For now, Delmarva Shorebirds right-hander Matt Hobgood is avoiding the disabled list. Hobgood, last June's first-round O's pick, left his last start on Saturday night at Lexington after just nine pitches due to lower back spasms. He is reporting some improvement. For now the O's will monitor his progress, but a date for his return to the Shorebirds rotation has not been set. That was according to a club official. In tonight's Delmarva Shorebirds game notes, they list Hobgood to start...

Buck Showalter received a nice ovation as he jogged to home plate for the exchange of lineup cards, and again as he returned to the bench. The crowd's too small for an ear-piercing welcome, but he was warmly received. Standing at the plate with his arms folded, Showalter bears a striking resemblance to Earl Weaver. That's especially true if you're looking down at the field. The comparison might not ring as true if your seat's in the first row. The Showalter Era began with Jeremy Guthrie...

During a pre-game interview with reporters, that word accountability came up again with Ty Wigginton. He was asked if that was a part of Buck Showalter's message to the players and if it is needed on this team. "I think so. I know, every time I step out on the baseball field, I want to be accountable for my actions. Whether it's an error or a positive. I think that's the whole key to helping yourself get better as a Major League player." Wigginton agreed that one thing Showalter...

Going back to Chris Tillman's start today for Triple-A Norfolk, he allowed all four runs and six hits in the first inning. He blanked Indianapolis on three hits over the next four innings. That's still not a roll, but it's encouraging that he settled down. Here's the Angels lineup: Aybar SS Izturis 2B Abreu LF Hunter RF Matsui DH Callaspo 3B Kendrick 1B Napoli C Bourjos CF Bell RHP Bourjos is the son of former Orioles farmhand and current scout Chris Bourjos. The Angels have won 10 of...

The Washington Nationals today optioned right-handed pitcher Yunesky Maya to the club's rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Maya, 28, recently signed a Major League contract with the Nationals, after a stellar career in Cuba. He went 13-4 with seven complete games and a 2.22 ERA last season with the Pinar Del Rio Vegueros of the Cuban National Series (Cuba's equivalent of Major League Baseball) en...

Len Johnston to receive Herb Armstrong Award The Orioles will host their annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony this Saturday, August 7, prior to their game against the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards. This year, the club will induct former pitching coach Ray Miller and manager Johnny Oates. Longtime baseball operations employee and current coordinator of operations at Bluefield, Len Johnston, will receive the Herb Armstrong Award given to non-uniformed personnel who have made significant...

Nick Markakis said, that as he had promised, Buck Showalter's first address to the Oriole players as their manager, was not a long one. "It was pretty simple. I don't think it was anything unexpected. He just pretty much came in and told us how it's going to be and we're all ready to get started." Markakis said accountability was one theme of Showalter's talk with the players. "That is one of the things he addressed but I imagine that would be the same for any manager. You have to...

The Orioles' tentative schedule for 2011 includes interleague home games against the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals, and road trips to Pittsburgh and Atlanta. They'll also engage in the usual home-and-home series with the Nationals. Though it's subject to change, the Orioles are currently slated to open the season at Tropicana Field for the second straight year, beginning on April 1. The first home game would be April 4 against the Detroit Tigers. New manager Buck Showalter met...

Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Luke Scott DH Adam Jones CF Felix Pie LF Matt Wieters C Josh Bell 3B Cesar Izturis SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP

Chris Tillman can't seem to get on a roll during his latest stint at Triple-A Norfolk. He allowed four runs and nine hits over five innings today against Indianapolis, with two walks and four strikeouts. He also threw two wild pitches, committed a throwing error and departed with his pitch count at 81. Tillman has surrendered 13 earned runs (15 total) and 24 hits, and walked seven, over 13 innings in his three starts since being optioned to Norfolk. The Orioles called him up after his one-hit...