Hammel

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles' clouded roster picture became a lot clearer Wednesday with a couple obvious proclamations, one health setback and a top prospect heading to Double-A. Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced his rotation for the opening series of the regular season at the Tampa Bay Rays next week. There were no surprises. Right-hander Jason Hammel - who emerged as the team's top starter in last year's first half before dealing with a knee issue that eventually required surgery - will make the first Opening Day start of his career Tuesday.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he is still optimistic that Jason Hammel can return this season to pitch for the Orioles, but the big right-hander has not tested his right knee on a mound since leaving a game Sept. 11. “Slow. Not imminent that he moves to another step yet,” Showalter said. “Oh, sure I'm optimistic, we just haven't had anything where, 'Hey, this feels pretty good, let's start throwing yet.' We haven't gotten the discomfort out of there yet.” Around the horn Miguel Gonzalez likely will start Friday's game in Boston.

Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel was not particularly good on Thursday night. He struggled with his command, at one point throwing half of his 28 pitches for balls. He ended up with 104 pitches -- and only 59 for strikes. And yet he allowed just three hits, two runs (none earned) and two walks in six innings against the Oakland Athletics -- who led the majors in runs scored and on-base percentage heading into Thursday -- without being on the top of his game. Hammel may not be an ace, but he is the Orioles' No. 1 pitcher.

Jason Hammel's bid to become an All-Star for the first time in his career took a big hit Wednesday night. The Orioles right-hander struggled through his worst outing of the year, lasting just 3 1/3 innings (his shortest outing of the season) and tying a career-high with eight runs allowed. Hammel entered the night having not allowed an earned run in his last 19 innings of work and yielded just six hits over his last two outings, one of them a complete-game, one-hit shutout at Atlanta on June 16. Until tonight, Hammel hadn't allowed more than four earned runs in a game this season.

The Orioles have announced that right-hander Jason Hammel, who left Friday's game in the fourth inning when he re-injured his balky right knee, will miss his next start, which was scheduled for Wednesday in Minnesota. Hammel had a MRI on Saturday afternoon, but the results were not immediately announced. However, the club said Hammel would miss one start. Orioles manager Buck Showalter is expected to address the situation and Hammel's treatment options after today's game against the Detroit Tigers.

Jason Hammel's night is over. And, given the fact he hadn't pitched in a big league game since July 13, it was about as good as could be expected. Hammel pitched into the sixth, being pulled with no outs in the inning after walking Alex Rodriguez. Through five-plus, the lanky right-hander allowed six hits, two walks and one earned run - on a Curtis Granderson two-out single in the fourth. He struck out six and retired the first six batters he faced. There was a scary moment in the fourth when Robinson Cano smashed a comebacker that hit Hammel in the right elbow.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel made just one mistake against his former team Tuesday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium. Hammel, making his second Grapefruit League start of the spring against a Rays team he debuted with, allowed a second-inning solo homer to Matt Joyce but otherwise shut down the Tampa Bay lineup over three innings.  Joyce hit a 2-0 fastball over the rightfield fence to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead....

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel (right knee surgery) again participated in pitcher's fielding practice on Wednesday, and if he feels fine, he likely will throw 25 to 35 pitches Friday in a simulated game at Camden Yards, pitching coach Rick Adair said. Hammel is scheduled to throw one more simulated game early next week, in the 40- to 50-pitch range, and then will be re-evaluated. Infielder Wilson Betemit (wrist) had his first pain-free day Wednesday since going on the disabled list Aug. 16, O's manager Buck Showalter said.

Less than two weeks ago, Jason Hammel was ready for spring training in Arizona and preparing for another season in Colorado. On Saturday, Hammel arrived at the Orioles spring training complex in Sarasota - a new player in a new place after Baltimore's Feb. 6 trade of pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. Right-handed reliever Matt Lindstrom also came to the Orioles in the deal. “It was a pretty wild week when it happened, obviously because [it was] a week before spring training,” Hammel said.

It's never a pleasant experience for major league ballplayers when one of their struggling teammates gets sent to the minors. In close clubhouses, most of these guys are friends, or friendly anyway. And, frankly, many of them have been through the same situations. It's possible no one in an Orioles uniform has a better understanding of what Jake Arrieta is going through right now than fellow right-hander Jason Hammel. Arrieta, 27, was sent to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday after posting a 6.63 ERA in four starts.