April in the rear view mirror

April in the rear view mirror
Maybe it's just my sense of humor, but I think the Orioles should make Vladimir Guerrero walk to U.S. Cellular field today. No team shuttle, no cabs. Guerrero went the entire month of April without a walk. And without a 3-0 count. At some point this season, a manager will order an intentional walk with first base open, and Guerrero will swing at two of the pitches. Maybe three. The Orioles finished the month of April with a 12-13 record, their most wins in the first month since 2007. That...

Good stuff from Gonzalez (updated)

Good stuff from Gonzalez (updated)
The last time Michael Gonzalez took the mound, he threw 25 pitches in one-third of an inning and was booed by the Camden Yards crowd as he walked to the dugout with his head down. Gonzalez was charged with two runs and two hits in a 6-2 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday. He was encouraged afterward, despite the numbers, and manager Buck Showalter stated that the left-hander would find much better results if he brought the same stuff into his future appearances. Well, Gonzalez pitched two...

A few observations (updated)

A few observations (updated)
Not to keep comparing Matt Wieters to Jake Fox behind the plate, but Adam Jones' throw to the plate in the sixth easily beat Alexei Ramirez. However, Fox couldn't hold onto the ball, and Alex Rios was credited with a sacrifice fly that cut the Orioles' lead to 2-1. Pretty gutsy of manager Buck Showalter to bring in left-hander Michael Gonzalez with the bases loaded and no outs. Gonzalez should have been back in the dugout without a run scoring. Gonzalez struck out two and induced a fly...

Orioles receive Hester to complete Reynolds trade

Orioles receive Hester to complete Reynolds trade
When the Orioles traded relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Dec. 6 for third baseman Mark Reynolds, they also were supposed to receive a player to be named later. It's later. And he's been named. The Orioles also have received catcher John Hester, who was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Hester, a 13th-round pick out of Stanford in the 2006 draft, is batting .263 with three doubles, one homer and five RBIs in 10 games with Triple-A Reno. He's thrown out...

Orioles and White Sox lineups

Orioles and White Sox lineups
With an afternoon game looming tomorrow, Jake Fox will start behind the plate tonight while Matt Wieters rests. For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Jake Fox C Robert Andino SS Chris Tillman RHP For the White Sox: Juan Pierre LF Alexei Ramirez SS Carlos Quentin RF Paul Konerko DH Adam Dunn 1B Alex Rios CF A.J. Pierzynski C Mark Teahen 3B Gordon Beckham 2B Philip Humber RHP

A few random pregame notes

A few random pregame notes
I hope you're not playing a drinking game where you do a shot each time Vladimir Guerrero draws a walk. Then again, if you plan on driving later, it's the perfect game. Guerrero is the first non-pitcher in Orioles history to not draw a walk in his first 100 plate appearances. He walked 35 times with the Rangers last season. If it happens during a game at Camden Yards, I really hope the Orioles halt play and retrieve the ball for him. The pitcher could sign it first. The Orioles have...

Wieters busting out, Orioles win 10-4

Wieters busting out, Orioles win 10-4
I had to use some form of the word "bust." Matt Wieters is having himself quite a night. He's doubled, homered, driven in four runs and scored twice, and the Orioles have taken a 10-4 lead over the White Sox in the seventh inning. Wieters is 9-for-10 with two doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs with runners in scoring position this season. With two outs, he's 6-for-7 with two doubles and 10 RBIs. Matt Wieters talks about his big night at the plate as the O's beat Chicago 10-4 For the...

Now it's Tillman's time

Now it's Tillman's time
Too bad White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen didn't tweet last night. I bet he could have strung together lots of profanities in 140 characters. Brian Roberts leads the Orioles with 19 RBIs. If you predicted it back in spring training, you're wasting your talents doing whatever you do for a living. It was interesting that Roberts told reporters in Chicago he's been dealing with a sore hamstring that kept him from stealing bases. We assumed he was being cautious, at the urging of the club,...

Observations on Scott and Lee (and Wieters, Rapada)

Observations on Scott and Lee (and Wieters, Rapada)
Luke Scott was 0-for-8 against left-handers this season before homering off White Sox starter John Danks in the top of the fourth inning. Scott is a career .242 hitter in 476 at-bats against southpaws, compared to .275 in 1,612 at-bats against right-handers. Derrek Lee has hit safely in seven of his last nine games. He's got seven hits in his last 16 at-bats, with RBIs the last two nights. Down on the farm, second baseman Ryan Adams is 3-for-4 with an RBI for Triple-A Norfolk, raising his...

Unraveling early for Arrieta (updated)

Unraveling early for Arrieta (updated)
Jake Arrieta had gone six innings in four of his five starts this season. Doing it again tonight will be a challenge. Arrieta gave up three runs in the bottom of the second inning tonight, two coming on A.J. Pierzynski's home run. A double by Mark Teahan and a two-out single by Juan Pierre increased Chicago's lead to 3-0. Run-scoring singles by Brian Roberts and Derrek Lee in the third cut the lead to 3-2. Lee came through with two outs, after a hard slide by Roberts broke up a potential...

