Matthew Taylor: Everything I needed to know about Jim Johnson I learned back in June

Matthew Taylor: Everything I needed to know about Jim Johnson I learned back in  June
Jim Johnson's 51 saves in 2012 were the most in baseball and established a new Orioles record in the category. Despite all that success, Johnson's most memorable regular season moment for me was his first blown save, which demonstrated his resilience as well Buck Showalter's faith in his new closer. Little did I know at the time that it would also serve as foreshadowing for the American League Division Series. Johnson's blown save occurred June 5 at Fenway Park. He allowed a game-tying,...

Players react to Game 4 victory

Players react to Game 4 victory
NEW YORK - My favorite quote from the Orioles' clubhouse tonight was provided by shortstop J.J. Hardy, whose RBI double in the top of the 13th inning broke a 2-2 tie and allowed the Orioles to avoid elimination in the American League Division Series. The Orioles were hitting .208 in the Division Series coming into tonight, and the bats went cold again after Nate McLouth's home run in the fifth inning. "I don't know what it is," Hardy said. "Maybe it's the pressure, maybe it's the...

Does Johnson get the ball again tonight?

Does Johnson get the ball again tonight?
NEW YORK - It's a situation that manager Buck Showalter would sign up for in blood, to use one of his favorite expressions. The Orioles take a slim lead into the ninth inning tonight. Does Jim Johnson close Game 4 of the American League Division Series? Johnson threw 22 pitches last night, a fairly low total considering that he worked two innings. He's been kept busy lately, saving an Oct. 2 victory against the Rays, pitching the ninth inning in Friday's wild card game, losing Game 1 of...

Players react to 3-2, 12-inning loss

Players react to 3-2, 12-inning loss
NEW YORK - The Orioles had won 16 straight extra-inning games. They were 76-0 when leading after the seventh inning, including two playoff wins. Two streaks ended in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. "It's a tough loss, but we play again tomorrow and there's nothing this team is prepared more for than getting ready to go the next day after a tough loss," said catcher Matt Wieters, who was behind the plate when Raul Ibanez homered in the ninth and 12th innings. Ibanez...

Ibanez homers in the ninth and 12th to stun the O's in Game 3

Ibanez homers in the ninth and 12th to stun the O's in Game 3
That was a stunning, stunning loss for the Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez pitched his heart out. Two rookies homered. They were two outs away from a win and they lost 3-2 in 12 innings as the Yankees take a 2-1 lead in the American League Division Series. The Yankees pinch-hit Raul Ibanez for Alex Rodriguez, a $29 million dollar player this year, and Ibanez homered in the ninth to tie the game and in the 12th to win it. Two swings, two homers, one devastating loss for Baltimore. Ibanez stepped in...

Johnson back in form for Game 2

Johnson back in form for Game 2
Jim Johnson loaded the bases with two outs in Friday night's wild card game before nailing down a 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. He allowed five runs, four earned, in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the American League Division Series, turning a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 loss to the New York Yankees. By Johnson's standards, I guess this qualified as a slump. The guy hadn't permitted a run in the regular season since Sept. 8. He had been scored upon once in 26 appearances going into the...

From goat to hero: Jim Johnson talks about his save against the Yankees

From goat to hero: Jim Johnson talks about his save against the Yankees
There was no doubt that if the Orioles took a one-run lead to the ninth tonight that Jim Johnson would get the ball. You knew Buck Showalter would call on him and Johnson certainly wanted it to be that way. He wanted to be back on the mound tonight. "I did. To come back from a bad outing, usually you want the ball right away," Johnson said after he retired the top of the Yankees order on 12 pitches to save the O's 3-2 victory. "You don't want to sit on it for a day and have an off day. As...

Angelos visits clubhouse

Angelos visits clubhouse
Orioles majority owner Peter G. Angelos was a surprise visitor to the Orioles' clubhouse following tonight's 3-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series. Angelos was accompanied by his son, Louis, executive vice president Dan Duquette and Lou Kousouris, the club's vice president/special liaison to the chairman. He moved from locker to locker, shaking hands with players and congratulating them. Closer Jim Johnson presented Angelos with a baseball from his...

Chen earns win and Johnson the save as O's top NY to even the ALDS

Chen earns win and Johnson the save as O's top NY to even the ALDS
Facing an 0-2 deficit in the American League Division Series with a loss tonight, the Orioles recieved a gutty effort from Wei-Yin Chen and a save from Jim Johnson as they beat the Yankees 3-2 in front of 48,187 to even the ALDS at 1-1. Pitching a night after giving up five runs in the ninth in Game 1, Johnson got Derek Jeter to ground out on the first pitch of the ninth. He then got Ichiro Suzuki on a ground out and Alex Rodriguez on a swinging strikeout to end it to send the towel-waving...

Postgame comments from Matt Wieters, Mark Reynolds and Jason Hammel

Postgame comments from Matt Wieters, Mark Reynolds and Jason Hammel
To no one's surprise, the Orioles came to the defense of their closer tonight. They've seen Jim Johnson do too many special things for them this year to do anything else. He is one of the team leaders and they were standing behind him tonight after he gave up five runs in the ninth in Game 1 of the ALDS. "It's not deflating," catcher Matt Wieters said. "We have to do a better job getting him the lead. Jim's been great for us all year and everyone in this clubhouse wants to give him the...

