Bautista

Whispers Angels reliever Scott Downs , a former Blue Jay, spoke for a lot of people in Toronto when he trashed the ESPN story speculating that sign stealing at the Rogers Centre has helped Jose Bautista establish himself as one of baseball's best hitters. "Give credit where credit is due — and credit is due," Downs said. "He worked real hard to make himself into a great player. " … Despite fears that an unusually high number of top draft picks will fail to sign by Monday's deadline, almost all first-rounders are expected to sign.

Whispers Angels reliever Scott Downs , a former Blue Jay, spoke for a lot of people in Toronto when he trashed the ESPN story speculating that sign stealing at the Rogers Centre has helped Jose Bautista establish himself as one of baseball's best hitters. "Give credit where credit is due — and credit is due," Downs said. "He worked real hard to make himself into a great player. " … Despite fears that an unusually high number of top draft picks will fail to sign by Monday's deadline, almost all first-rounders are expected to sign.

A pair of former Orioles pitchers, both named Jose, are on their way back to Baltimore.The contract of righthander Jose Bautista was purchased from Miami, an independent team in the Florida State League. In another move, Jose Mesa was recalled from Triple A Rochester and will start for the Orioles tomorrow night.Bautista is expected to be available for duty tonight against the Rangers. Reliever Mark Williamson, who suffered a strained lateral oblique muscle in his left side in the second game of last night's doubleheader, will most likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

The Hank Aaron Award, given to each league's top performer, was presented Sunday before Game 4 of the World Series to Jose Bautista and Joey Votto . The Blue Jays' Bautista led baseball with 54 home runs. The Reds' Votto spent his summer chasing the Triple Crown before finishing with a .324 average, 37 home runs and 113 RBIs. •Before Game 4, Commissioner Bud Selig gave strong hints that two extra wild-card teams will be added to the playoffs for 2012. "I like it enough so we'll seriously consider it," he said.

Right-hander Ben McDonald was reinstated from the Baltimore Orioles' disabled list yesterday and was placed in the bullpen until further notice.To make room on the roster, the club designated pitcher J.J. Bautista for assignment.Manager Frank Robinson said McDonald was "available if I need him" for relief duty last night, but he wasn't required in the Orioles' 5-0 victory.L Robinson remained noncommittal about McDonald's first start.There is an opening tomorrow afternoon, but the manager said McDonald will "not necessarily" fill it. The decision depends primarily on the needs from the bullpen today and the weekend weather forecast, which makes a postponement today highly possible.

Three more young players with legitimate chances to make an impact this season signed one-year contracts yesterday with the Baltimore Orioles.No terms were announced, but catcher Chris Hoiles and right-handed pitchers Jose Mesa and Jose Bautista agreed to salaries slightly more than the major-league minimum of $100,000.With the trade of catcher Mickey Tettleton to the Detroit Tigers last month, Hoiles could see significant playing time behind the plate."If he has a good spring, it'll be interesting," said general manager Roland Hemond.

MILWAUKEE -- Time appears to be running out on Jose Bautista. For the fourth straight time this young season, the righthanded reliever was ineffective yesterday, giving up Robin Yount's game-winning home run in the 4-3 loss to the Brewers.Bautista relieved lefthander Mike Flanagan in the 11th inning with righthanded hitters Paul Molitor and Yount the scheduled hitters. Molitor just missed ending the game, sending a fly ball to leftfielder Joe Orsulak against the wall. Two pitches later Yount ended the suspense with a long blast to left-centerfield.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Orioles have discovered that minor league pitcher Denny Bautista, their prized acquisition in the August trade that sent Jeff Conine to the Florida Marlins, is two years older than his listed age. Bautista, who immediately joined a select group of top pitching prospects in the organization after the deal, was born on Aug. 23, 1980. His birth date was listed as Oct. 23, 1982. The Orioles learned of the discrepancy after Bautista, who lives in the Dominican Republic, applied for his work visa in the United States.

For openers, it was a clinker. For the last opener, it was forgettable.But, fortunately, it counted only once in the standings.The Orioles' loss to the Chicago White Sox on their final Opening Day at Memorial Stadium before 50,213 wasn't as artistically disastrous as the 9-1 score might indicate, but it wasn't painless either. And it did nothing to erase the big question mark that hovers over a season of high expectations. Is the pitching good enough for the Orioles to be contenders?Jeff Ballard, giving an excellent impression of himself two years ago, pitched well for 5 2/3 innings.

