Brad Bergesen

The Orioles have designated Brad Bergesen for assignment, according to a source. The move has not been made official, but the club needs to make a move by tonight because infielder/outfielder Bill Hall has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk. The 26-year-old Bergesen, a former fourth-rounder in 2004 by the Orioles, is 17-24 with a 4.68 ERA in 83 games, 59 starts, for the Orioles in his career. He did not make the team out of spring and has been in Norfolk, where he is 1-2 with a 5.13 ERA in eight games (six starts)

The Orioles and their three remaining arbitration-eligible players have officially filed salary numbers for 2013. Closer Jim Johnson, who led the majors in saves with 51, asked for $7.1 million while the Orioles countered with $5.7 million. He is in his third year of arbitration and made $2.625 million last year. Starter Jason Hammel, who was 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 20 starts for the Orioles last year, asked for $8.25 million and the Orioles countered with $5.7 million. He is in his fourth year of arbitration and made $4.75 million last year.

After seeing their bullpen carry an extended load in four games since the All-Star break, the Orioles have purchase the contract of right-handed reliever Brad Bergesen to help aid a taxed relief corps.  At Triple-A Norfolk, the 26-year-old Bergesen was 4-3 with a 4.03 ERA in 22 games (10 starts). Over 80 1/3 innings, he allowed 90 hits, 42 runs, 36 earned runs with 41 strikeouts and 23 walks. Over his last 10 outings, he's pitched to a 2.35 ERA. He last pitched two innings on Saturday for the Tides.

It's a pretty good time to be a Baltimore sports fan. This is the first time since the Ravens came into existence in 1996 that both the Orioles and Ravens had season records above .500 in the same calendar year. Both the Orioles and the Ravens made the playoffs in 2012 - something that hasn't happened to Charm City's NFL and MLB teams since 1971 (Orioles lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series in seven games and the Baltimore Colts lost to the Miami Dolphins 21-0 in the AFC title game)

The Orioles have decided to non-tender Jo-Jo Reyes, allowing him to become a free agent. Reyes was snagged off the waiver wire from the Toronto Blue Jays at midseason and posted a 6.16 ERA for the Orioles in nine games (five starts). With the acquisition of Dana Eveland last week, and the Orioles' interest in other starting pitchers in the market, Reyes, 27, became expendable. The Orioles also have non-tendered Luke Scott, though they hope to bring him back at a salary lesser than the $6.4 million he made in 2011.

Adrian Beltre's one-out, ninth-inning single off Jim Johnson scored Franklin Gutierrez as the Seattle Mariners won the rubber match of the series, 3-2, before an announced 18,650 at Safeco Field. Base-running blunders and a lack of timely hitting hurt the Orioles, who wasted a solid start by Brad Bergesen. Box score, PG 4.

ALL GAMES ON 105.7 FM Mon @Red Sox, 11:05 a.m., MASN HD Starters: Mark Hendrickson (1-1, 3.00) vs. Red Sox's Justin Masterson (0-0, 4.50) Tue White Sox, 7:05 p.m., MAS N HD Starters: White Sox's Jose Contreras (0-2, 6.97) vs. Brad Bergesen (major league debut) Wed White Sox, 7:05 p.m., MAS N HD Starters: White Sox's John Danks (1-0, 0.75) vs. Jeremy Guthrie (2-0, 4.32) Thu White Sox, 7:05 p.m., MASN HD Starters: White Sox's Bartolo Colon (1-0, 3.86) vs. Adam Eaton (0-2, 11.25)

THAT WAS FAST Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis was just 7-for-30 lifetime heading into Friday's game against Toronto ace Roy Halladay, so it figured that his hitting streak could be in jeopardy. Markakis wasted no time disproving that theory. In the first inning, Markakis went down and drove Halladay's breaking ball into the right-field seats, his third homer of the year extending his hitting streak to a career-high-tying 17 games. NO RETRIBUTION The Orioles hit three batters, though the Blue Jays didn't retaliate.

Now that the Orioles have declined the $11 million option for next year on Mark Reynolds, the club has two options to try to keep the 29-year-old first baseman. Since Reynolds has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining, the Orioles could tender a contract to Reynolds and hope to sign him for less through the arbitration process. Reynolds made $7.5 million last season, and it's very rare to see players take a pay cut going through arbitration. So even though Reynolds had a down year offensively, he would still figure to make in the $9 million range through the arbitration process.

CLEVELAND - The Orioles may have found a defensive stopgap for second base Friday, and they officially cut ties with a pitcher once expected to be part of the franchise's future. It wasn't exactly a pre-trade deadline blockbuster, but the Orioles sent cash to the New York Mets on Friday for 30-year-old infielder Omar Quintanilla , who was designated for assignment earlier this week. The Orioles had an opening on their 40-man roster after designating right-hander Brad Bergesen on Wednesday.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, we'll hook you up with some reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday. ** Zach Britton, making his first major league start of the 2012 season, and the Orioles' bullpen struggled in the club's 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins . Brad Bergesen could be a short-term solution to the O's long-relief woes. Eduardo Encina says slumping shortstop J.J. Hardy is still the Orioles' best option at the No. 2 spot . ** Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis will be inducted this year into the team's Ring of Honor . Second-year defensive lineman Bryan Hall is hoping to make an impact this year for the Ravens.

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.

MINNEAPOLIS - Despite watching a pair of head-shaking starts from Chris Tillman and Zach Britton the past two nights, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's confident the 24-year-old pitchers can contribute at the major league level now. "It's not like they've never had success," Showalter said before Wednesday night's game. "Look around baseball, there are a lot of young pitchers who are up and down. … Try to keep in mind, we're looking at guys just starting to make an impact at 26, 27. Keep in mind that Tilly and Britton are still 24. And a lot of guys don't evolve into what they're capable of being until later.

MINNEAPOLIS - Brad Bergesen received the phone call right as he began dozing off around 12:30 Tuesday morning. That's when Triple-A Norfolk manager Ron Johnson phoned to tell the right-hander to come pick up his bag for an early-morning flight to Minnesota. The Orioles purchased the contract of the 26-year-old Bergesen before Tuesday's game to provide support to a taxed bullpen that has thrown 22 2/3 innings over the four games since the All-Star break. The move gave the bullpen a right-handed arm that could serve in a long relief role behind left-handed starter Zach Britton on Tuesday night.