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Orioles

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy: Birds give finale away in 3-2 loss to Seattle

Nestor Aparicio

While we’re all drinking the orange Kool Aid these days in hopes of “better days ahead,” it’s losses like last night’s in Seattle that keep anyone who appreciates good baseball scratching our heads in disgust. After a series of boneheaded baserunning blunders and mental mistakes, the Orioles finally succumbed to the Mariners in a 3-2 loss at Safeco Field when Adrian Beltre hit a seeing-eye single past Cesar Izturis off Jim Johnson in the 9th inning to win the game. Aubrey Huff – allegedly a veteran – not only got picked off of third base by Mariners catcher Rob Johnson in the sixth inning to kill a rally but was also caught stealing in the ninth to thwart any chance of a go-ahead run. To his credit, Huff faced the music afterward, telling The Sun: “There’s no reason to get picked off right there. That’s just a stupid rookie mistake by a veteran guy. It can’t happen. There’s no reason for me to be off the base that much. If Wieters gets a hit, I’m scoring anyway. It was really, really stupid.” At least he’s showing some accountability for his losing behavior. Perhaps sometime soon someone will ask Dave Trembley

Orioles fall 3-2, lose series to Seattle

Luke Jones

UPDATE:  The Orioles missed a golden opportunity to take a road series on Wednesday night, losing 3-2 on a walk-off single by Adrian Beltre in the bottom of the ninth inning .  The Seattle third baseman drove in all three runs for the home team. An outstanding effort from Brad Bergesen (see below) was wasted as the Orioles could only score two runs on 10 hits.  Having two runners picked off and another caught stealing certainly won’t help you win many ballgames either.  Baserunning continues to be an Achilles heel for this team. Luke Scott continues to be the only hitter doing much of anything lately, driving in both Baltimore runs. The Orioles (24-30) are off Thursday before starting a three-game set in Oakland on Friday. ***** 12:20 – The Orioles’ offensive struggles continue tonight as they’re tied 2-2 in the eighth inning. Brad Bergesen has pitched a heck of a ballgame.  Manager Dave Trembley left himself wide open for criticism by leaving the rookie starter in the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Bergesen got Adrian Beltre—who hit a two-run homer in the third—to ground out to end the rally.

Brady Anderson weighs in on Angelos’ reputation

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been a little while since I’ve spoken with Brady Anderson but the last time we chatted we had a very spirited debate regarding Peter Angelos’ contributions to Baltimore sports. Today, Anderson wrote an op-ed piece for The Baltimore Sun. Clearly, a lot has changed since Brady Anderson rolled his roller blades through the droves of people who gathered at the Inner Harbor every day for Orioles games back in the halcyon days of Camden Yards and competitive baseball. And let’s be honest: Angelos trumped his own general manager 10 years ago when he gave Anderson a $30 million contract. Brady has millions and millions of reasons to be loyal to Angelos. But, nontheless, it’s an interesting read.

Rich Hill looked like McNally or McGregor; Birds win 1-0 in Seattle

Nestor Aparicio

12:26 a.m. — George Sherrill threw three straight balls to start the ninth inning but did his best Don Stanhouse escape, ultimately shutting the door on the middle of the Seattle order as the Birds defeated the Mariners 1-0 in a hastily played, well-pitched “old time” ball game. Rich Hill was extraordinary, going seven innings and allowing just two hits while retiring the final 14 Mariners in order before exiting to perfect relief from Jim Johnson and Sherrill. It’s a good homecoming for Adam Jones, who scored the lone run of the game. 1-0 games don’t happen too often. Savor them! It was a great night to stay up late watching baseball. 12:18 a.m. — Rick Dempsey: “You never would’ve thought that the Orioles could get pitching this good!” An odd thing to say, but Dempsey is great for these one liners. And for the record, about two weeks ago I would’ve agreed with him. This team is finding energy from the young pitchers. That much is obvious! 12:14 a.m. –We’ve come a long way from the days of waiting for The Baltimore Sun and the little black boxes on the front page, haven’t we? Jim Johnson has pitched a

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

Despite a disappointing end to the four-game series with Detroit, it was encouraging seeing an energized crowd at Camden Yards this weekend. Matt Wieters may be off to a slow start at the plate, but that won’t dampen the enthusiasm for the 23-year-old catcher.  National pundits are calling him the most hyped prospect since Bo Jackson. It was clear the organization was going to bring up the rookie to debut in front of the home crowd, but a west coast trip might be the best thing for him.  It allows Wieters to simply play baseball without the bright lights of Camden Yards or the primetime audience.  I look for him to start showing what he’s capable of doing at the big league level during the trip, but will many Orioles fans be watching late at night? Here are the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who will win the NBA Finals?  It’s not the highly anticipated Cavs-Lakers series, but the Orlando Magic continues to prove the doubters wrong.  Dwight Howard is a man possessed down low, and it’s doubtful the Lakers will have anyone to stop him—short of Andrew Bynum using six fouls and hoping Howard falls

Matt Messiah has arrived…now will the wins follow?

