Roch Kubatko
Roch Kubatko

The Twilight Strike Zone

The Twilight Strike Zone
We have another afternoon FOX game today, which means a free night to get into all sorts of trouble. Not me, of course, but everyone else. Shortstop Manny Machado will speak to reporters via conference call today at 3 p.m. after signing his $5.25 million contract yesterday in Miami. He'll be introduced to the Camden Yards crowd on Sept. 3 or 4. Make him feel at home. Umpire Jeff Nelson was forced to skip breakfast today. The waitress brought his food, but he couldn't work the plate. JDB...
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Roch Kubatko

Markakis: "I didn't get one strike thrown to me..."

Markakis: "I didn't get one strike thrown to me..."
I passed Nick Markakis on my way back up to the press box. We both did the ol' head nod and "Hey." Slightly awkward. Markakis was leaving the family room, not the umpires room. Markakis believes that arguing the first strike call with plate umpire Jeff Nelson in the sixth inning led to the next two strike calls and his eventual ejection. "I was frustrated," he said. "That's a one-run game there. I'm up there looking to get in scoring position or tie the game. I'm looking for a...
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Showalter: "We're trying to keep the field level"

Showalter: "We're trying to keep the field level"
Plate umpire Jeff Nelson declined comment after tonight's game, sending the message through crew chief Jeff Kellogg. Manager Buck Showalter had a few things to say, though he calmed down considerably after his ejection in the ninth inning. Probably a good idea. "It was just an accumulation of a lot of things," Showalter said. "It's unfortunate. Obviously, he was having a tough night and you're just looking for a sense of fairness, and emotions take over. That's one thing that can't...
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Roch Kubatko

Now it's Buck's turn

Now it's Buck's turn
Plate umpire Jeff Nelson has ejected manager Buck Showalter in the top of the ninth inning with a 2-0 count on Elvis Andrus. Matt Albers' second pitch appeared to be a strike, bringing Showalter from the dugout. Nelson let him vent for a few seconds before tossing him. Second base umpire Jeff Kellogg rushed over and got between Showalter and Nelson. Showalter's face was blood-red as he continued to yell. And yes, he looked a lot like Earl Weaver on one of the MASN shots. Showalter is the...
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J.J. update

J.J. update
Reliever Jim Johnson tossed a scoreless seventh inning tonight at Double-A Bowie, striking out the last batter he faced. Johnson retired the first batter on a fly ball to center and the second on a grounder to short. I'm told his fastball topped out at 94 mph according to the Prince George's Stadium radar gun. He got the called third strike on a curveball. Johnson has allowed four runs and 12 hits in 10 minor league innings on his injury rehab assignment, with one walk and eight strikeouts....
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The streak ended; so did Markakis' night

The streak ended; so did Markakis' night
Jake Arrieta has completed six innings tonight and held the Rangers to one run. He just escaped a two-on, two-out jam by getting Taylor Teagarden to ground into a force. His pitch count is up to 95 and Matt Albers was warming, so it's going to be tough for him to produce the Orioles' fourth consecutive eight-inning start. Albers sat down, and Arrieta will return for the seventh. He'll need to be economical with his pitches. Update: Arrieta is done after 6 2/3 innings. Mark Hendrickson...
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The ball found Lugo (updated)

The ball found Lugo (updated)
That didn't take long. Julio Lugo froze on a line drive from Josh Hamilton with two outs in the top of the first inning, then attempted to make a leaping catch. The ball glanced off his glove and rolled to the fence, and Hamilton was credited with a double. Looked like an error to me. Vladimir Guerrero swung at the next pitch and flied to deep right-center field. Inning over. The adventure might continue. Lugo has played 11 games in left field, but he's made only two starts. He shags fly...
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Pre-game this and that

Pre-game this and that
In his last 14 appearances, reliever Koji Uehara has surrendered only one earned run over 17 innings. Manager Buck Showalter has noticed. However, he's not ready to campaign for Uehara's return in 2011. "I don't throw out what's going on here for a year and three-quarters," Showalter said. "I know what I've seen since I've been here. I can see why he was somebody that was coveted to bring in. Keeping him healthy I know has been a challenge, but it's pretty obvious when he's...
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Reimold: Gone but not forgotten

Reimold: Gone but not forgotten
Manager Buck Showalter and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail have discussed bringing up outfielder Nolan Reimold when rosters expand next month. Reimold is batting .247 with 11 doubles, 10 homers, 34 RBIs and a .750 OPS in 83 games at Triple-A Norfolk. As I noted last night, he's reached base in 30 of his last 31 games, batting .321 with four homers, 15 RBIs and 29 walks. "I can't say I know him well," Showalter said. "I do know he's playing well there consistently. I've...
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Lugo in left

Lugo in left
How much does manager Buck Showalter want to avoid putting left-handed hitters in his lineup tonight? Julio Lugo's starting in left field. It's not a huge reach. Lugo has played 18 games in the outfield, most recently patrolling left for one game with the Red Sox in 2008. He played six games in the outfield with the Astros in 2000 and eight more in 2001. He played three in the outfield with the Dodgers in 2006. "He's actually played more in the outfield than third base," Showalter said....
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Orioles lineup

