KANSAS CITY, Mo. - -Luke Scott stood in the visitors' clubhouse Saturday afternoon with an ice pack wrapped around his left shoulder and a scowl on his usually jovial face.
"I am not in agreement with it," said Scott, who was informed earlier Saturday that he was being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder. "I don't like it. But I'll just do my job, work hard and try to get back."
Scott injured the shoulder while diving back to first on a pickoff play May 10. He has been hitting off a tee for the past several days and Friday did strengthening exercises for his rotator cuff. Before Friday's game he said he thought his shoulder was "75 to 80 percent" and a DL trip was "out of the question."
But with Adam Jones (right hamstring strain) hobbled and Rich Hill being promoted from Triple-A Norfolk to pitch Saturday, the Orioles were caught in a numbers game.
"They didn't really have much of an explanation to give," Scott said. "They are kind of in a bind, with Jonesy being hurt, and we need pitching. We had some arms that had to come up, and I am kind of in a tough situation and I've just got to wear it."
Orioles manager Dave Trembley said Scott was notified earlier in the week that he could be placed on the DL if he weren't healthy by Saturday. It really was the only move, Trembley said, given that Scott had already missed four games and wouldn't be ready until, at the earliest, Tuesday against the Yankees in New York.
"We needed a roster spot to activate Hill, and Luke is not able to play," Trembley said. "Jones is closer to being able to play from the information I am getting from the medical people."
Scott, who is batting .303 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 29 games this season, is eligible to come off the disabled list May 26.
"He seems to think he'll be able to play before the whole 15-day-thing is up. But we can't play short," Trembley said. "That would leave me with two guys on the bench. You can't do that."
A familiar foe?
Sunday's start for Koji Uehara will not be the first time the big league rookie has faced a Trey Hillman-managed team.
Hillman, the Royals' second-year skipper, managed the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League from 2003 to 2007. Twice, Uehara, who pitched for the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League, pitched against Hillman's Ham Fighters in interleague play.
On May 31, 2005, Uehara allowed four earned runs and struck out seven in a seven-inning no-decision. On June 11, 2007, Uehara pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up a save against Hillman's club.
"His success doesn't surprise me because he knows pitching," Hillman said. "If he's healthy, he is capable of pitching like this."
Reimold piling up starts
For the third consecutive day since being promoted Thursday, rookie Nolan Reimold was the club's starting left fielder.
Trembley said he wants to see what Reimold can do with an opportunity, but that doesn't mean he has leapfrogged Lou Montanez. Trembley said Montanez, who was out of Saturday's lineup, is still somewhat bothered by an injured right thumb.
"You bring Reimold up here, you'd like to see what you've got," Trembley said. "Give him an opportunity to play. But that doesn't preclude the opportunity that Montanez could have also. I am trying to be cognizant of the fact that Montanez's thumb is not 100 percent right now."
Around the horn
Jones (right hamstring) was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game but took batting practice, ran and shagged fly balls. He could get the start Sunday and then have a day to rest Monday, on the Orioles' day off. ... Aubrey Huff's homer Friday was the seventh the Orioles have hit this season on the first pitch of an at-bat. They have hit seven on the second pitch. ... The Orioles still hadn't had a pinch hit (0-for-15) heading into Saturday. They were the only team in the majors without one.