Nestor Aparicio

It was a fun weekend to be a real Orioles fan. The kind where the joy of baseball, if it’s ever mattered in your life at any point, comes back in a rush. Sure, all of the steroids and losing and empty nights at Camden Yards have taken their toll over the past 12 years, but the Orioles finally can say they are in the business of “selling hope.” You know why? Because, this time, the fans actually believe in Matt Wieters and what the Orioles are selling. How do I know? Because they announced the three-game crowd this weekend at 108,000 people and for once it didn’t look like they were padding their numbers. The Orioles are selling hope. The Orioles are selling youth. The best minds in baseball say they’re on the right path. The fans are buying the hype and – for the first time – the tickets to the games. People dropped everything and ran to the ballpark this weekend to see the orange Messiah in person. Yes, it was a fun weekend despite the gruesome pair of losses on Saturday and Sunday (not to mention any flaming criticism of manager Dave Trembley, who befuddles many

Winning with Wieters

Luke Jones

It’s hard not to smile tonight if you’re an Orioles fan. Matt Wieters made his major league debut, Brad Bergesen pitched a gem, and Luke Scott said, “What’chu talkin‘ ‘bout, Willis?” twice tonight, as the Orioles won their fifth game in a row by defeating the Detroit Tigers, 7-2. The big story of the night was obviously the debut of the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, and he delivered—just not with the bat.  The young catcher called a great game to help Bergesen pitch one of the best games of any Orioles pitcher all season long. Bergesen pitched 8+ innings, scattering seven hits while striking out three and walking none.  After several promising starts that fizzled with struggles in the fifth or sixth inning, it was encouraging to see him work so deeply into the game. Scott continues to annihilate Tigers pitching, hitting a grand slam in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth, both off Tigers starter Dontrelle Willis.  Four home runs in two games against Detroit.  When the streaky Scott is locked in, his power is as good as anyone else in baseball. It was great to see 42,000 people give a rousing

Somewhere over the Warehouse…and the rainbow!

Nestor Aparicio

Matt Wieters gets tested on the first play of the game. He goes 0-fer at the plate. Brad Bergesen goes eight strong innings. Luke Scott jacks two home runs onto the flag court and drives in five runs. The stadium is packed with orange hopefuls, young and old, and the weather even held off as the Orioles beat the Tigers 7-2 in one of the more “Magical” nights in the history of Camden Yards. Dave Trembley said it perfectly: “Good for our team. Good for our fans. Good for our city.” That about sums it up. And truly is a blog where a picture is worth a thousand words: The Orioles beat up on Dontrelle Willis and have now won five in a row. Brad Bergesen and Luke Scott both got the Adam Jones’ “shaving cream pie in the face” treatment with a frightened Amber Theoharis. Oh, and as Matt Wieters came to bat in the third inning, I snapped this photo above from my seats in Sect. 86 in left field. I also threw together this video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj7N-xn14R4&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

“Welcome Matt” Party is at The Nest at 5 p.m. (I scored a pair!)

Nestor Aparicio

With gallons of orange kool aid in both hands (not to mention ice cold Bud Light) we will be holding a “Welcome Matt Wieters To Baltimore” celebration (and coronation) at The Nest on Pratt Street at 5 p.m. Friday. Please tell your friends on Facebook, Twitter, etc. to drop by and raise a civic toast for Messiah Matt at 6 p.m. at the main bar! It’ll be a Kodak moment! A generous listener “donated” a pair of seats and off to Birdland we go looking for a “defining moment” and Matt Wieters’ first big-league at bat. If he’s THIS special, I want to say “I was there” like every other fan who has been loving the Orioles since 1973 or beyond. I will be on the air from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and we’ll be running the Coors Light King of Baltimore Sportstalk finale from Padonia Station from 4 til 6. Thyrl Nelson will be in at his usual time with the Mobtown Sports Beat. Special thanks to the mystery guy for the tickets. (I hope they’re upstairs with all of the rowdy kids!) Special thanks to The Nest for hosting a party on short notice. Come early, say

Wieters fever: Will he be the savior that this franchise needs?

Nestor Aparicio

We fully expect that Camden Yards will be packed tomorrow night for the debut of Matt Wieters. It’s a Friday night, the forecast is good and this is probably the most unique evening of baseball in Baltimore since “Fan Appreciation Night” back in May 1988, when the team was greeted with unconditional love after an 0-21 start. Clearly, the Orioles marketing folks have finally put the “WNST Cap” on and used an evening to create an “event.” They were already guaranteed about 30,000 on a $6 student/fireworks night. And after a couple of years of press, accolades and hype, the can’t-miss-kid is coming to town. They could’ve made his debut tonight, but they’ve chosen a night when they were already en route to a full house. This alone, is a departure from some of their foolish decisions related to getting people interested in the team. Here’s where you can make all of the jokes about how few people still DO go to Orioles games. Yesterday, the Orioles battled back from an 8-3 deficit to win a game in dramatic, 11th-inning style with a walk-off home run by young Nolan Reimold and there weren’t 5,000 people in the stadium to witness

What does Wieters’ promotion mean to you as a Baltimore Orioles fan?

