Double-A Bowie's Steve Johnson got another no-decision tonight after holding Richmond to two hits over six scoreless innings. He walked four and struck out six, and he'll wake up tomorrow with a 3.08 ERA.
Johnson hasn't gotten the win in three starts this season when he's shut out the opponent.
Triple-A Norfolk's Jake Arrieta allowed three runs (two earned) and four hits over seven innings, with five walks and six strikeouts. He also was stuck with a no-decision, as reliever Ross Wolf...
The leftovers are in the fridge and the dishes are clean. Time to take a quick scan of the farm system.
Corey Patterson is starting in right field tonight for Triple-A Norfolk. He's 1-for-2 with a triple and run scored, raising his average to .373.
Scott Moore is 2-for-2 with a triple. Josh Bell, serving as the designated hitter, has an RBI.
Bell played third base yesterday, but he's back at DH tonight. No idea why. He should be starting at third regularly since he's far from...
Dr. James Andrews, the world-famous orthopedist and surgeon to the stars, will examine Jim Johnson's elbow on Thursday in Birmingham, Ala.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail just confirmed the date in a text message.
Johnson is seeking a second opinion after team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens diagnosed the reliever with a strained ligament in his elbow.
Assuming that Andrews tells him the same, Johnson will remain shut down until he's cleared to begin a throwing...
I'm watching Tom Davis' Take Me Out to the Ballgame on MASN and wondering who's the guy sitting next to him in the wrinkled shirt and jeans?
Apparently, there's no dress code for guests. I'd rethink that position (that's what she...never mind.)
It's been a slow day, so I'll pass along a few Triple-A tidbits:
Dennis Sarfate's fastball was clocked in the 94-96 mph range during Saturday's scoreless outing with Norfolk after the Orioles activated him from the disabled list. Protect...
Tigers Woods withdrew from The Players Championship because he has a bulging disk.
I know what you're thinking. Stop it.
So, is that different from a herniated disk? Which one is worse?
Is it more painful to hit a tee shot or a fastball?
So many questions, so little time.
I'm hearing strong rumblings that the Orioles will make a roster move today. I figured it might happen before tomorrow night's game. Either way, I think a change is coming.
I'll go back to Corey Patterson, who's...
Chris Tillman didn't throw another no-hitter - he's a tough act to follow - but he held Toledo to one run over seven innings in Triple-A Norfolk's 4-1 victory.
Tillman allowed four hits, walked one and struck out 10 while improving to 3-3 with a 3.49 ERA.
Is he knocking on the door?
Tillman's last six outs came via strikeouts. He faced four batters over the minimum.
Can you hear him knocking?
Tillman is 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA, four walks and 24 strikeouts in his last four starts.
Knock,...
Never make a guarantee at 1 a.m. And that includes anything involving baseball.
Left-hander Brian Matusz gave up six runs and nine hits over 3 2/3 innings, falling well short of my prediction of seven innings and a victory.
Good luck to Alfredo Simon if he's trying for a save in this one.
Nick Blackburn held the Orioles to one hit through five scoreless innings, so Matusz needed to be perfect today. He wasn't up to the task.
I'm not staying up late before making my next guarantee.
Orioles manager Dave Trembley confirmed today that reliever Jim Johnson will have his right elbow examined this week by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.
Johnson told The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec that team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens referred to the injury as a "strained ulnar collateral ligament."
The Orioles are hoping that Andrews confirms that diagnosis and ligament-reconstructive surgery won't be necessary.
Johnson pitched once for Triple-A Norfolk before going on the disabled...
For the Orioles:
Cesar Izturis SS
Ty Wigginton 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Matt Wieters C
Luke Scott DH
Adam Jones CF
Garrett Atkins 1B
Nolan Reimold LF
Brian Matusz LHP
For the Twins:
Denard Span CF
Nick Punto 3B
Joe Mauer DH
Justin Morneau 1B
Michael Cuddyer RF
Delmon Young LF
Wilson Ramos C
Brendan Harris SS
Alexi Casilla 2B
Nick Blackburn RHP
Rookie left-hander Brian Matusz has made four consecutive quality starts and leads AL rookies in strikeouts (31) and innings pitched (36.2), is third in wins (two) and fourth in ERA (3.93).
