Jeremy Guthrie

There comes a point in every man's life when he sits back, puts his feet up on the desk and thinks: How can I get a gig doing something I love that involves no heavy lifting? Ladies and gentlemen, I have found that gig. So let's get the introductions out of the way first, shall we? The name is Kevin Cowherd, and after years of writing a features column for The Baltimore Sun, I switch over today to writing a sports column. Actually, this is my second time with this gig - I was a sports columnist with The Evening Sun from 1981 to 1987.

The Orioles have placed right-handed reliever Matt Lindstrom on the disabled list with a right middle finger injury in order to make space on the 25-man roster for tonight's starter, left-hander Dana Eveland. Eveland's contract was purchased from Triple-A Norfolk, and the Orioles designated minor-leaguer Zelous Wheeler for assignment in a corresponding 40-man roster move. Lindstrom allowed his first earned runs of the season in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader (3 runs, two earned, in one inning)

Jeremy Guthrie no doubt impressed enemy scouts during Tuesday night's win over the Red Sox . The Orioles' top starter allowed two earned runs in seven innings of work, picking up (sadly) his fourth win of 2011 and improving his ERA to 4.35. Some contending teams are interested in acquiring Guthrie, whom Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun believes is "someone the Orioles likely would deal this month for the right offer. " Does ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian think the Orioles should deal the 32-year-old right-hander?

Needing to make room on the roster for Friday's starter Dana Eveland , the Orioles decided to place reliever Matt Lindstrom on the 15-day disabled list with a right middle finger injury. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said after the game that Lindstrom's injury is being classified as a ligament sprain at this time. But the club hopes to get him a MRI on the finger Saturday. The belief was that the Orioles might have place a pitcher on the disabled list , but that conjecture surrounded starter Jason Hammel , who is dealing with a sore knee.

Jeremy Guthrie, Orioles pitcher Is it distracting to you when rumors start circulating about a manager's job status? For me, it's not a distraction. As players, we really don't hear a lot. Fans think we hear and read everything, but we don't know nearly as much as the people asking the questions or the fans think we know.

Jeremy Guthrie's story is of a former first-round draft pick and top prospect who struggled to meet hefty - and perhaps unfair - expectations that were placed on him. Ultimately, he was forced to go elsewhere to get an opportunity, and when he did, his powerful right arm reminded everyone what the hype was all about. It is certainly a feel-good story, especially for Orioles fans who have waited patiently for the organization to develop top-flight young pitchers, only to watch one drop in its lap on a $20,000 waiver claim.

SEATTLE -- In organizational meetings during spring training, Orioles officials pondered slotting right-hander Steve Trachsel, and not Jeremy Guthrie, into the No. 1 spot in the rotation. Their logic was that as a veteran, Trachsel, who had 141 wins entering the season, was better prepared to deal with the rigors of occupying that role. He wouldn't be overwhelmed by the high expectations or the challenge of facing the other team's top starter. It's not that Orioles officials felt Guthrie would be, but the right-hander did have just one full major league season of experience and 27 career starts.

Jeremy Guthrie was driving solo from his Utah home to Las Vegas to see a Justin Timberlake concert when he got the phone call that changed the course of his baseball career. The caller that day in January 2007 was Cleveland Indians general manager Mark Shapiro, who informed Guthrie he had just been designated for assignment, all but guaranteeing the pitcher's departure from an organization that thought he would become an ace but grew tired of waiting. "Honestly, my first reaction was excitement," Guthrie said.

Good morning -- Jeremy Guthrie -- Remember back in Little League, when they played only six innings?

Avg: Vladimir Guerrero .290 HR: Mark Reynolds 37 RBI: Mark Reynolds 86 SB: Robert Andino 13 Wins: Zach Britton 11 Saves: Kevin Gregg 22 ERA: Jeremy Guthrie 4.33 Strikeouts: Jeremy Guthrie 130

Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel says he's a much different pitcher from the one who last faced the New York Yankees in 2008. Through four starts this season, Hammel - acquired in the February trade that sent No. 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies - has been a surprising success story. He takes a 3-0 record and 1.73 ERA into the Bronx for Monday's series opener, looking to give the Orioles his fourth quality start of the season. Hammel, who entered the season with a career 4.99 ERA, said he has grown mentally since he was demoted to the Rockies' bullpen at the end of last season.

