It's been a homestand of solid offense for the Orioles

It's been a homestand of solid offense for the Orioles
The Orioles' offense has been putting some runs together during the homestand that ends tonight and that was even before they scored four runs in the first inning in this game off Erik Bedard. After scoring just 25 runs during a nine-game road trip, the O's have scored 32 times in the first five games of this homestand. They are batting .291 during that time with eight doubles and nine homers. The Orioles' 28 hits in the first two games of this series with the Pirates is their most in...
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Steve Tolleson made a U-turn in Norfolk back to Baltimore

Steve Tolleson made a U-turn in Norfolk back to Baltimore
Steve Tolleson has had a few interesting and active days recently. Sunday: Hits a game-tying, three-run homer against Cliff Lee in an extra-innings win over the Phillies. Monday: Finds out he is being optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk by the Orioles. Wednesday: Drives with his wife and young daughter from Baltimore to Norfolk, arriving there at 4 p.m. and then they unpacked their bags. Today: Gets called to come back to the Orioles, pack the bags again and drive back to Baltimore as he...
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Chris Davis adapts to the DH role as his bat stays hot

Chris Davis adapts to the DH role as his bat stays hot
Whether he plays in the field or starts as the designated hitter, Chris Davis has been doing some major damage at bat recently for the Orioles. He is 9-for-24 with three homers and eight RBIs during a six-game batting streak. Over a longer stretch, his past 21 games, he is batting .350 with seven homers and 16 RBIs. Davis' last 10 starts have come as the DH and he hasn't started at first base since May 28. He says manager Buck Showalter has not given him a reason for that. "He hasn't,"...
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The Orioles have agreed to terms with over 20 draft picks

The Orioles have agreed to terms with over 20 draft picks
The Orioles' scouting staff and scouting director Gary Rajsich have been very busy lately. Not only did the club draft 40 players last week but the team has already come to contract terms with over 20 players, MASNsports.com has learned. The team has only officially announced the signings of six players but that is just because they wait until the contracts have been approved by Major League Baseball to officially announce the names. Many more have agreed and it's just a matter of time until...
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Arrieta deserves another shot in the rotation after Pittsburgh outing

Arrieta deserves another shot in the rotation after Pittsburgh outing
Maybe he will now be in the rotation on a start-to-start basis, but after he pitched well last night against Pittsburgh, Jake Arrieta should stay in the rotation. Arrieta needed to pitch well and did in last night's 7-1 victory. Yes, the Pirates are the lowest-scoring team in the majors, but they put up six runs the night before and were 12-3 over their last 15 games when they arrived as a first-place team at Camden Yards. Arrieta struck out five of the first eight batters he faced on his...
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Can Jake Arrieta end his struggles tonight? (updated)

Can Jake Arrieta end his struggles tonight? (updated)
Well, that bullpen stint for Jake Arrieta didn't last very long. With Brian Matusz's start pushed back to Friday, Arrieta will get the ball tonight, five days since his last outing when he gave up a career-high nine runs over four innings at home against Philadelphia. Here are the recent numbers on Arrieta: *He has an ERA of 13.15 over his past three starts. *Opponents are batting .328 against him in that stretch and he has pitched just 13 innings in three starts. *Over his last seven...
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Endy Chavez provides an update on his injured hamstring

Endy Chavez provides an update on his injured hamstring
For today at least, Orioles outfielder Endy Chavez will avoid his second trip this year to the disabled list. He suffered a strained right hamstring injury when he hit the first base bag awkwardly last night after a bunt single in the last of the sixth inning. "I feel better today but it's still sore," Chavez said. "I'm getting some treatment to see how it will respond. I don't think it's that bad." But when asked if he could play tonight, Chavez said he could not. "Not really,...
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Brian Matusz says he is fine as his start is pushed to Friday

Brian Matusz says he is fine as his start is pushed to Friday
Brian Matusz said he could have started tonight for the Orioles, but the decision has been made to push his start back now to Friday night in Atlanta. Matusz suffered a nose contusion yesterday here when he tried a bunt a ball and it hit him in the nose. "Yeah, pushed back to Friday," Matusz said. "I woke up this morning and felt good. I feel good enough to go, but just talked with Buck (Showalter) and we feel like it was best to give me a couple of extra days and I feel like I should be...
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After 2-9 run, have the Orioles turned it around?

After 2-9 run, have the Orioles turned it around?
On June 1, the Orioles lost 5-0 on the road against Tampa Bay. They trailed 5-0 in the first inning and never got on the board as they lost for the ninth time in an 11-game stretch. There was, for some fans, a feeling of impending doom and that the other shoe had, in fact, dropped at that point. Some fans said, "It's been fun, but they're done now." It was looking like an 11-game stretch of losing could turn into a 20-, 30-, 50- or even an 80-game run of futility. That could still...
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Roberts' return: Not just another night at the Yard

Roberts' return: Not just another night at the Yard
Seldom has a player appreciated getting a shaving cream pie in the face so much. Brian Roberts seemed to be soaking everything in yesterday and appreciating all of it. For more than a year, he didn't take the field for the Orioles, and never knew for sure if he'd return to the team and get his career back. Last night, he did and the whole night was amazing. It was one thing to see him come back and play so well but yet another to be a part of an important win. And still another to see the...
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Roberts returns as O's take series opener from Pittsburgh