Showalter speaks after 7-2 loss

Showalter speaks after 7-2 loss
Orioles manager Buck Showalter has spoken in the past about how closer Jim Johnson can spoil a team with his lengthy string of successful outings. A glitch comes out of nowhere. It's never anticipated. Johnson entered Game 1 of the American League Division Series with the score tied in the top of the ninth. He walked off the mound having retired only one batter, four runs already charged to him and an unearned run coming as he sat in the dugout. "It's tough. It's just tough going,...

Jim Johnson talks about giving up five runs in the ninth

Jim Johnson talks about giving up five runs in the ninth
Jim Johnson said he made mistakes with his location tonight, costing him and the Orioles as the New York Yankees scored five in the ninth off the O's closer to post a 7-2 win tonight in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. "I made a mistake, obviously to (Russell) Martin and a couple of other mistakes over the middle of the plate, and we paid for it," Johnson said. "It's unfortunate after the effort we got out of everybody else. I didn't hold my end of the bargain. I feel...

To win tonight, O's will likely need 'pen to be good again

To win tonight, O's will likely need  'pen to be good again
If the Orioles can get past Texas tonight and into a five-game series, that might be where one of their strengths - their bullpen - can really help the team. This unit has been sensational this year and is a big reason the club is so outstanding in one-run and extra-inning games. In the playoffs, it often seems that teams with deep bullpens do well. The Orioles have a deep and talented bullpen, and given a chance to show his mastery at using it, I would expect Buck Showalter to put the right...

Hearing from Gonzalez, Davis and Johnson (Yankees win)

Hearing from Gonzalez, Davis and Johnson (Yankees win)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez pitched extremely well tonight, but he had to appreciate the gem spun by Tampa Bay's James Shields. "I was like, 'He's doing great. I've got to do better than him,' " Gonzalez said. "I think he did a pretty good job going out there and throwing a complete game. I'm happy for him. Fifteen strikeouts for him. He did a great job tonight." Gonzalez is so calm on the mound, I keep waiting for a member of the medical staff to rush out...

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win (O's closer to clinching)

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win (O's closer to clinching)
The Orioles have waited this long to celebrate a playoff berth, so what's a few more hours? Or another day? Or... Manager Buck Showalter took in the scene that unfolded following the Orioles' 6-3 victory over the Red Sox. Players stood together and watched the top of ninth inning of the Angels-Rangers game being shown on the JumboTron. Nobody wanted to go back inside the clubhouse. "It's sincere," Showalter said. "They want to watch it together. One thing I challenged them with since...

O's win, waiting on Angels to lose (updated)

O's win, waiting on Angels to lose (updated)
Jim Johnson recorded his 50th save, and the Orioles completed their sweep of the Red Sox with a 6-3 win at Camden Yards. Johnson is the 10th pitcher to record 50 saves in a single season since it became an official stat in 1969. The Orioles are 73-0 when leading after the seventh and 74-1 after the eighth. Johnson retired the side in order with a fly ball and two ground outs. The Orioles filed out of the dugout as usual. No wild celebration, since the Angels game isn't a final. The Rangers...

Orioles-Red Sox mid-game notes

Orioles-Red Sox mid-game notes
A couple of mid-game notes as the Orioles hold a 5-1 lead after three and a half innings against Boston, on a day they hope they can clinch their first playoff berth since 1997. * Jim Thome is 2-for-2 today with a pair of RBI singles. That gives the veteran eight hits over his last 15 at-bats with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs. Yes, he's been a nice pickup. * From Sept. 17-25, Manny Machado had just one extra-base hit, a double, over a nine-game stretch. Now he is 6-for-11 over his last...

How would the Orioles celebrate? (O's lead 6-3, Saunders done)

How would the Orioles celebrate? (O's lead 6-3, Saunders done)
The Orioles are expecting a sellout or close to it for this afternoon's regular-season home finale. Will fans get to watch them celebrate on the field after clinching a playoff berth? It could happen if the Angels lose Game 1 of their doubleheader and the Orioles defeat the Red Sox. But how enthusiastically would the Orioles celebrate? How would they react? "Honestly and sincerely," said manager Buck Showalter. "That's how they'll act, if it happens. And it's not something where I'm...

Is today the day?

Is today the day?
In a season that's gone completely mad, a season that's often defied logic - along with every industry expert who predicted 100 losses - it would seem appropriate for the Orioles to clinch a playoff berth from the team hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla. It's possible that the Orioles will find out later tonight that they've reached the postseason for the first time since 1997. As I tried to explain last night, they're officially in if they win today and the Angels lose one of the games in...

Revisiting the MVO debate

Revisiting the MVO debate
The voting for Most Valuable Oriole ended yesterday at noon, with members of the media who cover the team pressured into remembering to e-mail their ballot and not treat it like their BGE bill. This could be the narrowest margin of victory since I've been on the beat, and my first full season was 1997. I announced my choice on Sunday's edition of "O's Xtra" on MASN while sitting in front of the visiting dugout at Fenway Park and feeling a light mist against my back. The grounds crew was...