I'm heading to D.C. later this morning. I can only sit home for so long.
I thought about flying again because I miss waiting for the daily garage shuttle and going through airport security, but I decided to just drive down there.
I'll check on Matt Wieters' sore right knee and Adam Jones' leg cramps. I'll also fan Koji Uehara to keep him cool.
Craig Tatum had two more hits and drove in two runs last night. Maybe Wieters needs another day off.
Alfredo Simon didn't have a clean ninth...
It's such a shame that the Orioles have turned me into one of those guys who sits there wondering how they're going to lose a game.
It would be a crying shame, but I don't want you to see me cry.
I thought David Hernandez's rising pitch count would pose a serious problem. I envisioned how he'd run into trouble, Will Ohman would be removed too soon and Alfredo Simon would take a two-run lead into the ninth, which he did, though I anticipated a 4-2 score instead of 5-3.
I didn't think it...
David Hernandez might have to throw 200 pitches tonight if he wants a no-hitter.
Hernandez has made it through four innings without surrendering a hit, but his pitch count is up to 78. He's walked three batters and gone to a few three-ball counts.
I'm just doing the math, which isn't my strength, and I see a potential problem here.
Craig Tatum is starting tonight because Matt Wieters has a sore right knee. He's 2-for-3 with a two-run single in the third inning.
Tatum was 5-for-6 in his...
Catcher Matt Wieters fouled a ball off his right knee last night and isn't in tonight's lineup. He also isn't available to pinch hit, according to manager Dave Trembley.
That's one more issue for Trembley, who has a desk full of them right now.
MASN's Amber Theoharis tells me that X-rays taken on Wieters knee came back negative and he's hoping to get back in the lineup tomorrow afternoon. He's just too sore to play tonight.
The Orioles have 10 days to trade, release or request waivers...
For the Orioles:
Corey Patterson LF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Luke Scott 1B
Adam Jones CF
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis SS
David Hernandez RHP
For the Nationals:
Willie Harris RF
Cristian Guzman 2B
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Adam Dunn 1B
Josh Willingham LF
Ivan Rodriguez C
Roger Bernadina CF
Ian Desmond SS
Scott Olsen LHP
I received a text message earlier today from reliever Mike Gonzalez, saying that his arm felt good after yesterday's extended spring training game and he's...
The Orioles made their roster move official this afternoon. They purchased the contract of infielder Scott Moore from Triple-A Norfolk, and he'll take the roster spot of reliever Alberto Castillo.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated infielder Justin Turner for asssignment.
My flight just landed, so I'll follow up with more on this later.
I'm sitting at gate B12, waiting to board my Airtran flight to Baltimore. Seemed like a good time to move the comments and file another entry.
I'm digging one hand into a bag of Kangaroo-brand multi-grain garden herb baked pita chips. Never heard of them until I got here, and I've devoured two bags. And I'm not talking snack-size. I'm hooked, which might be a bad thing if I can't find them in Maryland.
I never even heard of Kangaroo. That's not a good sign.
Anyway, many of us assumed...
I woke up during the night to an e-mail from the Orioles announcing that left-hander Alberto Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after a 13-7 loss to Texas that completed the Rangers' two-game sweep.
No surprise there. If you had him on your fantasy team, I'm assuming that you dropped him a while ago.
Castillo has allowed nine earned runs in 6 1/3 innings over nine appearances with the Orioles. And I'm pretty sure that's nine separate call-ups.
I hope he's on some sort of points...
The Orioles won a game on Tuesday after falling behind, 3-0, to Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.
I suppose that made a 4-0 deficit tonight against Scott Feldman seem a lot smaller.
We'll see how they handle a 6-3 deficit.
The Rangers jumped all over left-hander Brian Matusz in the first inning, but the Orioles fought back with three runs in the top of the second to cut the Rangers' lead to 4-3.
Now Matusz has served up his second home run, a two-run shot by Vladimir Guerrero in the second...
Using all the restraint I could muster, I waited until the end of my chat with minor league infielder Mike Flacco to bring up his more famous brother.
"Have you talked to Joe much lately?"
He hasn't.
I'm sure that never gets old for him.
Mike Flacco was kept at extended spring training while recovering from a fracture in his lower back. He was hoping to be assigned to one of the full-season affiliates after batting .272 with 14 doubles, five triples, three homers and 34 RBIs in 60 games...
