Arrieta

When Jake Arrieta was given the ball to be the Orioles' Opening Day starter, he talked about how important it would be to have a consistent season, something he really hasn't had in his young career. Through 10 starts in 2012 - including Wednesday's loss - Arrieta is 2-5 with a 4.87 ERA, certainly not what he was envisioning in April. But look deeper into the numbers and what really stands out is just how inconsistent he has been. In four of his 10 starts he has allowed two runs or fewer, is 2-0 and has posted a 1.26 ERA. He's allowed just four runs total in 28 2/3 innings and is averaging seven innings per outing.

In activating Miguel Gonzalez from the disabled list to start Tuesday, the Orioles again shuffled their rotation a bit. Right-hander Jair Jurrjens, who made his first start for the Orioles on Saturday and allowed four runs in five innings, was optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk. “We need length in our bullpen as most clubs do … and Jair is not available to do that tonight," manager Buck Showalter said. And as always we are going to lean on protecting our bullpen and pitching staff and keep the length down there.” Showalter said Jurrjens could be back in 10 days, but at least until then the Orioles have an opening in their starting rotation.

If Jake Arrieta is the Orioles' Opening Day starter, his final tune-up of the Grapefruit League left plenty of room for improvement when the season begins Friday. Arrieta allowed six earned runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings as the Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates tied, 6-6, Saturday afternoon. But manager Buck Showalter, who hasn't officially named Arrieta as Opening Day starter, was not concerned about the pitching line. “He's in a good spot. I'm happy with where he is compared to where he was when he left us last year,” Showalter said.

The Orioles made several moves before Saturday's game, with one high-profile player hitting the disabled list and another getting a recall to the major leagues. Outfielder Nolan Reimold, who has struggled to hit in the early season and hasn't played since May 11, was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to last Sunday, with a strained right hamstring. Right-hander Jake Arrieta, the club's 2012 Opening Day starter who pitched in four games this year before being demoted to Triple-A Norfolk in April, was recalled and was in the bullpen Saturday night.

Joe Jordan, the Orioles' director of scouting, recently watched fifth-round draft pick Jacob Arrieta pitch in the Arizona Fall League. "We've seen a good curveball, slider, changeup. We've seen him really pitch," Jordan told me Tuesday night. "He's got a workhorse body, an Andy Benes type of guy. I was really encouraged. It was similar to what I saw his sophomore year at TCU. Delivery-wise, it looks like he's got some things ironed out. He's very confident. Facing wooden bats, he's a different guy. He really attacks with the fastball.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -The massive securities scandal involving the Stanford Financial Group has left New York Yankees veterans Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady with their assets frozen by federal regulators, and it has even reached into the Orioles' minor league system. Matt Wieters and Jake Arrieta, who are clients of agent Scott Boras, confirmed that they have assets that might be affected by the civil case that has been filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission against billionaire investment tycoon Robert Allen Stanford, who is accused of fraud involving the sale of $8 billion in certificates of deposits that boasted unusually high returns.

Frederick Keys ace right-hander Jake Arrieta took a long, hard look at his glowing statistics this season and said of his chances of being promoted to Baltimore next year: "I think it's going to be hard for them [the Orioles] to keep me in the minor leagues if I keep pitching this well." Arrieta, 6 feet 4 and 225 pounds, is on a roll these days and had every right to be confident after he had shut down the Salem Avalanche on two hits and no runs over seven innings Thursday night. He struck out six and walked three in an 8-0 victory for the Keys.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz stood stoically behind the group of mounds, his arms folded, his eyes fixed on the future that was now so tantalizingly close. Brian Matusz snapped off a curveball from one mound and Brad Bergesen threw his sinker from another. Minutes later, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta fired fastballs into outstretched mitts, the popping sound audible on the back fields at the Orioles' spring training complex. Most members of what scouts consider one of the best pitching prospect groups in all of baseball are here at Fort Lauderdale Stadium this spring, throwing bullpen sessions, getting into the occasional Grapefruit League game and familiarizing themselves with an organization that is counting so heavily on their development.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -The Orioles' top three pitching prospects were among 12 players sent to minor league camp yesterday in the first cuts of spring. Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta, potentially the strongest trio of pitchers the organization has had in decades, impressed during their short story here. "I've been watching pitchers for a long time," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said, "and I would say those three guys are as good as I have seen at any one time coming up through somebody's system."

