We have a night game in Clearwater, so my morning is free. And what better way to spend it than approving comments that have been sitting for 12 hours? Sorry about that. I raced back from Dunedin yesterday, went to the gym and met up with friends at Evie's on Bee Ridge Rd, where I watched more of my NCAA bracket crumble like the Orioles' pitching yesterday. Way to step up, Georgetown. Since I mentioned the Orioles' pitching, it's worth noting that Mark Hendrickson is the only one who...

We're in the third inning of the Triple-A game, and still no sign of Mike Gonzalez. He's slated to pitch one inning. We thought it would be the third, but Armando Gabino is on the mound. Troy Patton allowed a run over two innings against Boston's Triple-A team. Meanwhile, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail says Koji Uehara is day-to-day with a sore left hamstring. X-rays on Craig Tatum's left index finger were negative. Also day-to-day. UPDATE: Gonzalez is now warming up...

Mike Gonzalez tossed a scoreless sixth inning in today's Triple-A game in Sarasota. Most important, Gonzalez completed the inning. He didn't leave after facing two batters, which happened in his last appearance because of lower-back stiffness. Gonzalez threw eight pitches, five for strikes. He gave up a leadoff triple, but the runner was erased on a 5-2 fielder's choice. Gonzalez's fastball topped out at 89 mph.

Robert Andino SS Ty Wigginton 2B Nolan Reimold DH Luke Scott LF Garrett Atkins 1B Lou Montanez RF Josh Bell 3B Chad Moeller C Jeff Salazar CF Brian Matusz LHP Here's what Mike Gonzalez said about his eight-pitch relief stint today: "It felt good. Every day it's getting a little better. Obviously it was a great idea for me to come out here and throw. I was able to get treatment right before the game and after the game, instead of going to Clearwater. It's coming along. It's just...

Brian Roberts has been cleared by Dr. Lewis Riley, the back specialist at Johns Hopkins, to begin performing baseball-related activities today. Roberts, who received an epidural from Riley on Monday, was preparing to take the field and run, throw, field some grounders and hit off a tee. Roberts said he can't really notice much of a difference in his back without attempting these activites. "Not too much. Maybe a little bit," he said. "My main test is going to be baseball...

It seemed like a curious move when the Orioles optioned Double-A reliever Wilfrido Perez to Double-A Bowie while also adding 17 players for tomorrow's two split-squad games. Manager Dave Trembley offered the following explanation: "The situation with him is, the minor league games have started. Let's get him pitching in the games. He's right on track to start pitching. A guy coming off arm surgery, he's done very well. Left-handed, has a lot of value and is important to us. Needs to go...

Please allow me to introduce myself...and to pass along some quotes from Koji Uehara. I've got the complete transcript for you. Enjoy. His timeline: "I am thinking to play catch tomorrow. That's what I am thinking." When he'll return to the mound: "At this moment, I don't know." How he's feeling now: "Similar to yesterday." If he's in pain: "When I am walking around, I feel fine. If I could not walk, I wouldn't be able to come here." When he'll be able to run: "We...

Brian Matusz didn't allow a ball out of the infield in the top of the first inning, getting two bouncers to short and one to second. Matusz threw eight pitches, five for strikes. Didn't the Phillies learn their lesson the last time? I'll tack on his second inning in this entry. Stay tuned. The second inning: You thought I was joking? Matusz issued his first walk in 10 spring innings when Ryan Howard reached to open the second. Raul Ibanez struck out on three pitches, but Jayson Werth...

The Phillies didn't get the ball out of the infield in the third inning, which began with Brian Matusz striking out pitcher Kyle Kendrick and shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Shane Victorino popped to first base to keep the Phillies hitless and the game scoreless. Matusz threw 13 pitches, nine for strikes. That makes 40 pitches and 23 strikes in three innings. The Orioles have one hit, a leadoff double from Robert Andino in the first. Andino walked in the third inning, stole second and took third...

The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning on singles by Lou Montanez and Josh Bell, and a walk to Chad Moeller. They scored twice to take a 2-0 lead over the Phillies. Jeff Salazar's fielder's choice grounder brought home Montanez, and Bell scored on Robert Andino's fly ball to center. Andino is 1-for-1 with a double, RBI, walk and stolen base. Nice hustle by Bell on his single. He took second on left fielder Raul Ibanez's throw back to the infield, leaving first base...