Nestor Aparicio

Needless to say, there will be a virtual overkill of speculation about Matt Wieters today at WNST.net and AM 1570. Here’s your chance to write what’s on YOUR mind about his pending promotion on Friday. Comments welcomed below. Is it good? Is it bad? Are you going to the game? Are you excited? Will Friday be a historic day in the history of the Orioles moving forward? Tell us how you feel… Even good “one liners” are welcomed…

Who’s this Matt Wieters kid?

Nestor Aparicio

I suggest checking out http://www.mattwietersfacts.com/ to get an idea of what kind of hype—and pressure—this 23-year-old kid is facing as he makes his major league debut on Friday night. While we all hope the above plaque will one day be a reality in Cooperstown, let’s just enjoy watching him grow as a big league catcher without expecting him to turn water into wine—this year anyway. When was the last time an Oriole rookie’s debut received this much attention?  You would have to go back to Jeffrey Hammonds in 1993 (fourth overall pick in the 1992 draft) or Ben McDonald in 1989 (first overall pick earlier that year).  It would be hard to top the hype for Big Ben, but Wieters is certainly in contention. The organization handled the Wieters’ situation correctly.  As much as Orioles fans wanted the instant gratification of seeing the young catcher on Opening Day, Andy MacPhail likely saved millions of dollars and an extra year before free agency by waiting to promote him. And remember, don’t feel too badly for Wieters through all of this.  Critics easily forget the Orioles gave him a straight $6 million signing bonus in August 2007—the highest up-front payment in draft

So just who the heck is Jason Berken?

Nestor Aparicio

With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror and the squad on a mini-streak of daylight (they’ve won 3 of 4), the Orioles will welcome young RHP Jason Berken to the hill tonight to take on the fading Toronto Blue Jays. Starting in Aberdeen during the summer of 2006, Berken’s trip becomes complete tonight as a big leaguer. How long will he stay? How will he pitch? Who the heck is Jason Berken? All fair questions for the novice Orioles fan who doesn’t spend late nights up studying the team’s minor-league depth chart. Berken is a former 6th-round Draft pick out of Clemson who spent most of the spring at the team’s slummy complex in Sarasota, Fla. He went 12-4 for Bowie last season and started there again this year, but he moved up to Triple-A Norfolk when Bergesen joined the big league rotation. And once he arrived in Norfolk, Berken went 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA putting himself in position to be promoted tonight. It’s also his turn in the rotation and his night to pitch. So, we’ll have to wait on Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz not to mention David Hernandez, who could be taking Koji

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to the cookouts, sports, and fun with family and friends this weekend, let’s be sure to remember the fine men and women serving our great country throughout the world. With this in mind, it was great seeing Hall of Famer Bob Feller on the Orioles-Nationals telecast this afternoon.  At 90 years old, Feller has amazingly spent over half his life as a member of the Hall of Fame (inducted in 1962).  That’s just hard to comprehend! In addition to his remarkable career with the Cleveland Indians, which included a no-hitter on Opening Day in 1940, Feller served four years in the U.S. Navy.  He put his baseball career on hold immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, enlisting on Dec. 8, 1941.  That’s the stuff of a true hero. Now, it’s time for the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who have you most enjoyed watching in the NBA Playoffs this year? Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are the obvious headliners, but Orlando’s Dwight Howard has been a man among boys in the paint (averaging 16.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game), and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony

A weekend of MASN and Baltimore and Washington and “Battle of Basement”

Nestor Aparicio

Well, if they weren’t going to get the sweep at least they lost in dramatic fashion. Jamie Walker gave up a prodigious grand slam to Adam Dunn in the 7th inning and the Nats beat the O’s 8-5 to avert a sweep in D.C. Brad Bergesen pitched well enough. The Orioles battled and the game was pretty nip and tuck through the middle innings with lead changes, big hits and competitiveness. But it all unraveled in the 7th for the O’s bullpen after Bergesen hit the shower. I’ve spent all three days pretty much glued to the TV watching this series. I was just as amazed by all of the empty seats as I was the full ones. It looks like they sold a lot of tickets and many didn’t come. It was just weird looking at it for 30 innings over the last 45 hours. I’ve been wanting to write a blog all weekend but I thought I’d just do a “summary” here today about what I’m thinking as I watch all of this pretty-much lousy baseball. I’m also a little overwhelmed with MASN’s hodgepodge display of Nats and O’s as “friendly rivals” and how chummy the “Battle of

Tillman leaves the game after two innings in Norfolk

Luke Jones

Chris Tillman, one of the Orioles’ top pitching prospects, was pulled from his start tonight at Norfolk after throwing 33 pitches in two innings for the Tides. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_05_23_rocaaa_noraaa_1&did=t568&sid=t568 Barring any news regarding a possible injury, the outing would be comparable to the number of pitches thrown in a side session.  Could he be the starting pitcher on Tuesday night against Toronto? Update:  MASN’s Roch Kubatko reports Tillman left the game due to tightness in his groin, ending any chance of him receiving the start on Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Norfolk’s Jason Berken would appear to be the most likely choice to get the start.

