Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)

Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)
The Orioles' center fielder on opening day has moved down to Double-A Bowie. Cedric Mullins has been transferred to the Baysox after batting .205/.272/.306 in 66 games with Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles optioned him after he started the season with only six hits in 64 at-bats. Mullins, 24, broke camp with the Orioles despite going 8-for-53 in exhibition games and he's never been able to heat up at the plate. He's leading off tonight and playing center field in Akron. The Tides made a series...

Another one-run loss, plus Friday on the farm

Another one-run loss, plus Friday on the farm
That's four games on the road trip and four one-run games with three losses for the Orioles. Very competitive yet again, they did some good things but failed to win. Thanks to an error and a few timely hits, they took a 3-0 lead on Houston right-hander Gerrit Cole through four innings. Rio Ruiz had a clutch two-out, bases-loaded single in the first. Chance Sisco hit his first homer of the year and fifth of his career in the third. Sisco did a nice job to wait on a curveball over the outside...

O's game blog: John Means starts White Sox series opener

O's game blog: John Means starts White Sox series opener
The Orioles road trip moves on to Chicago and they start a three-game series tonight in the windy city. The Orioles (10-19) went 0-3 at Minnesota, scoring just four runs. They've lost seven of nine and 14 of the last 19 games. Left-handers get the start with John Means (3-2, 1.74 ERA) facing Manny Bañuelos (1-0, 2.51 ERA). In his three starts, Means is 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA. He has averaged 6.9 strikeouts/nine innings in his starts and 15.3 per nine when pitching out of the bullpen. The White...

Hyde on roster cuts, Wynns update and more (O's down 4-0)

Hyde on roster cuts, Wynns update and more (O's down 4-0)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brandon Hyde called them into his office one at a time. Eight players sent out of major league camp in the latest round of roster cuts. Always tough conversations for veteran and first-year managers. Outfielders Austin Hays and Anthony Santander, pitchers Yefry Ramirez, Cody Carroll and Branden Kline, and infielder Stevie Wilkerson were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk this morning. Pitcher Gabriel Ynoa and infielder Christopher Bostick were reassigned to minor league camp. "All...

Orioles announce eight more roster cuts

Orioles announce eight more roster cuts
SARASOTA, Fla. - Austin Hays slashed .351/.385/.892 in 12 exhibition games this spring. His 13 hits included three doubles, a triple and five home runs. He scored 10 runs and drove in 13. He proved that his surgically repaired ankle was healed and wouldn't restrict him on the bases or in the field, where he played a superb center and moved to both corners. Hays did everything in camp except win a roster spot. The Orioles have optioned Hays, outfielder Anthony Santander, pitchers Yefry Ramirez,...

Hays among roster cuts, Orioles lineup vs. Yankees

Hays among roster cuts, Orioles lineup vs. Yankees
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are making roster cuts this morning and the group includes outfielder Austin Hays, one of the standouts in camp. Also leaving the complex are pitchers Branden Kline and Cody Carroll and infielders Stevie Wilkerson and Christopher Bostick. Pitcher Gabriel Ynoa was packing his equipment bag, so I'm assuming that he's been reassigned. More on this later. Cedric Mullins is in center field today as the Orioles face the Yankees in Sarasota on MASN. Mark Trumbo is the...

Updating Núñez and wrapping up a 7-6 loss

Updating Núñez and wrapping up a 7-6 loss
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles third baseman Renato Núñez is day-to-day with a bruised left shin after being struck by a foul ball while batting in the fourth inning. Núñez stayed in the game and singled into left field. Christopher Bostick pinch-ran after Núñez reached third base. "A little contusion, a bad spot underneath the knee," said manager Brandon Hyde after a 7-6 loss to the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. "It just sounds like he's really sore." Hyde downplayed how...

Bundy completes five innings (Orioles fall 7-6)

Bundy completes five innings (Orioles fall 7-6)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Results in exhibition games don't matter until they suddenly do. Until the pitcher or hitter needs to get a return for the hard work. When concerns or frustrations start to build and need to be hushed. Nobody in Orioles camp was in a panic over Dylan Bundy's struggles, but manager Brandon Hyde noted this morning that the time arrived to turn in a more productive start, to feel good walking off the mound. Bundy could have done cartwheels all the way to the bench if he was done...

