Showalter speaks after 7-2 loss

Showalter speaks after 7-2 loss
Credit Tyler Wilson with a quality start this afternoon against baseball's most productive offense. The rest was out of his hands. The Orioles couldn't do much with the knuckler coming out of Steve Wright's hand. Wright held the Orioles to one hit through four scoreless innings, allowed two runs in the fifth that temporarily tied the game and put up zeroes the rest of the way while going the distance in the Red Sox's 7-2 victory before 43,926 at Camden Yards. Wright has three complete games...

Boston hits three homers to beat O's 7-2 in series opener

Boston hits three homers to beat O's 7-2 in series opener
The Boston Red Sox beat the Orioles at their own game today. After the Orioles scored twice to produce a 2-2 tie, the Red Sox hit three homers to score the game's next five runs. The Red Sox went on to beat the Orioles 7-2 today in front of 43,926 at Camden Yards. The Red Sox (31-20) open a two-game lead over the Orioles (28-21) in the American League East. They win the opener of this four-game series and an Orioles' 10-game homestand. Knuckleballer Steven Wright pitched a complete-game...

Wrapping up 11-4 loss with Showalter, Jimenez, Wieters and Worley

Wrapping up 11-4 loss with Showalter, Jimenez, Wieters and Worley
CLEVELAND - What's next for Ubaldo Jimenez? The question hangs in the air like the dark clouds that spread across Progressive Field by the middle innings in the Orioles' 11-4 loss to the Indians. Jimenez was charged with six runs (three earned) and five hits in 1 2/3 innings, with three walks and a strikeout. The Indians stole four bases off him. Going back to his last four starts, Jimenez has surrendered 19 earned runs (23 total) and 27 hits in 16 2/3 innings. He's also walked 14...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
CLEVELAND - The top of the Orioles lineup has a different look tonight, with center fielder Adam Jones leading off and Hyun Soo Kim batting second and playing in left field. Jones is in a 3-for-39 slump. He's struck out seven times in his last three games. Kim is 5-for-7 in his last two games. Left-hander Ashur Tolliver became the 15th Orioles reliever last night to strike out three batters in his major league debut. He worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings. The Orioles are listing Chris Tillman as...

More stats on the offense, plus notes on Tolliver, Gallardo and Rickard

More stats on the offense, plus notes on Tolliver, Gallardo and Rickard
HOUSTON - The Houston Astros brought a four-game losing streak into their series with the Orioles. They leave it with a three-game win streak, their first sweep of the year and the Orioles have their first four-game losing skid. Starting this weekend we find out if the Orioles can stop chasing curveballs and start scoring more runs. Houston's 52 strikeouts in the three-game series is a new major league record. Houston becomes the first team since 1913 to strike out 15 or more in three straight...

Adam Jones: "Let's get the hell out of Houston" (plus other quotes)

Adam Jones: "Let's get the hell out of Houston" (plus other quotes)
HOUSTON - When it was over, the Houston Astros had beaten the Orioles 4-2 tonight and swept them three straight. The Orioles set a major league record with 52 strikeouts in a three-game series, and center fielder Adam Jones put it into a perspective that only he can. All losses hurt, but was Jones disappointed in the how the Orioles lost, with strikeouts and errors hurting the team? "You lose, you lose," he said. "There is no sugar-coating a loss, is there? Doesn't matter how you lose, you...

A look at some hitters recently and more with Ashur Tolliver

A look at some hitters recently and more with Ashur Tolliver
HOUSTON - The good news for the Orioles is they have a pretty strong middle of the order. The current bad news is that group is not hitting much right now. Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo often bat two through five in the lineup. Right now, they have just six hits over their last 78 at-bats for an .077 average. Machado is 1-for-12, Jones is 3-for-29, Davis is 2-for-24 and Trumbo is 0-for-13. That obviously can't and won't last. We'll see if the Orioles can breakout...

Ashur Tolliver: "I'm so blessed to be an Oriole"

Ashur Tolliver: "I'm so blessed to be an Oriole"
HOUSTON - Ashur Tolliver's long road to get to the big leagues - which included a major pothole via injury - reached its peak today when he joined the Orioles from Double-A Bowie in the visiting clubhouse at Minute Maid Park. A fifth-round draft pick of the team in 2009, Tolliver had major labrum surgery in the spring of 2012 which threatened his career and took quite a few miles per hour off his fastball. It took him not months, but more like years to get back to form. And today he is a big...

The backstory on how Ashur Tolliver found out about his callup

The backstory on how Ashur Tolliver found out about his callup
HOUSTON - When Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall found out that left-hander Ashur Tolliver, a minor leaguer since 2009, was finally getting the call to the big leagues, he knew he had to do something special when telling Tolliver he was about to join the Orioles. When he has told players they were going to the majors in the past, Kendall usually calls them into the office and whole coaching joins him to pass on the good news. But this time, Kendall took it a step further. After all, he has...

Notes on Ashur Tolliver, draft picks and Chris Tillman

Notes on Ashur Tolliver, draft picks and Chris Tillman
HOUSTON - If, as expected, the Orioles add Double-A Bowie left-handed reliever Ashur Tolliver to their roster today to replace the recently traded Brian Matusz, the move will very likely be popular among O's minor league staff and players. They will be excited to see a career minor leaguer get his shot. Tolliver is no pitching version of Crash Davis, but he has been hurling baseballs on the O's farm since 2009. He has never pitched above Double-A, but it looks like he will now. He's also...

