No truth to the rumor that Juan Samuel has removed himself from consideration for the full-time managerial position.
No truth to the rumor that the Mets are holding a press conference to deny any interest in Kevin Millwood.
No truth to the rumor that Millwood is holding a press conference asking them to reconsider.
No truth to the rumor that Manny Machado wants to re-enter the draft - the 2010 draft.
No truth to the rumor that a rival GM claimed Alberto Castillo off waivers so he could...
I watched most of today's game at Little Havana - best pork bites in town - and I didn't need the sound cranked up to know that the Orioles wasted some golden opportunities against two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.
Lincecum's velocity is down. We're talking low-90s, which isn't the norm. He put runners on base, the Orioles would move them into scoring position, and then they'd apply the brakes.
The Orioles went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13 runners. They...
I was thinking it, you were thinking it.
Tim Lincecum might not give up a hit today.
Well, he did.
Nick Markakis singled with two outs in the first inning to save the Orioles from that particular indignity.
Luke Scott walked, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. A single would have plated two runs.
Let's not get carried away.
Adam Jones flied to right, and the rally fizzled. But hey, Lincecum won't throw a no-hitter today.
I was thinking it, you were thinking it.
Aubrey Huff's...
Scott Moore was scratched from the lineup with a "lateral mid right foot strain". Julio Lugo will start at second base.
Moore sustained the injury after stepping on a ball during batting practice.
Apparently, interim manager Juan Samuel is determined to give Ty Wigginton the day off.
Here's the new lineup:
LF Corey Patterson
3B Miguel Tejada
RF Nick Markakis
1B Luke Scott
CF Adam Jones
2B Julio Lugo
C Craig Tatum
SS Cesar Izturis
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
Bring on Tim Lincecum!
For the Orioles:
LF Corey Patterson
3B Miguel Tejada
RF Nick Markakis
1B Luke Scott
CF Adam Jones
2B Scott Moore
C Craig Tatum
SS Cesar Izturis
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
For the Giants:
LF Andres Torres
2B Freddy Sanchez
1B Aubrey Huff
SS Juan Uribe
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Bengie Molina
RF Nate Schierholtz
CF Aaron Rowand
RHP Tim Lincecum
Jeremy Guthrie is 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA in five interleague road starts, while Tim Lincecum is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in six career home interleague starts.
Of the four runs that the Orioles have totaled in Guthrie's last three starts, only two have scored while he's been in the game.
The Orioles are 1-4 in series finales when they have a chance to claim the series win. Their lone success came May 13 against Seattle.
The Orioles are 10-6 when holding opponents to seven hits or fewer.
Nick...
The Orioles and Giants have split the first two games of this series, and they're sending pitchers to the mound today with sub-4.00 ERAs.
Here's one difference:
Tim Lincecum is 6-2. Jeremy Guthrie is 3-7.
Lincecum also has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards. That's worth mentioning, as well.
Lincecum had allowed 17 runs in his last four starts covering 22 1/3 innings before holding Oakland to two runs over eight innings last week. Guthrie has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his...
David Hernandez got the ball again tonight in a save situation, with interim manager Juan Samuel choosing to ease Alfredo Simon back into the role.
Good choice.
Hernandez picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth, brushing aside a two-out walk in the process and preserving a 4-1 win. It was pretty easy, and we're not used to such things from an Orioles closer.
A drama-free ninth? Outrageous.
Gary and Jim talks with Juan Samuel about the O's 4-1 win over the Giants
"We do not want...
Interim manager Juan Samuel removed Jake Arrieta in the bottom of the eighth inning after Bengie Molina's leadoff single.
That's only three hits for the Giants, who still trail, 4-1. Left-hander Will Ohman enters the game with Arrieta's pitch count at 95.
Assuming the inherited runner doesn't score - and why would it? - Arrieta has allowed four runs and seven hits in 13 innings over two major league starts.
He picked up the win against the Yankees. He deserves this one against the...
You must be feeling pretty good about Jake Arrieta right now.
I know you've been scarred from the missteps of other young pitchers on this staff - and I'll still insist that it's way too soon to give up on any of them - but it's OK to get a little excited about Arrieta.
The former fifth-round pick is rolling again tonight, holding the Giants to one run and two hits over six innings. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval homered in the third inning to account for all of San Francisco's...
Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel told reporters in San Francisco that pitcher Chris Tillman, who allowed six runs in two innings last night, will go to the bullpen while the club needs only four starters.
MASN's Amber Theoharis tells me that pitching coach Rick Kranitz believes that Tillman is still a starter, but the young right-hander can work out some issues in the bullpen and "just let it out."
Tillman could return to the rotation on June 26, when the Orioles need a fifth starter...
For the Orioles:
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Luke Scott 1B
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Cesar Izturis SS
Jake Arrieta RHP
For the Giants:
Andres Torres CF
Freddy Sanchez 2B
Aubrey Huff RF
Juan Uribe SS
Pat Burrell LF
Buster Posey 1B
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Bengie Molina C
Joe Martinez RHP
Here's the pitch:
The Giants have posted a 3.30 ERA, third in the majors. The Orioles have posted a 5.00 ERA, 27th in the majors. The Giants' starters have posted a 3.17 ERA, first in the majors. The Orioles' starters have posted a 5.17 ERA, 29th in the majors.
The Giants' 497 strikeouts are tied for third in the majors. The Orioles' 382 strikeouts rank 28th.
Jake Arrieta's win over the Yankees Thursday in his major league debut is the only victory by an Orioles starter in the last 18...
Tim Bascom struggled today in his second start at Triple-A Norfolk, lasting only 4 2/3 innings and allowing four runs and eight hits, with one walk and two strikeouts. Columbus leads the Tides, 4-0.
Bascom who gave up three runs in seven innings in his Norfolk debut against Gwinnett, threw 100 pitches before coming out of the game.
Norfolk has been held to two hits through five innings, both coming from first baseman Michael Aubrey, who has singled and doubled.
The Tides are off tomorrow....
The debate is obvious, but not the decision.
Do the Orioles send down Chris Tillman or keep running him out there every five days and hope that the education proves beneficial? Do they allow him to work out his issues in a less-pressurized environment and protect his ego, or figure he has nothing else to prove at Triple-A?
The guess here is Tillman will land in Norfolk's rotation after he fell to 0-3 with an 8.40 ERA. He lasted only two innings last night, allowing six runs and six hits, and...
I expect the losses to pile up, but can we please limit the number of blowouts?
The offense managed only two runs tonight, though Ty Wigginton should have been credited with a home run instead of a double. That was one of three blown calls against the Orioles.
They didn't influence the outcome, not with the Giants scoring 10 runs, but they still were infuriating. It's bad enough to rub salt in the wound. You don't have to empty the entire canister.
Interim manager Juan Samuel came out to...
Am I the only one with anger-management issues around here?
Second base umpire Rob Drake calls Corey Patterson out on Miguel Tejada's grounder to short, which would be fine if Freddy Sanchez had been within 12 feet of the bag when he took the throw. But since he wasn't, it rates as one of the worst calls I've ever seen.
The Giants turned the double play, which never should have happened, and interim manager Juan Samuel bolted from the dugout.
Samuel protested briefly and went back to the...
Show of hands if you knew that Pat Burrell was playing for the Giants.
Burrell gave the Giants a 2-1 lead in the second inning with his second home run since returning to the National League.
Chris Tillman's fastball isn't breaking 90 mph and it's up in the zone. And would you believe he's getting hit hard in two innings?
Pitching coach Rick Kranitz went to the mound, presumably with instructions to keep the ball down.
Matt Wieters briefly tied the game, 1-1, with his fifth home...
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Garrett Atkins 1B
Cesar Izturis SS
Chris Tillman RHP
Here's the Giants lineup:
Andres Torres CF
Freddy Sanchez 2B
Aubrey Huff RF
Juan Uribe SS
Pat Burrell LF
Buster Posey 1B
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Eli Whiteside C
Jonathan Sanchez LHP
The Orioles and Giants have split six games all-time, with the road team taking two of three in both series. The Orioles visited San Francisco in 2002 and the Giants visited Camden Yards in 2004.
The Orioles are 1-5 in interleague play this year (1-2 at Washington, 0-3 vs. the Mets). They went 11-7 against the NL in 2009 to tie the franchise mark for best record in interleague play (also 1999 and 2008).
Don't you miss those glory days?
They'll pass you by.
The Orioles are 102-133 all-time...