For the Orioles:
Corey Patterson LF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Luke Scott 1B
Matt Wieters C
Adam Jones CF
Lou Montanez DH
Cesar Izturis SS
Brian Matusz LHP
For the Rangers:
Elvis Andrus SS
Michael Young 3B
Ian Kinsler 2B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Josh Hamilton CF
Nelson Cruz RF
Joaquin Arias 1B
David Murphy LF
Matt Treanor C
Scott Feldman RHP
Brian Roberts still intends to fly down to Sarasota and continue baseball activities, but it won't be this week. And I won't be here to greet him.
Roberts is hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He sent me a text message earlier today saying that he's feeling OK and will report to Ed Smith Stadium "hopefully sometime soon."
When will this guy catch a break?
I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon. I hope this wasn't part of some elaborate scheme to avoid me.
Usually, it's women...
You know it's extended spring training when...
...Mike Gonzalez is getting his signs from Dashenko Ricardo.
Gonzalez played catch with Ricardo, who spent most of last season at rookie-level Bluefield, before taking the mound for today's game against a collection of Twins minor leaguers.
With Ricardo behind the plate, Gonzalez allowed a single and walked a batter in his scoreless inning. He struck out two, including the last batter on a 89 mph fastball. The leadoff hitter reached on an...
Mike Gonzalez will pitch the first inning of today's extended spring training game. The major leaguers go first.
Felix Pie has been performing various exercises for the last five days that are designed to strengthen the muscles in his back. He's also allowed to take one-handed swings in the cage.
Pie will continue this routine for two more weeks before being cleared to start hitting and throwing.
"I feel great, but the trainers and doctors say I have to wait," he said. "The decision...
It's hot.
That doesn't really qualify as a view, but it's worth repeating:
It's hot.
How hot is it?
It's so hot, Koji Uehara started to sweat after being told the temperature.
The stadium and clubhouse look the same as before. The only change I've noticed is the media trailer is gone. But renovations could start soon.
Sarasota County has selected contractors for Twin Lakes Park and Ed Smith Stadium. The County Commission must give its approval next week and release the money, and...
Orioles manager Dave Trembley explained after last night's game that starter Jeremy Guthrie began tiring in the fifth inning. Guthrie's legs were going on him. He was running out of gas.
Choose your favorite expression. The right-hander was fading fast.
That explains why he left the game after 90 pitches. The Texas heat must have gotten to him.
What's gotten into Guthrie? His ERA's down to 3.86 and he's turned in seven quality starts this season, including last night, when he held the...
This game has gotten too weird.
Koji Uehara is removed with two outs in the eighth inning so another right-hander, Cla Meredith, can get the final out? Was he gassed after 30 pitches?
I was standing outside the Ed Smith Stadium clubhouse today when Jim Johnson spotted me and said, "Brian isn't here."
Very funny.
Johnson must assume he rates lower than Brian Roberts, but I actually wanted to check on him.
Johnson was shut down after being diagnosed with a strained ligament in his right...
Did Jeremy Guthrie really come out of the game after 90 pitches?
Guthrie held the Rangers to one run, a bomb from Josh Hamilton, and seven hits over six innings. He didn't issue a walk and struck out three.
I expected to see him in the seventh, but I'm pretty detached from the game, so I must be missing something.
Luke Scott, Adam Jones and Cesar Izturis each have two hits. Most important, Izturis has two RBIs, accounting for both Orioles' runs.
Garrett Atkins is 0-for-3 and struck out...
Nolan Reimold is making another start at first base tonight with Triple-A Norfolk. He served as the Tides' designated hitter last night and also has started in left field.
Reimold is 2-for-17 with a home run, two RBIs, two walks and five strikeouts in five games since being optioned. The Orioles want him to get acclimated to first base, but the No. 1 priority is supposed to be regaining his stroke. Hopefully, he can do that while learning a new position.
Michael Aubrey is playing left field...
For the Orioles:
LF Corey Patterson
2B Ty Wigginton
RF Nick Markakis
3B Miguel Tejada
DH Luke Scott
C Matt Wieters
CF Adam Jones
1B Garrett Atkins
SS Cesar Izturis
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
For the Rangers:
SS Elvis Andrus
3B Michael Young
2B Ian Kinsler
DH Vladimir Guerrero
LF Josh Hamilton
RF Nelson Cruz
1B Justin Smoak
C Matt Treanor
CF Julio Borbon
RHP Rich Harden