September means roster expansion. It also means shutting down the occasional player.
It also means shopping for school supplies, which ranks in the top three of my least-favorite tasks in life. I'd rather remove my appendix with a melon baller. But I digress...
We already know that the Orioles are going to add more players from the minors, including pitcher Chris Tillman. At least one more reliever is coming up - and that doesn't include David Hernandez, who will be activated from the...
The Orioles' bullpen gave up six runs in the seventh inning. That equals the total it allowed in the previous nine games spanning 18 innings.
Alfredo Simon, who hadn't pitched since Aug. 24, has surrendered home runs in five of his last eight outings.
Mark Hendrickson hadn't pitched since Aug. 22, and it's strange that I didn't notice the layoff.
That's what happens when your starters are going deep in games. Heck, Rick VandenHurk moved his locker after Jim Johnson returned and I...
Tonight's attendance: 16,210.
It's loud here, and only because the Red Sox have taken a 9-5 lead.
Mark Hendrickson is charged with three runs in the seventh, and Alfredo Simon served up three more on Adrian Beltre's homer.
Simon hasn't pitched since Aug. 24, when he gave up a run and three hits in one inning against the White Sox. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters a few days ago that Simon was fine physically, and the right-hander threw after last night's game to stay sharp.
He's...
A victory tonight would give the Orioles their first five-game winning streak since June 17-21, 2009.
Jake Arrieta has allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. He hasn't walked a batter, but he's sitting on 95 pitches.
Mark Hendrickson has been warming up for a while. David Ortiz is leading off the sixth. We're facing a pitching change.
Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk's Tim Bascom is shutting out Gwinnett on three hits through five innings. Blake Davis is playing shortstop...
The Orioles must be taking advantage of the soft spot in Jon Lester's start.
They scored four runs on four hits, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. As you know, the Orioles have tallied more than three runs against Lester only once in his 12 victories against them.
In three previous starts against the Orioles this season, the left-hander has surrendered only one earned run and has owned them so convincingly, he should carry a sales receipt in his...
And lots of it.
Manager Buck Showalter went with the front office's recommendations when it came to adding Nolan Reimold, Robert Andino and Brandon Snyder to the expanded roster.
"I leaned on what everybody told me. It wasn't me," Showalter said. "That's who everybody felt like we should get a look at."
Showalter is using Reimold as the designated hitter tonight. Keep in mind that Reimold is 3-for-7 with a double lifetime against Jon Lester.
Reimold's season numbers at Triple-A...
Reliever David Hernandez threw 30 pitches during today's batting practice session in Sarasota, and manager Buck Showalter said the reports were favorable.
Showalter sounds encouraged, and it's possible that Hernandez, who's recovering from a badly sprained left ankle, could rejoin the Orioles within a week to 10 days.
Hernandez will take two days off and report to Double-A Bowie, which is closing the regular season at Richmond. He's scheduled to throw one inning.
Hernandez could pitch...
Brian Roberts 2B
Julio Lugo SS
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Adam Jones CF
Felix Pie LF
Matt Wieters C
Nolan Reimold DH
Josh Bell 3B
Jake Arrieta RHP
The Orioles have designated outfielder Lou Montanez for assignment to make room for infielder Robert Andino on the 40-man roster.
Montanez is batting .289 with five doubles, two triples, two homers and 20 RBIs in 24 games at Triple-A Norfolk. He's missed a significant chunk of the season with an oblique injury.
Montanez has batted .223 in 93 games over parts of the last three seasons with the Orioles, including .140 in 26 games this year.
Andino, outfielder Nolan Reimold and first baseman...
Jim Johnson has made two appearances since coming off the disabled list, and they've been under drastically different circumstances.
He entered a 5-0 game in the ninth inning, manager Buck Showalter's way of easing him back into major league competition. And he replaced Brian Matusz last night with the potential tying run on first base and no outs in the seventh.
The easing process didn't take long.
Johnson gave up a single before retiring the next three batters, striking out pinch-hitter...
Manager Buck Showalter needs to go 0-24 to match Juan Samuel's record.
The pressure's on.
I like how Showalter walks into the interview room after the final out and asks for the time of game, as if he's hoping that his club took care of us.
"Stay under three, right?"
