Orioles select Paul Janish's contract from Norfolk

KANSAS CITY - The Orioles selected the contract of shortstop Paul Janish from Triple-A Norfolk today and placed catcher Steve Clevenger on the paternity list.

Clevenger is expected to rejoin the club Friday in Arlington. In the meantime, his wife Tiffany gave birth today to Peyton Lee Clevenger at 1:09 p.m.

Peyton is 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 19.5 inches long. Mother and baby are doing well. The Pride of Pigtown must be bursting with pride.

The Orioles summoned Janish as shortstop insurance while J.J. Hardy is on the disabled list with a strained groin. He's a plus-defender, with only four errors in 407 chances and a .990 fielding percentage that leads International League shortstops. They're not concerned about his lack of offensive production.

Janish, 32, is batting .235/.313/.272 with seven doubles, two triples and 21 RBIs in 95 games at Norfolk. The Orioles signed him to a minor league deal on Nov. 20.

Janish hasn't appeared a major league game since Sept. 29, 2013 with the Braves. His last at-bat came six days earlier.

In 431 career major league games, Janish has hit .214/.284/.288 with 55 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 81 RBIs. He's committed only 22 errors in 344 games and 2,430 2/3 innings at shortstop, posting a .983 fielding percentage.

Janish, who will wear No. 15, was held back in the early days of spring training while recovering from surgery in February to remove bone chips from his right elbow.

Clevenger, 29, is batting .391/.417/.543 (18-46) with four doubles, a home run and seven RBIs in 13 games with the Orioles this season, including an active eight-game hitting streak that's the longest of his career. He's 13-for-32 (.406) during the streak.

The Orioles also outrighted knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa to Norfolk after he cleared waivers. The 40-man roster remains at 37.

Gamboa is 8-10 with a 4.36 ERA in 24 games, including 18 starts, this season.