Game update and more notes and quotes (O's lose 3-2)
By Roch Kubatko
Mookie Betts led off today's game with a home run off Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead at Camden Yards.
Gonzalez had surrendered just one home run in his last three starts.
The Red Sox had three hits in the inning and Gonzalez threw 23 pitches, 17 for strikes.
The choice of Nelson Cruz as Most Valuable Oriole naturally has sparked a debate among fans. It's good that the club had so many legitimate choices.
Cruz leads the majors with 39 home runs and also has a career-high 105 RBIs, 649 plate appearances, 157 hits, 55 walks, 72 extra-base hits and 308 total bases.
"Couldn't have made a bad (decision)," said manager Buck Showalter. "There were lots of people deserving. Hard to argue with Nelson, with the year he's had. Think other than one stretch - I've kind of followed his career batting - probably the most consistent year he's ever had. He had a little stretch there, but he's just been a rock for us. Seems like he's been able to dial up what we need every day. And I tell you what, he's played a pretty good outfield.
"He's kind of accepting the 50-50 DHing during the year has helped him stay healthy. I was going to play him in right today, but I didn't want to do the night-day thing with his legs. Talked to him last night after the game about taking today and he said, 'I feel really good. I'd like to play.'
"He came in this year, he didn't have a chip on his shoulder, he just came in with something to prove about some of the questions people had about him, about why they didn't commit to him more long-term. He's put himself in a good position in his career. He doesn't like talking about that stuff right now. He's got his priorities and his tunnel vision going for the rest of the year. Keep in mind this guy came within a very small thing of a couple world championships. He wants to close the deal here."
The Orioles aren't having serious talks with Cruz about a contract extension. They're likely to make a qualifying offer and will take the draft pick if he declines it.
Steve Pearce received votes for Most Valuable Oriole, but he didn't crack the top three. He seemed to endorse Cruz.
"We knew he was a star before he got here, and just playing alongside him, the way he carries himself," Pearce said. "He's a big family guy, on and off the field, and he's just a great athlete."
Pearce is a professional hitter, but he's unable to swing a bat while being treated for a sore right wrist.
"I could play through it if I wanted to," he said. "We have the luxury, being in first place, having the playoffs coming up, that we could work in a couple days off.
"Three days. I've' taken three days off before."
The Orioles just need Pearce to remain patient and not rush the process. He's been able to stay on the field for most of the season. The club can't afford to lose him for an extended period.
"I stayed healthy and that's something I realize I haven't been able to do," he said. "It's always something like a freak accident or just overworking. Come late in the season, I've always been held up because of how hard I was working."
Showalter was asked whether Pearce's injury forced him to adjust his Division Series roster.
"Not at this point," he replied. "There are some things. Right now, I'm thinking half-full glass and there will not be a consideration of what could happen. Understand that you could replace an injured player during the series. That kind of keeps me from having too much effect on the roster.
"We know where the decisions are on the roster, as do the players. They know. You make a mistake thinking they don't know. They know exactly where the decisions are."
Showalter will keep a few extra players in case he needs an injury replacement. It's easier than rushing someone from Sarasota.
"There are some guys that will go with us," he said. "Conventional thought is you take one pitcher, one reliever, one catcher, one infielder, one outfielder. Say we're playing the 6 o'clock game and somebody gets hurt that night and you've got a 1 o'clock game the next day. You can't get that guy back from Sarasota. You'd be traveling all day, and you're leaning on the airline industry, which ain't a good lean.
"My first thought is to have each position covered directly with someone who's there with us, but somebody who's been with us all year, I'm not inclined to send them to Sarasota. I think they deserve to be here if they don't make the roster."
That last part will lead to some tough conversations in the manager's office. It's not easy to exclude a player who's been with the team since opening day.
"I've had them before. It's tough. It hurts. It hurts me more than it hurts them," Showalter said.
"The problem is I hate to be rushed with a conversation if we have to turn (the roster) in at 10 o'clock the day of a game, to go through these workouts. I would like to have this all taken care of before we have a workout on Tuesday and Wednesday, have it settled. Whatever comes out of it, the smoke or embers come out of it, I want to deal with it Tuesday or Wednesday because there's a time to close ranks, and we're getting ready to do that on Tuesday. We're going to close ranks.
"The extra people who are here, extra batting practice pitchers, extra coaches, we're going to close ranks. It's that time. I'd like to be able to tell them Monday or Tuesday. Dan (Duquette) and I and the staff are going to meet on Monday, that off day."
You can tell that Showalter has no intention of waiting until 10 a.m. before Game 1 to submit his roster.
"I plan on having it all wired, so as soon as I know (which) team, this roster, bang," he said. "I don't foresee a lot of wholesale changes. There are only one or two decisions."
Update: The Red Sox scored with two outs in the fifth to lead 2-0.
Former Oriole Jemile Weeks singled with two outs, Daniel Nava walked and Yoenis Cespedes singled up the middle.
Weeks replaced Xander Bogaerts, who left the game with neck stiffness.
Gonzalez has allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. He's thrown 93 pitches.
Ryan Webb was warming in the fifth.
Joe Kelly has held the Orioles to two hits.
Update II: David Ross hit a home run off Gonzalez with two outs in the sixth to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Gonzalez's streak of quality starts ended at six. He allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks, seven strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 107 pitches, 75 strikes.
Gonzalez hadn't allowed two home runs in a game since Aug. 2 against the Mariners.
Update III: The Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the sixth on David Lough's RBI double and Nelson Cruz's grounder.
Alejandro De Aza led off with a walk and raced home on Lough's double. Lough took third on Delmon Young's long fly ball to center field.