Reimold homers tonight

Reimold homers tonight
Triple-A Norfolk left fielder Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer in the first inning tonight, giving the Tides an early lead against Indianapolis. Reimold, who connected against former Orioles left-hander Brian Burres, is batting .250 with three homers and 11 RBIs. Josh Bell remains out of the lineup with a sore left knee. Blake Davis is starting at third base. Also, Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Chicago that left-hander Brian Matusz will throw two or three innings in an...

Orioles lineup against White Sox

Orioles lineup against White Sox
Here's the lineup that the Orioles will use tonight while attempting to improve on their 1-5 record against left-handed starters: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Robert Andino SS Jake Arrieta RHP
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Guillen won't manage against Orioles for two nights

Guillen won't manage against Orioles for two nights
Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen won't be in the dugout for the first two games of his team's series against the Orioles, which begins tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. Major League Baseball sent out a press release announcing that Guillen has been suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount for "his actions on the field following the top of the first inning of his club's game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, April 27th at Yankee Stadium, and for his comments via...

Random pregame notes

Random pregame notes
The Orioles are in search of their 11th win of the season after not winning their 11th game in 2010 until May 13. They're 4-4 in series-opening games this year and 18-8 since Buck Showalter took over as manager Aug. 3. Adam Jones has hit safely in nine of his last 12 games, raising his average from .189 to .231. Derrek Lee has batted .297 with four multi-hit games and a .333 on-base percentage since the start of the last homestand, raising his average to .247. Over the last three games, the...

Going badly for Gonzalez

Going badly for Gonzalez
Last night's 6-2 loss to the Red Sox has to be hung on the bullpen. Brad Bergesen allowed two runs over six innings in his best start of the season, but Jim Johnson and Michael Gonzalez were charged with two runs apiece, and Jason Berken let two inherited runners score. The offense managed only two runs and four hits, but I wasn't expecting fireworks with Jon Lester on the mound. Gonzalez was booed as he left it. The heat's no longer on Kevin Gregg. Not that fans have embraced Gonzalez in...

Bergesen and Johnson talk about 6-2 loss

Bergesen and Johnson talk about 6-2 loss
I'll start with Brad Bergesen: Brad Bergesen meets with the media in the locker room after the Orioles 6-2 loss to Boston "Tonight, I felt like I kept us in the ballgame," he said. "I was facing a tough lineup like that and you know (Jon) Lester, his career against the Orioles, I knew just every pitch mattered tonight. I think the biggest thing for me was the sixth inning, getting in that jam and being able to get out of it. It was huge for me. I was very fortunate to be able to get...

Gonzalez on Gonzalez

Gonzalez on Gonzalez
Left-hander Michael Gonzalez allowed an inherited runner to score tonight, and he was charged with two runs of his own to raise his ERA to 13.50. Michael Gonzalez talks about how good he felt on the mound even though he had a tough night against the Red Sox "I feel bad about giving up that run of J.J.'s. I didn't want to give up (Johnson's) run. That's what I feel bad about," he said. "The results, seriously, I don't feel bad or frustrated whatsoever. What I wanted was to go out...

Postgame Showalter

Postgame Showalter
Manager Buck Showalter talked about pitchers Brad Bergesen, Michael Gonzalez and Jim Johnson following tonight's 6-2 loss to the Red Sox. Buck Showalter sits down with the media to talk about the O's 6-2 loss to Boston On Bergesen: "Pretty good, pretty good. He gave us a good chance to win, something we talked about before the game. He made some pitches when he had to. I think Mark (Connor) was looking at six or seven balls that they hit hard. They had a swinging bunt and a couple...

J. Johnson gives up run, S. Johnson shines

J. Johnson gives up run, S. Johnson shines
The Redskins are on the clock. Owner Daniel Snyder wants a pass rusher. He's trying to draft Dexter Manley. Jim Johnson allowed the tie-breaking run with two outs in the seventh on Dustin Pedroia's second infield hit, a swinging bunt that Mark Reynolds tried unsuccessfully to barehand. Carl Crawford scored after leading off the inning with a double. Double-A Bowie gained a split of its doubleheader by beating Akron in the nightcap, 4-2. Steve Johnson, returned to the Baysox's roster...

Updating here and there (Bergy done)

Updating here and there (Bergy done)
I just found out that I'm on the clock, so I better hurry and file an entry. I hope you consider this blog a need pick. Brad Bergesen has held the Red Sox to two runs over five innings, both RBIs coming from Adrian Gonzalez. He's allowed four hits, walked one and struck out three. Bergesen has retired seven in a row. He's thrown 68 pitches, 45 for strikes. Before tonight, Bergesen was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA and had allowed 10 earned runs (13 total) and 19 hits in 14 2/3 innings. Jon Lester...