Hernandez likely DL-bound; better news on Roberts & Bell

Hernandez likely DL-bound; better news on Roberts & Bell
The O's got good post-game news on two of the three injured players that left Wednesday's game. Both Brian Roberts and Josh Bell hope to play tomorrow, but the news was not nearly as good for David Hernandez, who seems likely to end up on the disabled list. He suffered a left ankle sprain while covering home in the seventh inning. "I kind of had my landing foot, my left foot, I didn't feel it roll, it just kind of felt like the ligament went over the bone and went back. "They said...
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O's go to 2-0 for Showalter

O's go to 2-0 for Showalter
Brian Matusz picked up just his second win since April 18 and the O's scored nine runs in the first four innings in a 9-7 win over the Angels Wednesday night as they are now 2-0 for new manager Buck Showalter. Felix Pie, who had just one RBI over his past 18 games, had three hits, including a triple and 3 RBI. Luke Scott hit his 20th homer, a two-run shot and Adam Jones went 3 for 4 and scored three runs. Ty Wigginton added a two-run single. Scott has homered in three straight games. The...
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Taking rain delay questions (play has resumed)

Taking rain delay questions (play has resumed)
The game is in a rain delay with the O's leading 9-1 and batting in the last of the sixth. If it is called off at this point, the Orioles will win. Feel free to post some questions here during the delay which came at 9:16. Questions on any O's topic, majors or minors. Update: Could be one of the shortest delays ever. As of 9:27, they have taken the tarp off, the rain has stopped and they are raking the dirt areas. Now the word is play will resume at about 9:40. If you add any...
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Showalter must like Pie (updated)

Showalter must like Pie (updated)
Here is a stat for you. In the last six games before Buck Showalter took over as manager, Felix Pie went 4 for 22 at bat. Now, in 12 innings with Showalter here, he is 4 for 5. That is through tonight's third inning. After going 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored last night, and several nice catches in left field, tonight, Pie is 2 for 2 already. He ripped an RBI triple to right in the second and added an RBI single to right in the third. Then he stole a base. Here are some more...
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Jordan heads West for scouting and signing negotiations

Jordan heads West for scouting and signing negotiations
The deals are not completely done, but the Orioles expect fifth-round draft pick, Connor Narron, a high school infielder from Goldsboro, North Carolina and ninth-round pick, prep pitcher Parker Bridwell from Hereford, Texas, in Baltimore this Thursday and Friday for physicals. If all goes well, they could soon officially sign and report to the Gulf Coast League Orioles as early as next week. "We are hopeful that we are within five or six days tops (of the pair reporting to that club)," O's...
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Gonzo on a roll right now

Gonzo on a roll right now
From jeers to cheers. That's how it's now going for O's lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez. When he was activated on July 21 off the 60-day DL, he hadn't pitched since April and had an ERA of 18.00. Now, his ERA is down to 4.50 and Gonzalez has put together a real solid stretch. Since his return to the active roster, his ERA is 1.13 over seven games and eight innings. He has pitched shutout ball over 6 1/3 over his last five appearances. Gonzalez gives a lot of credit to new manager Buck...
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Still too soon to develop the book on Showalter

Still too soon to develop the book on Showalter
The Orioles picked a good night to play one of their best and most complete games of the year. Their starting pitcher was effective and efficient with pitches and they did not issue a walk all night. There were no errors. They went 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position. They hit a key homer, stole a base and actually advanced a runner with a sac bunt. They also seemed to play with more energy and maybe even more intensity. So far, what's not to like about the Buck Showalter...
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Post-game notes and quotes after Showalter's first O's win

Post-game notes and quotes after Showalter's first O's win
Some post-game clubhouse comments from Jeremy Guthrie, Josh Bell, Adam Jones and Luke Scott after the Orioles 6-3 win over the Angels on Buck Showalter's first night as O's manager. Guthrie on Buck's first night: "I actually was very excited today. Watched the press conference yesterday and came to the ballpark with a big excitement. I'm really, really, excited to have Buck here managing. I feel he's a perfect fit for us and the things he said are right on point. I was excited to...
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Getting Buck started with a win

Getting Buck started with a win
On Buck Showalter's first night as manager, the Orioles did a few things they have not done much since the All-Star break. Or too often at any point this season. They got solid starting pitching. They got a couple of clutch hits. And, they won. The O's scored four times in the sixth to back Jeremy Guthrie for a 6-3 win over the LA Angels in front of 16,723 on Showalter's first day in the dugout. The O's were down 2-1 heading to the last of sixth after Howie Kendrick's two-run homer...
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Luke & Josh deliver

Luke & Josh deliver
It's clear that under Buck Showalter the Orioles will get more clutch hits. Just kidding, but they did get two big ones in the sixth to score four and lead the Angels, 5-2. Luke Scott hit the first homer of the Showalter era, a 422-foot, two-run blast to right center for a 3-2 lead. He homers for the second game in a row and the 7th time in 15 games since coming off the DL on July 19. Scott was just three for 23 over his last six games coming into tonight. But he also entered play with...
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Updating Hobgood, Joseph and Johnson

