Camden

Even a gem needs polishing every once in a while. All winter, crews swarmed Camden Yards, ripping out aging seats, pouring concrete, digging trenches and replacing water-damaged walkways in a $10 million maintenance blitz. Working against the clock and snowstorms that came one after another, workers and ballpark officials nevertheless expect to have the last piece in place before the gates swing wide on Opening Day Friday. "Nothing that we're doing is a radical change to the aesthetics of the ballpark.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez was encouraged by his three-inning simulated game on Tuesday afternoon at Camden Yards and said he hopes to be able to return to the mound in a major league game Tuesday against the New York Yankees. Gonzalez, who has been dealing with a slow-healing blister on the inside of his right thumb, threw 25 pitches in the bullpen and then 50 to 55 in the simulated game, throwing all of his pitches - including breaking balls - to teammates Alexi Casilla, Chris Dickerson and Chris Snyder.

When Miguel Tejada made his Orioles debut at Camden Yards in 2004, he homered and drove in five runs as his new club beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-2. Six years later, Tejada is no longer the superstar who took over this town and raised expectations for a struggling franchise, but he still thrives in the spotlight. In "Miggi Mania: The Sequel," playing Friday at Camden Yards, Tejada made a triumphant return, collecting three hits, including a two-run home run, and driving in four runs in the club's 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who has not pitched since developing a deep blister on his right thumb May 3 in Anaheim, is getting closer to appearing in a big league game. Gonzalez threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday, the last few without a bandage covering the thumb (he won't be able to use a covering in a game). He said he came out feeling “really good.” “The ball was coming out good,” Gonzalez said. “The breaking pitches were fine. I was pretty happy about my performance.” Gonzalez is next scheduled to pitch in a simulated game Friday afternoon at Camden Yards so that the team can best control the environment.

The Orioles announced their plans to renovate Camden Yards for the stadium's 20th anniversary this upcoming season and, as I am sure you all know by now, that includes six bronze statues of the club's current Hall of Famers. I've been lucky enough to visit nearly every Major League Baseball stadium. And Camden Yards, 20 years in, is still one of the best if not the best (I love the parks in San Francisco and Pittsburgh, too). Having the statues - of Frank and Brooks Robinson, Earl Weaver, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. - will make Camden Yards even cooler.

Imagine my surprise this morning when I pulled up Deadspin.com and saw that the sports website's main image was a fan climbing the left-field foul pole at Camden Yards. Now that's something you don't see every day. Apparently, two Orioles fans emailed Deadspin claiming they somehow got locked inside Camden Yards during a rain-out and romped around the beautiful ballpark as if it was their personal playground. They climbed the foul pole, slid across the infield tarp like it was a Slip 'n Slide, made grilled cheese sandwiches at Boog's and drank themselves silly with stolen Bud Light.

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis could feel the energy back at Camden Yards. As the Orioles rallied from a six-run deficit Sunday against Tampa Bay in Baltimore's eventual 9-8 loss, Markakis - the most veteran player currently on the team's 25-man roster - took notice of more fans in the the stands. "It's awesome,” Markakis said. “A packed house, going into the ninth inning down by two runs. It's just momentum. Crowd is in it. That's all you can ask for. “It's all about the fans.

Right-hander Brad Bergesen's arbitration hearing was scheduled for this morning at 9:30. He was looking for $1.2 million, the Oriolescountered with $800,000. I have received no information otherwise -- and I've checked -- so it's assumed the private hearing commenced today. They usually run for several hours, and the three-member panel usually doesn't offer its opinion until the following day. This is the first time the Orioles have gone to a hearing with a player since 2006 with pitcher Rodrigo Lopez.

Former Orioles pitcher Rick Sutcliffe had every intention of heading home for the 1992 season, and why not? His roots - and his family - were in the Kansas City area, where he grew up within a short drive of Royals Stadium. He had already accomplished quite a lot during the first 13 years of his major league career, and he figured the time was right to spend the rest of that career sleeping in his own bed after home games. Maybe it's true that life is what happens while you're making other plans, because Sutcliffe's lifeplan changed with one phone call from an old friend and a brief visit to an unfinished stadium in a place he had never heard of called Camden Yards.

No matter how bad the Orioles are going, Camden Yards is still the greatest place to watch a ballgame. Yet even in this baseball nirvana, there are fans who need to be schooled on ballpark etiquette. After attending a recent game and sitting with the teeming masses, here are a few observations: • I realize that railing against cell phone use at the ballpark is like trying to hold back the ocean. But I spent two innings listening to the guy behind me blab about all the cool features on his iPhone.

