First Baseman

The Orioles continue to have interest in recently released first baseman Lyle Overbay, who is expected to make his decision on his next team soon. According to an industry source, the Orioles inquired about Overbay last week while he was still with the Arizona Diamondbacks and have made their interest known again after he was released Monday. Several other teams are reportedly courting the 35-year-old Washington state native, including the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Orioles first baseman Chris Davis left Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels in the middle of the fifth inning with what was initially diagnosed by the teams as a right knee injury. Davis hobbled off the field after coming up lame running out a ground ball to third base to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Replays showed that the his right leg appeared to buckle as his foot touched first base. Davis limped into the Orioles dugout on the first-base line and down the stairs toward the visiting clubhouse, grasping to the stair railings and unable to put weight on the right leg. Davis was replaced by utility man Ryan Flaherty at first base in the bottom of the fifth.

First baseman Joe Mahoney, who was designated for assignment by the Orioles earlier this week, has been claimed off waivers by the Florida Marlins. Mahoney was designated on Wednesday to make room for newly acquired third baseman Danny Valencia. The Orioles acquired Valencia from the Red Sox for cash considerations. “You're surprised when something like that happens,” Mahoney said. “But when it happened I was hoping I would get another opportunity from another team and I did, so I'm looking forward to turning the page and getting an opportunity to play down south.” The 25-year-old Mahoney was called up to the Orioles twice last season, making his major league debut on July 7 in Anaheim.

First baseman Chris Davis was voted the American League Player of the Month for April, becoming the first Oriole to earn that honor since Melvin Mora in August 2008. Davis hit .348 (32-for-92) with eight doubles, nine home runs, 28 RBIs, 19 runs scored and 16 walks in 27 games last month. The 27-year-old first baseman finished first in the league in slugging percentage (.728) and total bases (67), tied for first in homers and RBIs, second in extra-base hits (17), fourth in batting average, fifth in on-base percentage (.442)

A new baseball season dawns, and it all feels so different for the Orioles and their fans this time around. Pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota, Fla., today, but this time the O's are coming off a 93-win season in which they made it to the American League Division Series. They probably won't duplicate the astounding 2012 numbers they put up in extra-inning games (16-2) and one-run games (29-9). But this is a club with a solid everyday lineup and a terrific bullpen. And if the starting pitching holds up - I know, you can say that about every team - the Orioles should contend again for the AL East title.

The Orioles have claimed first baseman/outfielder Russ Canzler off waivers and designated catcher Luis Martinez for assignment to make room for him on the team's 40-man roster, the club announced Tuesday. The organization had interest in claiming the 26-year-old Canzler earlier this offseason - this was the fourth time he was placed on waivers since the end of last season - but the Orioles were never previously high enough on the waivers list to snag him. The Yankees designated Canzler for assignment Friday to make room for Travis Hafner.

BOSTON -- There's something about playing the Red Sox that has brought out the best in Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds. After Reynolds' solo homer in the fourth inning of Saturday's game at Fenway Park, Reynolds is 16-for-36 (.444) in 11 games against Boston this season with four doubles, six homers, nine runs and 16 RBIs. He took a 2-0 sinker from Boston starter Aaron Cook over the Green Monster in left field to give the Orioles a brief 3-1 lead. Reynolds also had two hits and drove in a run in Friday's series opener against the Sox, a 4-2 Orioles win. He entered Saturday's game hitting /435/.563/.826 with two homers and eight RBIs in seven games this season at Fenway Park Sixteen of Reynolds' 22 homers and 40 of his 67 RBIs have come against the AL East.

The Orioles will recall first baseman Joe Mahoney from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the roster spot created when they optioned pitcher Chris Tillman after the club's 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, according to a club source. Mahoney is expected to join the team Thursday for the Orioles' series opener in Anaheim.  He would become the seventh Orioles player to make his major league debut this season. The 25-year-old is hitting .256 with five homers and 38 RBIs this season for the Tides.

DETROIT -- Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds said Saturday he expects to receive a fine for his critical comment about the umpiring in Friday night's 5-3 loss to the Tigers, but he didn't really retreat from his statements. Reynolds was ejected in the fifth inning after first-base umpire Jeff Kellogg's out call on Jhonny Peralta at first base was overturned. After conferring with home-plate umpire Tim Timmons as the request of Tigers manager Jim Leyland, they reversed the call and ruled Peralta safe, saying that Reynolds' foot came off the bag. Reynolds slammed his glove on the ground and was immediately ejected by second-base umpire Vic Carapazza, then unloaded a postgame tirade on the umpires.