Orioles lineup
Brian Roberts 2B Julio Lugo LF Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Adam Jones CF Jake Fox DH Matt Wieters C Cesar Izturis SS Josh Bell 3B Jake Arrieta RHP The last time the Orioles went four straight starts with eight innings or more from their starter was July 20-23, 1999 (Sidney Ponson, Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson and Juan Guzman.) The longest streak of consecutive starts with eight or more innings in franchise history was a 12-game run from Aug. 15-28, 1970.
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Looking back at the '05 streak

Looking back at the '05 streak
As you probably know by now, the Orioles' last three starters have each gone eight innings, which hasn't happened in this organization since May 2005. Yes, it's been a long time. And it's only occurred twice in the 2000s. On May 3, Daniel Cabrera was outdueled by former Oriole Josh Towers in a 1-0 loss to Toronto. He allowed one run and four hits, walked four and struck out eight while throwing 119 pitches. Sammy Sosa went 0-for-3 as the cleanup hitter. Javy Lopez, serving as the...
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Wigginton brings attitude to otherwise easy-going O's

Wigginton brings attitude to otherwise easy-going O's
I've been checking out various reports on last night's game, and one of them mentions how it was "marred" by a sixth-inning confrontation between Ty Wigginton and Andres Blanco. Funny, but it made my night. I had wandered to the far end of the press box to chat up Dave Johnson when the play occurred. I was watching a replay on one of the big screens when he tapped me on the shoulder to redirect my attention to the field, where players were coming out of the dugout and bullpen. At that...
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Brian's song

Brian's song
Before closing my laptop for the final time tonight, I wanted to pass along some quotes from Brian Matusz following tonight's gem. You might recall that Matusz was 1-1 with a 10.95 ERA in three career starts against the Rangers before tonight. In two outings this year, both in Arlington, he pitched into the third inning in one and finished three in another. That's it. "It definitely felt good out there today, especially coming off two bad outings against Texas this year," he said. "I...
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Tongue-Tyed

Tongue-Tyed
Ty Wigginton didn't want to elaborate on his altercation, if you want to describe it as such, with the Rangers' Andres Blanco. No sense inciting the players in the visiting clubhouse. We still have three more games left in this series. "The guy did a nice piece of hitting, got the ball in the gap and thought he was going to make a triple and we had a nice relay and he was out," Wigginton said. How big was the play? "There's nobody out and the guy hits the ball in the gap. You've got a...
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Showalter time

Showalter time
Not only did the Orioles string together three straight starts of eight innings or more for the first time since May 2005, it's only the second time that the club has accomplished the feat in the 2000s. "I guarantee those guys in the clubhouse want to try to make it four," manager Buck Showalter said. "They're trying to pass the baton now and give us a chance to win. I think this time of year, to see guys getting a little stronger instead of going in the other direction is really...
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Temper, temper (& the first runs)

Temper, temper (& the first runs)
If you don't want to smack your head and hand on an infielder's leg, don't dive into the bag. That's why God gave you spikes. That's the popular opinion around here after the Rangers' Andres Blanco started jawing at Ty Wigginton, who knelt on his right knee to block the bag and apply the tag after taking Brian Roberts' relay throw in the sixth inning. Blanco had a leadoff double. He wanted a triple. Wigginton wouldn't give it to him. Blanco jumped to his feet after being called...
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Matusz through four (w/Spoone update)

Matusz through four (w/Spoone update)
In his last start, Brian Matusz gave up five runs in the fourth inning. Four of them scored on Kelly Shoppach's grand slam. He was gone after 75 pitches. Matusz took a two-hit shutout into the fifth inning tonight, with one walk and five strikeouts. That's improvement. Matusz struck out two in the first, on his changeup and slider. He got another strikeout on his slider in the second, and another on his changeup to end the third. If only he could get some run support. Not that he's...
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Fact-checking before first pitch (w/minor league notes)

Fact-checking before first pitch (w/minor league notes)
Did you know that the Orioles are 8-8 on Thursdays, their best record for any day of the week? They're 8-10 on Fridays, including 5-4 at home, so plan accordingly. Since May 12, Luke Scott has posted the fourth-best slugging percentage in baseball at .639. His .396 on-base percentage is sixth-best in the American League and ninth-best in the majors. His 1.034 OPS is fifth-best in baseball, one spot ahead of Albert Pujols (1.004). In Brian Matusz's 24 starts this year, the Orioles have...
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Showalter's philosophy on posting lineups

Showalter's philosophy on posting lineups
Not much to report from manager Buck Showalter's pre-game session with the media. He gave us thorough injury updates yesterday. We already brought up his reunion with the Rangers in this four-game series. "So, do you like...stuff?" We're still learning about Showalter, and it appears that he's not the type to post the next day's lineup early, as in immediately after the previous night's game. He might approach a player or send a coach to give a heads-up about a pending start, as he did...
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