Cleaning out my notebook

Cleaning out my notebook
Chris Davis didn't attempt to lay down a bunt last night. He's not undergoing a complete makeover of his hitting philosophy. Davis is still in the business of driving in runs. His first career bunt single Monday night wasn't a sign that he's going to receive the bunt sign from third base coach Bobby Dickerson each time he steps to the plate. Davis took a few questions yesterday about Manny Machado's suspension before a reporter brought up his bunt. Davis smiled and responded as if it...

Showalter talks about Tillman and 1-0 loss

Showalter talks about Tillman and 1-0 loss
The Orioles have allowed one run in the last 18 innings. They've split the two games. They defeated the Red Sox last night after Bud Norris tossed eight scoreless innings, but were shut out 1-0 tonight at Camden Yards. "To give up one run in 18 innings," said manager Buck Showalter, "I'm real pleased with the way our guys have pitched the last couple nights." Chris Tillman endured two rain delays lasting 15 minutes and 1 hour, 18 minutes to work through the sixth inning. The only run...

Orioles have hit, but no lead (O's lose 1-0)

Orioles have hit, but no lead (O's lose 1-0)
The Orioles won't be no-hit tonight. Whether they win the game is another matter. Ryan Flaherty singled to center field with two outs in the sixth to break up Brandon Workman's no-hit bid. The Orioles' only baserunner had been Nelson Cruz, who walked with one out in the fifth and was doubled off first base on J.J. Hardy's pop up to second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Did he forget the number of outs? Overestimate his speed in getting back to first base? Flaherty committed an error with two...

Another rain delay (O's trail 1-0 in 3rd)

Another rain delay (O's trail 1-0 in 3rd)
You know how you try to watch a video and it keeps rebuffering? That's tonight's game. What kind of video? That's not important. Try to focus. We had a 15-minute rain delay at Camden Yards with one out in the top of the second inning, and the tarp's back on the field with one out in the bottom of the second. The grounds crew stayed behind the tarp after the first delay, knowing it would be called upon again. Chris Tillman threw six pitches in the first, allowing a leadoff single to...

More on Gonzalez, and Showalter on Machado

More on Gonzalez, and Showalter on Machado
Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez, on the disabled list with a strained right oblique, expects to report to Double-A Bowie within the next few days to begin an injury rehab assignment. Gonzalez is eligible to come off the DL on Sunday. Chris Tillman currently is slated to make that start against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. "I'm feeling great, other than my sinuses. It's going around. But I think it's a lot better," Gonzalez said. "Play catch today and then we'll talk about it after...

Davis on Machado: "Manny's a good kid. He's not a bad person"

Davis on Machado: "Manny's a good kid. He's not a bad person"
Orioles manager Buck Showalter indicated that third baseman Manny Machado could decide to drop the appeal of his five-game suspension, handed down today by Major League Baseball. It's currently under discussion. Otherwise, a hearing could be held next week in New York. The Orioles have an off day on June 19 before starting a three-game series against the Yankees on the following night. Ideally, the Orioles would prefer to have the suspension begin on the off-day. Though it wouldn't count as...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
Manny Machado is starting at third base tonight for the Orioles while appealing his five-game suspension. Adam Jones is serving as the designated hitter for the second consecutive game. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones DH Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS David Lough CF Caleb Joseph C Ryan Flaherty 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Red Sox Brock Holt LF Xander Bogaerts 3B Dustin Pedroia 2B David Ortiz DH Mike Napoli 1B Daniel Nava RF A.J. Pierzynski C Grady...

Machado receives five-game suspension and fine

Machado receives five-game suspension and fine
Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has been suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing his bat during Sunday's game against the Athletics at Camden Yards. Major League Baseball announced the suspension, which an industry source confirmed earlier today. Machado will appeal the suspension, according to a source, which allows him to remain in the lineup for tonight's game against the Red Sox. Oakland left-hander Fernando Abad has received a fine for an undisclosed...

This and that

This and that
Chris Davis reached base last night on a bunt single. I could hear fans everywhere rejoicing. Locking arms and dancing in circles. And still wondering why he didn't do it in extra innings with the winning run on third base. It's one way to beat the shift, though opposing managers gladly will let a guy who hit 53 home runs last season square up and do his best Mickey Rivers impression. Davis now has one career bunt hit. That's it. Maybe that's why he's not inclined to try it with the...

Jones and Showalter speak after 4-0 win

Jones and Showalter speak after 4-0 win
It's becoming a common sight with Adam Jones at the plate. If he hits a home run, the ball is going to right or right-center field. His shot to right-center in the first inning tonight off Boston's Jake Peavy got the Orioles started toward a 4-0 win before 19,729 at Camden Yards. Why the opposite-field approach? "You know me. I don't know," said Jones, who notched his 150th career homer. "Seeing the ball deep and hitting it. I don't know. I don't ask questions. "It helps. I'm...

