Mayo on Bundy and Callis on Esposito and Delmonico

Mayo on Bundy and Callis on Esposito and Delmonico
As of just after 6 p.m., there was still no word on the Orioles' remaining three top draft pick targets. The Orioles still hope to sign first-round pick Dylan Bundy tonight along with second-rounder Jason Esposito and Nick Delmonico, taken in round six. Bundy seems a very safe bet to sign at this point, but right now, there is no clear indication either way about the other pair. My guess, and it remains just a guess, is that they get all three. I think Delmonico would probably be the most...
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Minor league notes on Schrader, Townsend, Gleason and more

Minor league notes on Schrader, Townsend, Gleason and more
It appears that Orioles minor league pitcher Clayton Schrader, who was having a real strong season, could miss the rest of this year. Schrader has been on the Single-A Frederick disabled list since Aug. 2, due to elbow discomfort. He has a flexor mass strain. He has not resumed throwing to this point and there may not be enough time for him to get back in games before the 2011 season ends. The right-hander, the Orioles' 10th-round pick last year, is 1-1 with three saves and ERA of 1.13 for...
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Revisiting a Joe Jordan interview on Dylan Bundy (with audio)

Revisiting a Joe Jordan interview on Dylan Bundy (with audio)
As always, things could change in a minute, but from what I have heard, it doesn't sound like the Orioles will have any draft news with any signings over the next hour or two. All the fun could go into tonight. One source described the O's "as hopeful still, but not totally convinced" they would get all three of their remaining targets in Dylan Bundy, Jason Esposito and Nick Delmonico. Meanwhile, while we all wait, here is some interesting audio from an earlier interview with scouting...
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Baseball America's Jim Callis: "I think they get all three done"

Baseball America's Jim Callis: "I think they get all three done"
Baseball America's Jim Callis, the man who seems to break the news on most top draft picks when they sign and provides their bonus information, thinks the Orioles are likely to sign their three remaining draft targets. The O's are said to be still negotiating with top pick Dylan Bundy, second-round pick Jason Esposito and sixth-rounder Nick Delmonico. "I think they are going to get all three done. It's just that MLB is having the teams play this slower than ever," Callis said. "Dylan...
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Baseball America report: Orioles come to terms with 26th-round pick

Baseball America report: Orioles come to terms with 26th-round pick
A tweet this morning from Baseball America's Jim Callis reports the Orioles have signed their 26th-round pick, high school pitcher Zach Davies, to a $575,000 contract. The 6-foot, 165-pound, right-hander played at Mesquite High in Arizona. He had a college commitment to Arizona State. Here is Baseball America's scouting report on Davies: "Another Arizona State commit is righthander Zach Davies, who got multiple Mike Leake comparisons from scouts and college recruiters. Like Leake, Davies...
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The final day to sign draft picks is here and O's are still expected to get Bundy

The final day to sign draft picks is here and O's are still expected to get Bundy
As the final day to sign 2011 draft pick begins, the Orioles are still seeking their three main targets: first-round pick Dylan Bundy, second-round pick Jason Esposito and sixth-round selection, Nicky Delmonico. According to Baseball America's Jim Callis, in a tweet filed early this morning, the Orioles signed Arizona high school right-handed pitcher Zach Davies. The 26th-round pick got a reported $575,000 bonus. The Orioles have been very confident that they would get Bundy signed since the...
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Reyes on his outing, Markakis on his offense after O's top Detroit

Reyes on his outing, Markakis on his offense after O's top Detroit
A few minutes after the Orioles wrapped up an 8-5 win over Detroit to end a 10-game homestand, Nick Markakis was asked if he needed to have a big day like he did in this win. "I think we needed that more as team, personally," Markakis said, after his four-RBI game. "You know, I could care less what I do. But whether it's getting three hits in a game or taking an 0-fer, winning the game is what it comes down to. "We came out swinging the bats. Nolan (Reimold) got us started a couple of...
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Markakis and Reyes lead the O's to a win in the homestand finale

Markakis and Reyes lead the O's to a win in the homestand finale
Nick Markakis had his most productive RBI day in over two months, driving in four runs this afternoon, as the Orioles beat Detroit 8-5 behind Jo-Jo Reyes to take the series finale this afternoon in front of 18,348 at Camden Yards. The Orioles ended their 10-game homestand going 3-7 and are 46-72 on the year as they now head on a West Coast road trip. The Orioles took an 8-1 lead to the ninth, but Kevin Gregg came on and six straight Tigers reached to make the score 8-4. Jim Johnson came in...
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A quick update on the Orioles draft situation

A quick update on the Orioles draft situation
Here are a couple things we've heard about the Orioles chances to sign more of their draft picks over the last 24 hours. The deadline to sign picks is midnight on Monday and it appears that negotiations with O's top pick Dylan Bundy are likely to go into tomorrow and perhaps down to those final hours. Orioles officials remain confident a deal with Bundy will get done. They reportedly spoke to his advisers yesterday. Sources say talks between Orioles scouting director Joe Jordan and...
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The O's pitching rotation is struggling again

The O's pitching rotation is struggling again
At a time when the Orioles rotation is currently without Brian Matusz, Zach Britton and Jake Arrieta and Jeremy Guthrie's ERA is 7.32 over his past three starts, the starters are, not too surprisingly, struggling right now. They are struggling big time. Guthrie gave up six runs over 5 2/3 last night after Chris Tillman allowed six runs in 2 2/3 on Friday in game one of the Detroit series. Here are some numbers on the rotation recently: * No quality starts in the last seven games with an...
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It appears Baker is Bowie-bound (updated)

