O's trade Keller, Showalter reflects on Michael (O's lose 9-1)

The Orioles traded minor league right-hander Jon Keller to the Rockies today to complete their April 7 trade for pitcher Miguel Castro, who's evolved into a valuable bullpen piece.

Keller, 25, is a former 22nd-round draft pick in 2013 who went 10-14 with a 3.98 ERA in 125 games. He was 2-2 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.65 WHIP this summer in a combined 24 games with short-season Single-A Aberdeen, Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie.

Command was an issue for Keller, who walked nine batters in 15 1/3 innings at Frederick this year and 11 in four innings at Bowie.

The Orioles haven't confirmed their starters for the weekend series in Cleveland beyond left-hander Wade Miley on Friday night. They're expected to do so following today's game.

"Roger (McDowell) is doing some workdays and putting the finishing touches on a couple of things," said manager Buck Showalter.

"Mike Wright's here and eligible today. So, trying to take that all into play. I think when I get through with the workdays today, we should have it. We've got it. We had it last night. But I want to make sure the workdays and everything go OK today.

"I should be able to get it to you either before the game or shortly thereafter."

The bullpen contains 12 relievers if Wright is included. Ubaldo Jiménez has been pulled from the rotation.

"We need them," Showalter said.

"I've said it before, left-handed relievers and right-handed situational guys don't play this time of year after the seventh inning because they're too easily negated. Donnie Hart's probably not going to face a left-handed hitter after the seventh inning the rest of the year unless it's a guy they don't pinch-hit for.

"That's another mistake that people think that (expanded rosters) doesn't affect the way the game is. It affects it a lot. Basically, you're just picking your poison this time of year."

Showalter said the Orioles in the last week would have made "four or five pitching moves" with Triple-A Norfolk to cover the innings from the bullpen.

"Are we fortunate or unfortunate to not have a Triple-A team in the playoffs?" he said.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy threw and took batting practice again today and is expected to come off the disabled list before Friday night's game against the Indians. A corresponding 40-man roster move is coming.

"Of course, I was hoping to activate him Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday," Showalter said. "I'm hoping tomorrow in Cleveland."

Showalter received a phone call this morning from his wife, Angela, informing him that Gene Michael, the former Yankees manager and executive, died of a heart attack at age 79.

Showalter was driving to Camden Yards when given the news and had to pull off to the side of the road.

"I've cried enough today," he said.

Michael gave Showalter his first managerial job with the Yankees and they remained close over the years. Showalter became emotional this morning while spending the last 11 minutes of his pregame media session talking about Michael.

"I've got a lot of feelings about it," Showalter said.

"You go through some of the things that Gene and I went through together ..." Showalter said. "Best baseball evaluator I ever saw. Had a great, great gut. Never missed on an infielder.

"I was so fortunate to have a general manager that played and coached the game, coached first base and third base, coached the infielders, managed the Yankees, was a great scout with the Yankees and was a source for me. And a guy who cut to the chase. He was so blatantly honest and ethical."

Showalter told a story of how Michael fought to get him money owed after the Yankees hired him as manager prior to the 1992 season. Showalter had served as third base coach.

"I think it was for $175,000 to manage and the lap-over from that contract to the next contract, basically you had earned this money - I think it was $80,000 - you had already earned that money through the season, yet somebody upstairs was trying to make it go away and just start the new money on Jan. 1. And Gene saw what they were doing and he said, 'Hey, just give me a moment here.' And later I found that he called in the people who were trying to do it and said, 'This is so wrong. It's unethical. The guy already earned that money.'

"Little things like that. He could have done this (wipes hands). I can give you 100 examples of stuff like that.

"He was ahead of his time. He embraced everything. A very funny guy. He was a great source. Some of the stuff he screened me from. Some he couldn't. He'd tell you the stuff he couldn't. 'Hey, you need to come up after the game.' The call I'd get from him after every loss. 13-1, 'Hey boy, how are you doing? Hang in there. See you tomorrow. Everything's fine.'

"Being thrown out of baseball together for three days over testifying for Steve Howe. You go through things like that ... And also when he'd come in with some things he wasn't happy about. Very consistent. I could talk about him for hours. It's a huge loss for me personally.

"He fought for the right things. Big heart, big heart."

Update: Didi Gregorius had an RBI double with two outs in the first inning and Aaron Judge followed with a long two-run homer to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.

Kevin Gausman has allowed two more runs in the third on Matt Holliday's RBI single and a fielder's choice from Jacoby Ellsbury.

Update II: Chase Headley hit a two-run homer off Mike Wright in the fourth to increase the lead to 7-0.

Update III: Starlin Castro homered off Donnie Hart with two outs in the sixth to give New York an 8-0 lead.

Update IV: Adam Jones scored with two outs in the bottom of the sixth on Gregorius' throwing error to reduce the lead to 8-1. Jones opened with an infield hit off Sonny Gray and Chris Davis singled with two outs. Mark Trumbo grounded to Gregorius, who tried to get fancy with his toss to second base and overshot his target.