Tillman on his rocky outing and Markakis on a milestone homer

Tillman on his rocky outing and Markakis on a milestone homer
His night began when he gave up four runs to the game's first five hitters and ended with his being optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk. It could have gone better here this evening for Orioles' right-hander Chris Tillman, who gave up six runs and eight hits in just 2 2/3 in a 6-3 loss to Chicago. "I felt fine. It is frustrating," Tillman said quietly in the Orioles clubhouse. "I wasn't necessarily making bad pitches, but they got way too comfortable early. They were diving over the plate...
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Tillman rocked early as Sox top O's, 6-3

Tillman rocked early as Sox top O's, 6-3
Coming off a start against Toronto where he gave up just two runs over seven innings, Chris Tillman hoped to build on that tonight against Chicago. Four batters into the game he allowed more runs - three - than he had in that last start. The first five Chisox hitters reached against Tillman, on a single, homer and three doubles, as he got rocked while giving up four first-inning runs. Tillman gave up six runs (all earned) and eight hits over just 2 2/3 as Chicago beat the Orioles 6-3 in front...
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Dan Klein still having discomfort throwing

Dan Klein still having discomfort throwing
Orioles minor league pitcher Dan Klein tried to throw twice recently and is still having discomfort with his right shoulder. He is going to head back to see Los Angeles Angels physician, Dr. Lewis Yocum on Monday. Klein has a SLAP tear in his right labrum and the Orioles third-round draft pick in 2010 out of UCLA has not pitched since June first for Bowie. The 23-year-old right-hander began this year at Single-A Frederick and went 0-1 with a 1.15 ERA in seven games over 15 2/3 innings. After...
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Could be another losing series for the Orioles

Could be another losing series for the Orioles
We already knew the Orioles would not win this series against Chicago, after they had lost the first two games of a four-game series. Now that they are trailing 6-3 in the fifth, they have an uphill battle to even tie this series. A loss tonight would mean the Orioles will have lost 10 of their last 11 series and split one other, since taking two of three from the Reds June 24-26. They split four games coming out of the All-Star break here against Cleveland, but would have lost every other...
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Hardy picks up the homer pace

Hardy picks up the homer pace
J.J. Hardy continues to hit home runs at a pretty amazing pace. He now has 21 on the year and that is tied for 11th best in the AL with teammate Adam Jones. Mark Reynolds, by the way, is tied for fourth, with 26. Hardy is second in the majors in homers by a shortstop to Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki, who has hit 23. But while Tulo averages a homer every 19.0 at-bats, Hardy has hit one every 15.95 at-bats. His 21 homers are the most by an AL East shortstop since Miguel Tejada hit 24 for the...
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All seems quiet for now on the draft signing front

All seems quiet for now on the draft signing front
With four days to go until the deadline to sign this year's draft picks, the Orioles do not have deals with top pick Dylan Bundy, second round pick Jason Esposito or sixth-round pick Nicky Delmonico. That is not unusual and if they sign one or all three, it could go down to the final day and often does. I asked Orioles manager Buck Showalter today if he had talked recently with scouting director Joe Jordan and had gotten any sense of what might happen over the next few days? "Joe had...
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The longball can be fun, but ...

The longball can be fun, but ...
Of all the ways a team can win a ballgame, a walk-off homer has to rank right up there. Nolan Reimold's two-run homer to win the game in the 10th against Chicago last night was certainly exciting. The longball is fun and the Orioles are hitting their fair share. Consider these numbers: * The Orioles have now hit 134 homers on the year and that is one more than last year's team hit all season. They are on a pace to hit 190 homers, which would be the most by an Orioles team since the 1997...
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Baseball America with an update on Delmonico

Baseball America with an update on Delmonico
Baseball America reporter Aaron Fitt, via Twitter, wrote that he expects the Orioles to soon sign sixth-round draft pick Nick Delmonico, a high school third baseman from Knoxville, Tenn. Here is a tweet filed earlier. He later clarified that he meant close to signing with the Orioles and not Georgia, where he has a college commitment. To this point, we have not heard any comment on this report from the Orioles or anyone representing Delmonico. One source told me earlier that Delmonico was...
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Wieters and Jones make Baseball America's best tools list

Wieters and Jones make Baseball America's best tools list
Baseball America rolled out its "best tools" list for the American and National Leagues today. Of the 25 categories where they surveyed AL managers and ranked the best players, just two Orioles made the list. Matt Wieters was ranked as the best defensive catcher in the AL, ahead of Minnesota's Joe Mauer and Alex Avila of Detroit. Adam Jones was rated by league skippers as the second best defensive outfielder, behind only Franklin Gutierrez of Seattle. Wieters has thrown out 27 of 67...
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Has Mark Reynolds' glove warmed up to the hot corner?

