Gonzalez traded to Rangers, Tatum catching tonight (more)

Gonzalez traded to Rangers, Tatum catching tonight (more)
The Orioles traded left-hander Michael Gonzalez to the Texas Rangers today for a player to be named later. They just sent out a press release. The Orioles recalled left-hander Zach Phillips from Triple-A Norfolk to take Gonzalez's place on the 25-man roster. Gonzalez, 33, went 2-2 with one save and a 4.27 ERA in 49 appearances this season. He hasn't allowed a run in 13 straight outings, surrendering five hits, walking one and striking out 15 over 12 1/3 innings. Gonzalez went 1-3 with one...

Phillips to be recalled

Phillips to be recalled
The Orioles are prepared to make a move to expand their roster by recalling left-hander

Showalter speaks after 6-5, 10-inning win

Showalter speaks after 6-5, 10-inning win
Talk about riding a roller coaster of emotions. The Orioles should be dizzy from the last two innings of tonight's game, which ended with a 6-5 victory on Ryan Adams' walk-off single in the 10th. Kevin Gregg blew the save in the ninth by allowing the tying run, but the Blue Jays left the bases loaded. "I try to dwell on some of the positives," manager Buck Showalter said. "A lot of guys would have let that inning get real big and away from him, and he held them to one run. He's had some...

Gregg blows save in bizarre fashion (O's win, 6-5)

Gregg blows save in bizarre fashion (O's win, 6-5)
The Orioles could have given closer Kevin Gregg a bigger margin for error in the bottom of the eighth after loading the bases with one out, but their failure to score meant the right-hander would have to protect a one-run lead. He couldn't do it. And it almost defies explanation. Gregg hadn't allowed a run in his last three appearances since the meltdown in Anaheim, when he failed to retire a batter for the second time in four outings. Gregg gave up a single to J.P Arencibia on the first...

Tackling rumors, reports and rules

Tackling rumors, reports and rules
The Orioles will be facing Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez tonight. Let me know if you have a full scouting report. Don't skimp on the details. Jo-Jo Reyes will battle his former team. He's started against the Blue Jays once in his career and held them to one run over seven innings - and lost. I've been asked many times over the last few days about comments Michael Kay made on the YES Network during a recent Orioles-Yankees game. My head hurts from responding. And it's...

Guthrie's big-time escape act (Bell injured at Norfolk)

Guthrie's big-time escape act (Bell injured at Norfolk)
The Orioles tied tonight's game in the bottom of the fourth on Robert Andino's two-out double and Toronto left-hander Brett Cecil's throwing error. The Blue Jays almost untied it in the top of the fifth, and they're still wondering how they botched that assignment. They loaded the bases with no outs against Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie on Eric Thomas' double, Matt Wieters' error and Adam Lind's single to right. Thomas was held at third, a smart decision given the situation and right...

Guthrie walks Orioles into 3-0 hole (Wieters homers)

Guthrie walks Orioles into 3-0 hole (Wieters homers)
Nothing good happens after a walk. Nothing good happens after two walks. Bad, bad stuff can happen. Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie issued back-to-back walks to Edwin Encarnacion and Kelly Johnson with one out in the second inning, and Brett Lawrie followed with a 385-foot shot to left field to give the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead. In his last start, Guthrie held the Twins to one run over seven innings. He won't be quite that good tonight. Lawrie's blast is the only hit off Guthrie in two...

Hendrickson will return to 40-man roster (and more notes)

Hendrickson will return to 40-man roster (and more notes)
I have a few notes to pass along from manager Buck Showalter's pregame session with the media, beginning with news on left-hander Mark Hendrickson. The Orioles placed Hendrickson on optional waivers today, the same procedure that Troy Patton went through earlier this summer. As I explained back then, it takes two business days to clear and no team will claim him. It's sort of a gentleman's agreement. Happens all the time in baseball. Hendrickson came off the 40-man roster to make room for...

Familiar lineup for Orioles

Familiar lineup for Orioles
The Orioles aren't making any drastic changes to their lineup, or doing a whole lot of tweaking. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Robert Andino 3B Nolan Reimold LF Ryan Adams 2B Jeremy Guthrie RHP Reliever Jason Berken and his wife, Emily, are the proud parents of a baby girl, Hadley Lane, who was born at 12:04 p.m. Hadley weighs 5 pounds, 12 ounces. All are doing well.
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Patton reinstated, Hendrickson DFA

Patton reinstated, Hendrickson DFA
The Orioles reinstated left-hander Troy Patton from the restricted list, placing him back on the 25-man and 40-man rosters. Patton left the team over the weekend to attend a hearing yesterday in Houston related to his DWI arrest over the winter. To make room for Patton, the Orioles once again have designated left-hander Mark Hendrickson for assignment. Hendrickson appeared in one game after replacing Patton, allowing one run and two hits in one inning against the Yankees in Game 2 of...

