Minor League

Baseball Blue Jays: Reassigned P John Frascatore to minor- league camp. Brewers: Added 3B Tony Fernandez, P Ben Sheets and OF James Mouton to 40-man roster. Designated P Kane Davis for assignment. Cardinals: Released OF Quinton McCracken and 3B Shane Andrews. Placed former Orioles P Garrett Stephenson, P Jason Christansen, P Luther Hackman and C Carlos Hernandez on 15-day DL retroactive to March 23. Devil Rays: Optioned P Jason Standridge to Double-A Durham and IF Jace Brewer to Single-A Charleston.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -Orioles manager Dave Trembley said Thursday's game shouldn't be considered a tryout for Adam Eaton. Had it been, Eaton probably didn't help his chances of making the rotation. Facing essentially the New York Mets' Opening Day lineup, Eaton allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks over five innings, raising his spring ERA to 7.29. He needed 94 pitches over that span and was spared further damage when right fielder Oscar Salazar leaped to deny Brian Schneider of a two-run home run in the Mets' four-run fourth inning.

A few seconds after Boston Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholz snapped off a curveball to freeze the last batter and complete an improbable no-hitter, former Orioles pitcher Scott McGregor braced for the inevitable. He has heard the refrain before. Only the names change. "When I saw Buchholz throw his no-hitter, I go, `Oh no, I know what's going to happen now. What's wrong with Radhames Liz?' Well, how many Buchholzes come along?" Not enough in the Orioles' system. They're usually the victims, rather than the beneficiaries.

Before pitcher Rommie Lewis could regain the velocity on his fastball, he needed to rediscover his love of the game. It took a full year for Lewis to realize he missed baseball enough to rededicate himself to it. Once chosen as the Orioles' fifth-best prospect by Baseball America, he got off to a sizzling start at Double-A Bowie this season before beginning to struggle. But at least he was on the mound again, and on the mend. Lewis, a 6-foot-6 left-handed reliever chosen in the fourth round of the 2001 draft out of Newport (Wash.

The Orioles on Monday fired Single-A Aberdeen manager Andy Etchebarren, who had coached or managed in the organization for the past 15 seasons after a successful playing career with the club. Etchebarren managed the IronBirds for three seasons, compiling a 102-124 record. Etchebarren, who has managed in the Orioles system at every level, is the fourth minor league coach or manager the Orioles have let go in the past couple of months. Minor league pitching coordinator Doc Watson, roving infield and base-running instructor Tom Lawless and Double-A Bowie manager Bien Figueroa also were not retained.

The Orioles rushed reliever Jim Hoey to the majors in 2006, making it the last of his four stops in a season that began at low Single-A Delmarva and ended with his being named the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year. This season, they're content to let him dominate at Double-A Bowie, where he entered yesterday having not surrendered a run in 13 2/3 innings, with eight hits allowed, 21 strikeouts and nine saves. He could have been promoted to Triple-A Norfolk by now, if not higher, but what's the rush?

Moves Baseball MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL -- Suspended Athletics minor league P Leonard Landeros 50 games for violating Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. PHILLIES -- Signed former Orioles P Rick Bauer to minor league contract. Basketball CLIPPERS -- Signed G Will Conroy. Waived C Zeljko Rebraca. Football NFL -- Announced establishment player council to advise commissioner consisting of six members: Troy Vincent; Donovin Darius of Jaguars; Tony Richardson of Vikings; Jeff Saturday of Colts; Takeo Spikes of Eagles and James Thrash of Redskins.

When Hayden Penn received word in spring training that he was being reassigned to the Orioles' minor league camp, the pitching prospect told a team official that he thought he threw OK. For the Orioles, that wasn't enough. And they made sure Penn understood that it shouldn't be enough for him, either. They needed more than just mediocre-to-good results from Penn to justify keeping him on their roster. And they also needed him to stay healthy, which continues to be an issue. Penn made one start at Triple-A Norfolk, in the Tides' April 5 opener, before twice being scratched from starts and eventually sent to Sarasota, Fla., for extended spring training.

Several state lawmakers urged Ripken Baseball yesterday to renegotiate deals with the city of Aberdeen and help the small community as it struggles with debts it took on to build a minor league baseball complex. Three state officials whose districts include Aberdeen said yesterday that the Ripken organization should revisit the deals, which were the subject of a special report published Saturday in The Sun. "I don't think the Ripkens should get blamed, but I would hope out of goodwill that they renegotiate some of the deals that they made, to relieve some of the city's problems," said Del. B. Daniel Riley, a Democrat whose district includes Aberdeen.

An examination yesterday by Orioles team orthopedist Dr. Andrew Cosgarea revealed no structural damage or acute pain in Jaret Wright's right shoulder, and the veteran pitcher remains tentatively scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. "As far as the strength in the [rotator] cuff, I thought it was better than expected," Wright said. "We're just going to try to treat it and go from there." Wright left Tuesday's game in the sixth inning with tightness in his shoulder.