Roberts returns as O's take series opener from Pittsburgh
Brian Roberts returned to the Orioles' lineup tonight and went 3-for-4 with an RBI as Baltimore beat Pittsburgh 8-6 in Game 1 of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Roberts singled in the first, struck out in the third, singled in the fourth, hit a sac fly to right in the sixth and singled in the eighth. It was his first major league game since May 16, 2011. Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer, his fourth of the year, to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the second. Adam Jones had three hits,...
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J.J. Hardy on Brian Roberts' return

J.J. Hardy on Brian Roberts' return
After spending most of last year, and all of this one up until now, with Robert Andino as his double-play partner for the most part, Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy has Brian Roberts to his left tonight against Pittsburgh. He was asked what Roberts' return means to the Orioles. "A lot," Hardy said. "I mean other than the fact that he is a great player, there's the leadership. He's been around our clubhouse, even though he hasn't been able to play. Just going to be nice to have him back on...
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Roberts officially active and Tolleson optioned

Roberts officially active and Tolleson optioned
The Orioles have made the move official to reinstate Brian Roberts and from the 60-day disabled list. To make room for Roberts on the roster, the club has optioned Steve Tolleson to Triple-A Norfolk and transferred Nolan Reimold to the 60-day disabled list. Roberts has been on the disabled list with a concussion since May 17, 2011. He batted .238/.340/.429 with five doubles, a home run, five RBI and six runs in a 14 game rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Delmarva (two games), Double-A...
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Brian Roberts: "For a long time, I didn't think this was going to happen"

Brian Roberts: "For a long time, I didn't think this was going to happen"
For the first time since last May 16, Brian Roberts name is atop the Orioles' lineup at second base for tonight's game at Camden Yards against Pittsburgh. While Roberts has not been officially activated yet, he will if the game is played. He's waited a while for this day and noted he now could possibly have to wait yet another day. "Praying the rain goes away," he said during a Camden Yards press conference a few moments ago. "It's been a year test of patience, so why not one more day....
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Rutledge, Wager are latest O's draft picks to come to terms

Rutledge, Wager are latest O's draft picks to come to terms
The Orioles are expected to announce the signings today of between 10 and 12 picks taken last week in the First-Year Player Draft. The Orioles have begun contract negotiations with their second-round pick, University of Virginia right-handed pitcher Branden Kline, who I profiled in this story. They hope to begin talks with their top pick, LSU pitcher Kevin Gausman, by late this week. The most recent picks to come to terms with the club are Lex Rutledge, a left-handed pitcher taken in Round 6...
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Machado's average takes a tumble, but Baysox manager is not concerned

Machado's average takes a tumble, but Baysox manager is not concerned
Orioles 2010 top draft pick Manny Machado, a player rated by Baseball America as the sport's 11th-best prospect in February, is struggling badly at bat in the last few weeks. On May 21, Machado had a batting average of .279 and an OPS of .810. Now he is batting .234 with 15 doubles, two triples, three homers, 18 RBIs and a .695 OPS. Machado is batting just .134 at 9-for-67 over his past 17 games with no multi-hit games in that stretch. But Machado is the youngest player in the Eastern...
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O's come to terms with local products Hader and Beck

O's come to terms with local products Hader and Beck
He pitched on the mound at Camden Yards yesterday and tonight he agreed to a contract with the Orioles. The Orioles this evening came to terms with a local Baltimore product, 19th-round draft pick Josh Hader, a left-handed pitcher from Old Mill High in Anne Arundel County, MASNsports.com has learned. The 6-foot-3, 160-lb. Hader had tremendous stats this season, going 10-0 with an ERA of 0.39. and he fanned 125 batters over 72 2/3 innings. Hader pitched two shutout innings yesterday at Camden...
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Baseball has lost a true gentleman

Baseball has lost a true gentleman
There are so many great things about baseball and maybe at the top of the list is some of the people you meet along the way. I have met many memorable characters in this game and today I was sad to hear the news that one I met has passed away. Brooklyn Cyclones radio broadcaster Warner Fusselle died Sunday from an apparent heart attack. He was 68. I got to know Warner during the three years I was the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the Aberdeen IronBirds from 2004 through 2006. Warner was...
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The O's bullpen has been mighty indeed (draft update)

The O's bullpen has been mighty indeed (draft update)
The Orioles have now won nine extra-innings games in a row for the first time in team history. Here is what Matt Wieters said after yesterday's game when asked the key reason for the streak: "You know, it's the bullpen. The bullpen is doing a great job of just keeping teams where they are at. If you keep the other team from scoring, eventually someone will get the run. The bullpen has been great keeping us in games." If there is one segment of this team that has been rock solid...
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Wieters and Hammel size up another walk-off win

Wieters and Hammel size up another walk-off win
Not long after his third hit on the day ended today's game in the tenth inning, Matt Wieters talked about his walk-off RBI double off Joe Savery that gave the Orioles a 5-4 win over Philadelphia. "The first two (pitches) I was a little late on and a little behind, so I wanted to shorten up with two strikes especially and find something on the barrel," Wieters said. "I got something up and got it to that wall in right. I knew Jonsesy could score with his speed from first." The victory was...
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