O's-Nats a far cry from potential Ravens-Redskins rivalry

Luke Jones

Despite MASN’s best efforts—and I’ll leave the jokes to you on how good its “best” actually is—to market the Battle of the Beltway between the Orioles and Nationals, the matchup is no more a rivalry than any other team the Orioles play this season. Regardless of their close proximity and the background story of Peter Angelos’ effort to keep baseball out of D.C. and his subsequent ownership of MASN, it’s tough to get excited about two of baseball’s worst teams facing off six times every year. Perhaps one day the Orioles-Nationals will bring the same flare as Yankees-Mets or Cubs-White Sox, but that idea seems to be little more than a pipedream here in 2009. This brings us to another potential geographic rivalry that has failed to take off due to the sheer lack of games they’re able to play.  The Ravens and Redskins both have rabid fan bases and would figure to form a special rivalry, if not for the fact that they play only once every four years under the current structure of the NFL. Since 1996, the Ravens have played Washington only four times, winning games in 1997, 2004, and 2008 and losing in their 2000 Super

O’s-Nats a far cry from potential Ravens-Redskins rivalry

Luke Jones

Despite MASN’s best efforts—and I’ll leave the jokes to you on how good its “best” actually is—to market the Battle of the Beltway between the Orioles and Nationals, the matchup is no more a rivalry than any other team the Orioles play this season. Regardless of their close proximity and the background story of Peter Angelos’ effort to keep baseball out of D.C. and his subsequent ownership of MASN, it’s tough to get excited about two of baseball’s worst teams facing off six times every year. Perhaps one day the Orioles-Nationals will bring the same flare as Yankees-Mets or Cubs-White Sox, but that idea seems to be little more than a pipedream here in 2009. This brings us to another potential geographic rivalry that has failed to take off due to the sheer lack of games they’re able to play.  The Ravens and Redskins both have rabid fan bases and would figure to form a special rivalry, if not for the fact that they play only once every four years under the current structure of the NFL. Since 1996, the Ravens have played Washington only four times, winning games in 1997, 2004, and 2008 and losing in their 2000 Super

Proof: Pittsburgh really does suck more than Baltimore

Nestor Aparicio

I’m doing my usual Memorial Day “chill” downtown in the world’s most beautiful city — that’s Baltimore, folks — and scanning the web and tripped across an ESPN.com piece about the Pittsburgh Pirates and their ineptitude. I intuitively knew they they haven’t played playoff baseball in the Steel City since Barry Bonds in 1992. I honestly don’t think about the Pirates too much and it’s the lone “new” ballpark that I’ve never entered. (Although I am a big fan of Primanti Sandwiches! The only saving grace — besides leaving of course — that Pittsburgh has, in my humble opinion.) The Pirates have had 17 consecutive seasons of losing. As long as Camden Yards has existed, they’ve stunk. Almost just like us, with the Angelos Orioles. But there is a considerable difference. Or a whole volume of them, really. The Orioles HAD it all — a huge market, suites, fans, corporate sponsors, the best legacy in baseball and heroes — and blew it. The Pirates were on the verge of potentially “breaking through” but the market limitations and the general dirge of Three Rivers Stadium (by FAR, the worst stadium I ever saw a baseball game in because the seats were

Adam Jones wins one: Orioles outlast Nats 4-2 in 12 innings

Nestor Aparicio

Somewhere, there’s a Bob Hope like joke here somewhere. Ya know, “What the only thing worse than watching two last place teams play for nine innings?” Of course, deadpanned: “Watching them play for 12 innings.” But that’s what I did tonight as the Orioles and Nationals pitching staffs combined to duel well into the night in a 2-2 deadlock until Adam Jones hit a two-run double, improbably scoring pitcher Danys Baez who also vultured the victory in Washington D.C. Nolan Reimold got the “Battle of The Beltway” started with a homer in the first inning off of rookie starter Jordan Zimmerman but that was all of the offense the O’s could manage before the 12th inning. O’s starter Rich Hill was decent, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing just three hits although he walked four Nats as well. Manager Dave Trembley used four members of the bullpen — Matt Albers, Jim Johnson, Baez and George Sherrill — so there will be an extra tax for the extra baseball tonight.