Capitals 4, Flyers 2 Semin, Ovechkin lead Caps to fifth consecutive victory Alexander Semin returned from a two-game absence with a tiebreaking goal and an assist, Jose Theodore stopped Darroll Powe's penalty shot later in the third period, and the host Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2, on Tuesday night. Alex Ovechkin scored two goals - including an empty-netter in the final minute - and Nicklas Backstrom had four points for the Capitals. The Southeast Division leaders rallied from a 2-0 deficit to stretch their winning streak to five games.

Based solely on win-loss record, the Orioles' minor league system took a tiny step backward this year. The organization's combined 367-390 mark for its seven primary affiliates was one game below its cumulative record in 2008. And, unlike last year, when the Double-A Bowie Baysox won their division, the Orioles had no affiliates make the playoffs this time. Only two of their farm teams, the Baysox (73-69) and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles (30-26), posted records above .500 in 2009.

Left-hander Brian Matusz, the Orioles' top draft pick in 2008, has been named the organization's minor league Pitcher of the Year, and Brandon Waring, an offseason trade acquisition, is its position Player of the Year. They will be honored at Camden Yards in a ceremony before Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Matusz will receive the Jim Palmer Award and Waring will get the Brooks Robinson Award. Jim Howard will be recognized with the Jim Russo Award, given to the organization's top scout.

Minor league baseball Blue Crabs' Etchebarren named manager of Revolution Southern Maryland Blue Crabs hitting coach Andy Etchebarren was named manager of the Atlantic League rival York Revolution on Wednesday. Etchebarren, a former Orioles player, coach and minor league manager, will make his debut for the Revolution on Friday night. Chris Hoiles, resigned as York manager Aug. 5. Etchebarren will finish the remainder of the season and continue as manager in 2010. Sam Snider, who had been interim manager, will return to his role as hitting coach.

Michael Aubrey's situation isn't unique. Plenty of first-round picks have seen their careers derailed by injuries and attempted to make good on a second chance in the minors. What sets Aubrey apart, however, is what has given him strength as he has battled through back and leg injuries: his bat. "I've been able to hit wherever I've been," said Aubrey, Triple-A Norfolk's first baseman. "I've never lost confidence in my ability to hit." Aubrey, whom the Orioles acquired in June from the Cleveland Indians for future considerations, was one of college baseball's best prospects when he left Tulane as a junior in 2003.

Writer-director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, White Men Can't Jump, Tin Cup) spent five years playing infield in the Orioles' minor league system. He was a little guy, which was shocking at first, with short arms, thick glasses and an easy smile. They called him "Dalko" and guys liked to hang with him and women wanted to take care of him and if he walked into a room in those days he was probably drunk. He had a record 14 feet long inside the Bakersfield, Calif., police station, all barroom brawls, nothing serious, the cops said.

Frederick Keys catcher Caleb Joseph occasionally lingers after games, assists the clubhouse attendant, orders some pizza and then crashes at the stadium. Talk about eating and sleeping baseball. "It's been about 30 percent of nights in the clubhouse at Frederick that I have spent the night on the couch," said Joseph, 23, a right-handed hitter. "I didn't want to leave. You never know when your last day is going to be." A 2008 seventh-round pick out of Lipscomb (Tenn.) University, Joseph is in no danger of being sent home.

Joe Mahoney's statistics might be the most befuddling in all of professional baseball. Mahoney, the 22-year-old starting first baseman at Single-A Delmarva, is 6 feet 7 and 235 pounds. He has one homer in almost 200 at-bats this season. And he has 18 stolen bases in 18 attempts. The largest position player in the Orioles organization is tied for its stolen-base lead. No other South Atlantic League player has more than 10 stolen bases without having been thrown out at least once. "I thought I signed [Seattle Mariners slugger]

Left-hander Brian Matusz had been to Camden Yards only once in his life - in August, when he was introduced to the crowd as the Orioles' newly signed first-round draft pick. "I had so much going on that day," Matusz, 22, said. "I didn't have a chance to go around the ballpark, to see everything and check it out." So in late May, with the Orioles in town and Matusz's Single-A Frederick Keys having the day off, he and Keys catcher Caleb Joseph drove to Baltimore to better inspect Oriole Park.

The Orioles have opened the 2009 season with a shower of base hits that has drenched some of the skepticism that followed the team out of spring training and - any minute now - figures to spawn a new conversation about the franchise's organizational priorities. It's very early, of course, but the offensive production at the top of the Orioles' lineup is legit. Brian Roberts, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are versatile and talented players who would fit very well on a contending team. Aubrey Huff is a real run-producer who won the Silver Slugger Award at designated hitter last year.