Josh Michael: Breaking down a pair of promising pitching prospects

Josh Michael: Breaking down a pair of promising pitching prospects
The 2018 minor league season will kick off Thursday, and I for one am extremely excited because the state of the Orioles' farm system has vastly improved over the past few years. Today, I want to highlight two pitchers that most O's fans are not very familiar with, but are prospects that I am very excited about. First up is a lefty who almost wasn't even an Oriole. Cameron Bishop, 22, was selected by the Orioles in the 26th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal-Irvine. His...

Orioles lineup vs. Twins

Orioles lineup vs. Twins
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manny Machado is serving as the designated hitter tonight, Luis Sardiñas is the shortstop and Danny Valencia is the third baseman for the Orioles' 6:05 p.m. game against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Anthony Santander is the right fielder and Craig Gentry is in center. Chris Davis continues to accumulate at-bats as the leadoff hitter. Chris Tillman is starting tonight and the bullpen includes Joely Rodriguez, Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo, Andrew Faulkner, Lucas Long and James...

Wrapping up a 7-5 win

Wrapping up a 7-5 win
FORT MYERS, Fla. - James Teague notched his fifth save today, earning his role as Grapefruit League ninth-inning specialist, and the Orioles defeated the Twins 7-5. Teague, a 37th-round pick in 2016 out of the University of Arkansas, hasn't allowed a run in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up a one-out double today and struck out the next batter on a 96 mph fastball. Chris Tillman's first Grapefruit League start produced six walks in two-plus innings and he was charged with four runs - three scoring...

Wrapping up a 4-0 split-squad win

Wrapping up a 4-0 split-squad win
SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Cashner gave the Orioles four scoreless innings tonight and also gave manager Buck Showalter further confirmation that the club handled the right-hander properly after he signed late. The two simulated games on Field 4 were a nice platform for tonight's debut, with Cashner allowing only a bunt single by the Phillies' Pedro Florimón in the Orioles' 4-0 split-squad victory at Ed Smith Stadium. "The schedule he's been on with his sim games, he was good," Showalter...

Mike Wright Jr. on today's outing (O's win 7-2, more quotes)

Mike Wright Jr. on today's outing (O's win 7-2, more quotes)
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Danny Valencia has an RBI double today off Rays left-hander Anthony Banda and a two-run double off right-hander Yonny Chirinos. He's trying to demonstrate that he's an equal opportunity masher and not just a platoon player. Valencia is 4-for-9 with three doubles, a home run and four RBIs since signing a minor league deal with the Orioles and vowing to make the major league club. The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth and took a 7-2 lead. Tim Beckham had a...

Reviewing the first half of spring training

Reviewing the first half of spring training
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have inched past the halfway point of spring training. More players will be removed from the camp roster, the competition for various jobs will be narrowed. Manager Buck Showalter said it's too early for a noticeable increase in "tempo." But it's coming. "After the off-day, I don't think we're quite that far into it yet," he said. "We've got 20-something days after the break." With Erick Salcedo reassigned to minor league camp, the in-house choices for...

Araujo getting noticed in crowded Rule 5 field

Araujo getting noticed in crowded Rule 5 field
SARASOTA, Fla. - So much gets lost over the course of a game, especially when a top pitching prospect has overcome a series of injuries to make his first career Grapefruit League start and another promising hurler walks off the field after one batter with an oblique injury. Hunter Harvey and Chris Lee overshadowed right-hander Pedro Araujo yesterday, for good and bad reasons. No one is celebrating Lee's latest physical ailment, which requires an MRI this morning and likely will sideline him...

Chris Lee's oblique injury and a 2-1 win (updated)

Chris Lee's oblique injury and a 2-1 win (updated)
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Chris Lee most likely injured his right oblique today while facing only one batter. The club will know more about the injury later and how long it could keep him off the mound. Lee appeared in only eight games with Double-A Bowie in 2016 due to an injury to his left lat muscle. He departed today after replacing starter Hunter Harvey, throwing two pitches and inducing a ground ball from Denard Span leading off the bottom of the third...