Rookie utility man Ryan Flaherty started just one game in the club's first 16 games and now has started each of the past four, including in right field Saturday night - the first time he had appeared there as a major leaguer. “I think every day you have to somewhat expect to be in there, and once you're not, then you make changes according to that plan,” said Flaherty, whom the Orioles selected from the Chicago Cubs in December's Rule 5 draft. The Cubs organization wanted to increase the position flexibility of Flaherty, an infielder by trade, so he played 28 games (21 starts)

Across baseball circles, the Orioles' acquisition of right-hander Jason Hammel was seen as pre-spring training snoozer. But over his first four starts in a Baltimore uniform, Hammel has made the majors take notice. Hammel -- who came to Baltimore with a career 4.99 ERA as part of the trade that sent No. 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies on Feb. 6 -- has shown to be a much different pitcher so far as an Oriole. He continued his sparkling start Wednesday night, throwing seven shutout innings against a Toronto Blue Jays lineup that has scored the fourth-most runs in the American League.

Jason Hammel didn't begin the scoreboard watching until the end of the sixth inning Sunday afternoon. The right-hander took his seat in the Orioles dugout and thought to himself how quickly his first start of the season was going. He had thrown just 65 pitches through those six innings. He was making quick work of the Minnesota Twins with a bevy of ground-ball outs. His teammates started inching away from him on the bench. "After a while you kind of realize, 'Man, we're moving along here pretty quick.

Jason Hammel has made 115 major-league starts in his seven-season career - more than twice that of any other pitcher in the Orioles' 2012 rotation. So Hammel's start Sunday against the Minnesota Twins is like any other game - to a point. It will be the 29-year-old right-hander's debut in an Orioles' uniform. "Obviously, debuting for a team is always fun. I am sure there will be a little bit of nerves," said Hammel, who was part of the February trade that sent Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies.

I wanted to see where Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta's performance Friday ranked among the top Opening Day starts in club history and the good people at Elias Sports Bureau gave me an interesting stat. Arrieta's start against the Twins marked the first time in Orioles history that a starting pitcher threw at least seven shutout innings and allowed two or fewer hits on Opening Day. Very impressive indeed, and while it ranked up there with the best Opening Day starts in Orioles history, it was far from the best.

Orioles@Angels 10 p.m. [MASN2] Who would have thought it? It's May, the Orioles are still above .500 and Jeremy Guthrie doesn't have a win. Guthrie, who hasn't given up more than three earned runs in his past five starts, will look to improve his 0-3 record.

Baseball Tigers@ Orioles 7 p.m. [MASN2]: Orioles ace Jeremy Guthrie is scheduled to start against Detroit's Armando Galarraga. Galarraga hasn't been going very deep in games. He has lasted seven or more innings just twice in 15 starts. But he's been effective, with a 7-3 record and a 3.27 ERA.

The hard work Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta put in this offseason rebounding from elbow surgery would have happened regardless. But on Monday came its reward. Arrieta came into camp as a question mark. He ended it with an exclamation point. Arrieta wasn't necessarily aiming for his return to be on Opening Day, but eight months after he had a bone spur removed from his throwing elbow, he will be on the mound when the Orioles open the season Friday at Camden Yards against the Minnesota Twins.

When the question about this year's Opening Day starter is asked, Orioles manager Buck Showalter stiffens, then shakes his head. Showalter doesn't understand the label - or the importance - placed on naming an Opening Day starter. That person is only guaranteed to pitch in that slot once, and the success of the Orioles' pitching rebuilding project will be dictated not by the development of one pitcher, but the entire rotation. Since the Orioles dealt right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who was the team's Opening Day starter three of the past four years, to Colorado in February, the question has come up a lot. Three weeks into spring training, the inquiry is more appropriate.