When the Orioles sent Denny Bautista to the Kansas City Royals last June, they knew they were trading a promising pitcher with a great arm and a tendency for wildness. That scouting report pretty much summed up Bautista's first start against his former team since he was dealt for veteran reliever Jason Grimsley. In the Orioles' 3-1 win over the Royals last night at Camden Yards, Bautista, the hard-throwing 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic, held the Orioles down for three innings before losing control - both of the game and his pitches.

Alfredo Simon 's plunking of Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista in the fifth inning Sunday not only sent the Orioles reliever and his manager, Buck Showalter , to an early exit, but also will cost them a few more games and some dollars. Bob Watson , vice president of on-field operations for Major League Baseball, announced Monday that Simon was issued a three-game suspension for "intentionally" throwing a pitch at Bautista and Showalter was banned for one game as a result of the pitcher's actions.

To understand the primary difference between the last-place Orioles and the fourth-place Toronto Blue Jays, you don't need to look at the win-loss record. To fully comprehend why the Blue Jays have owned the Orioles recently — they've won 12 straight at Rogers Centre, including 6-4 on Friday night — consider this simple fact. With leading home run hitter Luke Scott out of the lineup because tough left-hander Brett Cecil was pitching, the Orioles' starting nine Friday had a combined 65 homers.

Reliever Jason Berken has been so good this season, but it was bound to happen with how much the Orioles have been relying on the converted starter in close games. "Well, he is human, you know," Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said after Berken served up a go-ahead two-run homer to Jose Bautista in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays before an announced 28,518 at Camden Yards. What was less excusable to Samuel was his team's lack of execution in clutch spots, particularly in the eighth inning.

Finding it impossible to erase the results from last year's first half, or the persistent questions that bring an annoyed tone to his voice, Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson must settle for dimming the memory. He made a last-place team fade to black last night. The Orioles chased their former pitching prospect, Denny Bautista, with a three-run fourth inning, and Ponson continued to distance himself from last season's horrid beginning in a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals before 30,568 at frigid Camden Yards.

When the Orioles sent Denny Bautista to the Kansas City Royals last June, they knew they were trading a promising pitcher with a great arm and a tendency for wildness. That scouting report pretty much summed up Bautista's first start against his former team since he was dealt for veteran reliever Jason Grimsley. In the Orioles' 3-1 win over the Royals last night at Camden Yards, Bautista, the hard-throwing 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic, held the Orioles down for three innings before losing control - both of the game and his pitches.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Another trade deadline came and went last night, and the Orioles didn't make any moves. Unlike last year, when Jeff Conine was sent to the Florida Marlins after he boarded the team charter back to Baltimore, the Orioles never appeared close to completing a deal. Players who slipped through waivers and were eligible to be traded, including B.J. Surhoff and relievers Buddy Groom and Jason Grimsley, remained with the club as it began a three-game series last night against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

Jose Bautista didn't head north with the Orioles just so he could be stashed on their roster all season as a Rule 5 pick. He expects to contribute in some manner, perhaps as the backup to third baseman Melvin Mora or as an extra outfielder. He will accept any role, as long as it's attached to an Orioles uniform. "I'll do whatever it takes to stay on the team," said Bautista, who must be offered back to the Pittsburgh Pirates if he doesn't remain with the club. "I think as long as I'm feeling good, I can play at the major league level."

With three hits Friday night against the Anaheim Angels, Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora took the American League batting lead. It would have meant more to him, however, if the outcome had been different. "We lost," he said. So much for living and dying over his statistics. The Orioles were beaten, 10-9, after rallying from a nine-run deficit. The game lasted 10 innings. The disappointment went a lot further. "I only pay attention to the score," Mora said. "And we lost." Mora, who went 1-for-3 with a home run last night, is hitting .377 to lead Cleveland's Ron Belliard by seven points.

Peter Schmuck has been at The Sun since 1990. He is in his 25th year of covering major league baseball and has been a Hall of Fame voter for 15 years. During his newspaper career, he has covered the Dodgers, Angels and Orioles as well as writing a weekly column on national baseball. Greg Luckenbaugh, Queensbury, N.Y.: I have the misfortune of being an O's fan trapped in Yankeeland. But considering the way baseball is structured, I'm starting to think that America is Yankeeland. Is there any reason to believe that a small-market team like Baltimore - even without getting squeezed by a team in DC - can ever consistently compete with the likes of the Yankees?

Is Angelos working to keep Orioles in last? Am I the only person who sees Orioles owner Peter Angelos making moves to keep the team in last place as a deliberate strategy aimed at preventing baseball in Washington? Frankly, if the team is terrible and attendance suffers, Mr. Angelos can attempt to show Major League Baseball that even a modest decrease in ticket sales from the current level would be a disaster for the team financially. Instead of fighting the D.C. battle, which appears to be a done deal, why not put a winner on the diamond at Camden Yards?