Weather, the roster and tonight's game

The Orioles are giving away Buck Showalter garden gnomes tonight to the first 25,000 fans 15 and over who are wearing snorkels and flippers.

Seriously though, we're supposed to get lots of rain. Keep your fingers crossed, unless you're using them to plug your nose.

I'm going to practice parking my inflatable raft in the A Lot.

Showalter doesn't sound enthused about the gnome and there's rain in the forecast. My suspicions were correct. He also controls the weather.

If the game is played, the Orioles must decide whether to put center fielder Adam Jones on the disabled list retroactive to June 21. It depends whether his right shoulder is sore after throwing yesterday.

As I wrote last night, the Orioles could recall left-hander T.J. McFarland and return to a seven-man bullpen. The other choice is having second baseman Jonathan Schoop come off the disabled list. Otherwise, Schoop likely would be activated before Monday night's game against the Rangers at Camden Yards.

No matter how much they stall, the Orioles must remove a position player within the next few days. No wonder executive vice president Dan Duquette is trying to consummate a trade. It beats designating a player for assignment and losing him with nothing in return.

"We're dealing with good players," Showalter said. "That's a good thing. (But) you've got five or six guys you could make a case for, and I have. I don't want to lose any of them. We're hoping they have this new rule about a 26-man club. Really, 27 would help.

"We knew this day was coming and it's a good thing, but the injuries haven't allowed us to get to this day. And I'm not ready to throw a blanket on Adam yet just for it to be a convenient move. He's too valuable."

Schoop certainly appears ready to get back to the majors. He looked good running sprints and rounding the bases yesterday, and he had a huge smile on his face while walking through the clubhouse after his workout. The guy was practically beaming.

"He's probably in the best shape of his life right now," Showalter said. "He looks lean. His body fat is the lowest it's been the last three or four years."

Chris Tillman won three consecutive starts before allowing six runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings Sunday in Toronto. The Orioles have scored 32 runs in his last two starts, winning 19-3 and 13-9.

Tillman allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings on June 5 in Cleveland to notch his first victory since April 18. He's 3-2 with a 4.73 ERA in six career starts against the Indians.

Jason Kipnis, who extended his hitting streak to 20 games last night, is 3-for-8 with a double, home run and four walks against Tillman. Mike Aviles is 3-for-8, David Murphy is 5-for-15 with a double, Michael Brantley is 3-for-9 with a double and Brandon Moss is 1-for-12.

Cody Anderson is making his second major league start after tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Rays in his debut. He was 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 10 starts with Double-A Akron and 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts with Triple-A Columbus.