40 Man Roster

The Orioles have reinstated pitcher Zach Britton from the 60-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk.  Britton has been on the disabled list since March with a shoulder impingement. He now will be reinstated to the 40-man roster. To make room for Britton, right-hander Stu Pomeranz was placed on the 60-day disabled list due to an oblique tear. Britton made one of three rehab starts with Norfolk, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in six innings. Britton being optioned means he can't come to majors for 10 days unless there is an injury.

Left-handed pitcher Dana Eveland is on his way to Baltimore today and is expected to start Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Eveland, 28, was 3-2 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts at Triple-A Norfolk. Eveland is taking the spot that had been Tommy Hunter's, but Hunter was sent to Norfolk on Monday. Hunter has since returned and will pitch tonight in the second game of the doubleheader in place of Jason Hammel. Hammel's turn was skipped because he is dealing with soreness in his right knee.

Before meeting with the Baltimore media for the first time Wednesday, Dylan Bundy was every bit an 18-year-old as an Orioles media relations staffer helped him button his shirt sleeves. But after the team's first-round pick in June's amateur draft was officially introduced, the right-hander made it clear that he is ready to roll up those sleeves and get to work. Bundy, who agreed to a guaranteed $6.25 million major league contract on Aug. 15, said he is excited to get back on the mound after spending most of the summer in a holding pattern as he and his agent negotiated with the Orioles.

The Orioles have decided to offer a 2012 contract to right-hander Brad Bergesen as well as six others who are eligible for arbitration this winter. Of their nine arbitration-eligible players, only two were not offered contracts on Monday: lefty Jo-Jo Reyes and outfielder Luke Scott. Reliever Willie Eyre, who was taken off the 40-man roster and designated for assignment last week, also was listed as not being tendered a contract. The club now has 38 players on its 40-man roster.

Right-hander Brad Bergesen's arbitration hearing was scheduled for this morning at 9:30. He was looking for $1.2 million, the Oriolescountered with $800,000. I have received no information otherwise -- and I've checked -- so it's assumed the private hearing commenced today. They usually run for several hours, and the three-member panel usually doesn't offer its opinion until the following day. This is the first time the Orioles have gone to a hearing with a player since 2006 with pitcher Rodrigo Lopez.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Just one day after purchasing his contract from Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles have designated right-handed Brad Bergesen for assignment in order so they could recall Wednesday's starter, right-hander Tommy Hunter. “This one came as a surprise because I know that the bullpen's been a little depleted and so I just know they needed some innings chewed up if a game got out of control or what not,” Bergesen said while packing his bag for a flight back to Norfolk Wednesday night.

Moments after striking out 10 in the Orioles' 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, lefty Zach Britton was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. This makes room for left-hander Randy Wolf, who  will be activated tomorrow and added to the 25-man roster. With major league rosters expanding on Saturday and Norfolk's regular-season ending Monday, Britton could quickly return to the Orioles and take his regular turn in the rotation Tuesday. Wolf, released by the Milwaukee Brewers Aug. 22, was added to the 40-man roster, which didn't require a corresponding move.

In the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles selected Ryan Flaherty, a left-handed hitting infielder/outfielder from the Chicago Cubs roster. The 25-year-old was a first-round sandwich pick in 2008 (41 st overall) and batted .280 with 19 homers combined at Double-A and Triple-A. He is from Portland, Maine, and played at Vanderbilt. “Ryan is a high draft pick from an excellent college program, and we really like his bat," Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said.

Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon was denied bail Tuesday and remains in a Dominican Republic prison as the chief suspect in the New Year's Day shooting death of his cousin. Tuesday's decision by a Dominican judge will be appealed, but it virtually guarantees that the 29-year-old right-hander will not be in Sarasota, Fla., when Orioles' pitchers and catchers are expected to report Feb. 14. The Orioles have not commented on Simon's situation since he was named as a suspect and subsequently turned himself in to authorities two days after 25-year-old Michael Esteban Castillo Almonte, Simon's cousin, was shot dead after a New Year's celebration in the resort town of Luperon.

The Orioles revolving door kept spinning again on Saturday afternoon. Veteran Bill Hall has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk and is in the lineup batting seventh and playing left field Saturday night. Meanwhile, third baseman Mark Reynolds is heading to the disabled list for the first time in his career. He said he suffered an oblique injury making a throw during batting practice Friday. He said it's not severe, but he doesn't want to keep playing and let it get worse. “I hurt my oblique yesterday, and it's not too bad, but it's one of those things where if I push it, it'll get worse, so we're going to get it better before anything else happens," said Reynolds, who has hit .191 with two homers and nine RBIs in 27 games.