Has Mark Reynolds' glove warmed up to the hot corner?
By just about any measurement or stat you could quote, Mark Reynolds has not had a good year fielding at third base. But it sure seems that Reynolds' defense at the hot corner has improved in recent weeks and he has made just one error in his last 31 games since July 4. That includes four games Reynolds recently played at first base. Reynolds still leads all AL third baseman with 21 errors and the next highest total is 16 by Minnesota's Danny Valencia. Orioles manager Buck Showalter feels...
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Erbe clears waivers, stays with Orioles

Erbe clears waivers, stays with Orioles
Pitcher Brandon Erbe has cleared waivers and remains with the Orioles organization. He is now off the 40-man roster and has been outrighted to Aberdeen, where he had been pitching before the Orioles recently had him designated for assignment. Erbe, who had labrum surgery last August, had pitched in four games for Aberdeen and, over 3 2/3 innings, he allowed five hits and four runs. He last pitched a week ago, 2/3 of an inning against Lowell. Erbe was the Orioles' third-round pick in 2005...
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Minor league notes on Adams, Hudson, Rowell and more

Minor league notes on Adams, Hudson, Rowell and more
Outfielder
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No common denominator with Orioles' injuries

No common denominator with Orioles' injuries
With the Orioles dealing with several injuries to young pitchers and also some position players in both the majors and the minors, some fans are questioning what is going on throughout the organization. Are the Orioles doing something wrong with how they handle their young pitchers? Are there some issues with how the club handles its strength and conditioning programs with the young hurlers? Does something going on here need to be fixed? The talented young trio of Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta...
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New starter, but similar result as O's fall to Chicago

New starter, but similar result as O's fall to Chicago
The Orioles entered this series with Chicago with a record of 10-2 in home games on the year decided by just one run. Now that record is 10-4. After last night's 7-6 loss, tonight the Orioles fell behind 4-0, before losing 4-3 to the White Sox. The Orioles have lost six of their last seven games, fall to 8-17 in the second half and they are 8-24 over the last 32 games. In his first start as an Oriole Jo-Jo Reyes, claimed a week ago on waivers from Toronto, gave up four runs in four innings...
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It gets a little rocky early for Reyes (updated)

It gets a little rocky early for Reyes (updated)
Jo-Jo was a man that gave up two runs in the top of the second inning. Feel free to sing the rest on your own. After a 1-2-3 first inning on 16 pitches, Reyes gave up two runs in the second in his first Orioles start. Carlos Quentin hit a 390-foot homer and later Brent Morel, batting ninth, added an RBI single. In 20 starts for Toronto, Reyes allowed three runs or less in nine of his outings. The Blue Jays scored three or fewer runs for him in 10 of those games. Reyes has had two seasons end...
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Arrieta heads West with surgery likely

Arrieta heads West with surgery likely
There was some talk late last year that Orioles pitcher Jake Arrieta would have bone spurs removed from his right elbow. He didn't have the procedure performed then, but it might happen later this week. Arrieta is flying to California tonight to meet with Los Angeles Angels physician Dr. Lewis Yocum and he could undergo the procedure on Friday. He is expecting that to be the result of his meeting tomorrow with Yocum. "Yeah. That's kind of the way I feel right now, I just think that, that...
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Evaluating Chris Davis

Evaluating Chris Davis
Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup tonight after missing four games with a sore right shoulder. The Orioles acquired Davis from Texas with Tommy Hunter in the trade deadline deal that sent Koji Uehara to the Rangers. Davis is a player that has put up big numbers in his minor league career, but numbers not as robust in the majors. The Orioles have now less than two months to evaluate him to decide if he fits in their future plans. Buck Showalter feels that is enough time to get a solid...
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Hitting notes on Wieters, Reimold and Hardy

Hitting notes on Wieters, Reimold and Hardy
Checking in with a few Orioles hitting notes before they host Chicago tonight in Game 2 of a four-game series. * Matt Wieters went 3-for-3 with two doubles last night, snapping a stretch where he had just seven hits in 51 at-bats. It was Wieters' first three-hit game since July 5 and the first time he had two doubles in a game since June 24. * Nolan Reimold is struggling right now. He has just three hits over his past 26 at bats. In his last 10 games, Reimold is 4-for-33 (.121) without a...
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Reyes is up next as Orioles look to piece together their rotation

Reyes is up next as Orioles look to piece together their rotation
One week after the Orioles claimed lefty Jo-Jo Reyes on waivers from Toronto, he will take the mound and get his first Baltimore start. "It's good," Reyes said. "I'm used to starting, so it's not going to be that big of a difference. But just to get back on the mound and start the game off is going to be good." Reyes was 5-8 with a 5.40 ERA this season in 20 starts for Toronto. He gave up 140 hits over 110 innings and really struggled over his last five starts, going 2-2 with an ERA of...
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Hardy's bat was hearty, but Orioles still lose against Chicago

Hardy's bat was hearty, but Orioles still lose against Chicago
Well, at least the Orioles got their shortstop back tonight. On a night they rallied from 4-0 down to take the lead, the Orioles still lost, 7-6 against Chicago and they fall to 1-3 on this 10-game homestand. After missing three games with a sore left ankle, J.J. Hardy returned with a big game tonight. He went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and two doubles. He tied his season high with four RBIs. He also drove in four on May 15 against Tampa and July 26 versus Toronto. Before the game,...
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