Thome to undergo MRI on neck (updated)

Thome to undergo MRI on neck (updated)
NEW YORK - Designated hitter Jim Thome is returning to Baltimore and will undergo an MRI on his neck tomorrow to determine the cause of spasms that have kept him out of the lineup for the past three games. Thome is listed among the reserves tonight, but he won't be available to play. Thome tried to hit earlier today before giving up and meeting with manager Buck Showalter. "It's really not getting any better, to be honest," Thome said. "Maybe a little bit of improvement, but not much. I...

Thome out of lineup for third straight day with neck spasms

Thome out of lineup for third straight day with neck spasms
The Orioles have posted their lineup for tonight's 7:05 p.m. game against the Yankees, and it doesn't include designated hitter Jim Thome, who is still sidelined with neck spasms. Thome will miss his third straight start. Here's the lineup: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Lew Ford LF Wilson Betemit 3B Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP

The pros and cons of Joe Blanton

The pros and cons of Joe Blanton
NEW YORK - Not much has changed this morning. The Orioles are still one of the teams expressing interest in Joe Blanton. They've been scouting him. They've held talks with the Phillies. They're in on him, as we like to say in the business. Whether they have the most interest depends on what measuring device you use to make that determination. Maybe it's number of phone calls or scouts. Maybe it's text messages. Maybe it's the tone in executive vice president Dan Duquette's voice. But...

Random thoughts

Random thoughts
I thought about taking the midnight train going anywhere, but decided to begin today's journey by hopping on the 7:50 a.m. Northeast Regional to New York. I know you saw what I did there. The Orioles need to bring their offense to the Bronx. They scored six runs or more in three of their last four games. They've also been held to one run in four of their last seven. It comes and goes. The non-waiver trade deadline will do the same Tuesday afternoon, and I plan on wearing a black armband...

Showalter speaks after 6-1 win

Showalter speaks after 6-1 win
Manager Buck Showalter had his pick of impact players to talk about following today's 6-1 victory over the Athletics. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen seemed like a good starting point. "The breaking ball and the changeup have really gotten better since the spring," Showalter said. "He and Rick (Adair) have done a great job with it. That's made his fastball that much better. I've had some really good pitchers and on nights when they're carrying really good stuff, there always seems to be deep...

Quintanilla unwilling to surrender spotlight today (more on Chen)

Quintanilla unwilling to surrender spotlight today (more on Chen)
Lew Ford is playing in his first major league game since September 2007, and he's become an instant favorite of fans here who love drawing out the sound of his first name whenever he does anything - hits, runs the bases, catches a fly ball, throws out a runner, comes close to throwing out a runner, towels off his face in the dugout. Wei-Yin Chen set the record today for most strikeouts by a Taiwanese player in the majors with 12, and he received two standing ovations - once when the message...

Wieters gets it right (Eveland note and game update)

Wieters gets it right (Eveland note and game update)
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters missed two games with a sore right biceps. He's been missing a lot of pitches, too. Not today. Wieters, mired in a 1-for-31 slump, hit a three-run homer off Oakland left-hander Travis Blackley in the bottom of the third inning to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead. Wieters had struck out in 15 of his last 30 at-bats before today. He hadn't homered since July 5 in Anaheim, when he posted his last multi-RBI game by collecting four against the Angels. Southpaws tend to...

Roberts to undergo hip surgery

Roberts to undergo hip surgery
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts has decided to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip. Roberts played in one rehab game last night at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He was scheduled to play again tonight and perhaps be activated tomorrow in New York, but the persistent discomfort in his hip led to today's decision. One doctor recommended surgery, but a second suggested that Roberts attempt to rehab and continue playing. A cortisone injection hasn't...

Updates on Ford, Thome, Roberts, Andino, Wada, Hammel and Reimold

Updates on Ford, Thome, Roberts, Andino, Wada, Hammel and Reimold
Lew Ford is wearing No. 51. And a really big smile on his face. Ford debuted in the majors on May 29, 2003, replacing Torii Hunter in center field and collecting a single off the Mariners' Shigetoshi Hasegawa leading off the bottom of the ninth. Hasegawa had replaced former Orioles left-hander Arthur Rhodes. One of Ford's teammates with the Twins was current Double-A Bowie hitting coach Denny Hocking. Ford finished 24th in in the American League MVP voting back in 2004 after hitting...

Ford making Orioles debut today, Quintanilla at second base

Ford making Orioles debut today, Quintanilla at second base
Lew Ford will appear in his first major league game in five years today when he starts in left field and bats fifth for the Orioles. Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Lew Ford LF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis DH Wilson Betemit 3B Omar Quintanilla 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Athletics: Jemile Weeks 2B Jonny Gomes DH Josh Reddick RF Yoenis Cespedes CF Chris Carter 1B Brandon Inge 3B Derek Norris...

Ford and Flaherty: Both in Baltimore, but will both be playing today?

