Updating Hardy and tonight's game

MINNESOTA - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy flew back to Baltimore yesterday morning and will see a hand specialist on Wednesday.

Hardy could be cleared to begin light activities as he recovers from a fractured bone in his right wrist.

(Why don't you hear about players seeing a wrist specialist?)

The Orioles placed Hardy on the disabled list retroactive to June 19, putting his appointment around the three-week mark. He seems to be progressing with no setbacks, though plenty of hurdles remain in front of him.

Don't underestimate Hardy's importance to the Orioles. They miss him at shortstop and don't consider anyone else to be an upgrade.

Maybe the two botched rundown plays in Milwaukee don't happen if Hardy is on the field. We'll never know, of course, but players who didn't have full spring trainings with the Orioles, including infielder Rubén Tejada and reliever Jimmy Yacabonis, were involved. So was catcher Welington Castillo, who left for the World Baseball Classic.

Tejada was in the Yankees' organization. Yacabonis was in minor league camp.

Manager Buck Showalter won't publicly call out anyone and he stressed yesterday that rundown plays have been practiced and dissected with regularity.

"Every time we have a thing on the field that's not done properly, we go over it in the next advance meeting with video and, 'Hold on, where's what happened, here's what we've got to do differently, don't forget this is the way we're supposed to do this.' And we've already done that with both of those plays," Showalter said.

"I can tell you exactly where the breakdown was and who did it and where they were in spring training, but that would be a very convenient excuse."

Hardy continues to wear a brace on the wrist and greet visitors with a left-handed shake. He accompanied the team to Milwaukee because of his fondness for the city, where he spent the first five seasons of his major league career and remains a popular figure with fans and the media.

Trivia: The Orioles sent minor league pitchers Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson to the Twins in December 2010 for Hardy and a second player. Name him. (No fair looking it up.)

The Orioles will try to win tonight for only the second time in eight games. One veteran said he's never been on a team that struggled for this long in the season. One month was doubtful. Definitely not two months.

Usually, as the player pointed out, one aspect of the team will provide a lift and cover for the sins of others - whether it's the offense bailing out the rotation or the starters holding down opponents while the hitters scuffle. But there isn't one component of the Orioles that's clicking, which unfortunately leads some fans to insist that the players have quit or aren't playing with maximum effort.

Kevin Gausman is raising hopes that he's back to his second-half form of last season. He hasn't allowed a run in his last two starts, with six hits and 13 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings. A 6.47 ERA has shrunk to 5.61.

Gausman is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in four career starts against the Twins. In two starts at Target Field, he's allowed 10 earned runs (11 total) and 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings.

Joe Mauer is 5-for-10 with a double and triple against Gausman and Miguel Sanó is 2-for-8 with two home runs. However, Mauer may not play again before the break because of a sore lower back. Don't be surprised if the Twins place him on the disabled list today.

The Twins are calling upon rookie right-hander Felix Jorge, making only his second major league start and appearance. He debuted July 1 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Royals and allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings.

Jorge, 23, made the jump from Double-A Chattanooga, where he was 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 14 starts. He's posted a 3.18 ERA and 1.182 WHIP in seven minor league seasons.

Jonathan Schoop had three hits last night and is batting .361 (22-for-61) in his last 16 games. Could he get the start tonight at shortstop, with Johnny Giavotella at second base? Why not take a look at him beside Manny Machado?

Mark Trumbo has a lifetime .302 average (42-for-139) with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs against the Twins. Machado was batting .323 (30-for-93) against them before this season, but he's 3-for-16 this year.

Trivia answer: The Orioles also acquired infielder Brendan Harris from the Twins. He played in 136 games with Triple-A Norfolk and never suited up with the Orioles.