After a stretch where O's starters posted nine quality starts over ten games, now they have two games in a row without one. After Jeremy Guthrie allowed six runs last night, Chris Tillman gave up six walks today. He allowed three runs over 3 2/3 and the O's trail 3-1 in the 6th as once again they can't seem to hit Andy Pettitte. Here is an interesting Tillman stat. Over his last two starts, the opposing hittters are batting just .121 against him with four hits in 33 at bats. The Yankees...

When we spoke to Jake Arrieta yesterday, he talked about the importance of refining his mechanics if he wants to become an established major league pitcher. I later suggested in this blog that he also needed to throw more strikes and improve his tempo. Here's my unsolicited advice for Chris Tillman: Throw more strikes. You don't need an extensive background in pitching to figure out that one. Tillman has been removed from today's game after 3 2/3 innings. He walked six batters, matching...

Andy Pettitte is 27-6, 3.57 all time vs. the Orioles in 41 games, 39 starts, covering 247 1/3 innings. In his only previous start vs. the O's this year, he beat them 7-5 on May 5th, allowing just one run over five innings. Pettitte is pitching in the Majors for the first time since he left a start on July 18 vs. the Mariners in the third inning with a strained left groin and later went on the DL. He recently pitched nine innings, allowing two runs over two rehab starts, with Double-A...

Infielder Julio Lugo still hasn't been cleared to play, increasing the possibility that he'll be shut down for the last few weeks. The Orioles aren't ready to make that concession, but Lugo told me that he'll probably visit another specialist tomorrow. Lugo, who's been diagnosed with sinusitis, added that he feels "a lot better" today and was smiling as he passed me in the hallway outside the clubhouse. He also joked that doctors keep checking his head and they can't find anything...

For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Robert Andino 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Jake Fox DH Ty Wigginton 1B Corey Patterson LF Matt Wieters C Cesar Izturis SS Chris Tillman RHP For the Yankees: Gardner LF Jeter SS Berkman 1B Cano 2B Swisher DH Posada C Granderson CF Kearns RF Pena 3B Pettitte LHP

The clubhouse is pretty much empty except for a few players who are grabbing an early breakfast - and it counts as early when you're playing a 1:35 p.m. game. The door to manager Buck Showalter's office is closed. He'll meet with the media at noon. In other words, I'm early again. A few stats to consider while we wait: The Orioles are 11-3 in the opening game of a series since Showalter took over, but only 5-8 in the closing game. The 11 runs surrendered last night were the most under...

Robert Andino, a player who was dropped from the O's 40-man roster in April, is now impressing his manager and perhaps laying the groundwork for a shot at a roster spot in 2011. Andino has proven to be versatile, while at the same time showing pop in his bat, in the chances he has gotten in recent days. "I'm just going out here and playing hard. They've given me an opportunity and I put my time in, put my work in. Just go out, have fun and play hard." On Saturday night, Andino had...

Joe Girardi doesn't like Jeremy Guthrie. It's not a reach to suggest that the Orioles' right-hander is Girardi's least favorite pitcher in baseball, though I'm not privy to his list and we're not Facebook friends. Guthrie's first pitch of tonight's game nailed Derek Jeter on the left elbow, further irritating Girardi, who hasn't forgotten the two hit batters in a spring training contest in Tampa - including Mark Teixeira, who exited with a bruised right elbow - and a few other...

After going 3-0, 0.81 and allowing just two runs total over his last three starts, tonight Jeremy Guthrie gave up six runs, one off his season high in an 11-3 loss to the Yankees. Guthrie gave up two runs and two hits in the opening inning. "That more than anything, probably set the tone. If I get out of that, you're rocking and rolling and going forward from there. "My command wasn't great, that was evident from the first pitch on. I didn't throw the ball very often where I was...

The Orioles gave up 11 runs tonight. They had allowed 11 runs combined in their last four games. Robert Andino is the first Oriole to homer in consecutive games since Luke Scott on July 23-24 against Minnesota. Andino is batting .364 in his last five games, with three doubles and two homers. Manager Buck Showalter didn't talk about any of that, but I wanted to mention it anyway. So why wasn't Jeremy Guthrie as effective tonight? "A lot of deep counts," Showalter said. "That's...