BRADENTON, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer has a lot to learn about being shut down for 48 hours.
After playing catch yesterday, Duchscherer threw off flat ground, a flat mound and a half mound this morning in Sarasota. Manager Buck Showalter stayed back to watch before heading to Bradenton for the Orioles' 6-4 victory over the Pirates.
Showalter said that Duchscherer was throwing with "some hops" on the half mound and didn't have any discomfort in his left hip.
Duchscherer will take off...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Brendan Harris doubled with the bases loaded to score two runs in the top of the eighth, and Robert Andino followed with a sacrifice fly to increase the Orioles' lead to 6-2.
Does this make you feel any better about the 1979 World Series?
What about '71?
Same here. I'm still bitter.
Nolan Reimold has homered and walked three times. He raced home on Harris' double to right-center field.
As I mentioned earlier, Vladimir Guerrero went 2-for-3 in his Orioles' debut. When...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Craig Tatum's infield single produced another run in the sixth inning and increased the Orioles' lead to 3-1.
Matt Angle crashed into the center field fence while running down a long drive in the bottom of the sixth. He collapsed to the ground after making the throw, but he stayed in the game.
Koji Uehara ran the count full to the leadoff hitter, Jose Tabata, and gave up a single into center field.
Must be the first exhibition game.
A run scored off Uehara with two...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Ryan Drese retired all six batters he faced today, getting four ground balls, a fly ball and a called third strike.
All three outs in the third inning came on grounders to shortstop J.J. Hardy.
Andrew McCutchen almost beat out a grounder in the fourth. Cesar Izturis bobbled the ball and took his time making the throw to first. McCutchen can fly.
Drese hasn't pitched in the majors since making two starts with the Nationals in 2006. He looked good today.
Clay Rapada is...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Nolan Reimold just gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead over the Pirates with a long home run leading off the second inning.
Reimold crushed a 1-0 pitch from left-hander Paul Maholm. There's a strong wind blowing out to left, but Reimold didn't need much help with that one.
The Orioles hit three homers in yesterday's intrasquad game, though those stats aren't official.
Reimold and Felix Pie could be competing for one outfield spot. Pie doubled and scored in the first, and also...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Former Pirates manager John Russell was announced as the third base coach, bringing a huge outbreak of indifference.
You could have heard a pin drop - much like the crowd's reaction at every joke from last night's Oscar telecast.
No applause for Russell, no jeers, nothing but absolute silence.
So much for a warm homecoming.
J.J. Hardy struck out looking to begin today's game. Felix Pie followed with a sharp grounder that deflected off third base and skipped into left...
BRADENTON, Fla. - For the Pirates:
Jose Tabata LF
Josh Rodriguez SS
Andrew McCutchen CF
Pedro Alvarez 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Garrett Jones RF
Ryan Doumit DH
Chase d'Arnaud 2B
Jason Jaramillo C
Paul Maholm LHP
Jeff Karstens, Tyler Yates, Jeff Locke and Mike Crotta also are scheduled to pitch for the Pirates.
The Pirates have two split-squad games, and former Oriole Garrett Atkins is in Port Charlotte. Sorry.
Jeremy Guthrie, Rick VandenHurk, Mark Hendrickson, Jason Berken, David Riske and...
SARASOTA, Fla. - For the Orioles:
J.J. Hardy SS
Felix Pie RF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Adam Jones CF
Nolan Reimold LF
Brandon Snyder 1B
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis 2B
Brad Bergesen RHP
Other pitchers on the trip include Ryan Drese, Koji Uehara, Kevin Gregg and Jeremy Accardo.
SARASOTA, Fla. - First baseman Joe Mahoney received treatment after taking a foul ball off his right knee, and he'll be re-evaluated tomorrow morning before the club decides whether to send him to Bradenton for the exhibition opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mahoney had a slight limp as he returned to his locker following his team's 7-4 intrasquad victory.
"Missed the knee cap, though" Mahoney said, showing off the red mark on the inner part of his knee. "I'm just happy I didn't...
SARASOTA, Fla. - First baseman Joe Mahoney fouled a ball off his right knee in the top of the sixth inning and limped to the clubhouse.
Mahoney, named the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2010, took a few steps up the first base line and bent at the waist. Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter came out of the dugout, and Showalter stopped the inning with two outs.
