What's going on? (updated)

What's going on? (updated)
The Orioles just introduced first-round pick Manny Machado to the Camden Yards crowd after the top of the third inning. Joe Jordan, director of scouting, stood on the field with Machado, who acknowledged the fans' applause with a wave and a smile. If the Orioles are going to have 10 quality starts in their last 11 games, Jeremy Guthrie will have to blank the Yankees over the next three innings. He's allowed three runs and four hits in three innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. He's...
Continue reading
Tags:

One pitch, one HBP (and two runs)

One pitch, one HBP (and two runs)
Jeremy Guthrie's first pitch of the game drilled Derek Jeter on the left elbow. Jeter tried to spin away from it. No such luck. Jeter dropped his bat and trotted to first base. The benches and bullpens didn't empty. But the crowd certainly reacted. At least this one was legit. No foul ball. Keep in mind that Guthrie has hit 14 batters this year, second to A.J. Burnett (16). He might be a little amped up. Update: Guthrie struck out the next two batters, walked Alex Rodriguez and gave up a...
Continue reading
Tags:

Arrieta to undergo surgery (updated)

Arrieta to undergo surgery (updated)
Another Jake Arrieta update: The rookie is scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. Team physician Dr. Andrew Cosgarea will handle the surgery. Arrieta wants to remain with the team, though he might not travel. "I think it's going to be for the best," Arrieta said. "I've talked to the doctors and trainers and we decided I'm going to go ahead and get that bone spur taken out. Probably going to do it Wednesday, just get it over and done with...
Continue reading

Showalter talks about Arrieta

Showalter talks about Arrieta
Manager Buck Showalter said he was still 50-50 whether he would shut down Jake Arrieta until the club decided to schedule an MRI on the rookie's right elbow, which followed his admission that he felt "a little tightness" after his last start. Arrieta was fine the next day, but the Orioles decided to be cautious. "He's 20, 23 innings over where he's been. He's in a good spot and I think it's best to stop his innings right now," Showalter said. "We looked at all the variables involved...
Continue reading
Tags:

Arrieta shut down; VandenHurk replaces him

Arrieta shut down; VandenHurk replaces him
The Orioles have decided to shut down Jake Arrieta, primarily because of a bone spur in his right elbow that might require surgery after the season. Arrieta said he's been pitching with the spur since college and it only has a slight effect on his flexibility. Arrieta insisted that it doesn't influence the way he pitches. The surgery isn't considered a serious procedure, but there's no reason to put it off if the spur could potentially cause him problems later in his career. Arrieta...
Continue reading
Tags:

Reimold, Andino, Tatum in lineup

Reimold, Andino, Tatum in lineup
For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Robert Andino 3B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Jake Fox DH Adam Jones CF Nolan Reimold LF Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP
Continue reading
Tags:

About last night...

About last night...
Still hurts. I thought I could sleep it off, as if that ever works, but just the idea of being down a game in this series with CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte taking the ball makes my body ache. One more strike and we'd be discussing the possibility of a sixth consecutive series win. It could still happen, of course. I'm talking mathematically. But as long as we're dealing in numbers, Sabathia and Pettitte are a combined 40-8 lifetime against the Orioles. We'll see what happens. This team...
Continue reading

Showalter speaks

Showalter speaks
One strike away from victory. "We may have had it, too," manager Buck Showalter said. Asked again about Koji Uehara's 1-2 pitch to Alex Rodriguez, Showalter replied, "It was close. It was obviously a better pitch than strike one to Matt Wieters. I'll tell you that." Uehara was visibly upset that he didn't get the call from plate umpire Ted Barrett, and practically inconsolable after Rodriguez launched a three-run homer on the next pitch. Buck Showalter talks with the media after the...
Continue reading

One strike away...

One strike away...
Koji Uehara just blew another save to the Yankees, and it almost brought him to his knees. Actually, it caused him to squat in front of the mound, his back turned to home plate, as catcher Matt Wieters tried to console him. Uehara served up a three-run homer to Alex Rodriguez on a 2-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead. Rodriguez unloaded on a 90 mph fastball one pitch after Uehara thought he had a called third strike on another fastball. Plate umpire...
Continue reading
Tags:

Quality stuff from Millwood (updated twice)

Quality stuff from Millwood (updated twice)
That 34-pitch second inning looked like it would force Kevin Millwood to make an early exit tonight. He wasn't sharp and the Yankees were poised for that one big inning that would knock him out. Not so fast. Millwood has cleared seven innings and holds a 2-1 lead. Jim Johnson was warming in the seventh as Millwood escaped a two-on, two-out jam created by walks to pinch-hitter Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson. Manager Buck Showalter almost certainly will go to his bullpen in the eighth...
Continue reading
Tags:

