Chris Ray

How will the Orioles' rotation shake out? Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara are the only two pitchers considered a lock for the group, leaving three vacancies and as many as 13 candidates. Rich Hill, whom the Orioles acquired from the Chicago Cubs, will get a rotation spot if he shows progress throwing strikes more consistently. Matt Albers is also a front-runner for a spot if he stays healthy, though he'll be pitching with a tear in his right shoulder. Other candidates include Danys Baez, Brian Bass, Mark Hendrickson, Brad Hennessey, Radhames Liz, Troy Patton, John Parrish, Hayden Penn, David Pauley, Alfredo Simon and Chris Waters.

The Orioles have shut down Jim Johnson. They have done the same with Matt Albers and Chris Ray. And they should play it completely safe with Jeremy Guthrie and make sure his "tired" arm gets all the rest it needs. Guthrie is a gamer who wants to get back out there and make his last three starts of the season. But this is a situation that makes me think of that moment in Casablanca when Ingrid Bergman tells Humphrey Bogart he'll have to do the thinking for both of them. (For more, go to baltimoresun.

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.

George Sherrill, the Orioles' All-Star closer who was threatening to break the club's saves record, was placed on the disabled list yesterday afternoon with left shoulder inflammation. Sherrill, who has 31 saves in his first season as a closer, was not available for Monday night's loss to the Boston Red Sox after complaining that he couldn't get loose before the game. Manager Dave Trembley wouldn't speculate about the severity of the injury or who would take Sherrill's spot as closer.

Orioles reliever Chris Ray, recovering from ligament reconstruction in his right elbow, pitched a simulated game Wednesday after throwing two batting practice sessions earlier. But manager Dave Trembley indicated that Ray isn't close to appearing in a real game. "He'll just continue his throwing program and mound progression," Trembley said. "He has not been slowed down." Ray remains at the minor league complex in Sarasota, Fla. His goal since spring training has been to rejoin the Orioles by late August or early September, though that might not be realistic.

Good morning--Chris Ray--Are you even old enough to remember Tommy John?

Poll results It was tight all week, but closer Chris Ray pulled out a save at the end. Last week, we asked which Oriole was most primed for a bounce-back second half. And, with more than 5,000 responses, Ray nipped Corey Patterson and Aubrey Huff in our closest vote yet. The results: Chris Ray, 26.3 percent (1,315 votes) Corey Patterson, 25.4 percent (1,272 votes) Aubrey Huff, 22.7 percent (1,135 votes) Danys Baez, 11.5 percent (575 votes) Jay Gibbons, 8.1 percent (407 votes) Daniel Cabrera 6.0 percent (300 votes)

If someone had bet you that Chris Ray would have more saves on July 17 than Mariano Rivera, would you have taken it? Outfielder Nolan Reimold remains in Sarasota, Fla., while recovering from a strained oblique. He has appeared in only 19 games at Bowie, batting .329 with three homers and 14 RBIs. He has played one game in Sarasota. There's no timetable for Reimold's return to Bowie. roch.kubatko@baltsun.com For more Roch Around the Clock, go to baltimoresun.com/roch

Chris Ray woke up yesterday morning as the Orioles' closer. He had the same job when he boarded the team charter for Chicago, and nothing was expected to change tonight when he takes a seat in the bullpen. That doesn't mean his role will be exactly the same. After Ray lost his sixth game Friday night, allowing a two-run homer to the Los Angeles Angels' Howie Kendrick that broke a 7-7 tie in the ninth inning and left his ERA at 5.15, interim manager Dave Trembley said he wanted to remove some pressure from the right-hander.