Evan Longoria

The Orioles' top position prospect, Jonathan Schoop, had been away for most of the spring while representing the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He finally returned Wednesday and, on Friday, he led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 21-year-old started at shortstop and had three hits in his first three at-bats, including a RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth against Rays starting pitcher Jeff Niemann. Steve Pearce also homered as the Orioles improved to 16-6-3 in Grapefruit League action.

It depends on which line you want to consider before truly assessing Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta's performance in the club's 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Arrieta's pitching line wasn't pretty: He lasted only five innings for the third consecutive start in this young season. He walked five, gave up three hits and threw 112 pitches, only 63 of them for strikes. Then there's the silver lining: Arrieta allowed just one run, thanks, in part, to his seven strikeouts.

Orioles rookie Manny Machado has spent his brief time in the big leagues making difficult plays at third base - like the slow roller down the line - appear routine. But the dazzling plays he'd already made in his short time as a big leaguer paled in comparison to the savvy, game-saving one he turned in Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. With the go-ahead run on second base and two outs in the top of the ninth, Machado charged Evan Longoria's slow roller to third. But instead of throwing to first - it would have been a tough play to make - he faked the throw, spun around and caught pinch runner Rich Thompson off third base for the final out of the inning.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - When it came to stopping Orioles first baseman Chris Davis in this week's season-opening series, the Tampa Bay Rays had few victories. One of those came in Davis' final at-bat of Thursday's 6-3 Orioles victory, when reliever Cesar Ramos' broke two of Davis' bats, eliciting cheers from the crowd of 17,491. “They broke Wonderboy in the last at-bat,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said, referring to the mythical Roy Hobbs' magical bat in the baseball classic “The Natural.” “So I don't know how he's doing to do from here on out. They got two of his bats, but he's got a couple more.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced yesterday that they were signing their third baseman, Evan Longoria, to a six-year, $17.5 million contract that could be worth as much as $44 million over nine seasons. Longoria, considered one of the top prospects in baseball, has played just six games. How do you suppose this makes Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis feel? The cheapest organization in baseball during the past 10 years - the Rays - decided they would rather commit to Longoria now, even though he barely has two series under his belt, while the Orioles are paying Markakis, already a budding star with two full seasons behind him, just $65,000 more than the league minimum.

The deadline has passed for teams to submit uniform changes to Major League Baseball. From what I'm told, "Baltimore" still won't be appearing on the road jerseys in 2007. Sorry. I know how much that means to a lot of you. A reminder that the Orioles are expected to return to a 12-man pitching staff once Jay Gibbons comes off the disabled list. He's eligible on Sunday. Was there a better name in the draft than Evan Longoria, who went third to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays? I guess they were desperate for infield help.

Orioles pitching prospect Kevin Gausman struggled with his control early, but recovered well in 2 2/3 innings of work in his first career spring training start on Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2012 draft, walked the first two batters he faced, including a four-pitch walk to Desmond Jennings to open the game. But he was able to get out of the inning unscathed thanks to two fielder's choice ground balls and a swinging strike three change-up to former Oriole Luke Scott.

How it happened: This one was over early. Orioles starter Brad Bergesen had gotten one out in the top of the first inning when Carl Crawford hit a routine infield pop-up. Orioles third baseman Miguel Tejada and shortstop Cesar Izturis failed to communicate, however, and the ball fell to the dirt. Crawford reached first safely, and Tejada was charged with a fielding error. Bergesen walked Evan Longoria two batters later, and then Carlos Pena slammed a home run to put the Rays ahead 3-0. That would have been more than enough for Tampa Bay, but Bergesen went on to allow five more runs, including three on B.J. Upton's first of two homers in the game, in going just three innings.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles got a preview of what they'll be seeing on Opening Day on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. And it wasn't encouraging. Sporting a fairly representative starting lineup, the Orioles faced reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price on Thursday night, and managed just one hit and walk in four scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays' ace in a 4-4 tie. Price, who will start for the Rays on Tuesday, gave...

It was a good idea Phil Rogers Chicago Tribune Good baseball is always about doing what's called for in the situation. Evan Longoria's bunt attempt in the middle of Dallas Braden's perfect game on Sunday was a good idea at the time, and well within anyone's understanding of baseball etiquette. Longoria was leading off the fifth inning, with Tampa Bay trailing 4-0. While he's a power hitter, the four-run deficit meant the Rays needed a big inning. He was only thinking about getting on base to spark that when he tried to bunt Braden's first pitch for a hit. He fouled it off and would go on to strike out. Afterward, Braden called the try "intelligent," and he was right.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles got a preview of what they'll be seeing on Opening Day on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. And it wasn't encouraging. Sporting a fairly representative starting lineup, the Orioles faced reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price on Thursday night, and managed just one hit and walk in four scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays' ace in a 4-4 tie. Price, who will start for the Rays on Tuesday, gave...

