Buck Showalter

Not a whole lot of news from Buck Showalter's pre-game news conference today. Here are some highlights: Showalter believes Nolan Reimold's second epidural injection in the bulging disk in his neck is scheduled for Friday. A timetable for his return is still unknown. “We don't really know until we see how this responds,” Showalter said. “I'm hoping this does the trick. That's what we are hoping. There's always that potential [for a third epidural].”  Catcher Taylor Teagarden is seeing Dr. Andrew Dossett at 3 p.m. Thursday for a second opinion on the back problems that have sidelined him since the spring.

Not a whole lot of news from Buck Showalter's pre-game news conference today. Here are some highlights: Showalter believes Nolan Reimold's second epidural injection in the bulging disk in his neck is scheduled for Friday. A timetable for his return is still unknown. “We don't really know until we see how this responds,” Showalter said. “I'm hoping this does the trick. That's what we are hoping. There's always that potential [for a third epidural].”  Catcher Taylor Teagarden is seeing Dr. Andrew Dossett at 3 p.m. Thursday for a second opinion on the back problems that have sidelined him since the spring.

Growing up, Angela Showalter was no stranger to the harsh realities that come with being a foster child. The wife of Orioles manager Buck Showalter can remember the times when her family would take care of a couple of foster children from time to time either during the summer or on weekends. As a youth in a traditional family, it was difficult for her to see the hardships foster children endure on a day-to-day basis. "We weren't an actual full-time foster family, but we would pick up kids who were in foster care facilities," Angela Showalter said.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment Wednesday night at Double-A Bowie, which means that he has up to 20 days to work his way back into the major league lineup. That's happy news - considering that he has spent a grueling and frustrating year recovering from the compound effects of a pair of concussions - but the announcement just before game time Tuesday night only amplified all the questions that remain about his future and the impact of his potential return on the first-place Orioles.

Buck Showalter just weighed in on the designated hitter rule and how the debate about it might change following the realignment that will require interleague series throughout the regular season starting in 2013. “Whatever's best for the fans and serves the love of the game," he said. “Personally, I'd like for it all to be the same. Grandfather it in or out. Let's all play by the same rules. If the fans want to see Vladdy DH some more, let's everybody have the DH. I don't think it is going to happen, but you'd like for it to be consistent.

Before the masses start thinking that there's a rift between Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds and manager Buck Showalter, let's squash that -- and tell you about what you don't see on television. What you did see Friday night in the Orioles' 13-inning 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park was Reynolds hit his first homer of the season, a booming shot over the Green Monster in the third inning that ended a personal 0-for-13 streak and a 76-at bat homerless drought going back to last season (Watch the video by clicking HERE )

Check out this banner of Orioles manager Buck Showalter that allegedly will be hung at Camden Yards sometime between now and Opening Day. Well, Baltimore, are you ready?

Last night, after the Orioles dropped their eighth consecutive game, manager Buck Showalter admitted that his players were pressing. "Of course they are," he said. He then turned the attention to the reporter who asked the question and made an analogy about him pressing to produce stories with new-fangled technology. “You’re pressing to come up with a great … whatever you call it," Showalter said at the post-game press conference . "I mean, that’s what you’re assigned to do. You know, whatever.

I'm not sure what Buck Showalter did during his three-day vacation over the All-Star break. But I know one thing the Orioles manager didn't do: watch Robinson Cano win the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night. “It's hard to watch the home run hitting contest,” Showalter said before Thursday's loss to the Indians . “Obviously, the balls are juiced. Those aren't normal balls that they're hitting. I've been in Arizona for a long time and you don't hit balls where they're hitting them.

