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Luke Jones

Veteran tight end Bajema re-signs with Ravens

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) On the same day they released a member of their Super Bowl XLVII team, the Ravens announced the return of another as veteran tight end Billy Bajema has re-signed with Baltimore. Taking the open roster spot created by the release of Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach, Bajema figures to once again compete for the third tight end spot behind Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. The 30-year-old appeared in eight games and made one start in 2012, serving in a larger role while Dickson was sidelined three games with a knee injury in December. Serving almost exclusively in a blocking capacity, Bajema did not record a reception for the Ravens last season. In eight professional seasons with Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Francisco, he has made a total of 38 catches for 398 yards and two touchdowns. Bajema’s primary competition for the third tight end job is 2012 practice squad member Alex Silvestro and rookie free agent Matt Furstenburg of Maryland.

Ravens agree to four-year deal with rookie DT Brandon Williams

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) The Ravens moved a step closer toward completing their contract work for their 10-player 2013 draft class by agreeing to terms on a four-year deal with third-round defensive tackle Brandon Williams on Friday. The Missouri Southern product is expected to compete for the starting nose tackle job with four-year defensive lineman Terrence Cody still sidelined after undergoing offseason hip surgery. At 6-foot-1 and 335 pounds, Williams has a rare combination of size and agility that prompted general manager Ozzie Newsome to draft the Division II product. The small-school defensive player put himself on the map with a strong Senior Bowl performance and wound up being selected by Baltimore with the 94th overall pick of April’s draft. Williams is the ninth of the Ravens’ 10 draft selections to sign a contract as first-round safety Matt Elam remains unsigned and has yet to hire an agent.

Birk declines White House invitation over abortion issue

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) While other former players missed the Super Bowl champion Ravens’ visit to the White House because of practice commitments to their new teams or due to a falling out with the organization, Matt Birk’s reason for skipping the event was political in nature. The retired center is a devoted Catholic and declined the invitation to meet President Barack Obama because of his recent praise of Planned Parenthood. The six-time Pro Bowl center spoke in support of traditional marriage and did not support the legalization of same-sex marriage last fall in the state of Maryland. “I wasn’t there,” Birk said in an interview with KFAN in Minnesota. “I would say that I have great respect for the office of the Presidency, but about five or six weeks ago, our president made a comment in a speech and he said, ‘God bless Planned Parenthood.’ Planned Parenthood performs about 330,000 abortions a year. I am Catholic, I am active in the pro-life movement, and I just felt like I couldn’t deal with that. I couldn’t endorse that in any way.” Several media outlets have pointed out that Obama’s

Steve Johnson experiencing left oblique discomfort, Avery on way to Houston

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) As if the Astros’ offensive explosion Wednesday night didn’t hurt enough, the Orioles may have lost a member of their bullpen in the process. Speaking to reporters in Houston following Baltimore’s 11-7 loss, right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson revealed he is dealing with a left oblique issue that he first felt while warming up early in the game as starter Freddy Garcia was lit up for four home runs in three-plus innings of work at Minute Maid Park. Johnson entered in the fourth inning and gave up two homers in the inning on his way to completing 2 1/3 innings. Johnson hopes the issue is minor and won’t warrant a trip to the disabled list, but oblique injuries are never a good sign as left-handed starter Wei-Yin Chen can attest. Per WNST.net’s Ryan Chell, outfielder Xavier Avery was on his way to Houston Thursday morning and could be a short-term option on the 25-man roster with Markakis not scheduled to rejoin the club until Friday in St. Petersburg. The Orioles are already playing shorthanded as right fielder Nick Markakis is away from the club

Orioles sign RHP Rauch to minor-league deal

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) BALTIMORE — Prior to the start of Saturday’s game against Detroit, the Orioles announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch to a minor-league deal to add relief pitching depth to the organization. The 34-year-old Rauch will report to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday and posted a 3.59 earned run average and 16 holds in 73 appearances with the New York Mets last year. He was released by the Marlins last month after posting a 7.56 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. The 11-year veteran has a 3.90 career ERA in 556 career appearances in the big leagues. Per CBS MLB insider Jon Heyman, Rauch has a June 18 opt-out clause with his minor-league agreement. The club would then have 48 hours to promote him to the majors or the veteran could become a free agent.

Super Bowl champion Ravens to visit Obama on Wednesday

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) As has become the custom for the Super Bowl champion, the Ravens will visit President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday in honor of their Super Bowl XLVII victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Baltimore last made the trip to the White House in 2001 to visit President George W. Bush after their Super Bowl XXXV win and presented the commander-in-chief with a customized Ravens jersey with the letter “W” on it. The team will also be recognized for its work in the local community. The president phoned coach John Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome a few days after the Ravens’ 34-31 win in New Orleans to secure the franchise’s second NFL championship. Members of the organization will also receive their Super Bowl championship rings next week.