Ford and Flaherty: Both in Baltimore, but will both be playing today?
Outfielder Lew Ford has arrived in Baltimore. He tweeted a photo of his view overlooking Camden Yards. With the Athletics sending left-hander Travis Blackley to the mound today, Ford could appear in his first major league game since September 2007. Orioles manager Buck Showalter will have to choose between two left-handed hitters to play second base. Not exactly an advantageous matchup, but that's how the roster is constructed until Brian Roberts and Robert Andino come off the disabled list...

Socolovich optioned to make room for Ford (plus postgame quotes)

Socolovich optioned to make room for Ford (plus postgame quotes)
The Orioles announced after tonight's 6-1 loss to the Athletics that reliever Miguel Socolovich has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. No corresponding move was included in the press release, but the Orioles are purchasing outfielder Lew Ford's contract from the Tides. Socolovich allowed one run and two hits in a career-high 2 2/3 innings tonight, with no walks and three strikeouts. In two stints with the Orioles, he's permitted seven earned runs and seven hits in four games. Socolovich...

Homer hurts Hunter again (O's lose 6-1)

Homer hurts Hunter again (O's lose 6-1)
The Orioles and Athletics were scoreless through three innings tonight before the home run bug bit Tommy Hunter again. You know exactly where it got him. Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run shot deep into the left field seats in the fourth to give Oakland a 2-0 lead. Hunter started off Cespedes with four consecutive four-seam fastballs. He threw an 83 mph slider and Cespedes launched it for his 14th homer of the season. Hunter has allowed 23 homers in 99 1/3 innings. In four innings tonight,...

Ford expected to join Orioles tomorrow

Ford expected to join Orioles tomorrow
Needing a right-handed hitter and a deeper bench, the Orioles are prepared to purchase outfielder Lew Ford's contract from Triple-A Norfolk tomorrow and add him to the 25- and 40-man rosters. Ford is batting .331/.390/.550 with 14 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 40 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 62 games at Norfolk. He's not in the Tides' lineup tonight. Ford, 35, hasn't played in the majors since 2007 with the Twins. He's a career .272/.349/.402 hitter in 494 games over parts of...

Hearing from Andino, Wieters and Showalter

Hearing from Andino, Wieters and Showalter
Robert Andino took batting practice again today and is ready for his injury-rehab assignment to begin tomorrow at Triple-A Norfolk. Andino could be activated on Tuesday on the first day that he's eligible to come off the disabled list. "We'll see. I'll probably play two games and see what happens after that," he said. The original projection had Andino being out three to four weeks with a strained left shoulder, but he's way ahead of schedule. "Every day, it really got better," he...

Astros claim Pearce, and other notes

Astros claim Pearce, and other notes
The Houston Astros have claimed outfielder Steve Pearce off waivers from the Orioles, who were unsuccessful in working out a trade for him. Pearce batted .254/.321/.437 with four doubles, three homers and 14 RBIs in 28 games after the Orioles purchased him from the Yankees on June 2. They designated him for assignment on July 21 to make room for Omar Quintanilla. The Astros had first dibs on Pearce and took him. Pearce would have accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk if he...

Wieters out of lineup again tonight (with Thome update)

Wieters out of lineup again tonight (with Thome update)
Though Matt Wieters said his right biceps feels much better today, he remains out of the Orioles lineup for tonight's game against the Athletics. Endy Chavez is starting in left field and Chris Davis is serving as the designated hitter instead of Jim Thome, who sat in manager Buck Showalter's office early today. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Wilson Betemit 3B Endy Chavez LF Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Taylor Teagarden C Tommy...

Deadlines and commitments: What to leave in, what to leave out

Deadlines and commitments: What to leave in, what to leave out
The countdown continues to Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline. I'm thinking about selling T-shirts outside the ballpark. Or perhaps I'll just leave the country and avoid all the rumors. I was reminded yesterday by a member of the organization that just because a name is linked to the Orioles - usually via Twitter - doesn't mean they contacted the other team. It's often happening in reverse. Teams that are trying to unload pitchers know the Orioles are looking for another starter. I...

Johnson and Britton speak after 14-9 loss

Johnson and Britton speak after 14-9  loss
Closer Jim Johnson posted a 1.21 ERA in the first half of the season. He's allowed 13 earned runs, and 15 total, in 6 1/3 innings since the All-Star break. The six earned runs tonight are a career high for Johnson as a reliever. "I fell behind and a couple balls got through," he said. "It just kind of happened. It obviously wasn't my best day." Did it just snowball on him? "Eventually, with the results, it did," he said. "I didn't feel like that at the moment. I felt like the...

Showalter speaks after 14-9 loss

Showalter speaks after 14-9 loss
The Orioles are now 41-1 when leading after the eighth inning. They were ahead 9-8 going into the top of the ninth before Jim Johnson was charged with six runs in a 14-9 loss to the Athletics. Naturally, he was the focus of the early portion of manager Buck Showalter's postgame session with the media. "They didn't really square up a ball off him," Showalter said. "They had a ball chopped over there, and Mark (Reynolds) made a great play to start the inning. A flare down the line,...