Orioles Black Magic – Feel It Bring You Down

Luke Jones

For baseball fans, there are few things finer in life than getting home from a long day of work, cracking open a cold beer, and turning on the ballgame to relax and have some fun.  It’s an escape…a reprieve…part of the fabric of Americana. The problem in Baltimore is this ideal experience is no more than a distant memory or a faraway dream.  The reality is watching the Orioles this year—and for the last 11 seasons—feels more like taking out the trash or doing the laundry.  It feels like an obligation to a family member that you cannot avoid.  Diehards continue to watch, looking for any glimmer of hope such as the sparkling play of young Adam Jones. However, for every bright spot like Jones, the continued improvement of Nick Markakis, and the desperate hope for the crop of minor league pitching, there is the horrendous starting pitching, foolish baserunning, and invisible late-inning offense.  Quite frankly, it’s not easy—or enjoyable—to watch. No matter how much MASN tries to brainwash its audience—and believe me, it’s propaganda at its finest—the obvious and painful truth is staring us right in the face. Orioles Magic energized the Charm City in the late 1970s and

Yankees blow out Orioles for second straight night

Nestor Aparicio

Trying to find good news about the Orioles these days is hard. Other than the fact that Adam Jones is in the lineup and the call-up of Matt Wieters is “imminent” in the minds of some, watching this team night after night is an invitation to frustration. Last night, No. 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie gave up three homers in a row in the second inning to Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera but the team battled back to within 5-3 by the fifth inning. Guthrie turned the game over to Danys Baez in the 8th inning and all hell broke loose again as the Yankees batted around after Mark Texieira made the first out of the inning on a strikeout. All told, Baez and Jamie Walker allowed six “icing” runs and the Orioles lost 11-4 to the Yankees in The Bronx. The Yankees go for the three-game sweep tonight, sending Joba Chamberlain (2-1, 3.76) to the mound against Adam Eaton (2-4, 7.93), who has been so bad that tonight could very well be his swan song as an Orioles starter. A few notes: * Adam Jones added two more hits last night, including a homer in the 5th inning,

Yankee Stadium trip: I now know what a $9 beer tastes like

Nestor Aparicio

The Miller Lite was ice cold. Our Gunther charter got us to The Bronx plenty early yesterday. And the “new” Yankee Stadium was big, bold and pricey as promised. We were having a blast last night amidst a sea of pinstripers right up until the time Chris Ray came into the game. And, of course, it’s hard to win when you only get three hits over nine innings. Orioles starting pitcher Brad Bergesen kept the Birds in the game for six innings, pitching some inspired baseball after allowing ARod a first-inning home run. But Ray’s seventh inning implosion and the dominance of C.C. Sabathia, who allowed just three hits in seven innings, led to a blowout 9-1 Yankees win in Gotham City. The video from the trip is coming to wnsTV and the many observations about the stadium will be discussed on “Limited Access” at 2 p.m. today. All in all, a beautiful, antiseptic environment for baseball in New York is kinda weird but the fans there certainly seem galvanized to support the club and spend the money to come to the new palace. Did I mention that a beer cost me $9? There was palpable energy in the seats

Changes coming to Monday Night Football and the World Series

Nestor Aparicio

A new addition to Monday Night Football and an overdue change to the Fall Classic should make many fans happy this fall. ESPN has announced former NFL coach Jon Gruden will replace Tony Kornheiser in the Monday Night Football booth this fall, joining play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski. Kornheiser, a longtime sportswriter, was maligned for not having a background as a player or coach, instead choosing to focus on the lighter side of the game.  It reminded too many fans of the failed Dennis Miller experiment that ABC tried at the beginning of the decade. While I enjoy Kornheiser with Michael Wilbon on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, he never found his place in the MNF broadcast booth.  He often seemed disinterested—if not in over his head—compared to the insightful analysis provided by Jaworski. Listening to Kornheiser provide color commentary reminded me of someone that tries to engage you in football discussion, but after a few minutes, you realize he just doesn’t know that much about the game.  While he is certainly an accomplished writer, his football insight left much to be desired. Kornheiser’s excessive discussion over Chad Johnson’s Hall of Fame jacket charade ruined the Ravens-Bengals telecast

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

It’s easy to call the 134th Preakness a failure, but it would be more prudent to give the Maryland Jockey Club another year or two to see what can be done to bring the masses back to Pimlico.  The decision to prohibit patrons from bringing their own alcohol was obviously a major change to the culture of the Preakness, but creative thinking should be able to revive attendance. However, will officials have another year or two to accomplish this?  It remains to be seen with the bankruptcy of Magna Entertainment Corp., the owner of Pimlico.  The state government is taking measures to keep the Preakness in Baltimore, but nothing is a sure thing at this point. Here are the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who do you expect to be in the Orioles’ starting rotation by year’s end?  We’ve already seen two of the five Opening Day rotation members (Alredo Simon and Mark Hendrickson) replaced, and more changes are sure to come as the season continues. The next starter on the chopping block would logically be Adam Eaton (2-4, 7.93 ERA).  The most likely candidates for a promotion at this point are Chris Tillman (4-0, 2.03