Woke up this morning and it was Opening Day. I don't care how jaded of an Orioles fan you may be (or a grizzled sportswriter for that matter), Opening Day is always cool. I was reminded of that when I talked to Orioles' lefty Troy Patton on Wednesday about making the team. He's been in the big leagues before, but never on Opening Day. He was jumping out of his cleats with excitement. This will be the 16th Opening Day I have covered - of 21 at Camden Yards - and the 12th in which I have been an everyday member of the Orioles media (yes, I am old)

The Orioles have not specified the schedule for Miguel Gonzalez yet. Gonzalez threw a side session this morning and indicated things went fine with the blister on his right thumb. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it is still a possibility that he could fill the Orioles' need for Tuesday's open rotation spot, but said the club is more focused on making sure he is 100 percent healthy. Jake Arrieta had some tightness in his shoulder when he began a throwing session Tuesday at Triple-A Norfolk, but that subsided as he continued to throw fastballs.

Lots of pre-game notes here in addition to the roster moves (Wei-Yin Chen to the disabled list with a strained right oblique; infielder Yamaico Navarro and pitcher Alex Burnett recalled from Triple-A). Here goes: ** Miguel Gonzalez, currently on the disabled list with a blister on his thumb, will play catch today and if things go well could pitch in a minor league rehab game Thursday, likely at Bowie, and be a legitimate candidate for the currently “to be announced” spot in the rotation Tuesday against the New York Yankees.

Right-hander Jake Arrieta was supposed to make his fourth start with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on Sunday, but he was scratched with a right shoulder strain that he has been dealing with since not feeling right after his last outing May 7. “I think he has some shoulder tenderness,” Showalter said. “I don't know if he'll miss a whole turn or just give him a couple of extra days.” Showalter didn't want to downplay the injury, but said the decision to skip his start was precautionary until the club learns more about what is causing the stiffness and soreness.

Right-hander Jake Arrieta, who was sent down after four excruciatingly erratic starts with the Orioles, pitched well in his first two starts for Triple-A Norfolk. Last night, his third start with the Tides did not go quite as well. The 27-year-old took the loss after allowing five runs, four of them earned, and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. One of those runs came when Buffalo's Anthony Gose straight up stole home plate on him. Here's the video: Your browser does not support iframes.

Wei-Yin Chen said he was “speechless” after throwing eight shutout innings Friday. He has now faced the Oakland A's three times, and is 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA in  20 2/3 innings against them. He was truly dominant on Friday. The A's hitters were completely lost. Watching Chen pitch in a chilly Oakland Coliseum, with all that extra space in foul territory and the ball not traveling well, he just looks tailor-made for this place. He throws strikes, the hitters swing and make plenty of contact.

OAKLAND, Calif - Orioles manager Buck Showalter's focus was on the Oakland Athletics on Friday night, but that doesn't mean he didn't have an eye on what was happening in Charlotte. Right-hander Jake Arrieta, who was demoted Monday after compiling a 6.63 ERA in four big league starts, made his 2013 Triple-A debut Friday night for the Norfolk Tides at the Charlotte Knights. Facing the Chicago White Sox's Triple-A affiliate, which has several former major leaguers including Brent Morel, Lars Anderson and ex-Orioles Josh Bell and Steve Tolleson, Arrieta passed his first test down below.

Left-hander Zach Phillips, the last roster casualty in spring training, is in the Orioles clubhouse today. He said hello to manager Buck Showalter, then went to his locker. He doesn't know whether he'll be activated today. Part of that might have to do with the weather as well. It's still a consistent rain here at Camden Yards. “I got here, said, 'Hi,' to Buck, told him I was here and [he] said, 'We'll talk later.'” Phillips said. “And that was it.” If Phillips is activated, one possible move would be sending down righty Jason Berken to Triple-A Norfolk.

SEATTLE -- After taking ground balls for 20 minutes and then proceeding to the batting cage to work on his swing, injured Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada walked through the visiting clubhouse at Safeco Field and said to nobody in particular, "I've never felt so happy in my life." A night after taking his first swings since going on the disabled list June 22 with a fracture in his left wrist, Tejada did more extensive work and pronounced himself pain-free and a little more than a week away from his return to the lineup.

It's never a pleasant experience for major league ballplayers when one of their struggling teammates gets sent to the minors. In close clubhouses, most of these guys are friends, or friendly anyway. And, frankly, many of them have been through the same situations. It's possible no one in an Orioles uniform has a better understanding of what Jake Arrieta is going through right now than fellow right-hander Jason Hammel. Arrieta, 27, was sent to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday after posting a 6.63 ERA in four starts.

You've seen it before. Way too many times before. Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta has an outing in which he looks great in spurts and terrible in spurts. It happened again Sunday in a 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had three perfect innings. The other two were disasters. And he ended up coughing up the lead in the fifth. Arrieta shouldered the blame. And that's not a problem. Arrieta's not afraid to point the finger at himself. He's also not afraid to work hard, to try and turn things around.