Matusz has allowed just two extra-base hits to left-handed batters this year in 30 at-bats (homer and double by Robinson Cano on April 29). Opponents are batting .262 against him with eight extra-base hits (five doubles, a triple and two home runs).
In his 14 major league starts, left-handed batters are...
I'm not sure if it's a distant relative of the famed reverse lock, but I'd qualify what happened yesterday as a "reverse split."
I assumed the Twins would take Game 1 behind Francisco Liriano, and the Orioles would win Game 2 behind Kevin Millwood. Then I was reminded that the Orioles don't score runs for Millwood and his latest quality start would be wasted along with all the others.
But it sure beats a sweep.
Millwood allowed three earned runs in seven innings and Luke Scott showed...
Julio Lugo SS
Nick Markakis RF
Matt Wieters DH
Miguel Tejada 3B
Ty Wigginton 2B
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Rhyne Hughes 1B
Craig Tatum C
Kevin Millwood RHP
Jeremy Guthrie gave the Orioles' 6 2/3 innings in Game 1 of today's doubleheader, and he left with a 6-3 lead.
Guthrie allowed five hits, walked one and struck out five. He out-pitched Francisco Liriano, and he came into today as the decided underdog in that matchup.
The two home runs put me on edge, and the Twins were launching some monstrous foul balls, but Guthrie held them in check and turned in a quality start.
A few readers wondered about the decrease in Guthrie's velocity. I...
That sentence would have taken on a vastly different meaning earlier this season, but Julio Lugo might be winning over some fans.
Lugo is 3-for-4 with an RBI from the leadoff spot. Actual production from the top of the order. Don't adjust your sets.
In his last three starts, Lugo has gone 7-for-12 with a walk, RBI and run scored to raise his average to .250.
Could he also get the start in Game 2, perhaps at shortstop, with Ty Wigginton replacing him at second?
There aren't many hot hands...
Who saw this coming?
Be honest.
The Orioles took a 5-2 lead over Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano in the fourth inning before Michael Cuddyer led off the bottom half with a shot into the left field seats. They've collected nine hits, including an assortment of bloops and well-placed ground balls.
At last count, the Orioles were 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position. All the runs have come with two outs - pretty impressive considering they were batting .176 with two outs and RISP this...
I caught a little of manager Dave Trembley's dugout session with the media earlier today while I waited for O's Xtra to start on MASN2, and he indicated that Adam Jones could bat lower in the lineup.
Julio Lugo is hitting first in Game 1, with Jones moving down to second.
Trembley noted how Jones continues to struggle at the plate and is chasing bad pitches. It doesn't sound like the leadoff experiment will continue, though finding a replacement has proven difficult.
It's not like Lugo...
Orioles:
2B Lugo
CF Jones
RF Markakis
3B Tejada
DH Wigginton
C Wieters
1B Atkins
LF Reimold
SS Izturis
RHP Guthrie
Twins:
CF Span
2B Hudson
1B Morneau
DH Thome
RF Cuddyer
LF Kubel
C Ramos
SS Harris
3B Punto
LHP Liriano
Josh Bell hit a walk-off home run last night for Triple-A Norfolk, belting a 1-1 offering from Toledo reliever Jay Sborz over the right-center field wall in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Tides their third straight win.
Sborz hadn't allowed an earned run in 10 games before last night. His eight saves are tied for the International League lead.
Bell went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two walks. He's homered in three straight games, giving him six on the year to go with 18 RBIs, and...
Does a postponement and day/night doubleheader help or hurt the Orioles?
Does it even matter?
Maybe it means nothing, but the timing seems pretty rotten for a team coming off its crispest game of the season.
So much for riding a wave tonight - though snowboarding might be a possibility.
I know momentum in baseball is the next day's starting pitcher. Doesn't matter how many games you've won in a row if the opposing hurler brings his best stuff, which Francisco Liriano has been doing this...
Tonight's game in Minnesota has been postponed because of inclement weather - it's really supposed to snow later - and will be made up tomorrow as part of a doubleheader.
Game 1 is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. EST on MASN2, with Game 2 to follow at 8:10 p.m. on MASN.
The rotation remains the same. Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie will make the starts, though the Orioles will wait until tomorrow to announce which right-hander goes first.
Remember everything I wrote about Millwood today? It also...