O's announce Correnti addition and VandenHurk release

O's announce Correnti addition and VandenHurk release
The Orioles have announced the hiring of Chris Correnti as a performance consultant. Correnti was most recently with the New York Mets as a rehabilitation specialist from 2007-2010. Correnti will provide fitness and conditioning advisory services to the organization. He will be responsible for the oversight of the individual rehabilitation of injured players, as selected by the medical staff. Correnti will also implement year-round training and conditioning programs for the organization's...

Orioles remove VandenHurk from 40-man roster

Orioles remove VandenHurk from 40-man roster
The Orioles made the signing of Wilson Betemit official this morning, and they cleared room for him on the 40-man roster by designating pitcher Rick VandenHurk for assignment. VandenHurk, 26, allowed eight earned runs in nine innings over four games with the Orioles last season. He was 9-13 with a 4.43 ERA in 26 starts for Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles acquired VandenHurk from the Marlins on July 31, 2010 for left-hander Will Ohman. He's 8-10 with a 5.97 ERA in 46 major league games,...

More morning musings (with note)

More morning musings (with note)
Tony LaCava. De Jon Watson. John Stockstill. No more Jerry Dipoto. LaCava the likely hire at this point. Should know soon. There's your incremental non-update update on the Orioles' GM situation. The Pirates released their spring training schedule, which includes four games against the Orioles: March 5 and 14 in Sarasota, and March 25 (7:05 p.m.) and 31 (split-squad) in Bradenton. The Yankees exercised their $14 million option on Robinson Cano's contract, so you can remove his name from...

Talking about Strop and VandenHurk

Talking about Strop and VandenHurk
Managers always warn us not to fall in love with spring training or September stats. I have a man crush on Pedro Strop's pitching line. Strop blanked the Blue Jays in the eighth inning last night to pass a 2-0 lead to Jim Johnson, who recorded the save. He's allowed one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings since the Orioles claimed him off waivers from the Texas Rangers. With Johnson moving into the closer's role for one night, the Orioles needed somebody to be the set-up man in the eighth....

VandenHurk receives International League honor

VandenHurk receives International League honor
Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Rick VandenHurk has been named the International League's Pitcher of the Week for the period from Aug. 15-21. VandenHurk tied for the league lead with two wins and 18 strikeouts, and he posted the lowest ERA (0.75) among all pitchers with multiple starts. VandenHurk fanned 13 batters in Game 1 of last Monday's doubleheader against Charlotte. He allowed four hits in six scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory. Facing first-place Durham on Saturday, VandenHurk allowed...

VandenHurk struggles with control

VandenHurk struggles with control
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Twins scored once off Rick VandenHurk in three innings, increasing their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh. VandenHurk walked four batters, which overshadows everything else today. He needs to find the plate if he's got a chance to make this team. VandenHurk threw only eight strikes among his 19 pitches in the fourth inning, but he didn't allow a run until the fifth, when Denard Span singled and raced home on Tsuyoshi Nishioka's triple. Keep in mind that...

Pitchers added to early exhibition games

Pitchers added to early exhibition games
SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Zach Britton and right-hander Rick VandenHurk also will make appearances during the first week of the exhibition schedule. Jeremy Guthrie will start the March 1 home opener against the Rays, and Justin Duchscherer will start the following day against the Phillies in Clearwater. Britton will pitch in one of those games, with VandenHurk taking the mound in the other. Brad Bergesen and Chris Tillman will pitch in the first game Feb. 28 against the Pirates in...

Follow VandenHurk's European tour

Follow VandenHurk's European tour
This offseason, O's fan can follow a few of their favorite Birds on the European Big League Tour. Orioles reliever Rick VandenHurk and teammates Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie will be participating in the tour, along with other MLB players and coaches who are traveling through Europe this winter to bring a love of baseball to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Antwerp. VandenHurk will be blogging about his travels for MLB.com, and he's already posted a few entries from the tour's first...

Follow VandenHurk's European tour

Follow VandenHurk's European tour
This offseason, O's fan can follow a few of their favorite Birds on the European Big League Tour. Orioles reliever Rick VandenHurk and teammates Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie will be participating in the tour, along with other MLB players and coaches who are traveling through Europe this winter to bring a love of baseball to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Antwerp. VandenHurk will be blogging about his travels for MLB.com, and he's already posted a few entries. According to his blog,...