A few more injury updates
A few more injury updates
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Outfielder Felix Pie will begin some baseball-related activities this weekend after being restricted to exercises as he recovers from a torn muscle in his back. The word out of Sarasota is he might be ready to take batting practice by Monday. Reliever Michael Gonzalez did some long-tossing again today, but he still isn't pitching in extended spring training games. Here's a little something from Gary Kendall regarding reliever Bob McCrory, the subject of an earlier blog entry: "He's...
So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?
So what will the Pirates do with that second pick?
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It's not exactly drama like the 1971 or 1979 World Series, but the Orioles are linked again with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have the second pick in the first round of next Monday's First-Year Player Draft. Most figure they will select between high school shortstop Manny Machado and prep pitcher Jameson Taillon, with the remaining player left for the O's to take. (That's after Bryce Harper goes first to the Nats). So what will Pittsburgh do with that second pick? I spoke via...
MASN to Televise Strasburg's Final Triple-A Start
MASN to Televise Strasburg's Final Triple-A Start
Josh Land
Nationals
MASN will televise Stephen Strasburg's final start at Triple-A Syracuse, the network announced today. The Nationals prospect will face the Buffalo Bisons on Thursday, June 3rd at 1:05 p.m. MASN will air the game at 7:00 p.m. on a tape delay. MASN has televised each of Strasburg's five previous starts for Syracuse. The highly touted prospect is 3-1 at Syracuse with a 1.27 ERA and 33 strikeouts in just over 28 innings of work. He is expected to make his major league debut at Nationals Park...
Roberts making significant progress
Roberts making significant progress
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Injured second baseman Brian Roberts is scheduled to play in his first extended spring training game on Friday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Roberts will take infield and batting practice tomorrow and Thursday - a normal workout day - before playing five innings at second base on Friday. The plan is for Roberts to get four at-bats, so he could lead off each inning. The rules are a lot more relaxed down there. Assuming there are no setbacks, Roberts will get five at-bats as...
Leftover note from Sarasota
Leftover note from Sarasota
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
As I sat outside the clubhouse entrance at Ed Smith Stadium a few weeks ago, a player walked past me who looked exactly like former Orioles reliever Bob McCrory. I mean, they could have been separated at birth. It was uncanny. It also was Bob McCrory. The Orioles re-signed him about a week before Opening Day. I had completely lost track of him after he underwent shoulder and biceps surgery on Oct. 2. Can you believe that McCrory is already pitching in extended spring training games? And...
Listach, First Ladies Race for a Cure
Listach, First Ladies Race for a Cure
Josh Land
Nationals
On June 5th, thousands of people will gather on the National Mall to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. For 20 years, events like Race for the Cure have raised millions and millions of dollars to help women fight the disease and to invest in research to find a cure. During those same years, treatments and early detection programs have improved dramatically. This season, the Nationals partnered with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to recruit race participants and to raise...
It's Matusz's turn
It's Matusz's turn
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
As long as we're celebrating Jake Arrieta's latest gem, we should also note that Double-A Bowie left-hander Zach Britton held Richmond to two runs over 6 1/3 innings last night. He allowed six hits and walked four, so it wasn't one of his cleanest outings, but he came out of it with a 3.32 ERA. If I'm a young Orioles starter, I'm tracking every one of Arrieta's starts. And I'm hoping there's room in the rotation for both of us. I would assume that Brian Matusz's leash is longer than...
Kolodny is heading to extended spring training
Kolodny is heading to extended spring training
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It was a minor league transaction that probably went under the radar among a lot of fans. On May 24th, Tyler Kolodny of the Delmarva Shorebirds was transferred to Aberdeen's roster. Some that follow the minors very closely asked a question. Why would the O's take a player with 10 homers, among the most in the Sally League, off the Delmarva roster. As it turns out, there were two major reasons. Kolodny was being disciplined due to a team matter. Seondly, the Orioles want him to improve...
It certainly is not all Dave Trembley's fault
It certainly is not all Dave Trembley's fault
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Well, a manager does have to live with his won-loss record. For Dave Trembley, he is saddled with 15 and 36. It's clear some of you feel he has earned every bit of that. If you look deeper at how the Orioles, a team on the rise according to many experts over the winter, got to this point, much that has happened has been out of Trembley's control. For the most part. It's not his fault that: *Brian Roberts, Felix Pie, Mike Gonzalez, Brad Bergesen and Jim Johnson got injured. So have...
Arrieta doesn't slow his roll
Arrieta doesn't slow his roll
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Jake Arrieta isn't just knocking on the door. He's kicking it in, repairing it and kicking it in again. Handy guy. Arrieta held Rochester to one run and five hits over eight innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He threw 106 pitches, 66 for strikes, and his ERA's down to 1.77. Arrieta has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts. In his last three starts, he's surrendered two runs and 16 hits, walked six and struck out 23 in 22 innings. How much longer...