Orioles agree to terms with 22 players, renew Berken
Orioles agree to terms with 22 players, renew Berken
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with 22 players on one-year contracts. The list of players recently signed includes: Robert Andino, Matt Angle, Jake Arrieta, Josh Bell, Brad Bergesen, Zach Britton, Brandon Erbe, Pedro Florimon Jr., Jake Fox, Luis Lebron, Joe Mahoney, Troy Patton, Nolan Reimold, Adrian Rosario, Alfredo Simon, Brandon Snyder, Chroye Spoone, Craig Tatum, Chris Tillman, Rick VandenHurk, Pedro Viola and Matt Wieters. Additionally, the Orioles renewed the...
Cherry blossoms for opening day
Cherry blossoms for opening day
Josh Land
Nationals
For some, the best sign of spring is the president of the United States throwing the first pitch at a Nationals game. Or Ryan Zimmerman's first home run of the season. Or simply the sound of "Play Ball" echoing through the ballpark. For others, it's not spring until the beautiful cherry blossoms bloom around the District and tourists from all over the world travel to the tidal basin en mass with their best photographic equipment. Ah, the joys of spring in the nation's capital. On...
Showalter talks after 2-0 loss (w/note)
Showalter talks after 2-0 loss (w/note)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - I'm still trying to catch my breath after this newsy day, which included significant health updates on Justin Duchscherer, Koji Uehara, Derrek Lee and Brian Matusz. No Mitch Atkins update? What the heck? Matusz will fly to Philadelphia early tomorrow morning to have a wart removed from his left middle finger. Manager Buck Showalter pointed to the exact location while trying not to flip us off. "Plans are for him to fly back tomorrow night," Showalter said. "There is...
Matusz leaving team for procedure
Matusz leaving team for procedure
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Matusz is flying to Philadelphia at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning to have a wart removed from the middle finger on his pitching hand. He's expected back in Sarasota later that night. Is that enough health news for one day? Manager Buck Showalter told reporters about Matusz's procedure following a 2-0 loss to the Twins. The wart is located on the side of his finger near the nail. He feels it while trying to throw his breaking ball. Matusz tossed two scoreless innings...
Matusz talks about his outing (updated twice)
Matusz talks about his outing (updated twice)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - We're still scoreless through six innings. Josh Bell doubled off the fence in right-center field leading off the bottom of the sixth, but he never made it past second base. Left fielder Jason Repko made a lunging catch to rob Nick Markakis and hold Bell at second. The wind knocked down Bell's ball. It looked like a home run when it left his bat. Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario threw a scoreless fifth. Bell started a dazzling 3-6-1 double play. Josh Rupe gave up a leadoff...
Matusz tosses two scoreless (updated)
Matusz tosses two scoreless (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz didn't allow a hit in two scoreless innings today against the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Matusz walked one and struck out two. He went to a full count with Denard Span leading off the first inning and Jason Repko leading off the second, but he retired both batters. Matusz threw 35 pitches, 20 for strikes. His fastball topped out at 91 mph. Josh Bell, starting at first base, caught Repko's pop up. The Orioles are hacking against Twins...
Uehara speaks (through his interpreter)
Uehara speaks (through his interpreter)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles aren't concerned about Koji Uehara, and neither is their reliever. Uehara received a cortisone injection in his right elbow today because of some soreness. He'll be shut down for several days. Uehara thinks he'll be ready to pitch again in a week. "It's not even serious. I'm not concerned about it," he said through interpreter Jiwon Bang. "I'm just being on the safe side. I'm not really worried." Uehara described his condition as "arm fatigue." I...
Uehara shut down with sore elbow (updated)
Uehara shut down with sore elbow (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Koji Uehara, who was scheduled to pitch today, has come down with a sore right elbow and will receive a cortisone shot this afternoon. Uehara will be shut down for the next few days and re-evaluated. The Orioles don't believe it's anything serious, but it counts as another health issue in spring training. Uehara has been sidelined with sore hamstrings the last two years. Here's the Twins lineup: Denard Span CF Tsuyoshi Nishioka SS Luke Hughes 3B Joe Benson...
Duchscherer makes progress, Lee targeting Saturday
Duchscherer makes progress, Lee targeting Saturday
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer played catch again this morning and threw from the half mound. He's now moved over to a regular mound. Duchscherer is making significant progress from the hip soreness that kept him off the field Saturday. Also, Derrek Lee is penciled into Saturday's lineup. Josh Bell still projects as the third baseman at Triple-A Norfolk if he doesn't make the club out of spring training.
Scouting the Mets: Harris adjusting well to new team
Scouting the Mets: Harris adjusting well to new team
Byron Kerr
Nationals
The New York Mets' offseason was littered with news about the financial troubles of owner Fred Wilpon and his dealings with disgraced financier Bernie Madoff. The bad news off the field continues to plague the Mets well into spring training. Steve Popper, who covers the Mets for The (Bergen) Record, says it is hard to ignore the ownership issues and how that might affect the on field product for the Mets. He says the Mets players have taken notice. "I think the players are trying to ignore...