Orioles acquire pitcher Franderlin Romero from Reds

Orioles acquire pitcher Franderlin Romero from Reds
The Orioles weren't done making moves tonight with the Brian Matusz trade. They also acquired Single-A right-hander Franderlin Romero from the Reds for two international signing bonus slots. Romero, 23, was 1-4 with a 2.87 ERA in eight starts with the Dayton Dragons. He walked nine batters and struck out 42 in 47 innings. In seven minor league seasons, Romero is 15-25 with a 3.07 ERA in 78 games (62 starts). He allowed two hits in six scoreless innings in his last start. The announcement comes...

Tillman vs. Fister tonight in Houston

Tillman vs. Fister tonight in Houston
Two quality start streaks are on the line tonight in Houston. Chris Tillman and Astros right-hander Doug Fister each have posted six consecutive quality starts, though the numbers don't exactly match up. That would be quite a coincidence. Tillman is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts this season. He's allowed eight runs in his last 39 1/3 innings during his streak. Fister is 4-3 with a 4.22 ERA in eight starts this season and he's allowed 14 runs in 38 1/3 innings during his streak. Maybe we...

Showalter provides updates on Wieters and roster cuts following 8-1 win (updated)

Showalter provides updates on Wieters and roster cuts following 8-1 win (updated)
SARASOTA, Fla. - X-rays taken this afternoon on Matt Wieters' right elbow didn't raise any concerns among the Orioles, according to manager Buck Showalter, who met with the media following an 8-1 victory over the Twins. The Orioles no longer are winless in the Grapefruit League, but all of the attention fell upon Wieters, who left for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the first inning. "Just elbow soreness and decided not to take a chance with him," Showalter said. "Just get him out of...

Orioles invite 17 non-roster players to spring training

Orioles invite 17 non-roster players to spring training
The Orioles released the names of their 17 non-roster invitees to spring training, a list that includes seven pitchers, three catchers, four infielders and three outfielders. There are no real surprises in the group except that infielder Joey Terdoslavich didn't receive an invitation after being designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Keep in mind that everyone on the 40-man roster also will report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex. They don't need invitations. Also be...

More Orioles notes and quotes from Day 2 of minicamp

More Orioles notes and quotes from Day 2 of minicamp
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles contacted pitcher Gavin Floyd about a tryout at minicamp this week, but he turned down the offer. Floyd, a Severna Park native and graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School, is playing long toss after undergoing surgery on his right elbow for a second consecutive year. He hasn't thrown off a mound. The Orioles could try again later this winter. Hunter Harvey is the only Orioles pitcher scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday before the conclusion of minicamp...

Orioles sign eight players to minor league contracts

Orioles sign eight players to minor league contracts
The Orioles announced the signings of eight players to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training. Most of the agreements already have been reported, including the deal with Korean first baseman Ji-Man Choi, who spent the last five years in the Mariners organization. Also signed were right-handers Pedro Beato and Todd Redmond, left-handers Cesar Cabral and Ashur Tolliver, infielders Steve Tolleson and Ozzie Martinez, and catcher Audry Perez. Choi is the only player with no...

Some Chris Davis and 40-man roster talk

Some Chris Davis and 40-man roster talk
Are the Orioles facing a possible either/or scenario with first baseman Chris Davis? Are they looking at a situation where they can either sign him, or not sign him and add two or more players with that money? Recently, we looked at an early projection for an Orioles 2015 payroll. With the club looking for starting pitching and outfield help, not to mention possibly re-signing Davis and maybe more of their own free agents, it seems it will be hard to do all of that and still keep the payroll in...

Orioles don't appear to be making much progress with O'Day

Orioles don't appear to be making much progress with O'Day
If you were hoping for a quick resolution to Darren O'Day's pending free agency, you're in for a huge disappointment. If you thought the Orioles might be able to re-sign O'Day before he hit the open market, see above. Pretty much everything is subject to change, but right now the two sides aren't close to reaching agreement. I was told last night that "all is quiet." That's not to suggest that the Orioles haven't been in contact with agent Jeff Borris. They've had multiple...

Daniel Clark: Recapping O's prospects' performances in Arizona Fall League

Daniel Clark: Recapping O's prospects' performances in Arizona Fall League
The summer of baseball has finished, and while most of the discussion has shifted to free agents, trades and roster moves, many of baseball's best young prospects have just completed play in the Arizona Fall League. Seven of those prospects - four pitchers and three position p layers - were wearing Orioles uniforms. Those seven minor leaguers were playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs, who won 14 games, lost 15 and tied two, finishing in last place in the AFL West Division. Here's how each...

An Orioles Mount Rushmore

An Orioles Mount Rushmore
If we could magically produce an Orioles Mount Rushmore, which four Orioles do you put on the mountain? There have been six Orioles that have had their numbers retired. They are the six elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and the six that have statues at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. How do you pick just four? No. 4 - Earl Weaver is the greatest manager in O's history. His career winning percentage is .583. Cooperstown called Earl in 1996 and the Earl of Baltimore died Jan. 19, 2013,...