Hart claimed by Dodgers, wrapping up 5-4 loss

Hart claimed by Dodgers, wrapping up 5-4 loss
BRADENTON, Fla. - Left-hander Donnie Hart, designated for assignment by the Orioles on March 1, has been claimed off waivers by the Dodgers. The Orioles designated Hart to make room for infielder Hanser Alberto. He posted a 5.59 ERA and 2.224 WHIP in 20 appearances with the Orioles last summer. In his only spring inning, Hart retired the side in order with two strikeouts. The former 27th round pick has a 3.43 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 93 major league games. Branden Kline fell behind 2-0 to the...

Wrapping up a 7-5 win

Wrapping up a 7-5 win
SARASOTA, Fla. - It's been a bad weekend for pinkies. Second baseman Jonathan Villar came out of today's game in the top of the fourth inning with some swelling in his right pinky finger, the result of a head-first slide into second base and an unfortunate collision with an infielder's spikes. Christopher Bostick replaced Villar, who singled and stole second base in the first inning and drew a walk in the third. "He had a little cleat in the finger and it just started to swell a little bit...

Peterson hopes moving around keeps him in one place

Peterson hopes moving around keeps him in one place
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play their second exhibition game later today, giving manager Brandon Hyde more opportunities to show off the versatility of his roster and do a little more experimenting. Stevie Wilkerson hasn't played first base in the majors? Run him out there in the Grapefruit League opener against the Twins. Wilkerson came off the bag to glove Renato Núñez's throw from across the diamond and slap the tag on Ronald Torreyes. But he also couldn't make the clean...

Hyde on his debut, lineup, starters and more (O's up 3-1)

Hyde on his debut, lineup, starters and more (O's up 3-1)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The first game for Brandon Hyde as a major league manager has arrived today. Does a win or loss really matter to him? "No, not at all, zero," he replied while sitting in the home dugout at Ed Smith Stadium. Let's remember that it's spring training and other goals rank higher in the pecking order. "It's 100 percent about what we just did up until 11:30 and how we play," Hyde said. "We're going to evaluate that, we'll talk a little bit about a couple things that maybe...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
As the Orioles continue making their final preparations for this weekend's FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center, they're also nearing the announcements on their major league and minor league coaching staffs and their non-roster invitees to spring training. One domino falls and others will tumble. The list of invitees could include infielders Ryan Mountcastle, Jace Peterson, Engelb Vielma, Sean Miller and Zach Vincej, outfielders Ryan McKenna, Yusniel Díaz and Christopher...

Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play

Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play
Chris Bostick unleashed another outstanding game Tuesday as Salt River defeated Mesa 4-2 in Arizona Fall League play. The second baseman went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs. It was Bostick's fourth double and fourth homer of the AFL season. Bostick hit out of the No. 2 hole and cranked a solo shot in the third inning off of Mesa starter Rob Zastryzny. Bostick raised his average to .275. Right-hander John Simms started and went three innings for the win,...

Could the Nationals work with Oakland again to get Tyler Clippard back to D.C.?

Could the Nationals work with Oakland again to get Tyler Clippard back to D.C.?
The Nationals bullpen has struggled to find its locked in 7-8-9 responsibilities as the season enters its third month. Drew Storen has been the closer and done a very good job, notching 19 saves. Casey Janssen was pegged as the eighth-inning setup man after the Nationals traded fan-favorite Tyler Clippard to the A's for infielder Yunel Escobar. But Janssen is more of a finesse guy, and teams love to have a guy in the second-to-last inning who can bring the heat and have a devastating breaking...

Prospect updates: Bostick, Robles and Ward

Prospect updates: Bostick, Robles and Ward
I like to check in with the Nationals and get their thoughts on some of the names to look out for in the minor leagues this season. The last blog, I focused on pitchers. This time, I asked about some of the on-field personnel you should check out. The young prospects to watch as spring training begins include second baseman Christopher Bostick. The 21-year-old Bostick was acquired from the Texas Rangers, alongside right-handed reliever Abel de Los Santos, in the Ross Detwiler trade in...