An improving bullpen is a good sign for O’s

Nestor Aparicio

As an Orioles fan who hasn’t seen the franchise play a meaningful game in 12 years, living with the adage “one day at a time” has become a house rule. And for today, the bullpen and a quality start last night by Rich Hill gives a few causes for hope. Hill threw 88 pitches, left the game in the sixth inning with a one-run lead and Danys Baez, Jim Johnson and George Sherrill took care of business, allowing just one Kansas City runner on base over the remainder of the game. Of course, the Royals of 2009 won’t be confused with the 1929 Yankees, either. But a 3-2 win in Kansas City is acceptable and the Birds will send Koji Uehara to the hill today against Luke Hochevar. Be prepared for fireworks: Hochevar (6-14, 5.64 lifetime ERA) gave up eight hits and seven runs in two innings during his 2009 debut last Tuesday against Oakland. And that’s only after Sidney Ponson stunk so bad they promoted this stiff from Omaha. The Orioles go for another series win today. Only the delayed freight train of Zach Greinke could slow them down on Friday night. The new ballpark design in Kansas City

Baby steps for the O’s

Luke Jones

Injuries are never easy on a team, regardless of the fallen player’s talent level or role with the club. Adam Jones’ hamstring injury comes at a time when he is third in the American League in hitting (.370) and leads the Orioles in hitting, home runs (8) and on-base percentage (.426).  While Jones’ absence—regardless of the length—certainly hurts the team, the Orioles are in a position in which they have not found themselves very often in the past 20 years. However, an injury leads to an opportunity, and the Orioles can actually look to the minor leagues for a legitimate option to replace him in the lineup. Enter Nolan Reimold.  He’s another possible piece of the future to watch despite the forgettable start to the current season. Although the discussion dated back to spring training regarding Reimold’s status with the club, the 25-year-old rookie finally gets the opportunity to show his skills at the major league level. Though Reimold will not take Jones’ position in center field, he indirectly takes over for him as Felix Pie slides over to field his natural position.  Reimold was blistering Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .394 average, nine home runs, and 27

Orioles finally give the call to Nolan Reimold

Nestor Aparicio

Outfield prospect Nolan Reimold will finally be joining the Orioles in Kansas City today as the team will recall him and send pitcher Bob McCrory back to Norfolk after a rough outing last night against the Rays in a 8-6 loss. Reimold’s numbers at AAA have been staggering. He’s hitting .394 with 9 home runs, 11 doubles and 27 RBI in just 109 at bats and 31 games. The Orioles brass has been adament that Reimold would only be recalled when he could play every day in the big leagues. With the injuries and various ailments to Luke Scott, Felix Fie and now Adam Jones this week, this call-up isn’t as much a “reward” as it is a necessity for the organization who have played the last two games short on the bench. Here is Reimold’s year in stats…

Triple losses: First the Caps, then the Orioles, then Danny Gokey

Nestor Aparicio

Despite the fun we had in Dundalk last night with an evening of 12 semifinal auditions at Donna’s Tavern, it was an ugly night for local sports. The Capitals fell behind early and had one of the most disappointing Game 7 efforts in recent memory. The Orioles got clubbed by the Rays while Adam Jones left the game early with a hamstring pull. And, adding insult to the injury that effectively ended my hockey season, my favorite American Idol contestant Danny Gokey got bounced by the American public in a shocking turn of events. (Somehow, I think Kris Allen got through just because he looks like Brian Roberts!) The Capitals played the entire postseason from behind and last night it finally caught up with them. Simeon Varlamov’s magic ended quite early last night and Bruce Boudreau and the troops must be devastated – if not embarrassed – by that performance in a Game 7 last night. It’s always hard getting eliminated, but not showing up prepared to compete in a game like last night is unacceptable. The home-ice advantage was nullified pretty early last night in D.C. and it will be a tough offseason after losing a game in that

Hendrickson stinks but bullpen holds up, Birds beat Rays 7-5

Nestor Aparicio

Betting the “over” in last night’s game certainly looked like a sure thing over the first three innings but once starters Andy Sonnanstine and Mark Hendrickson left the game the real pitching took over and the Orioles held on to beat Tampa Bay 7-5 last night at Camden Yards. All of the scoring took place before the 4th inning and both bullpens were taxed in the interim, with Brian Bass emerging as the biggest star on the hill, working four scoreless innings after Adam Jones hit homers in the first and second innings of the game. So much for starting pitching: Sonnanstine gave up nine hits and seven earned runs in two innings and Hendrickson’s evening was just as ugly as he allowed six hits and five earned runs in two innings. Felix Pie left the game with an undisclosed stomach ailment and was actually transported to the hospital. Without Luke Scott tonight, they O’s may play with just two bench players. Could a call-up be looming? The Orioles go for yet another “mini” sweep tonight as they send Brad Bergesen (1-0, 4.98) to the hill against Tampa’s Jeff Niemann (2-3, 5.65).

