Earlier today, I completely forgot to guarantee that Brian Matusz would strike out the side in the first inning, the first one coming on that devastating changeup. I totally saw it coming. Really. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lou Montanez took a nasty spill in foul territory while chasing Ryan Sweeney's fly ball with two outs, but Matusz got a called third strike on his next pitch. Down on the farm, Single-A Frederick's Billy Rowell is 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs...

Orioles manager Dave Trembley told reporters in Oakland that he doesn't expect Miguel Tejada to go on the disabled list with a hip injury sustained in yesterday's loss. Tejada is listed as day-to-day with an adductor strain. I'm no doctor, though I often play one on this blog, but according to emedicine, hip adductor injuries occur most commonly when there is a forced push-off (side-to-side motion). High forces occur in the adductor tendons when the athlete must shift direction suddenly in...

For the Orioles: Adam Jones CF Ty Wigginton 3B Nick Markakis RF Nolan Reimold DH Matt Wieters C Garrett Atkins 1B Lou Montanez LF Justin Turner 2B Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP For the Athletics: Rajai Davis CF Daric Barton 1B Ryan Sweeney RF Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B Kurt Suzuki C Jake Fox DH Adam Rosales 2B Travis Buck LF Cliff Pennington SS Brett Anderson LHP

Some Sunday O's pre-game stats and facts while wondering if today will be the day...... *The Orioles have played seven games this year decided by two runs or less and are 1-6 in those. *The Orioles have scored just 23 runs during a nine-game losing streak. *Today's starter, Brian Matusz, is making his 11th career Major League start today. Opponents are batting just .190 against him this year without an extra-base hit. The Orioles are 6-4 in his starts. Matusz, who has never faced...

Before I pack up my car and drive back to Eldersburg, I wanted to make the following statement: The Orioles will win today. It's not necessary for me to pull over, step out of my car and recite the alphabet backward. I don't need to walk a straight line. I'm stone-cold sober and guaranteeing a victory. Brian Matusz might have to go nine innings. He might have to go 10. He might have to ice his arm with a pack that extends to the bottom of his feet and the top of his head. But he's not...

If you are looking for a nugget, a morsel, a small crumb to hang your hat on with something even remotely positive through this dismal Orioles start it is this - the starting rotation. Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie easily pitched good enough to win the last two days and it's been that way most days during this season. The starters are throwing a lot of strikes, getting deeper in games and keeping this so far terrible hitting team in games. The starters ERA is only 4.52, still a big...

Syracuse Chiefs and former George Washington Colonials pitcher Josh Wilkie is off to a good start through 4 games and a 1.35 ERA as a reliever. He has pitched a robust 6 2/3 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 earned run. Righties are batting just .125 against Josh, who grabbed a few minutes with me as the Nats were checking out of their team hotel. Wilkie told me things are going well in the first few weeks: "I am trying to get a feel on the mound when pitching every other day as a...

It happened again: Apparently, any thought that it could not get any worse for the Orioles, was just not correct. They gave up two runs in the last of the 9th at Oakland Saturday afternoon to lose 4-3 to the A's. The Orioles, who lost four times all last year when leading after eight innings, have now lost three times this year when leading after eight. So, the Birds are 1-11 on the season with nine losses in row. They are 0-3 on this ten-game road trip. They are 1-4 in one-run games and...

I don't mean the porterhouse steak that my father grilled for me that overlapped my plate. Or half of my mother's steak that I ate for dessert. That's a lot of red meat, my friends. The Orioles lost again today, which is sort of like reporting that the sun came up or someone broke up with Jennifer Aniston (which is the real mystery to me.) Jim Johnson blew the save after Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Johnson is getting first crack at the...

It's becoming so unbelievable, but the Orioles blew another game today in the 9th inning. They took a one-run lead to the last of the 9th at Oakland, but Ryan Sweeney's two-run single with the bases loaded and one out vs. Jim Johnson gave the A's a 4-3 win. Yes, the O's blew another one in the ninth. Johnson was clearly struggling, according to Joe Angel's radio call. In the inning he gave up two hits and threw two wild pitches with Matt Wieters making a nice save to stop a third. He...