It appears Baker is Bowie-bound (updated)
First baseman his Twitter page. Since joining the Orioles, Baker has played with the Single-A Frederick Keys. In 12 games, he went 17-for-44, batting .386 with three doubles, two homers, 9 RBIs and a 1.063 OPS. He had six multi-hit games and went 11-for-21 (.524) against left-handed pitching. The lefty hitter, who turns 24 September 10, earlier posted solid numbers for the Pirates with Bradenton of the Florida State League. There he hit .282 with 21 doubles, 15 homers, 73 RBIs and an OPS of...
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Ripken Series begins and Youse's Orioles end with another title

Ripken Series begins and Youse's Orioles end with another title
The 12th annual Cal Ripken World Series has begun at the Ripken Academy in Aberdeen. The Series features ten teams from the United States along with squads from Canada, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Mexico and Japan. The U.S teams include the Maryland State champs from Charles County and the Harford County champs from Bel Air, Md. The CRWS, which will be played from Aug. 13-21, is the culminating tournament of the Babe Ruth League's 12 and Under Cal Ripken...
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Guthrie on the loss and Davis on the homer

Guthrie on the loss and Davis on the homer
In the quiet of the Orioles' clubhouse after another one-run loss on this homestand - the club's fifth since last Friday - Jeremy Guthrie talked about Detroit's five-run rally against him in the sixth inning tonight. "I kept making the pitches that we were trying to do, but they were able to put some good swings on it and were able to string together a good rally," Guthrie said as Detroit scored five after there were two outs and none on. "I thought a portion of them (his pitches then)...
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Guthrie can't hold lead as Detroit tops the Orioles 6-5

Guthrie can't hold lead as Detroit tops the Orioles 6-5
For a while tonight, it looked like the Orioles had this game well in hand. Jeremy Guthrie went to the mound in the top of the sixth working with a 5-1 lead on Detroit. After needing just 58 pitches to get through five innings, Guthrie quickly recorded two quick outs on ground balls to start the sixth. He looked to be coasting, but suddenly the Tigers produced a double, two-run homer, single, single, RBI double and two-run single and Guthrie was walking off the mound at Camden Yards trailing...
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Dialing long distance: O's get five early runs with the longball

Dialing long distance: O's get five early runs with the longball
The Orioles have once again put the longball to good use, getting a two-run homer from Vlad Guerrero and a three-run shot from Blake Davis to take a 5-0 lead on the Tigers tonight at Camden Yards. It's now a 5-1 O's lead in the fourth. Guerrero's homer was his 10th of the season and ended an 11-game homerless run for him. Davis' homer to left just made it into the seats and was reviewed by the umpires. Before the game, Davis had told me sometimes he has a tendency for his bat to drag a...
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Bordick and Bancells set to enter O's Hall of Fame (with Buck audio)

Bordick and Bancells set to enter O's Hall of Fame (with Buck audio)
The latest class of the Orioles Hall of Fame will be inducted here tonight in a pregame ceremony at Camden Yards as Mike Bordick and Richie Bancells join a list that includes Cal Ripken Sr. and Jr., Brooks and Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer and 58 others. Bordick played with the Orioles from 1996 to 2000 and again in 2001 and 2002. His .987 fielding percentage is the best ever by an O's shortstop. He now works for the Orioles as a minor league instructor. Here is what Buck Showalter said about...
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After several games on the bench, Blake Davis gets a start tonight

After several games on the bench, Blake Davis gets a start tonight
Even though it's been awhile, Blake Davis still probably remembers where second base is located. After making just one start over the last 13 games, Davis is in tonight's starting lineup here against Detroit. He'll bat ninth at second base. He's been trying to stay sharp with his pregame work after getting just six at-bats since July 30. "Just staying in a routine every day," Davis said. "Taking ground balls and hitting in the cage. In between innings, I stay loose and hit some in the...
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Orioles are set to move their third and fourth-round picks to Single-A Delmarva

Orioles are set to move their third and fourth-round picks to Single-A Delmarva
The Orioles are expected to move pitchers Mike Wright and Kyle Simon, this year's third and fourth-round draft picks, today from short-season Single-A Aberdeen to Single-A Delmarva. Wright, taken in round three out of East Carolina, was 2-1 with an ERA of 3.77 over seven starts for Aberdeen. In 31 innings, he has given up 29 hits with six walks and 29 strikeouts. Over his last three IronBirds' starts, Wright allowed just two earned runs over 16 innings. He also has a 2.33 ground to air out...
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The big three: Will the Orioles sign Bundy, Esposito and Delmonico?

The big three: Will the Orioles sign Bundy, Esposito and Delmonico?
So now we are two days away from the deadline day to sign 2011 draft picks. The Orioles have three main targets to try to get signed. They are first-round pick Dylan Bundy, the Oklahoma high school pitcher, along with second-round selection, Vanderbilt third baseman Jason Esposito and sixth-round pick, high school third baseman Nicky Delmonico. In recent days I had a feeling the Orioles would get Bundy and one of either Esposito or Delmonico. Now, I sense the Orioles have a good shot to get...
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Once again, the O's are in need of a good starting pitching performance

Once again, the O's are in need of a good starting pitching performance
Alfredo Simon did not get his start tonight off to a promising start. The right-hander gave up single runs in the first two innings against Detroit on five singles and two walks. Simon enters with a record of 3-5 and 4.08 ERA and has never made a start against Detroit. The Orioles are once again in need of a good starting pitching performance. Chris Tillman went just 2 2/3 last night and O's starters pitched just 13 1/3 innings in the four-game series with Chicago, allowing 20 hits and 14...
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