Today's attendance: 38,329. The 80-date season total is 2,464,473, the highest since 2005.
Update IV: The Orioles lose to the Red Sox 3-2 and finish 50-31 at home during the regular season.
The Orioles lost two of three games in the series.
"Couldn't have made a bad (decision)," said manager Buck Showalter. "There were lots of people deserving. Hard to argue with Nelson, with the year he's had. Think other than one stretch - I've kind of followed his career batting - probably the most consistent year he's ever had. He had a little stretch there, but he's just been a rock for us. Seems like he's been able to dial up what we need every day. And I tell you what, he's played a pretty good outfield.
"He's kind of accepting the 50-50 DHing during the year has helped him stay healthy. I was going to play him in right today, but I didn't want to do the night-day thing with his legs. Talked to him last night after the game about taking today and he said, 'I feel really good. I'd like to play.'
"He came in this year, he didn't have a chip on his shoulder, he just came in with something to prove about some of the questions people had about him, about why they didn't commit to him more long-term. He's put himself in a good position in his career. He doesn't like talking about that stuff right now. He's got his priorities and his tunnel vision going for the rest of the year. Keep in mind this guy came within a very small thing of a couple world championships. He wants to close the deal here."
The Orioles aren't having serious talks with Cruz about a contract extension. They're likely to make a qualifying offer and will take the draft pick if he declines it.
Steve Pearce received votes for Most Valuable Oriole, but he didn't crack the top three. He seemed to endorse Cruz.
"We knew he was a star before he got here, and just playing alongside him, the way he carries himself," Pearce said. "He's a big family guy, on and off the field, and he's just a great athlete."
Pearce is a professional hitter, but he's unable to swing a bat while being treated for a sore right wrist.
"I could play through it if I wanted to," he said. "We have the luxury, being in first place, having the playoffs coming up, that we could work in a couple days off.
"Three days. I've' taken three days off before."
The Orioles just need Pearce to remain patient and not rush the process. He's been able to stay on the field for most of the season. The club can't afford to lose him for an extended period.
"I stayed healthy and that's something I realize I haven't been able to do," he said. "It's always something like a freak accident or just overworking. Come late in the season, I've always been held up because of how hard I was working."
Showalter was asked whether Pearce's injury forced him to adjust his Division Series roster.
"Not at this point," he replied. "There are some things. Right now, I'm thinking half-full glass and there will not be a consideration of what could happen. Understand that you could replace an injured player during the series. That kind of keeps me from having too much effect on the roster.
"We know where the decisions are on the roster, as do the players. They know. You make a mistake thinking they don't know. They know exactly where the decisions are."
Showalter will keep a few extra players in case he needs an injury replacement. It's easier than rushing someone from Sarasota.
"There are some guys that will go with us," he said. "Conventional thought is you take one pitcher, one reliever, one catcher, one infielder, one outfielder. Say we're playing the 6 o'clock game and somebody gets hurt that night and you've got a 1 o'clock game the next day. You can't get that guy back from Sarasota. You'd be traveling all day, and you're leaning on the airline industry, which ain't a good lean.
"My first thought is to have each position covered directly with someone who's there with us, but somebody who's been with us all year, I'm not inclined to send them to Sarasota. I think they deserve to be here if they don't make the roster."
That last part will lead to some tough conversations in the manager's office. It's not easy to exclude a player who's been with the team since opening day.
"I've had them before. It's tough. It hurts. It hurts me more than it hurts them," Showalter said.
"The problem is I hate to be rushed with a conversation if we have to turn (the roster) in at 10 o'clock the day of a game, to go through these workouts. I would like to have this all taken care of before we have a workout on Tuesday and Wednesday, have it settled. Whatever comes out of it, the smoke or embers come out of it, I want to deal with it Tuesday or Wednesday because there's a time to close ranks, and we're getting ready to do that on Tuesday. We're going to close ranks.
"The extra people who are here, extra batting practice pitchers, extra coaches, we're going to close ranks. It's that time. I'd like to be able to tell them Monday or Tuesday. Dan (Duquette) and I and the staff are going to meet on Monday, that off day."
You can tell that Showalter has no intention of waiting until 10 a.m. before Game 1 to submit his roster.
"I plan on having it all wired, so as soon as I know (which) team, this roster, bang," he said. "I don't foresee a lot of wholesale changes. There are only one or two decisions."
Update: The Red Sox scored with two outs in the fifth to lead 2-0.
Former Oriole Jemile Weeks singled with two outs, Daniel Nava walked and Yoenis Cespedes singled up the middle.
Weeks replaced Xander Bogaerts, who left the game with neck stiffness.
Gonzalez has allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. He's thrown 93 pitches.
Ryan Webb was warming in the fifth.
Joe Kelly has held the Orioles to two hits.
Update II: David Ross hit a home run off Gonzalez with two outs in the sixth to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Gonzalez's streak of quality starts ended at six. He allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks, seven strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 107 pitches, 75 strikes.
Gonzalez hadn't allowed two home runs in a game since Aug. 2 against the Mariners.
Update III: The Orioles scored twice in the bottom of the sixth on David Lough's RBI double and Nelson Cruz's grounder.
Alejandro De Aza led off with a walk and raced home on Lough's double. Lough took third on Delmon Young's long fly ball to center field.
Today's attendance: 38,329. The 80-date season total is 2,464,473, the highest since 2005.
Update IV: The Orioles lose to the Red Sox 3-2 and finish 50-31 at home during the regular season.
The Orioles lost two of three games in the series.
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