Here are some more nuggets from Buck Showalter's meeting with the media. On Jim Johnson. Showalter said whether Johnson gets moved to the rotation or stays in the bullpen as a late-inning reliever is still dependent on what moves are made this offseason and “what presents itself that may change that.”  Showalter called Johnson a “key piece” because he allows the club the flexibility to have in either spot. A decision will be made for spring training “I talked to [Johnson]

Their five-game road trip to Kansas City and Washington completed, the Orioles come home for a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox to complete a stretch of 20 games in 20 days. The Orioles' off day Thursday will be welcome in many ways. It will also be the first of three off days over the next nine games. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's considering adjusting the starting rotation to give left-hander Wei-Yin Chen or right-hander Jason Hammel extra days rest.

Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold, on the disabled list with a neck injury, said Tuesday that he still is experiencing tingling in his thumb and forearm and weakness in his left shoulder several days after undergoing an epidural injection. “It's frustrating,” he said. “I don't know if I'll have a little improvement every day or wake up one day and have it be gone.” There hasn't been enough improvement to speculate about when he will be able to start a rehabilitation program.

First baseman Chris Davis was not in the starting lineup on Tuesday with lefty CC Sabathia on the mound. That alone probably is enough to sit the slugging left-hander, who is 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against Sabathia. But Davis has also been in a deep slump. Counting his 0-for-8 performance in Boston on May 6 - the 17-inning game in which he picked up a win by throwing two scoreless innings - Davis has just three hits in his past 28 at-bats, dropping his average from .326 to .274.

Reliever Matt Lindstrom's finger injury - right now it is being called a ligament sprain in his right middle finger -- was something that caught even Buck Showalter a little by surprise, the manager said after Friday's game. Lindstrom said he felt a “pop” in his finger while throwing a pitch in the seventh inning of Thursday's nightcap - the first game this season Lindstrom has allowed a run. He told reporters afterward that it was no big deal. But when it was examined Friday by team orthopedist John Wilckens it was diagnosed as a sprain.

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.

A day after lasting just 4 1/3 innings in Sunday's marathon in Boston, right-handed starter Tommy Hunter was sent to Triple-A Norfolk, a move needed to bolster a bullpen that had to pitch 12 2/3 innings in one day. "I didn't throw well and they had to make a call," said Hunter, who is 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA in six starts. "Unfortunately, it's me, but I'm not mad at anybody. How can I be mad at anybody? If I had thrown better, we wouldn't have had to go 17 innings. " Orioles manager Buck Showalter had to bring in reinforcements for the bullpen, and so Hunter and catcher Ronny Paulino were sent to Norfolk, and the Orioles recalled Jason Berken and purchased the contract of fellow right-hander Stu Pomeranz . "It was obviously the byproduct of yesterday," Showalter said.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter was tossed in the top of the sixth Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels after complaining about home plate umpire Angel Campos' strike zone. When Campos called a pitch that appeared to be well off the plate a strike against Nick Markakis in the sixth, Showalter yelled something and was immediately ejected. It was his first of the season and 20th of his career for Showalter. John Russell took over managing duties. Showalter has been displeased with the strike zones in each of the games during the Angels series.

The Orioles ushered in another new era Monday afternoon, introducing their 17th full-time manager -- and third skipper this season -- in baseball lifer Buck Showalter, who took both a humorous and a realistic approach to the challenges he and the declining franchise face in the basement of the ultracompetitive American League East. "They talk about the three leagues: the American League, the National League and the American League East," Showalter said. "But I don't think they handicap games.

Before the masses start thinking that there's a rift between Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds and manager Buck Showalter, let's squash that -- and tell you about what you don't see on television. What you did see Friday night in the Orioles' 13-inning 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park was Reynolds hit his first homer of the season, a booming shot over the Green Monster in the third inning that ended a personal 0-for-13 streak and a 76-at bat homerless drought going back to last season (Watch the video by clicking HERE )

Orioles closer Jim Johnson, who hasn't pitched since April 22 and spent four days in the hospital last week with food poisoning, said he threw a second bullpen session Sunday and is ready to get back into a game. “It seems like it has been a long time,” Johnson said. “But I feel fine. I feel like I am back to where I need to be.” Johnson said he threw a bullpen session Sunday - his second since returning to the team on Friday - and he felt good enough to tell manager Buck Showalter that he was ready to pitch.