Exactly. Anything under three hours is good. And 2 ½ will make us do a happy dance.
So I guess the Orioles took advantage of the soft spot in Boston's rotation last night. That must have been it.
They...
The Orioles improved to 8-1 in series openers under manager Buck Showalter. They were 9-25 before his arrival.
Showalter used one of his favorite expressions, saying he didn't think Brian Matusz was "carrying all his bullets tonight." He brings up bullets frequently. I hope he isn't forced to start calling them "wizards."
"He got through it and gave us a chance to win," Showalter said. "I'm not going to say he made the pitches when he had to. You hear enough of that, but tonight I...
Koji Uehara replaced Michael Gonzalez with one out in the eighth inning and retired the next two batters, fielding a bouncer to the mound and getting the force at second base, and inducing a fly ball to right-center field.
Nothing to it.
Nobody is warming in the bullpen. Uehara is coming back out for the ninth after throwing eight pitches.
No way you take him out. And it made sense to go with your hottest reliever with a runner on first base in the eighth.
The baton is being passed, but it...
Nick Markakis became the 19th outfielder since 1900 to record at least four seasons with 40 doubles in his career.
Markakis is now tied for the third-longest streak of 40-double seasons. The other three players are in the Hall of Fame.
Joe Medwick did it for seven straight years beginning in 1933. Harry Heilman's streak lasted five seasons beginning in 1923. Markakis is tied with Tris Speaker, whose streak of four consecutive seasons began in 1920.
Yeah, it's been a while.
Jay Moskowitz,...
Left-hander Brian Matusz took a two-hit shutout into the fifth inning, but Jed Lowrie deposited a 91 mph fastball into the left field seats with one out and Mike Lowell on base to reduce the Orioles' lead to 3-2.
The Orioles scored twice in the third on Adam Jones' infield hit and shortstop Marco Scutaro's throwing error.
Luke Scott raced home from first base as the ball rolled into right field. Manager Buck Showalter walked over to Scott in the dugout and engaged him in a lengthy...
Not his age. He hasn't been around that long.
Nick Markakis just collected his 40th double with one out in the first inning. He becomes the first player in franchise history with four consecutive 40-double seasons.
Markakis scored on Luke Scott's single, giving the Orioles an early 1-0 lead against Josh Beckett. Scott was in a 2-for-21 slump.
Brian Matusz got through the first inning without allowing a run, though he needed 23 pitches to do it. Victor Martinez singled with two outs before...
Luke Scott is 2-for-21 since homering off Chicago's Gavin Floyd. Felix Pie is hitless in his last 12 at-bats.
The Orioles have 18 quality starts in their last 26 games. Their pitchers are riding a 26-inning scoreless streak and haven't allowed an RBI since Alex Rios homered in the eighth inning of Thursday's game in Chicago.
In Brian Matusz's 26 starts, the Orioles have scored two runs or fewer 14 times while he's been in the game. They're 3-11 in those instances. Matusz is 0-9.
Only...
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Adam Jones CF
Felix Pie LF
Matt Wieters C
Cesar Izturis SS
Josh Bell 3B
Brian Matusz LHP
Manager Buck Showalter was vague when the subject turned to tomorrow's potential call-ups. He said some decisions could hinge on the health of the current roster.
Asked if he could reveal any names, Showalter replied, "No." Then he chuckled.
"I can tell you who's not coming. No, I can't do that, either."
It's fair to speculate that...
Brian Roberts' status for tonight will be determined after batting practice. Julio Lugo has been cleared to play and will start at second base if Roberts is held out of the lineup.
An MRI on Roberts' left hip yesterday came back clean. No structural damage. He's just dealing with the soreness.
Lugo is fine after being hit on the helmet by a pickoff throw in Sunday's game.
Adam Jones will start in center field, with Felix Pie in left and Nick Markakis in right. Ty Wigginton is playing...
You know the drill. The Orioles won't post their lineup before checking on Adam Jones and Brian Roberts. We might have to wait until after batting practice.
Update: Adam Jones says he's starting tonight's game against the Red Sox.
For the Red Sox:
Scutaro SS
McDonald CF
Martinez C
Ortiz DH
Beltre 3B
Lowell 1B
Drew RF
Lowrie 2B
Hall LF
Beckett RHP