According to the information he had, David Segui figured last year would be his final season in Baltimore.He didn't think the Orioles would keep him around to be a part-time player again, nor did he think the club would open the door of semi-opportunity by letting Randy Milligan go. But Segui was wrong, and not only is he still here, he's enjoying a sudden rash of playing time, starting his third straight game last night against the Chicago White Sox."I...

Your browser does not support iframes.   When Orioles first baseman Chris Davis flailed at a changeup in the dirt Tuesday for the last out of the third inning, he says he was really frustrated. So he snapped. And so did his bat. Over Davis' knee in one quick motion. "It was misbehaving, so I put him in timeout," Davis said about snapping his bat. "It's not something I am proud of. It's not something, 'Hey, I can break a bat over my knee.' But in that situation out there, I knew I wasn't going to get a lot to hit and I still continued to swing at a ball in the dirt.

Chris Davis' astonishing start to this season hasn't occurred by accident. Through 12 games, he's putting up numbers that are only fit for video games. But it's the result of the 27-year-old Orioles first baseman's realizing that he can truly get more with less. It's a result of countless discussions that Davis has had in the indoor batting cages with hitting coach Jim Presley, who told Davis to look at his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame and realize he could hit homers without having to muscle a ball out. And it's the result of knowing he's going to be in the lineup every day - that's he's here in the big leagues to stay as a key piece of the Orioles and their success.

-- Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was named American League Player of the Week on Monday following his history-making start to the season. It is the second consecutive player of the week honor for Davis, who ended the regular season last year sharing the honor with Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander on Oct.1. The last Oriole to win the award in back-to-back weeks was Eddie Murray on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, 1981. Davis entered Monday's game in Boston leading the major leagues in OPS (1.636)

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been here before, with fans screaming his name and his teammates shaking their heads at his latest incredible power display. Davis, though, also has been on the other side, when things are going terribly and he's sent to the minors and he's not really sure he can play this game. So that's why, after his eighth-inning grand slam in Friday's home opener - which gave the Orioles' a 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins and Davis a mind-numbing four homers and 16 RBIs in four 2013 games - the extroverted first baseman was rather subdued.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Travis Ishikawa doesn't remember getting hit square in the right cheek, only the glance of a fastball speeding at his head, then waking up on the ground thinking his jaw was shattered. "I have to say it was the best hit by pitch of my life," Ishikawa said. "It changed my life. It went from the worst thing in the world to the best thing in the world. " Ishikawa, a 29-year-old first baseman whom the Orioles signed to a minor league contract this offseason, was a San Francisco Giants farmhand back then.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis blames himself. He came to the Orioles in 2011 with the reputation of being a pretty good defensive first baseman during his formative years with the Texas Rangers, but he never looked comfortable at first base last season and only played one game there after May 28. "I have not shied away from the fact that the reason I struggled last year was because I didn't put the work in early in spring training," Davis said....

Offense -- He can hit anything. What makes him such a good hitter is that he can use all fields. He doesn't have the optimum amount of power for a first baseman but he can be a Mark Grace-type hitter. Defense -- He is very smooth. He has very soft hands and can make saves. He's very stylish, like Keith Hernandez without the range. His range is a little suspect, but I think there is potential there. Overall -- Adrian has a chance to win a batting title and a Gold Glove. He's that kind of player.

Barely one day after becoming the game's most productive non-invitee, Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro was named to the American League All-Star team last night as a replacement for Boston Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn, who was sidelined by injury.Palmeiro, who placed seventh in fan balloting but was named the AL Player of the Month for June, learned of the move upon arriving in New York last night. It is the third time Palmeiro, 33, has been named to the All-Star Game but his first as an Oriole.

A new baseball season dawns, and it all feels so different for the Orioles and their fans this time around. Pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota, Fla., today, but this time the O's are coming off a 93-win season in which they made it to the American League Division Series. They probably won't duplicate the astounding 2012 numbers they put up in extra-inning games (16-2) and one-run games (29-9). But this is a club with a solid everyday lineup and a terrific bullpen. And if the starting pitching holds up - I know, you can say that about every team - the Orioles should contend again for the AL East title.

The Orioles have claimed first baseman/outfielder Russ Canzler off waivers and designated catcher Luis Martinez for assignment to make room for him on the team's 40-man roster, the club announced Tuesday. The organization had interest in claiming the 26-year-old Canzler earlier this offseason - this was the fourth time he was placed on waivers since the end of last season - but the Orioles were never previously high enough on the waivers list to snag him. The Yankees designated Canzler for assignment Friday to make room for Travis Hafner.