rupe followed with a 1-2-3 sixth inning. He's allowed two unearned runs and seven hits in 12 2/3 innings.
J.J. Hardy is 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Brian Roberts is 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.
Update: Vladimir Guerrero broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning with a two-run homer to left field off Cesar Ramos. It was a screaming line...
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Jason Berken is pitching the fourth inning with Tampa Bay leading the Orioles, 2-1.
Ryan Drese allowed two runs and five hits in three innings, with no walks, two strikeouts and one visit from head athletic trainer Richie Bancells.
Drese threw 43 pitches, including 27 for strikes.
Drese allowed one run and four hits in his first three appearances covering seven innings. In his last three outings, he allowed 13 runs and 18 hits in 7 2/3 innings.
Drese probably isn't...
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Orioles sent a scout to watch left-hander Doug Davis audition for teams Thursday in Arizona, but they have no interest in signing him.
Team officials are encouraged by Justin Duchscherer's progress and currently believe they have enough internal pitching options. Brad Bergesen's bruised right forearm isn't a major concern.
The Orioles must set their opening night roster by 4 p.m. Thursday.
Ryan Drese served up a leadoff home run to Ben Zobrist in the first...