Gausman will make next start against Tigers on Sunday

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) The beginning of starting pitcher Kevin Gausman’s major league career hasn’t exactly gone as planned, but the Orioles are sticking by the rookie for now. Despite allowing seven earned runs over four innings in a 9-3 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday, Gausman will make his scheduled start against the Detroit Tigers Sunday in Baltimore. Manager Buck Showalter confirmed the club’s plans after Gausman allowed three home runs while suffering his second loss in as many starts in the majors. Though walking only one in his Tuesday outing, Gausman struggled to command any of his pitches, leaving several up and over the heart of the plate against the light-hitting Nationals. His fastball velocity remained in the mid- to upper-90s, but his off-speed stuff rarely fooled Nationals hitters as the 22-year-old failed to strike out a batter. “There are nights when guys who have been here for a while struggle,” Showalter said. “Pitching in the big leagues is hard. And he’s got the talent to do it and eventually he will. And I look forward to it being the next time out. He knows

Chen making slow progress on road back from oblique injury

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) WASHINGTON — As rookie right-hander Kevin Gausman was making his second major league start on Tuesday night, the Orioles continue to wait patiently on the recovery of left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. Chen was eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday, but the Taiwanese southpaw has yet to pick up a baseball as he rehabs a strained right oblique injury in Sarasota. The 27-year-old exited his start in Minnesota on May 12 after throwing five shutout innings and was officially placed on the disabled list two days later. Oblique injuries are problematic with a high rate of setbacks because it’s difficult for training staffs to determine whether the muscle has truly healed until the player begins throwing again. Manager Buck Showalter and Chen both expressed the need to be cautious to make sure the lefty is healthy for the duration of the season. “There’s a little progress, but not anything big,” Showalter said. “Little by little. It’s so hard to handicap that, but he’s doing OK.” Chen is 3-3 with a 3.04 earned run average in eight starts covering 47 1/3 innings

Ravens ink second-round pick Brown to four-year deal

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) The Ravens announced Thursday the signing of second-round linebacker Arthur Brown to a four-year deal. The Kansas State product becomes the eighth of the Ravens’ 10 draft picks to agree to terms as first-round safety Matt Elam and third-round defensive tackle Brandon Williams. He is expected to compete for one of the starting inside linebacker jobs in Baltimore’s 3-4 base defense after an offseason in which Ray Lewis retired after 17 years and Dannell Ellerbe departed as a free agent to sign with the Miami Dolphins. Brown is currently sidelined after undergoing sports hernia surgery earlier this month, but he is expect to be 100 percent by the start of training camp.

Infield prospect Schoop sidelined with stress fracture in back

Luke Jones

(This blog brought to you by Atlantic Remodeling. Visit www.atlanticremodeling.com to learn about their Red Cent Guarantee!) A day on which most discussion centered around the promotion of top pitching prospect Kevin Gausman, the Orioles received some discouraging news about their top positional prospect as infielder Jonathan Schoop will be sidelined indefinitely with a back injury. Sidelined since May 12, Schoop is dealing with a stress fracture in his lower back, according to executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette. The 21-year-old could be sidelined six to eight weeks and will seek a second opinion. Promoted to Triple-A Norfolk this season, the organization’s 2011 minor league player of the year was hitting .268 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 34 games despite a slow start with the Tides. Schoop has the ability to play three infield positions and was splitting time between shortstop and second base. With the Orioles struggling to receive any offensive production from the second base spot this season, many speculated that Schoop could have received a summer promotion similar to the way Manny Machado provided a boost to the club in last August last season. Instead, the organization will simply focus on getting

Fourth-round linebacker Simon signs four-year deal with Ravens

Luke Jones

The Ravens took another step toward locking up their entire 2013 draft class Tuesday by signing fourth-round linebacker John Simon to a four-year deal. The Ohio State product became the seventh of the Ravens’ 10 draft picks to sign a contract. Of course, rookie negotiations have become no more than a formality since the new collective bargaining agreement came into play in 2011. Simon was the 2012 Big Ten defensive player of the year and will compete with Courtney Upshaw for playing time as a reserve behind Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil in Baltimore’s 3-4 base defense. In his final season with the Buckeyes, Simon collected 44 tackles, nine sacks, and 14 1/2 tackles for a loss. Only first-round safety Matt Elam, second-round linebacker Arthur Brown, and third-round nose tackle Brandon Williams remain unsigned as the Ravens continue organized team activities this week.

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