Tillman on his groin injury and Showalter on defensive shifts

Tillman on his groin injury and Showalter on defensive shifts
Orioles manager Buck Showalter revealed yesterday that Chris Tillman has been dealing with a minor groin injury. This morning, Tillman said he feels the issue has improved and he fully expects to make his next start on Friday at Kansas City. "I'm much better now. Got a bullpen today so we'll see how it goes but I'm pretty sure it's going to be just fine. No problems the last few days," Tillman said. Has this been an issue for him in his last few starts? "Little bit. Not to the point...
Continue reading

At least in the short term, O's need to make a change at closer

At least in the short term, O's need to make a change at closer
When the top of the ninth began last night, Tommy Hunter had a chance, with a 1-2-3 inning, to avoid facing Torii Hunter, Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez. But he gave up another leadoff hit and later walked Hunter, and that brought up Cabrera with runners on first and second. I really thought this could have been that very rare instance where a team pitches around a hitter even without a base open. Instead Cabrera was pitched to and produced a game-winning three-run homer. For the immediate...
Continue reading

Tommy Hunter on Cabrera's homer and the blown save in the ninth

Tommy Hunter on Cabrera's homer and the blown save in the ninth
In the quiet of the Orioles clubhouse, Tommy Hunter talked about the ninth inning, the win that got away and his third blown save. "It sucks, man. It's not fun to lose. That's my take on it. I don't like getting beat," he said. Hunter walked Torii Hunter to put two on with two outs for Miguel Cabrera and Cabrera's three-run shot gave Detroit the 3-1 lead in the ninth. A solo shot from Victor Martinez followed as the Tigers stunned the O's in the ninth. "You can't let the best hitter in...
Continue reading

Miguel Cabrera hits three-run homer in ninth as Tigers rally to stun Orioles

Miguel Cabrera hits three-run homer in ninth as Tigers rally to stun Orioles
Victory turned into defeat. Another rough outing for Tommy Hunter. A stirring victory denied. A gut punch loss for the Orioles. Trying to protect a 1-0 lead with two outs and two on in the ninth, Hunter gave up a three-run homer to Miguel Cabrera. Victor Martinez followed with a solo shot as Detroit stunned the Orioles 4-1 tonight at Camden Yards. The blown save ruined a very strong outing from Ubaldo Jimenez, who pitched seven scoreless innings. Darren O'Day kept Detroit off the board in the...
Continue reading

O's game blog: It's Jimenez against Smyly tonight at Camden Yards

O's game blog: It's Jimenez against Smyly tonight at Camden Yards
The Orioles are averaging just three runs per game at home this year and have scored three runs or fewer in 12 of their 17 home games. They are 9-8 in those games and will try to get their bats going at the Yard tonight. In the second game of this series between first-place teams, Ubaldo Jimenez (2-4, 4.73 ERA) faces lefty Drew Smyly (2-2, 2.96 ERA). Smyly, a reliever in 2013, has made four starts this season. In eight career innings against the Orioles, he has not given up a run and allowed...
Continue reading

Kevin Gausman on returning to the Orioles and getting tomorrow's start

Kevin Gausman on returning to the Orioles and getting tomorrow's start
The Triple-A Norfolk Tides played at Indianapolis last night, so it took Kevin Gausman a couple of flights to get here. But after a trek from Indy to Atlanta to Norfolk, he's now in the O's clubhouse and set to start tomorrow against Detroit. "Obviously, really excited," Gausman said. "Pitched against them last year, so you know, little bit different lineup without (Prince) Fielder in there. Going to do my research and talk to the guys today. See what Bud (Norris) did last night against...
Continue reading

Orioles offense this season: inconsistent and struggling to score at home (Gausman note)

Orioles offense this season: inconsistent and struggling to score at home (Gausman note)
Maybe lost a bit last night in all of the postgame talk about Bud Norris hitting Torii Hunter was that besides Norris hitting the Tigers right fielder, the Orioles didn't hit much of anything else last night. They aren't hitting much of anything at all these days. Where has the offense gone? The Orioles went to Minnesota and scored six runs in three games. They went to Tampa and scored 12 runs in three games. They came home against Houston and scored 11 runs in three games. They scored one...
Continue reading

Bud Norris on hitting Torii Hunter and his ejection

Bud Norris on hitting Torii Hunter and his ejection
Bud Norris said this was the first ejection of his career tonight and he didn't feel it was justified. Norris was ejected after hitting Torii Hunter in the top of the eighth. That followed a two-run homer by Ian Kinsler that gave Detroit a 4-1 lead. "First of all I respect Torii Hunter and the game he has played for a long time. But I'm out there trying to do my job late in the game," Norris said. "I threw a first-pitch slider. He took a really aggressive hack at it, so I felt he was...
Continue reading

O's offense comes up short in series opener with Detroit

O's offense comes up short in series opener with Detroit
For the Orioles it was another night with not much offense at Camden Yards. Bud Norris kept it close for a while, but Detroit scored twice in the fourth and eighth innings to beat the Orioles 4-1. The dugouts and bullpens emptied onto the field in the top of the eighth. After Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer to put Detroit ahead 4-1, Norris hit Torii Hunter. Home plate umpire James Hoye ejected Norris as players from both dugouts ran onto the field. The incident did not escalate from there and...
Continue reading

O's game blog: Orioles and Detroit meet in series opener

O's game blog: Orioles and Detroit meet in series opener
As the Orioles begin a series tonight against Detroit, they are still trying to get their bats going in home games. It's been somewhat strange but the Orioles have a team batting average of .283 and average 5.2 runs per game on the road while batting just .242 and scoring only 3.1 runs per game at the Yard. The Orioles have scored three runs or less in 11 of 16 home games, the latest of which was yesterday in a 5-2 loss to Houston. They scored 11 runs in that series. Detroit has won of the...
Continue reading