For three of the four innings he pitched Friday, right-hander Steve Johnson showed why he remains in consideration to be the Orioles' fifth starter. The other inning, though, the 25-year-old St. Paul's alum would like to forget. In the Orioles' 6-3 road win against a Tampa Bay Rays split squad, Johnson retired the first eight batters he faced before temporarily losing control and walking the bases loaded in the third inning. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria followed with a sinking liner that left fielder Trayvon Robinson couldn't handle, resulting in a three-run double.

The Orioles' top position prospect, Jonathan Schoop, had been away for most of the spring while representing the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He finally returned Wednesday and, on Friday, he led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 21-year-old started at shortstop and had three hits in his first three at-bats, including a RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth against Rays starting pitcher Jeff Niemann. Steve Pearce also homered as the Orioles improved to 16-6-3 in Grapefruit League action.

Orioles pitching prospect Kevin Gausman struggled with his control early, but recovered well in 2 2/3 innings of work in his first career spring training start on Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2012 draft, walked the first two batters he faced, including a four-pitch walk to Desmond Jennings to open the game. But he was able to get out of the inning unscathed thanks to two fielder's choice ground balls and a swinging strike three change-up to former Oriole Luke Scott.

The Orioles have known since Sunday night that they were playoff-bound. On Wednesday night, they finally learned whom they'll play. The club will begin its first postseason in 15 years at 8:37 p.m. Friday in Arlington, Texas, where the Orioles will have to win a wild-card game against the Rangers to keep their season alive. If the Orioles win Friday night, they'll begin the American League Division Series at home Sunday against the New York Yankees. The Orioles cost themselves home-field advantage in the wild-card round with a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, surrendering three home runs to third baseman Evan Longoria.

[ Down the stretch is a daily Orioles Insider blog that will set up the coming night for the O's and their American League competition as the push for the postseason continues. ] About last night Orioles pound Mariners, 10-4 Machado won't be a rookie next year Jim Thome could be back in a week Showalter optimistic Hammel can return Monday's full scoreboard AL East Standings NYY       83-63     -- BAL       83-64     0.5 TB        78-69     5.5 AL Wild-Card Standings OAK       84-62      -- BAL        83-64        -- LAA        80-67      3 TB          78-69     5 DET        77-69     5.5 Tonight's game Orioles at Mariners.

Evan Longoria was activated from the 15-day disabled list yesterday after the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman said he felt "almost 100 percent" after 30 swings with a bat. "I don't know how much better it could get," Longoria said. "It felt great today." Longoria, out since Aug. 7 after being hit by a pitch from the Seattle Mariners' J.J. Putz, had not swung a bat in four days because of pain in his fractured right wrist. He is hitting .278 with 22 homers and 71 RBIs in 104 games and is considered a leading contender for American League Rookie of the Year.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Evan Longoria admitted his left quadriceps still bothers him. "I felt like Kirk Gibson a little bit," quipped Longoria, referring to the hobbled Gibson's dramatic pinch-hit home run in 1988 that sparked the Dodgers to a World Series victory. But after Longoria hit two doubles and a two-run home run Sunday, the Rays are on the verge of a heroic comeback. Their 5-2 victory over the Rangers forced a fifth and deciding game Tuesday in the American League Division Series.

Orioles rookie Manny Machado has spent his brief time in the big leagues making difficult plays at third base - like the slow roller down the line - appear routine. But the dazzling plays he'd already made in his short time as a big leaguer paled in comparison to the savvy, game-saving one he turned in Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. With the go-ahead run on second base and two outs in the top of the ninth, Machado charged Evan Longoria's slow roller to third. But instead of throwing to first - it would have been a tough play to make - he faked the throw, spun around and caught pinch runner Rich Thompson off third base for the final out of the inning.

In the past couple seasons, whenever someone tried to give Buck Showalter a reason for why his club struggled in the mighty American League East, the Orioles manager was quick to make a statement: "The Tampa Bay Rays have eliminated a lot of excuses. " Tonight, the Rays come to Camden Yards for a huge three-game series. The former division doormats are separated by one game in the AL East and wild card races. It's the first time in history that both clubs have been over .500 at the same time in September.