SPORTS
By Matt Vensel | May 20, 2013
Less than two weeks ago, the Orioles were tied for first place in the American League East. Despite subpar starting pitching, they were winning games -- more than 60 percent of them -- because Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Chris Davis were pounding the ball and the Baltimore bullpen continued to be a stabilizing force. The top-heavy offense is still producing -- the Orioles scored 17 runs over the weekend -- but with the rotation being held together with bandages and Scotch tape, closer Jim Johnson having blown back-to-back save opportunities, and seemingly every bounce going the other way right now , the 23-20 Orioles are free-falling.
SPORTS
By Dan Connolly | May 20, 2013
Miguel Gonzalez, who has been on the disabled list since May 9 (retroactive to May 4) with a blister on his right thumb, will start against the Yankees on Tuesday. He said it's been difficult to not be able to pitch in a game while not really being injured. “I've been telling the guys that it is frustrating not to be out there because of a blister,” said Gonzalez, who is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in six starts this season. “And it's not an injury or anything like that. You just have to sit down and wait for it to heal.” Since he threw 80-plus pitches in a simulated game Friday and the blister appears to be healed, Gonzalez said he believes he'll be able to pitch as long as he is needed on Tuesday.
SPORTS
May 20, 2013
Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen leaves Baltimore on Tuesday for the club's minor league complex in Sarasota, Fla., but how long he'll be there is unknown. “I just want to go down there and prepare early and rehab early so I can get everything [done] down there,” Chen said through interpreter Tim Lin. “And just hope everything will be fine moving forward.” Chen suffered a Grade 2 strain of his right oblique in the fifth inning of his last start, May 12 in Minnesota. He is eligible to come off the disabled list on May 28, but that certainly won't happen.
SPORTS
By Eduardo A. Encina and The Baltimore Sun | May 19, 2013
Last season, Orioles manager Buck Showalter had the base of the right-field foul pole at Camden Yards painted black in order to help discern balls in play from home runs. Most stadiums have a yellow line on the top of the wall that serves as a marker in cases where there could be doubt. Camden Yards doesn't, and on most days here, you'll never notice. In the Orioles' 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon, that anonymous nook of the ballpark was the point of focus in front of an announced 37,704 at Camden Yards.
SPORTS
By Dan Connolly and The Baltimore Sun | May 18, 2013
Right-handed hitter Danny Valencia has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk and will be with the Orioles at Camden Yards on Sunday, according to an industry source. The 28-year-old, who did not play for the Tides on Saturday, is batting .306 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 40 games this season. In his past 10 games, Valencia is batting .356 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs. He hit two home runs last Tuesday against Lehigh Valley.
SPORTS
By Peter Schmuck and The Baltimore Sun | May 17, 2013
For the first five weeks of the season, the Orioles slogged through one of the toughest early season schedules in baseball and came out clean on the other side. An impressive display of power, timely hitting and solid relief that has made them one of the winningest teams in either league at the quarter pole. So, what happens? They get a quick breather against a couple of struggling teams and go 2-3 before wading into another long stretch of games that features three divisional rivals and tough series against the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.