Orioles upend Rays, 7-5

Luke Jones

Despite a wild start to this one, the Orioles got an outstanding effort from the bullpen and center fielder Adam Jones, as they held on to defeat the Rays, 7-5. Starter Mark Hendrickson lasted only two innings after surrendering five runs, but Brian Bass entered in the third and pitched four scoreless innings to bridge the gap to the later innings.  Danys Baez, Jim Johnson, and George Sherrill each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the victory. Adam Jones sparked the offense with two home runs and drove in four runs.  The 23-year-old center fielder continues to be among the league leaders in batting average (.363) and leads the club with eight home runs. Left fielder Felix Pie left the game in the fourth inning and was taken to the hospital with a stomach ailment.  If Pie is unable to recover for tomorrow’s game, the club will only have a two-man bench with Luke Scott unavailable until the start of the Kansas City series.  In case you were wondering, Nolan Reimold hit another home run for Triple-A Norfolk tonight. All in all, not a bad ballgame despite the sloppy start for both teams. The Orioles will go for the

What else can happen in this game?

Luke Jones

As I sat down to watch tonight’s Rays-Orioles game, I expected another dull contest with Mark Hendrickson on the hill for what might be his last start before a returning Rich Hill bumps him to the bullpen. Boy, was I wrong. Not about Hendrickson—he was gone after giving up five runs in two innings of work—but this game has seen a little bit of everything. We’ve seen 12 runs scored in four innings of baseball. Adam Jones is looking more and more like a superstar in the making. Juan Samuel can’t stop windmilling with his shoulder. Neither team appears interested in hitting a cutoff man. And the Orioles started the top of the fourth inning without a left fielder.  Apparently, Felix Pie had a bit of a stomach problem and left the game. (Insert your favorite joke here about feeling the same way when you watch him play.) This is definitely one of those head-scratching games the casual fan enjoys, but the baseball purist despises. “Arena” baseball (as Jim Palmer likes to call it) at its finest.

Sports Illustrated calls Angelos “worst owner in MLB”

Nestor Aparicio

Well, at least SOMEONE agrees with me. I’ve written tomes, if not The Illyiad, on the ownership debacle that has purged most of the fans of the Orioles from Oriole Park at Camden Yards over the last 15 years. Now, SI.com and Sports Illustrated have concurred. P.S. The article also calls Steve Bisciotti the No. 5 “best owner” in the NFL. Here is the piece from SI.com…posted earlier today.

Ryan Freel latest ex-Oriole to be “overwhelmed with joy” to be gone

Nestor Aparicio

As predicted, it didn’t take Ryan Freel long to squawk to the Chicago media about how miserable his experience was as an employee of Angelos’ Army in Baltimore. He was traded by Andy McPhail for speedy outfielder Joey Gathright on Friday afternoon. His more vitriolic quotes apparently came “off the record” but he did say that he’s “overwhelmed with joy” to no longer be an Oriole and he told the Cubs equipment manager to “burn” his Orioles equipment bag. Oh, and he said: “I don’t want any Birds around my locker.” Read the whole piece here…

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I wanted to take a moment to wish all the moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day.  In the sports world, we tend to overlook Mom in favor of Dad taking the kids to ballgames or coaching the little league team. In my own childhood, my dad often had the glory, taking me to Orioles and Ravens games and coaching many of my teams, but my mom was right there at every game as my No. 1 fan.  I sincerely thank her for that. Now, on to the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week. 1.  Who really deserves to be the Orioles’ closer at this point?  The closer-by-committee idea sounds logical, but relievers have to be effective in order for it to work.  The struggles of George Sherrill against right-handed hitting are well-documented (right-handers are hitting .378 against him), but no one else is emerging as a viable option. Chris Ray (7.20 ERA) still doesn’t look right after returning from Tommy John surgery, Jamie Walker is really a one or two-batter pitcher at this point in his career, and Jim Johnson gave up the demoralizing three-run homer to Johnny Damon this afternoon. Danys Baez has been the

Bullpen melts down to Yanks after strong outing from Koji, Orioles lose 5-3

Nestor Aparicio

4:43 p.m. — Well, I was feeling good when Felix Pie got on base for the third time today but it wasn’t meant to be. The Orioles got a nice effort from Koji Uehara today but the Jamie Walker-Jim Johnson combo couldn’t hold the lead after the 7th and a pair of homers from Robinson Cano and Johnny Damon beat the Orioles 5-3 at Camden Yards. The Orioles are now 13-19 and are 7-17 since beginning the season 6-2. They get a rare off day tomorrow and will resume action Tuesday night at Camden Yards with Andy Sonnenstine (1-3, 5.79) and Mark Hendrickson (1-4, 5.13) going to the hill. Below is my running live blog. 4:32 p.m. — I agree with most of the comparisons of George Sherrill to Don Stanhouse, who gave us thrills in the summer of 1979. The only difference? This 2009 team stinks some 30 years later. Either way, he put a couple on and managed to silence Johnny Damon with the game in the balance. They’re already down two with Rivera en route. They need a happy ending. But they have the dreaded 7-8-9 hitters coming to the plate. Not a good scenario. I need

