Jason Berken

Following the Orioles' 17-inning win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday, Orioles manager Buck Showalter unfolded a piece of paper on his desk that showed the recent pitching schedule at Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles' 9-6 extra-inning win was costly. The entire bullpen is taxed, with four different relievers - Jim Johnson, Matt Lindstrom, Pedro Strop and Kevin Gregg - going multiple innings. In the 15 th inning, Showalter sent left-hander Brian Matusz, who will start today's home game against the Rangers, to the bullpen.

The Orioles are now winless this season in games after they have played 17 innings. Call it the Great Boston Marathon Hangover. The Orioles came out manhole-cover-flat Monday, and were run over by the Texas Rangers, 14-3, in a game which they gave up 19 hits, got only six and suffered their most lopsided defeat of the young season. The sleepwalking wasn't surprising considering it came a day after beating the Boston Red Sox, 9-6, in a six-hour, seven-minute saga that completed an impressive sweep at Fenway Park.

Right-hander Jason Berken is back with the Orioles, called up today when Robert Andino was placed on the paternity list. Berken, who had a hamstring injury that limited him for much of spring training, had a 0.60 ERA in 15 innings during three starts at Triple-A Norfolk. “It's good, I am excited. I suppose I pitched pretty well in Triple-A, and I am excited about doing the same here,” Berken said. “It's great to be back. I'm just excited to see all the guys. That's the big thing, I miss the teammates.

The Orioles lost their final season tuneup, 6-4, to their top affiliate, the Norfolk Tides, on Wednesday, but the important thing for the big league club is that lefty Brian Matusz again pitched well. Matusz allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five in four scoreless innings, throwing 57 pitches (35 for strikes). “He threw well. Very good,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “He's been good about every time out.” Matusz, who had a 10.69 ERA in 12 starts with the Orioles in 2011, made this year's club with a 3.65 ERA in 24 2/3 big league innings.

- The Orioles thinned out their spring roster Monday, with eight players sent out of camp, including right-handers Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken and middle infielder Matt Antonelli, all of whom were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Two more players, second baseman Brian Roberts (concussion) and left-hander Zach Britton (shoulder), were placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Orioles re-assigned five non-roster players to minor league camp: pitchers Dontrelle Willis and Armando Galarraga, infielder Steve Tolleson, outfielder Scott Beerer and catcher John Hester.

The Orioles made nine roster moves heading into tonight's Grapefruit League game with the Pirates, and when the dust clears, the team's 25-man roster begins to get a little more clear. The team optioned infielder Matt Antonelli to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned infielder Steve Tolleson to minor-league camp, meaning that the Orioles' utility spot is Ryan Flaherty's to win. Since Flaherty was a Rule 5 pick, it doesn't guarantee him the spot quite yet. Any time the O's cut Flaherty, they likely lose him to the Cubs, the team they drafted him from.

Orioles right-hander Jason Berken, who has been nursing a nagging hamstring injury all spring, appears close to pitching in his first Grapefruit League game. Berken threw one inning in a minor league game against the Red Sox's Triple-A team Thursday at Twin Lakes Park, his first live game action this spring, and said he thinks his injury woes are behind him. “Based on how I felt yesterday, I really feel like I'm further ahead than I expected and things have been really good,” Berken said.

Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz will make his fourth spring start today against the Phillies at Ed Smith Stadium, going against Phillies ace Roy Halladay. It's also a big day here at Ed Smith because Nick Markakis, who has spent the entire spring recovering from offseason abdominal surgery, will make his first start in right field today. He's made three starts at DH, going 2-for-8. Kevin Gregg, Jim Johnson, Willie Eyre, Zach Phillips and Pedro Strop are also slated to pitch today for the Orioles.

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis , who is recovering from offseason abdominal surgery, participated in the team's first full-squad workout Friday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, taking live outdoor batting practice as well as taking part in outfield fielding drills. Markakis said he's far from full strength but feels no pain swinging the bat. If anything, it's his lateral movement while fielding balls that needs improvement. "I know I'm not there, but [I'm] on schedule or maybe a little ahead of schedule, depending on how you look at it," Markakis said.

NEW YORK - On a day in which the Orioles traded two of their more popular veterans for three young players, the club turned a doubleheader in Yankee Stadium over to two 23-year-old starting pitchers who are supposed to be part of the future. It's safe to say the future did not look particularly bright Saturday, as the New York Yankees beat the Orioles' 8-3 in the afternoon and then pummeled them 17-3 in the nightcap. The Orioles (42-62) have dropped eight games in nine tries against the Yankees (63-42)