Updating the day

Updating the day
I don't have a trick knee, but something told me that today's game would get rained out. Why else would I have stayed back - besides dumb luck? Alfredo Simon was supposed to start against the Yankees tomorrow night, but that opportunity was washed away. The Orioles aren't going to skip Jeremy Guthrie's turn, and Brian Matusz already is slated to start a minor league game. I arrived back at my hotel today at the exact same time as Simon. Coincidence? Yes, that would be it. Bob Dutton...

Lebron update

Lebron update
Reliever Luis Lebron was expected to resume throwing today after being shut down for about a week. Lebron, who made a strong impression on manager Dave Trembley during his time in the major league camp, had been experiencing some slight "tenderness" in his arm, according to John Stockstill. "We decided to give him a few days off as a precaution," said Stockstill, who will officially take the title of director of player development on April 5. Lebron caught Trembley's eye with a major...

Trying to catch on

Trying to catch on
Chad Moeller re-signed with the Orioles because he figured to remain their backup catcher. The best opportunity was found in Baltimore. Otherwise, he might have kept looking for a job rather than accept their minor league offer and spring invite on Dec. 15. Manager Dave Trembley suggested yesterday that the competition between Moeller and Craig Tatum would carry into the final days of spring training. So much for being the overwhelming favorite. Moeller doesn't possess Tatum's arm, but...
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Orioles lineup (with Matusz update)

Orioles lineup (with Matusz update)
Brian Roberts 2B Felix Pie CF Nolan Reimold RF Luke Scott 1B Garrett Atkins DH Lou Montanez LF Scott Moore 3B Chad Moeller C Robert Andino SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP I won't be traveling to Dunedin today, but I'll check in later with a recap. Update: Matusz is done after seven innings. The only hit and run he allowed came on a Billy Rowell homer to center field in a strong wind. Matusz got four outs in the sixth and five in the seventh. Yes, you know it's spring training when...

Millwood in the opener

Millwood in the opener
Manager Dave Trembley might not be ready to announce his starting rotation on Monday. "We're going to let the next time through go, but I don't think there's any doubt now who's going to be the No. 1 guy," Trembley said. "I guess he threw eight scoreless innings in the back. Monday I'll be able to tell you who that guy is." Trembley chuckled, knowing that Kevin Millwood was the obvious choice all along. I guess this little nugget will have to pass for news today. Millwood is the No....

Hernandez's day

Hernandez's day
Scott Moore lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth and Justin Turner hit a three-run double to increase the Orioles' lead to 6-0.. Did David Hernandez do enough today to push Chris Tillman from the fifth starter's slot? We still don't know, and neither does Hernandez. "I'm just trying to go out there and do the best I can every performance," he said. "Whether it's good enough or not, all I can say is I went out there and gave it my best effort. And today, the results...

Millwood's day

Millwood's day
Kevin Millwood tossed eight scoreless innings in the minor league game. He threw 102 pitches. Yes, he's stretched out. "Everything felt good," he said. "It was like a normal day out on the mound. I felt like I located my fastball real well today. I threw some good changeups, I threw some good sliders. At times my curveball was good. I would take that stuff any day on a big league field." Millwood will be limited to 50-60 pitches in his final outing.
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Sweet relief

Sweet relief
Cla Meredith induced three ground balls from the Red Sox in a routine sixth inning, and Will Ohman again retired all three batters he faced in the seventh. Orioles 2, Red Sox 0. Ohman hasn't allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings. He's surrendered only one hit. David Hernandez has finished running in the outfield, and I'll be heading downstairs shortly to interview him.

Hernandez takes the fifth (updated)

Hernandez takes the fifth (updated)
David Hernandez has made it through five scoreless innings today. Tug Hulett flied out on Hernandez's first pitch, but Dusty Brown walked after working the count full. Jacoby Ellsbury singled to left, and both runners advanced on Dustin Pedroia's fly ball to the warning track in right. Markakis slammed into the fence after making the grab and seemed to be a little shaken up, but he stayed in the game. Bullpen coach Alan Dunn visited the mound - he's filling in for pitching coach Rick...

Hernandez's great escape

Hernandez's great escape
The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth, but David Hernandez did a masterful job of keeping the game scoreless. Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez singled, and Adrian Beltre walked to put the right-hander in a serious jam. Hernandez responded by striking out Mitch Dening, Marco Scutaro and Josh Reddick. "Impressive" doesn't quite do it justice. On the downside, the Red Sox worked Hernandez for 27 pitches to raise his count to 75. He isn't stretched out enough...

