Tonight's draft and game

NEW YORK - Maybe the start of the First-Year Player Draft tonight will serve as a nice distraction. Jiggling keys hasn't worked.

The Orioles hold the 21st, 60th and 74th picks, which will be announced tonight. I won't pretend to know everyone who's on their board, but they'll load up on pitching again this week.

College arms continue to bring the most appeal because they're closer to being major league ready. And the Orioles can't wait around if they're not going to spend on pitching.

You'll find North Carolina shortstop Logan Warmoth linked to the Orioles in some mock drafts and I know that they really like him. In fact, he's viewed as a possible successor to J.J. Hardy if the veteran isn't retained in 2018. He's that close.

College shortstops who can hit and field are usually popular on draft day and the Orlando native could be gone by the 21st pick. However, Baseball America ranks him as the 25th-best prospect in the draft.

Baseball America's latest mock draft had Warmoth going 22nd to the Blue Jays after the Orioles selected outfielder Heliot Ramos of Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

A switch-hitter in high school, Warmoth bats exclusively from the right side now and seems to be doing just fine while cementing his status as the best college shortstop.

Meanwhile, the Orioles continue their road trip with four games against the White Sox, who are 12-11 at home this season. The Orioles swept them in a three-game set at Camden Yards on May 5-7 to move 10 above .500.

Miley-Throws-White-Sidebar.jpgWade Miley would like to stick around a little longer in his rematch. OK, a lot longer. And without the bruises from two line drives that knocked him out of his start in the first inning.

I left Camden Yards before first pitch to enjoy a night off, only to receive a text from a friend saying, "When have you ever seen that happen?" I glanced at a television screen, saw Gabriel Ynoa pitching and used my reporter instincts to deduce that something strange happened to Miley.

Getting deeper into games isn't just a line drive issue for Miley. He's lasted five innings or fewer in six of 12 starts that weren't influenced by baseballs bouncing off his flesh.

Miley allowed four runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings against the Pirates in his most recent. He's 1-2 with a 6.98 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in four career starts against the White Sox over 19 1/3 innings and 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.317 WHIP in two starts in Chicago over 13 2/3 innings.

The current group of White Sox hitters are 22-for-58 (.379) against Miley. Melky Cabrera is 6-for-13 (.462) with two doubles and a home run. Todd Frazier is 5-for-15 (.333) with a double and home run.

The White Sox are sending Mike Pelfrey to the mound in the series opener. He's sporting a 3.80 ERA in nine starts and has allowed four earned runs (six total) in 21 1/3 innings in his last four starts.

Pelfrey has a 2.84 ERA in four home starts and a 4.50 ERA in five road starts.

Pelfrey is 2-0 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.699 WHIP in five career starts and 23 2/3 innings against the Orioles. Seth Smith is 9-for-20 (.450) with two doubles, a triple and a home run. Adam Jones is 6-for-15 (.400). Mark Trumbo is 5-for-12 (.417) with a home run.

Chris Davis and Manny Machado are 3-for-9. Davis has three doubles.

The Orioles are 33-for-91 (.363) against Pelfrey and hoping to get Machado back in the lineup tonight.




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