Orioles can make all Moms happy today with Yanks series win

Nestor Aparicio

The Orioles have the chance to make all orange Moms smile today with a potential series win over the Yankees at Camden Yards after an impressive 12-5 win last night. Once again, the middle of the lineup is sizzling and even on nights when they give up a less-than modest five runs, they can beat around mediocre pitching with the likes of Phil Hughes, Edwar Ramirez, Jonathan Albaladejo and Brett Tomko. (Makes you ask, “Where have you gone Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton?”) Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are both batting .353 now, and have been rock stars since Opening Day. They are both now making a strong bid to be in St. Louis for the All Star Game. Aubrey Huff hit a homer last night and I’m not convinced last year was an aberration. Go back and read my blogs. He was one of my favorite “non Orioles” to watch when he was in Tampa Bay. He always put up big numbers and I think with ducks on the pond so often this year, he’ll be productive. Even if he still thinks Baltimore sucks as a place to party after dark. Hey, even my boy Gregg Zaun is batting

Orioles make it two in a row with mini-sweep of Twins

Nestor Aparicio

It wasn’t a textbook victory last night for the Orioles (12-17) but they’ll take wins anywhere they can find them. After an evening of soggy weather and a six-inning win on Wednesday night, the Birds came back to Camden Yards and finished the mini-sweep with a 5-4 win over the Twins led by Melvin Mora and unlikely Lou Montanez. Mora homered in the second and got on base in the eighth before Montanez singled to left to account for the game-winning RBI. The usual speedy work of Brad Bergesen on the hill picked up the pace of the game, but he was in trouble most of the evening and worked some Houdini magic to avoid big innings. All told, the Twins managed 14 hits off of O’s pitching — including 11 off Bergesen in just six innings — but could never plate runs in bunches. Reliever Chris Ray struggled in the 7th inning, allowing the Twins to tie the game after inheriting a one-run lead, but Jim Johnson was stellar in the 8th inning to vulture a victory and George Sherrill managed to finish a sweaty 9th to earn fifth save of the year. Afterward, manager Dave Trembley gave praise

Are you really surprised anymore?

Luke Jones

When I received the news of Manny Ramirez’s 50-game suspension, I didn’t flinch or really react at all.  No anger.  No disappointment.  Indifference.  We’ve heard this story over and over, especially in Baltimore after the Rafael Palmeiro scandal in 2005.  Of course, Ramirez received a medication from a doctor who didn’t know any better—a doctor clearly unaware of Ramirez’s status or Major League Baseball’s chronic problem with performance-enhancing drugs.  It’s understandable that one of the two highest-paid players in all of baseball could only afford to go to a doctor that didn’t know any better.  And if you believe that, you’re clearly still waiting for Palmeiro’s promise to tell his side of the story—four years later.  How ironic is it that Alex Rodriguez appears set to return to the Yankees this weekend at Oriole Park at Camden Yards this weekend?  Baseball can never get out of its own way, can it? Instead of dwelling on the indelible cloud of doubt and questioning whether anything in baseball is real, I’m reminded of a piece I wrote shortly after the revelation that Rodriguez used steroids—effectively ending any hope of Barry Bonds’ “home run record” being purified.  I’d like to share it with the

Orioles and MLB continue to insult fans with “rainball” at Camden Yards

Nestor Aparicio

While you and most everyone you know was asleep last night, the Orioles, MLB and umpire Randy Marsh were seeing to it that a regulation major league game was played last night at Camden Yards. In an embarrassing display of disregard for the fans and the players in a game that “officially” went until 12:19 a.m. this morning, Marsh spent six hours of the evening through four rain delays to get the Twins and Orioles onto the field for six innings of water-logged baseball and the Orioles stole a 4-1 win. Today, on “Limited Access” at 2 p.m., we’ll be discussing how it’s evenings like Wednesday night and the utter disregard for the paying customers and their own athletes that continue to find Oriole Park empty most nights.  Can you imagine having a full-priced ticket for last night’s game and having to endure an evening at the ballpark where it rains all night and they insist on playing the game against any common sense? As expected, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was red-faced with anger and livid that the game ever began — and anyone who looked at the forecast and/or the radar could’ve seen that the chances of playing a

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

Despite a disappointing end to the four-game series with Detroit, it was encouraging seeing an energized crowd at Camden Yards

Winning with Wieters

Luke Jones

It’s hard not to smile tonight if you’re an Orioles fan. Matt Wieters made his major league debut, Brad Bergesen

Who’s this Matt Wieters kid?

Nestor Aparicio

I suggest checking out http://www.mattwietersfacts.com/ to get an idea of what kind of hype—and pressure—this 23-year-old kid is facing as

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to the cookouts, sports, and fun with family and

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

It’s easy to call the 134th Preakness a failure, but it would be more prudent to give the Maryland Jockey

Baby steps for the O’s

Luke Jones

Injuries are never easy on a team, regardless of the fallen player’s talent level or role with the club. Adam

Orioles upend Rays, 7-5

Luke Jones

Despite a wild start to this one, the Orioles got an outstanding effort from the bullpen and center fielder Adam

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I wanted to take a moment to wish all the moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day.  In the

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