Preston Guilmet talks about joining the Orioles

Preston Guilmet talks about joining the Orioles
The latest pitcher to join the Orioles' bullpen is 26-year-old right-hander Preston Guilmet. He was acquired by the Orioles in a trade for minor leaguer Torsten Boss April 7 and today he was officially recalled. "I'm excited to be with the club, really excited to have the opportunity," he said. "This is awesome, it's what we all try to do. To get the chance to help the Orioles, that is what we're working for. "Just excited to have an opportunity to help this club. I know it's a great...
Continue reading

Troy Patton not surprised his name has surfaced in trade rumors

Troy Patton not surprised his name has surfaced in trade rumors
When a report came out over the weekend that the Orioles were floating Troy Patton's name in trade talks, Patton said that didn't surprise him even a little bit. "I kind of assumed," Patton said this afternoon. "When my suspension came out and I still got a deal from the team I kind of thought my name might be circling around for a while. We'll see how that goes. "It's not the first time since I've been here that this has been the case where I could potentially be gone. But there is...
Continue reading

Getting a test from the Tigers

Getting a test from the Tigers
After facing the team with the worst record in the major leagues, the Orioles now play a three-game series against the team with the best record. Detroit is in town for a series beginning tonight. The Tigers are 21-12 overall, 8-4 on the road and their plus-37 run differential ranks second in the American League to Oakland at plus-61. The Orioles, by the way, are minus-2 and have been outscored 148-150 on the year despite leading the AL East at 20-15. The Orioles were actually outscored over...
Continue reading

Caleb Joseph is soaking up every minute he spends as an Oriole

Caleb Joseph is soaking up every minute he spends as an Oriole
There were reports over the weekend indicating that the Orioles are aggressively pursuing adding another catcher. That may be true, but Caleb Joseph is one of their current catchers. A major leaguer for just five days, right now he's aggressively pursuing what the big league experience is all about. For a long time, it looked like the 27-year-old Joseph might never make it onto a big league roster. He played at Double-A Bowie for parts of the last four seasons and no player has ever played in...
Continue reading

Matt Wieters talks about going on the disabled list (plus Tillman and Davis quotes)

Matt Wieters talks about going on the disabled list (plus Tillman and Davis quotes)
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters met with reporters after the game to discuss the decision that led to him going on the disabled list today with a right elbow strain. "Ultimately it was what is going to get me back catching as quick as possible," he said. "Letting it completely rest, as opposed to trying to go get half ready every day, it may have been slowing us down a little bit. Now let it completely rest and hopefully get back catching even sooner." Wieters did confirm that nothing new...
Continue reading

O's fall 5-2 to Houston as Astros avoid the sweep

O's fall 5-2 to Houston as Astros avoid the sweep
It is hard to sweep any team and the Orioles could not pull that off for the second series in a row. Trailing by three runs after one inning, they never caught up today in a 5-2 loss to Houston. The season's second sellout of 45,944 looked on during a beautiful afternoon at Camden Yards. Chris Tillman gave up a three-run homer to Jason Castro in the top of the first and needed 32 pitches to get through that inning. He walked the first two Astros he faced ahead of Castro's fifth homer. But...
Continue reading

O's game blog: O's look for sweep today against Houston

O's game blog: O's look for sweep today against Houston
The last time the Orioles swept back-to-back three-game series was April 22-May 1, 2005 at Toronto and against Tampa bay. The Orioles are going for a sweep of the Houston Astros here today with Chris Tillman on the mound. He has made six starts this year and the Orioles are 5-1 in those games. In fact, they are 36-18 in Tillman starts since 2012. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.80 ERA. He gave up three runs in six innings Tuesday against Tampa Bay. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer...
Continue reading

Chris Davis and Buck Showalter on Davis' return to the lineup

Chris Davis and Buck Showalter on Davis' return to the lineup
The Orioles will have Chris Davis back in the lineup today for the first time since April 25. He's been activated off the disabled list and he's batting third this afternoon against Houston. Does manager Buck Showalter expect Davis' timing to be off a bit at the plate at the start? "No. I'm not expecting that," Showalter said today. "I wouldn't activate him if... like yesterday I was talking to (Bowie manager) Gary Kendall. I said, 'Gary, field might be wet, but if he can't play...
Continue reading

Some streak talk and a take on Tommy Hunter

Some streak talk and a take on Tommy Hunter
Jinx alert, here comes the mention of streaks. The Orioles have won five games in a row and they've all been games decided by one or two runs. They have now won nine straight games decided by one or two runs. Their record in one- and two-run games is 13-6. Here is a real good streak note: Orioles starting pitchers have gone 12 straight games allowing three or fewer earned runs with an ERA of 3.04 in that stretch. That is impressive. If mention of streaks makes you nervous, what are you...
Continue reading

After Bowie game, Chris Davis said he feels ready to return to the Orioles

After Bowie game, Chris Davis said he feels ready to return to the Orioles
BOWIE, Md. - After playing nine innings at first base and getting four at-bats tonight for Double-A Bowie in its 7-6 loss to New Britain, Chris Davis feels he's ready to return to the Orioles. Out since April 26 with strained left oblique, Davis went 1-for-4 with a single in the eighth inning. He can be activated by the Orioles for Sunday's game and said he feels ready to rejoin the team. "I think so, but we'll find out," he said tonight in the Baysox clubhouse. "I'm going to go back and...
Continue reading