June 06, 2011|By Dan Connolly, The Baltimore Sun
Chris Jakubauskas will start Tuesday's game against the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards, the first time he has started in the majors since April 2010, when he was carted off the field after getting hit in the head with a liner.
This one is expected to go a little more smoothly.
"Obviously, there's going to be a bunch made out of what I did in my last start in the big leagues, but I'm ready to go," said Jakubauskas, who is 0-0 with a 6.39 ERA in five relief appearances for the Orioles this year. "If it's going to be me [Tuesday], I'm ready. I like starting, so it will be good to get back out there and start a game."
The right-hander was signed to a minor league deal this spring and made five starts at Triple-A Norfolk, going 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA.
As a big leaguer, he is 2-6 with a 6.97 ERA in nine career starts for the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates. His lone Pirates appearance, April 24, 2010, lasted 12 pitches before Jakubauskas was hit with a liner off the bat of the Houston Astros' Lance Berkman.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Jakubauskas might have that moment in the back of his mind when he pitches Tuesday, but that's normal — for just about any pitcher.
"I would think so. I have been in that shoe similar to that, except on a thrown ball, and it is always in the back of your mind," Showalter said. "But we haven't seen any signs of [concern from Jakubauskas]. That's one of the challenges pitchers face [getting hit by a ball]. … I think we lose sight of that."
Showalter said he chose Jakubauskas because the other in-house candidate, Alfredo Simon, threw three innings and 50 pitches Sunday and was unavailable. Showalter warned, however, that if Jakubauskas were forced into relief duty Monday night, the club still could dip into Triple-A for an emergency starter.
Dunn to LSU?
Orioles minor league pitching coordinator Alan Dunn will interview Thursday for the pitching coach job at LSU, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed.
Dunn, a 49-year-old Alabama native who spent the previous three full seasons as the Orioles' bullpen coach, is considered a frontrunner for the post. Though he was not brought back to serve on manager Showalter's 2011 coaching staff, Dunn accepted the minor league pitching coordinator job, which had been held by Dave Schmidt, now the coordinator of Sarasota, Fla., operations.
Dunn joined the Orioles' coaching staff in August 2007 when then-manager Dave Trembley hired him as bullpen coach.
No bereavement list for Lee?
Orioles first baseman Derrek Lee will leave on Thursday's day off for California to attend his grandfather's funeral Friday. He expects to be back shortly thereafter. The Orioles have yet to decide whether to put him on the bereavement list and recall a player from the minors or play short for a game or two.
If placed on the list, a player cannot rejoin the roster for three days, but that would include Thursday's day off. Showalter said that likely would be determined after MacPhail returns from Sarasota, where he is assisting with the amateur draft selection.
Around the horn
Luke Scott, who had a cortisone injection in his right shoulder Sunday, was available to pinch hit Monday but was not in the starting lineup. … Right-hander Guillermo Moscoso will start for Oakland on Tuesday, despite pitching Friday and Saturday in relief. … Mark Reynolds is one of two Orioles to homer in consecutive games this June; he did it Saturday and Sunday. J.J. Hardy did it June 1 and 3.
dan.connolly@baltsun.com
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Baltimore Sun reporter Jeff Zrebiec contributed to this article.