Showalter on Wieters and Machado (O's win 4-0)

Showalter on Wieters and Machado (O's win 4-0)
Caleb Joseph, getting another start behind the plate tonight for the Orioles, threw out Boston leadoff hitter Brock Holt trying to steal second base in the top of the first inning. Joseph is 7-for-16 against runners attempting to steal this season. Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a leadoff single in the bottom of the first. Manny Machado grounded into a double play, but Adam Jones hit his 10th home run of the season to give the Orioles an early lead. Jones' ball...

Orioles option Brach, video of Machado interview

Orioles option Brach, video of Machado interview
The Orioles purchased reliever Josh Stinson's contract from Triple-A Norfolk today and optioned reliever Brad Brach. A fresh arm was needed tonight after starter Ubaldo Jimenez lasted only 2 1/3 innings yesterday and manager Buck Showalter used Brach and left-hander T.J. McFarland to cover the rest of the game. Stinson, 26, has gone 0-3 with a 5.19 ERA over 26 innings in nine games (two starts) for Norfolk, striking out a batter per inning. Brach, 28, has registered a 5.40 ERA over 18 1/3...

Wieters seeing Dr. Andrews next week

Wieters seeing Dr. Andrews next week
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will visit orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews next Monday in Gulf Breeze, Fla. after his latest throwing session today didn't produce the desired results. Wieters still is experiencing some discomfort in his right elbow, though manager Buck Showalter didn't classify it as a setback. Showalter also told reporters that today's session was one of the better ones since Wieters was cleared to throw. Surgery remains a possibility for Wieters. The Orioles will...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (Stinson here)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (Stinson here)
The Orioles welcome the Red Sox to town tonight. Despite the benches-clearing incident last night, Manny Machado is in the lineup again tonight, batting second. There has been no ruling so far on whether Machado will be suspended. Bud Norris will take the mound for the O's. He's 0-2 with a 4.56 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones DH Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS David Lough CF Caleb Joseph C Ryan Flaherty...

Clevenger receives weekly honor with Norfolk

Clevenger receives weekly honor with Norfolk
Triple-A Norfolk catcher Steve Clevenger, who broke camp as the backup to Matt Wieters in Baltimore, has been named the International League's Batter of the Week for the period from June 2-8. In his first full week in the league this season, Clevenger batted .593 with a .613 on-base percentage, 16 hits, seven doubles, 13 RBIs and nine runs scored. Clevenger went hitless in his first 11 at-bats with the Tides before stringing together five consecutive multi-hit games. He went 4-for-4 with...

More on Machado

More on Machado
There's no point in tossing out a bunch of topics this morning, since everything seems to lead back to Manny Machado. I provided as many details as possible yesterday on the latest incident between the Orioles and Athletics, with Fernando Abad throwing twice at Machado and the young third baseman losing control of the bat. And many would say, his emotions. Machado said it was accidental. The bat slipped out of his hands. The Athletics, I'm told, were fuming in the visiting clubhouse. They...

About today's 11-1 loss ...

About today's 11-1 loss ...
The Orioles and Athletics actually played a game this afternoon. It wasn't Major League Wrestlemania. Ubaldo Jimenez allowed six runs and walked five batters in 2 1/3 innings in an 11-1 loss at Camden Yards. The Orioles issued 11 walks on the day. It wasn't pretty by any stretch, but at least it gave Showalter something else to discuss besides Manny Machado's ejection. "(Jimenez) started out well," Showalter said. "The first two innings, it looked like we were going to get a quality...

Reaction to today's bench-clearing incident

Reaction to today's bench-clearing incident
If there's a way to mask an 11-1 loss, an ugly display that includes 11 walks, it's with another incident that empties the benches and bullpens and leads to more bad blood between two teams. The score seems like a side note. Third baseman Manny Machado was ejected in the eighth inning after the bat came out of his hands and spun toward Athletics third baseman Alberto Callaspo following consecutive inside pitches from reliever Fernando Abad. Abad also was ejected. Everyone inside the A's...

Machado in the middle of another scrum (O's lose 11-1)

Machado in the middle of another scrum (O's lose 11-1)
For the second time in this series, the benches and bullpens emptied because of an incident involving Orioles third baseman Manny Machado. Since when did Orioles-Athletics become such a heated rivalry? Machado jumped to his feet and got in third baseman Josh Donaldson's face Friday night after a tag that he deemed too aggressive. No punches were thrown and order was quickly restored. In the eighth inning today, Oakland left-hander Fernando Abad came inside twice on Machado on consecutive...

A Sunday walk at Camden Yards (Stinson scratched at Norfolk)

A Sunday walk at Camden Yards (Stinson scratched at Norfolk)
Orioles pitchers have issued 10 walks today. I'm pretty sure most teams tend to lose when that happens. Starter Ubaldo Jimenez was responsible for five free passes in 2 1/3 innings. Reliever Brad Brach issued five in two-plus innings. Oakland scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 10-0 lead. On only seven hits. Twice today, the Orioles walked Oakland's 7-9 batters in succession - Jimenez in the third and Brach in the fifth. The 10 walks are the most by the Orioles since a...