Mr. Jones and me

Mr. Jones and me
Adam Jones tied his career high for home runs while breaking a tie. Jones' solo shot over the center field fence gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. He's hit 19 homers this season, moving him one behind Ty Wigginton for second place on the team. Kevin Millwood has settled down and retired eight of nine batters. He threw 19 pitches over the last two innings after needing 50 to get through the first two. Doesn't bode well for Troy Patton. I hope he brought a magazine.
Continue reading
Tags:

Millwood struggles in second (updated)

Millwood struggles in second (updated)
Alex Rodriguez has given the Yankees a 1-0 lead with a 412-foot shot into the Orioles' bullpen leading off the second inning. Rodriguez is 11-for-31 with three homers and five RBIs lifetime against Millwood. Millwood has surrendered a career-high 28 homers this year. He entered the night tied for the sixth-most in the majors. Robinson Cano followed with a single. You'll recall that he began the game hitting .441 against the Orioles this season, and .625 at Camden Yards. Millwood walked...
Continue reading
Tags:

Matusz and Arrieta updates (plus machado)

Matusz and Arrieta updates (plus machado)
Brian Matusz threw his bullpen session today and said his left arm felt "real good." Matusz is still scheduled to start Monday night in Boston. "I'm good to go," he said. Arrieta played long toss today, but still has no idea whether he'll make another start for the Orioles. "I aired it out and I feel great. If it's up to me, I'll pitch," he said. "I know everybody wants to take precautions. I think some of the views are, what's another 14 innings going to do? But at the same...
Continue reading
Tags:

Talking rotation, Andino and Reimold

Talking rotation, Andino and Reimold
Manager Buck Showalter's plans for the rotation should become more clear after today, and especially after left-hander Brian Matusz's bullpen session. Matusz is slated to start Monday in Boston. Jake Arrieta's turn falls on Tuesday, but he could be shut down. Arrieta still hadn't been told anything as he headed to the field to play catch this afternoon. Showalter, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail met earlier today to discuss the rotation,...
Continue reading

Andino at third

Andino at third
For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Luke Scott DH Felix Pie LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Robert Andino 3B Cesar Izturis SS Kevin Millwood RHP
Continue reading
Tags:

Did you know...

Did you know...
The Orioles need to go 3-13 in their final 16 games to guarantee a winning record under Buck Showalter. Davey Johnson was the last Orioles manager to end the season with a winning record (98-64 in 1997). MASN's Kal Patel did a little digging and discovered that Earl Weaver is the only Orioles manager to post a winning record while starting midway through a season with a minimum of 30 games. He actually did it twice: going 48-34 in 1968 and 53-52 in 1985. With seven more victories, the...
Continue reading

Start spreading the news: Orioles aren't fading

Start spreading the news: Orioles aren't fading
The media already made a big fuss over Buck Showalter's return to New York, though he did it plenty of times while managing the Rangers. Now he'll see the Yankees for the first time from the home dugout at Camden Yards. It's not often that the Yankees have genuine concerns about facing the Orioles in September. Things really have changed around here. The Orioles are 26-15 under Showalter, compared to 15-39 under Dave Trembley and 17-34 under Juan Samuel. We wondered if three different...
Continue reading

Izzy or isn't he?

Izzy or isn't he?
Camden Yards should be rockin' this weekend. The Orioles are expecting a crowd of 35,000 or more tomorrow night, depending on the walk-ups, and they'll exceed 40,000 on Saturday. Could be a near-sellout for Guthrie vs. Sabathia that night. You won't recognize the place. Manager Buck Showalter mentioned earlier this week that he doesn't think any players are counting down the days until the season ends. He feels an energy and enthusiasm that, as we know, is usually missing around here in...
Continue reading

Cleaning out my notebook

Cleaning out my notebook
The Orioles haven't won five straight series, something they'll try to accomplish this weekend, since Aug. 4-18, 1998. They went 2-0 vs. Detroit, 2-1 at Minnesota, 2-1 at Tampa Bay, 3-1 at Cleveland and 2-0 versus Minnesota. We tend to remember it being all bad when Ray Miller managed. I mentioned last night that the Orioles hadn't played a nine-inning game in under two hours since May 25, 2005 versus Seattle. That one also lasted 1:55. Rodrigo Lopez beat Jamie Moyer, 3-1, before an...
Continue reading

Showalter time

Showalter time
Tonight's game was completed in 1 hour, 55 minutes. The anthems took longer. The Orioles hadn't played a nine-inning game in under two hours since May 25, 2005 vs. Seattle. That game also lasted 1:55. Showalter joked about all the smiling faces in the interview room. We're easy to please. Showalter wasn't going to yank Brad Bergesen after eight innings, though he played all the scenarios in his head. "You think about it. You know where they are in the order, but I thought he...
Continue reading