Hernandez in the second (and third)

Hernandez in the second (and third)
The Red Sox scorched a couple balls in the second inning, but David Hernandez didn't allow a run. Jeremy Hermida singled with one out, but Marco Scutaro flied to right and Josh Reddick flied to right-center. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones ran a long way to make the catches. Hernandez threw 19 pitches, 12 for strikes. That's 33 pitches and 22 strikes through two innings. Red Sox starter John Lackey struck out Jones and Markakis in the first inning. Garrett Atkins singled with two outs in the...

Berken up the right tree

Berken up the right tree
One of the keys to Jason Berken's improvement this spring is his sudden ability to slow his pace and regain control. He was in total control last night, blanking the Twins on two hits over four innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three. Berken, competing for the fifth starter's job or a long relief role, has allowed four runs in 12 2/3 innings this spring. "Last year, I felt like the game would get going so quick, I'd blink and there would be four runs on the board," he...
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More pre-game notes

More pre-game notes
Alfredo Simon will start Monday night's game against the New York Yankees. As I wrote earlier, Brian Matusz will pitch in a minor league game. Brian Roberts will return to the lineup tomorrow night. We're all curious to see how David Hernandez pitches today following Chris Tillman's disappointing outing last night and Jason Berken's four innings of shutout relief. The bullpen might not be the only place to find a good dogfight. "I know (Tillman) was upset with himself because he felt...

The backup plan

The backup plan
Manager Dave Tremblely wouldn't classify Chad Moeller as the clear frontrunner to back up Matt Wieters on Opening Day. The competition for that job continues into the final week of camp. Moeller is batting .300 (6-for-20) with one double, two homers and three RBIs in 20 at-bats. Craig Tatum is batting .176 (3-for-17) with two doubles and two RBIs in 17 at-bats. Both of Tatum's RBIs came in last night's game, when he also threw out a runner attempting to steal. "I would say that's an...

Koji update

Koji update
Koji Uehara played catch again today before moving to the back fields, where he was expected to do some light running. Uehara's left hamstring is feeling a little better, but he needs to get back on the mound. He's been projected as the seventh-inning guy and he needs to pitch again before the Orioles head to St. Petersburg for the opener. "It makes you shuffle some things around on paper," manager Dave Trembley said. "The report I got this morning was that he was improved. We'll have...

Worth noting (w/Red Sox lineup)

Worth noting (w/Red Sox lineup)
Brian Roberts said his back felt fine this morning. "I'm good, I'm good," he told reporters who approached his locker. Roberts won't take any swings in a minor league game today. He's expected to be in tomorrow's lineup. Mike Gonzalez will join Kevin Millwood in today's minor league tilt. Unfortunately, I can only be in one place at a time, so I'll probably miss them. I need to watch David Hernandez pitch against the Red Sox. Jiwon Bang, the interpreter for Koji Uehara, said the...

Orioles lineup

Orioles lineup
Felix Pie LF Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Matt Wieters C Miguel Tejada 3B Garrett Atkins 1B Ty Wigginton DH Justin Turner 2B Cesar Izturis SS David Hernandez RHP Will Ohman, Cla Meredith and Kam Mickolio also are slated to pitch.

Post-game Trembley

Post-game Trembley
Tremendous outing by Jason Berken, who shut out the Twins on two hits over four innings in the Orioles' 4-3 loss. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three. Berken lowered his ERA to 2.84 on a night that Chris Tillman labored. David Hernadez starts tomorrow against the Red Sox. Is the competition for the fifth starter's job really over or is there still time for Berken or Hernandez to force the issue? Manager Dave Trembley praised Berken and the way Nolan Reimold ran the bases and...

Tillman on Tillman

Tillman on Tillman
Robert Andino dropped a fly ball in left field in the eighth inning. He looked like a shortstop trying to play the outfield. Hard to pile too much blame on him. Chris Tillman found some positive aspects about tonight's start, but he didn't have many kind things to say about his 27-pitch third inning. He kept going back to how long that inning lasted, though he threw five more pitches in the second. "I thought it went well overall, but that third inning, those kinds of innings are...

The life of Brian

The life of Brian
Nolan Reimold homered with the count full in the seventh inning, his first of the spring. He singled earlier and scored from first base on a double. A good night for the left fielder. Twins 4, Orioles 3. Brian Roberts struck out in all three at-bats tonight before leaving the game. "It felt good just to put a uniform on and go play. Certainly it's different than BP," he said. "My body felt pretty good. Just a matter of getting in the box and seeing live pitching. But my body, it felt...