Kate Joyce detests running. She has since she was in high school. But the prospect of trotting through vibrant clouds of yellow, blue, orange and pink has prompted her to make an exception this weekend. Joyce will be among 25,000 people participating in Saturday's inaugural Baltimore Color Run, a 5K race - in the loosest possible sense of the noun - that's non-competitive and all about having a blast as runners are smothered in colored cornstarch. Many won't break into anything more than a brisk saunter over the entire course, surrounding Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium.

The mood Tuesday inside Pickles Pub, across from Camden Yards, matched the gray rainy weather. As noontime regulars ate their lunch and quietly caressed glasses of beer amid the low-key chatter and music playing in the background, something clearly was wrong. Mick Kipp, their favorite bartender, co-worker, cook, spice maker, friend and genuine all-around character, was missing. Michael D. "Mick" Kipp, the stuntman-turned-bartender known for his zest for life and his colorful chili-pepper-decorated kilts, bandannas and earring, died Sunday from cardiac arrest at his Annapolis home.

BOWIE - On his first off day as an Orioles minor leaguer, Double-A Bowie outfielder Henry Urrutia took a trip to Baltimore, where he got a tour of Camden Yards - the place he hopes his uphill and divot-filled baseball journey reaches its pinnacle. Thursday, Urrutia checked out the Orioles clubhouse, strolled up the steps of the home dugout and walked onto the field, where he took a 360-degree look around him and soaked in what seemed impossible growing up in Cuba. It was a memorable trip for the 26-year-old Urrutia - because it was the truest sign yet that his dream of playing in the big leagues was in reach.

The Baltimore sports scene is blessed with a bunch of talented bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. Each week, I hope to chat with one of them in a regular feature called Blogger on Blogger. This week, I exchanged emails with Daniel Moroz, who blogs about the Orioles for his blog, Camden Crazies . MV: Why hasn't Jake Arrieta developed into the pitcher the Orioles hoped he would become, and at this point, is there anything more they can do as an organization to help him get the most out of his talent?

The recent article ("Beyond the Preakness," April 9) outlining the current reality of the Pimlico race track and its future highlights the need for broader and bolder thinking in order to advance a sustainable solution to make horse racing in Baltimore a thriving industry once again. As reported, the Jockey Club wants to attract better trainers and horses by investing 15 percent of projected earnings to renovate the stables. Yet this approach will do little to improve the fan experience.

On occasion, Orioles manager Buck Showalter will wax poetic about certain baseball subjects as if he were sitting on a country porch, telling stories and sipping lemonade. Thursday afternoon was one of those times - when Showalter was asked about managing this weekend against Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly, whom Showalter played with in the minors, managed in the majors and has remained close to over the years. "You know how people say friends are people that know all about you and still like you?

These weren't the same Boston Red Sox who used to regularly come to Camden Yards and bully the Orioles in their own ballpark. And the crowd at Tuesday night's series opener didn't seem to be the same crowd we're used to seeing in these parts for this kind of series. There was a lot more orange among the announced 26,204 at Camden Yards for the Orioles' 7-1 win over the Red Sox than even during Boston's first trip here in May. The moment I took notice was when reliever Darren O'Day escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh by striking out Cody Ross swinging and Ryan Lavarnway looking, prompting a loud standing ovation going into the seventh-inning stretch.

I'm currently on the Amtrak heading home from New York. I've slept in my own bed for just two nights since Feb. 10, so heading back to Baltimore for the Orioles' nine-game homestand will be a welcome change. The Orioles played nine of their first 12 games on the road, opening the season in Tampa Bay before this week's road trip to Boston and New York. So they've only been home for three games since the beginning of spring training. During the opening two weeks of the season, the Orioles have also played games at five different start times and played in three Opening Day games, which has prevented them from setting up any sense of routine after a spring training full of early afternoon games.

For his 60th Orioles home opener, Justin Vitrano didn't dress in orange. He didn't paint his face, pull on a team cap or arrive hours early to guzzle beer. He didn't jump to his feet, scream or even clap as players jogged, one by one, onto the field. But when the announcer told everyone that after a long baseball-less winter, it was time to play ball, the 84-year-old — who might have enjoyed more consecutive Orioles openings than anyone else in town — allowed himself a little fist pump.