Funny how things change (updated)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

July 05, 2010, 9:40am

Comments

I sat in the interview room at Camden Yards and listened to interim manager Juan Samuel say that Felix Pie would return to left field and the leadoff spot once the Orioles activated him from the disabled list. Samuel told reporters in Boston over the weekend that Pie would hit lower in the order while Corey Patterson continued to occupy the top spot. Samuel now wants to ease Pie back into the leadoff role. The last time I checked, the Orioles had room for Pie on their 40-man roster after designating Garrett Atkins for assignment, so they'll only need to make a corresponding 25-man move tomorrow. Some things don't change: Kevin Millwood is struggling in the first inning. The Orioles gave him a 1-0 lead in the top half of the inning, but he immediately surrendered five runs and threw 45 pitches in the suffocating heat. Millwood has allowed first-inning runs in eight of his last nine starts. Happy 35th Birthday Alberto Castillo. Update: Julio Lugo, not exactly an extra-base hit machine, has tripled in consecutive at-bats going back to yesterday. Today's three-bagger in the second inning scored Jake Fox, and Lugo came home on Cesar Izturis' single.