Updating Hobgood, Joseph and Johnson
For now, Delmarva Shorebirds right-hander Matt Hobgood is avoiding the disabled list. Hobgood, last June's first-round O's pick, left his last start on Saturday night at Lexington after just nine pitches due to lower back spasms. He is reporting some improvement. For now the O's will monitor his progress, but a date for his return to the Shorebirds rotation has not been set. That was according to a club official. In tonight's Delmarva Shorebirds game notes, they list Hobgood to start...
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Wigginton on Showalter's talk with the team

Wigginton on Showalter's talk with the team
During a pre-game interview with reporters, that word accountability came up again with Ty Wigginton. He was asked if that was a part of Buck Showalter's message to the players and if it is needed on this team. "I think so. I know, every time I step out on the baseball field, I want to be accountable for my actions. Whether it's an error or a positive. I think that's the whole key to helping yourself get better as a Major League player." Wigginton agreed that one thing Showalter...
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Markakis talks about Showalter's address to the team

Markakis talks about Showalter's address to the team
Nick Markakis said, that as he had promised, Buck Showalter's first address to the Oriole players as their manager, was not a long one. "It was pretty simple. I don't think it was anything unexpected. He just pretty much came in and told us how it's going to be and we're all ready to get started." Markakis said accountability was one theme of Showalter's talk with the players. "That is one of the things he addressed but I imagine that would be the same for any manager. You have to...
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How will the players react to Showalter taking over?

How will the players react to Showalter taking over?
So what happens if an Oriole player decides to jog down the first-base line tonight on a routine grounder to short? Does Buck Showalter yank him from the game or is it just part of his evaluation process and does he make a mental note of it and address it later or out of sight of the media and the cameras? You would think a player dare not show any lack of hustle tonight or any night really, the rest of this season. Some fans I talk with can almost stomach all this losing (I said almost) but...
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An Exclusive One-on-One with Showalter

An Exclusive One-on-One with Showalter
Following his press conference at Camden Yards today, Showalter made his way down to the MASNsports.com WebStudio for an exclusive one-on-one sit down where I got the chance to talk with him further about the new job before him. Watch the video of our interview below for even more insight from Showalter as he takes the reins in Baltimore, followed by my impressions from the press conference: Sitting in the sixth-floor room at Camden Yards watching today's press conference to introduce new...
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"This team doesn't know what's going to hit them."

"This team doesn't know what's going to hit them."
Well, he didn't hold too much back. Jim Palmer is often outspoken and Sunday was no different. Palmer was interviewed by Tom Davis on the Orioles Insider Roundtable show on O's flagship station, 105.7 the Fan. He said basically that the Orioles players are in for a rude awakening as Buck Showalter takes over as manager today. "I get the feeling, because Buck Showalter does his homework, that this team doesn't know what's going to hit them. He is going to demand that this club play the...
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O's come up short in Samuel's final game as skipper

O's come up short in Samuel's final game as skipper
Well, this time there was no blown lead. Or comeback. The Orioles lost 5-4 at Kansas City Sunday and Buck Showalter will inherit a team on Tuesday night with a three-game losing streak and 3-14 record since the All-Star break. Jim and Mike talk to Juan Samuel in his last postgame interview as Orioles' interm manager It was Juan Samuel's final game as interim manager and he finished with a record of 17 and 34 since he took over on June 4th. Kevin Millwood fell to 2-11, 6.05 as he gave up...
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VandenHurk to debut Monday for Norfolk

VandenHurk to debut Monday for Norfolk
Rick VandenHurk's first start for his new team will come tomorrow night when he gets the ball at 7:15 for Norfolk at home vs. Indianapolis. VandenHurk was acquired Saturday in the deal that sent Will Ohman to the Florida Marlins. The 25-year-old right-hander is 8-4, 4.68 in 19 starts this year for Triple-A New Orleans. Over his last four starts there he pitched to an ERA of 1.33 and fanned 26 over 27 innings. VandenHurk, the 5th Netherlands-born player to play in the Majors since 1900,...
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The first inning again

The first inning again
The first inning gets Kevin Millwood again. In his first nine starts this year, he did not allow a single run in the first inning. But today, he gave up three runs on four hits in Kansas City as the Orioles fall behind 3-0. Millwood has now allowed two runs or more in the first inning of 11 of his last 12 starts. He has given up 34 of his 89 runs this year (38 percent) in the opening inning. Four of the first five batters reached vs. Millwood, who has won just two of his 20 starts this...
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Some O's stats and facts before the KC series finale

Some O's stats and facts before the KC series finale
Most of these are far from positive or encouraging, but here are some numbers to ponder as we await the series finale of the Orioles-Royals series this afternoon. It's Juan Samuel's final game as interim manager and he should get some props for handling everything over the last few weeks with some class and dignity. Let's see today if the O's can get a win for him and if they can get a lead and hold it this time. *The Orioles had more wins in one series at Texas before the All-Star...
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