Mahoney, who was facing left-hander Pedro Viola, grabbed his bag of bats and walked...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Adam Jones is the latest Oriole to clear the 366-foot sign in left-center field, connecting off Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Jones, Mark Reynolds and Randy Winn have homered today. Reynolds flied to the fence in his second at-bat before Jones stepped to the plate.
Rosario knocked Cesar Izturis to the ground with an inside pitch in the third inning. He's allowed two runs, two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.
Josh Bell singled off Troy...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Third baseman Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam off minor league pitcher Chorye Spoone in the bottom of the first inning of today's intrasquad game.
Spoone walked the first two batters he faced and threw a wild pitch, and Vladimir Guerrero reached on an infield hit to load the bases after Luke Scott flied out. Shortstop Pedro Florimon ranged far to his right to rob Guerrero of an RBI.
Reynolds launched a 1-2 pitch over the 366-foot sign in left-center field.
Spoone threw 23...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Derrek Lee looked impressive in the cage today during the club's first batting practice session inside Ed Smith Stadium. He won't play in the intrasquad game, but he took some of the most significant swings of the day.
"He's getting a little more comfortable turning it loose," manager Buck Showalter said.
Lee's surgically-repaired thumb doesn't restrict his throwing. He's been active in infield drills every morning.
Vladimir Guerrero put on another show, launching...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer says he threw from 90 feet today without any discomfort in his hip. He's taking medication to reduce the inflammation.
Duchscherer won't make Wednesday's start in Clearwater, but at least he sounded encouraged.
"We'll treat it symptomatically," he said. "Hopefully, it's just inflammation."
Duchscherer will be re-evaluated tomorrow. He was told yesterday to rest for 48 hours.
I'll pass along the adjusted rotation for the first week of exhibition...
SARASOTA, Fla. - We're only talking intrasquad here, but it's still a game and it still comes with lineups. Enjoy.
Team 1:
Matt Angle RF
Randy Winn DH
Felix Pie CF
Nolan Reimold LF
Josh Bell 3B
Joe Mahoney 1B
Ryan Adams 2B
Craig Tatum C
Pedro Florimon SS
Chorye Spoone RHP
Team 2:
Cesar Izturis 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Luke Scott LF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Mark Reynolds 3B
Adam Jones CF
J.J. Hardy SS
Matt Wieters C
Brandon Snyder 1B
Chris Jakubauskas RHP
Other pitchers scheduled to throw include...
Justin Duchscherer will attempt to play catch today while dealing with soreness in his left hip that could prevent him from making Wednesday's exhibition start against the Phillies in Clearwater.
Duchscherer has undergone three hip surgeries, the most recent on his left side on June 7. He skipped yesterday's workout and received treatment.
"I feel OK," he said. "I threw my BP session the other day and it felt great. Came in, and the next couple days I've had just a little bit of...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are making contingency plans in case Justin Duchscherer is unable to start Wednesday's exhibition game against the Phillies in Clearwater.
Duchscherer is being shut down for 48 hours while dealing with a sore hip. The Orioles will re-evaluate him before determining his status for Wednesday.
"We'll see what the next step is where he's concerned," manager Buck Showalter said. "There are no tests scheduled at this point. We'll just kind of see what we're...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer is in the clubhouse, but he's not throwing or talking.
Derrek Lee is in uniform, but he's not hitting.
Brian Roberts took ground balls at second base and moved to a batting cage for situational hitting. He swung from both sides of the plate without any restrictions against Double-A Bowie pitching coach Kennie Steenstra.
There's a piece of good news.
Hitting coach Jim Presley kept barking out situations for each hitter. Infield back, man on third. Man...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer isn't on the field today, and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed that the pitcher is dealing with some hip soreness.
Add Brian Roberts, lose Duchscherer. Not the kind of break-even day the Orioles wanted.
Duchscherer will take off the next 48 hours and be re-evaluated. He's been told to rest and receive treatment.
"We'll just have to see how it plays out in the next 48 hours," MacPhail said. "Then, we'll have an idea what...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Second baseman Brian Roberts has taken the field for the pre-workout stretch. He's also expected to participate in infield drills.
Roberts had to get the approval of the athletic training staff. He stated yesterday that it's been a "group effort" when determining whether he could work out.
Roberts spent the last three days getting treatment for a stiff neck. He hasn't been able to participate in baseball activities, but he noted that his neck kept improving each...
