Brandon Snyder

When Brandon Snyder had a rare bad game as an amateur, he'd simply do everything a bit harder the next time and go right back to dominating. But when the Orioles catching prospect took that approach to his first professional slump, he found it didn't work so well. That's why, after striking out 24 times and walking only four in his first 17 games at Single-A Delmarva, Snyder is trying to mellow out. "You're thinking, `Oh, I've got to swing more, I've got to swing more,' " he said. "When really, it's just the opposite.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine. Running it back: The Orioles and the Yankees played 15 innings on Wednesday night, but it was the Yankees who finally broke through and won , 4-1, wasting a fine start by Zach Britton. ... The Orioles played without Brian Roberts, who has been experiencing headaches since Monday's game in Boston . ... Cesar Izturis will have surgery on his right elbow and could be out for six to eight weeks.

Zach Britton and Chris Tillman, two of the Orioles' young guns and primary competitors for the open spots in the club's rotation, made the two-hour drive from Sarasota a day early. They hung out on Friday night and then pitched impressively together on Saturday, combining to allow three runs (one earned) in nearly eight innings pitched in the Orioles' 6-4 victory over the Houston Astros. Orioles manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Mark Connor suggested Friday that the two leave early.

Jake Fox is stating his case to be on the Orioles' Opening Day roster one long homer at a time. The burly catcher blasted two two-run home runs, extending his major league-leading spring total to seven, and the Orioles downed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 13-3, before an announced 5,158 on a picturesque afternoon at McKechnie Field. Fox, who is battling Craig Tatum for the backup catcher spot, went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .356. His 12 RBIs are four more than any other Oriole has this spring.

- This should come as good news to everyone who thought the Orioles did not take the fundamentals of baseball seriously enough last season. Dave Trembley agrees with you, and he made it clear Wednesday that he doesn't just take last year's early-season fundamental breakdown seriously. He also took it personally and is committed to making sure that scenario is not repeated during his tenure as manager. "I take it real personally because I've been a guy who's made my bread and butter being a guy who has taught fundamentals and has been a teacher who has emphasized that it is a big part of the game.

BOSTON - Chris Ray, Jim Hoey, Troy Patton and Danys Baez are coming off serious surgeries and haven't pitched in the big leagues since 2007. Matt Albers, George Sherrill, Jamie Walker, Bob McCrory, Randor Bierd, Fernando Cabrera, Hayden Penn and Rocky Cherry have spent time this season either on the major or minor league disabled lists because of arm or shoulder injuries. Jim Johnson, Daniel Cabrera and Jeremy Guthrie have become the latest Orioles to receive treatment for injuries to their pitching arms, and Adam Loewen will never pitch again after fracturing his left elbow.

PHILADELPHIA - -Rookie left fielder Nolan Reimold spent the first couple of weeks after his mid-May promotion impressing the Orioles with his power. Lately, he has opened some eyes with his patience. Reimold, who was often questioned in the minor leagues for his pitch selection, had drawn walks in seven straight games entering Friday night's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. During that span, he struck out only once. "He has had some of the most impressive at-bats that we've taken as a team all year, and under some really difficult circumstances," said Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail.

After last night's rainout, the Orioles will play a doubleheader today against the Rangers, with the first game beginning at 4:05 p.m. Tommy Hunter will start in tonight's Game 2, recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, meaning the Orioles will likely DL outfielder Endy Chavez (intercostal strain) between the games tonight. He would be eligible to return from the DL on May 24. Infielder Steve Tolleson is here, wearing No. 6. He was recalled yesterday -- left-hander Zach Phillips was sent down -- to help with depth.

It would be tempting to view the persistent rain that drenched Fenway Park on Tuesday night as a small blessing for the Orioles, who had kept their 25-man roster in a state of suspended animation until the second game of the brief series was postponed. The patchwork lineup that was posted for the matchup between Zach Britton and Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield wasn't even the real lineup because the club was holding off on a couple of roster moves until the tarp came off the field.

Cardinals 4, Orioles 2 4:02 PM The Orioles lost today at Roger Dean Stadium, but manager Dave Trembley was all smiles afterward. "We pitched good enough to win," he said. That's probably the best way to describe it. Brian Matusz wasn't at his best, but he turned in a quality start -- 6 innings, 3 runs -- and the bullpen held things together. Closer Mike Gonzalez gave up a run, but he might have gotten out of that minor jam if the infield had been a little tighter on a potential double-play ball.