Paula Deen to visit Nationals Park
Paula Deen to visit Nationals Park
Josh Land
Nationals
Food Network star Paula Deen will attend two events at Nationals Park on Wednesday, May 19th prior to the Nationals game against the Mets that evening. With Deen's help, Sean and Jessica Burnett, Adam and Rachel Dunn, Wil and Yormarie Nieves, and John Lannan and Maryanne Garry will help to deliver more than 100,000 servings of donated food to the Capital Area Food Bank as part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes initiative. The event will promote the Nationals' Annual Food Drive. Fans...
Player versatility in the O's minors
Player versatility in the O's minors
Steve Melewski
Orioles
There is a subtle change coming to the O's minor leagues. It might even be one a lot of fans won't notice. There are indications the Orioles will begin to use some of their prospects and maybe others as well at multiple positions. It's worth seeing if a player can play multiple positions and it just makes sense. It's the minors, that's where you should be learning about your players and experimenting. This may not apply to every player, but it's expected to begin to be something they...
Laying one down and sitting down
Laying one down and sitting down
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
I'd be in a miserable mood this morning if the weather wasn't so nice. Oh wait... So, to make sure I've got this straight: Garrett Atkins should bunt with runners on first and second. Corey Patterson shouldn't bunt with runners on first and second. Here's my take: The second inning may seem too early to give up an out, but with Atkins scuffling and the Orioles desperately needing to manufacture runs, I'd have him bunting. The same goes for Patterson. Not because you want to take...
Bergy bits
Bergy bits
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Brad Bergesen didn't feel like he brought his best stuff into tonight's start. "It was a really a battle, but when I look back on it, it was really that one breaking ball to Billy Butler that was the one that sticks out," he said. "Kranny (Rick Kranitz) and (Matt) Wieters both came out there and told me, 'All 0-2 pitches, everything out of the zone.' And sure enough, first pitch, I try and get it down and I hung one right in the zone and he made me pay for it. I can't do that. That was...
Ty talk
Ty talk
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Ty Wigginton met with reporters at his locker after the game. Here are a few quotes to get you through the night: On Kyle Davies: "He made good pitches. I was underneath them. He's tough. He's got a nice little cutter and he did his job." On lost opportunities: "We definitely had the opportunities. Garrett (Atkins) had a great at-bat to start that ninth inning, Izzy (Cesar Izturis) gets down the bunt, Corey (Patterson) does his job, they walk Nick (Markakis) and it's up to me next. I...
Time of press conference: 2 minutes, 10 seconds
Time of press conference: 2 minutes, 10 seconds
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Manager Dave Trembley might have set a record tonight. Trembley made his usual opening statement and took three questions. Nothing else was coming. End of press conference. I've seen mound visits last longer. Dave Trembley talks with the media after the O's 4-3 loss to the Royals "We're down by a run in the ninth and we've got ourselves in a position to win the game with the right guys up at the right time, and it didn't happen, and that's how the game ended," Trembley said....
O's fall by one run to KC (with Bergesen video)
O's fall by one run to KC (with Bergesen video)
Steve Melewski
Orioles
A frustrating night with a frustrating ending for the Orioles. They loaded the bases with one out in the last of the ninth, trailing 4-3, but could not tie it or pull the game out in a 4-3 loss to the Royals in the opener of a two-game series. Joakim Soria struck out Ty Wigginton on a 1-2 pitch and Miguel Tejada grounded out on a 1-2 pitch as the O's left the bases loaded in the final inning. Brad Bergesen talks about his balk in the O's 4-3 loss to the Royals The O's went 1 for 12 with...
The last gasp? (updated)
The last gasp? (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Matt Wieters singled with one out in the eighth, putting the potential tying run on base. I expected Julio Lugo to run for him and try to steal a base. Instead, Wieters stayed in the game, Adam Jones grounded into a 5-4-3 double play and the Royals continued to hold a 4-3 lead. Any chance the Orioles rally against Joakim Soria in the ninth? Any chance they beat Zack Greinke tomorrow night? Jones was so frustrated, he fired his batting helmet down the right field line. I thought it was...
No record tonight
No record tonight
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Tonight's attendance: 9,299. That's not a record-low at Camden Yards. The Orioles-Rays drew 9,129 on April 12. Tonight's intimate gathering is the second-lowest, which should draw chants of "We're No. 2." (Careful. Just...careful.) As always, keep in mind we're talking about tickets sold, not fannies in the seats. No way we have that many people here unless they're all huddled in the bathrooms.
Manufacturing the tying run (update)
Manufacturing the tying run (update)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Corey Patterson walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth, stolen second, took third on catcher Jason Kendall's throwing error and scored on Ty Wigginton's slow roller to second base. Orioles 2, Kansas City 2. That's how you manufacture a run. Now here's how it could have gone a little smoother: Patterson didn't immediately go back and tag on Nick Markakis' liner to right field. David DeJesus made a lunging catch and scrambled to his feet before firing the ball to the plate. By the...