No trades imminent as another deadline approaches

No trades imminent as another deadline approaches
I woke up this morning with 4,000 Twitter followers. No wonder I didn't get any of the covers. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told me yesterday that he isn't close to making any deals before tomorrow's deadline for contending teams to set their playoff rosters. You know how things can change with one phone call, so don't read too much into it. However, something new would have to develop within the next day. Nothing is percolating. I've heard that the usual suspects...

Showalter speaks after 3-2 loss

Showalter speaks after 3-2 loss
The Orioles are 15-28 in series finales after tonight's 3-2 loss to the Yankees. New York improves to 29-14. The Orioles have lost their last six games decided by one run at home since a 3-2 victory over the Angels on July 23. Manager Buck Showalter delivered heavy praise to starter Alfredo Simon, who allowed three runs and four hits over seven innings. Buck Showalter gives praise to Alfredo Simon's outing and some potentially career-best seasons "He was really good. He was really...

Simon strengthens case for rotation spot (O's lose, 3-2)

Simon strengthens case for rotation spot (O's lose, 3-2)
Alfredo Simon tied his career high with 114 pitches tonight. The last time he did it? His last start on Aug. 23 against the Twins. OK, he's stretched out to be a starter. Simon can't win tonight, as he left after the seventh inning with the Orioles losing, 3-1, but he deserves a better fate. He held the Yankees to three runs and four hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. That's more impressive than controlling the offensively-challenged Twins in their ballpark. Simon has allowed four...

Simon found groove and lost it (updated)

Simon found groove and lost it (updated)
If that headline sounds familiar, I wrote the same one for Brian Matusz last night. Remember how Matusz retired nine in a row in Game 2 before Mark Teixeira singled with one out in the sixth and Robinson Cano followed with a home run? Well, Alfredo Simon retired nine Yankees in a row tonight before Cano singled with one out in the fourth and Nick Swisher followed with his 21st home run. Yankees 3, Orioles 0. Swisher has six homers in his last seven games. He hit No. 20 last night after...

Showalter pre-game quotes

Showalter pre-game quotes
In case you missed the sight of manager Buck Showalter's voice, here are some comments from his pregame session with the media. On adding players Thursday when rosters can expand: "I think it's got to serve a purpose, whether it be what the club needs or what the organization needs to make better decisions in the offseason. I know Andy (MacPhail) feels the same way. We've got some people in mind that fit, but things could change." On whether Jim Johnson needs to start next month to be...

A few pregame notes (and Yankees lineup)

A few pregame notes (and Yankees lineup)
First baseman Chris Davis will swing a bat tomorrow down in Sarasota as he begins baseball activities. Jason Berken will head to Sarasota later this week to begin a throwing program after his wife is induced at 6 a.m. tomorrow. He'll hold his baby girl before holding a baseball. The Orioles want Berken to pitch in a few games in September before he comes off the disabled list, but the minor league seasons end next week. They might have to organize simulated games at the minor league...

Orioles lineup against Yankees

Orioles lineup against Yankees
For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Adams 2B Nolan Reimold LF Robert Andino 3B Alfredo Simon RHP

Post-Game 2 Showalter

Post-Game 2 Showalter
J.J. Hardy extended his hitting streak to 11 games tonight. Mark Reynolds has hit in eight straight games, going 13-for-33 (.394). It wasn't all bad. The Orioles lost the nightcap, 8-3, to the Yankees. Brian Matusz gave up three of New York's five home runs, tying his career high, and has lost seven consecutive starts. "He got some balls elevated and had some trouble keeping the ball in the park," manager Buck Showalter said. "Kind of took some of the momentum we had away with (Curtis)...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Zach Britton threw 120 pitches in Game 1 of yesterday's doubleheader. That's the most by an Orioles starter against the Yankees since Sidney Ponson threw 128 on June 1, 2004 in New York. One of manager Buck Showalter's biggest peeves is young players who join the club and don't know how to bunt because they've hit in the middle of the lineup in the minors and assumed it wouldn't be necessary. He isn't aiming this rant at one particular player. He means just in general. A lot of guys...

Matusz found groove and lost it (updated twice)

Matusz found groove and lost it (updated twice)
The Yankees have hit four home runs tonight to account for all seven of their runs. Three of them came against left-hander Brian Matusz. Their ability to go deep has prevented Matusz from doing the same. He's done after 5 1/3 innings. Robinson Cano just broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth with a two-run shot to left, and Nick Swisher followed with a shot to left that forced manager Buck Showalter to go to his bullpen. Andruw Jones greeted reliever Chris Jakubauskas with a home run, the first time...