Radhames

Baseball Yankees @Orioles 7 p.m. [MASN]: The Orioles bring back pitcher Radhames Liz from the exile of Triple-A Norfolk to go against the Yankees and Mike Mussina, who is working on a 16-7 record.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Sometime this spring, the Orioles will have to make a decision on Radhames Liz's future, ending the debate about whether he belongs in a major league rotation or the bullpen. "We talk about it a lot, but the decision definitely has not been made," Orioles minor league director David Stockstill said. "He has the stamina, strength and the pitches to be a starter. What he doesn't have is the location and the feel for the off-speed pitch yet to be the starter that we want him to be. "He's got to get those two things - the command of the fastball and the feel of a changeup - to be a starter.

WHEELS COME OFF:: When you're talking about an Orioles starter these days, the question really isn't whether they'll lose control, it's when. Radhames Liz fell apart in the third, largely because of two one-out walks that loaded the bases. David Ortiz hit a two-run double, Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly and Mark Kotsay hit an RBI double. All of a sudden, the Orioles trailed 4-0, and it got progressively worse. REMEMBER WHEN? : When Fernando Cabrera struck out Coco Crisp in the fifth inning, it marked the first called third strike for an Orioles pitcher in 12 2/3 innings.

WHEELS COME OFF:: When you're talking about an Orioles starter these days, the question really isn't whether they'll lose control, it's when. Radhames Liz fell apart in the third, largely because of two one-out walks that loaded the bases. David Ortiz hit a two-run double, Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly and Mark Kotsay hit an RBI double. All of a sudden, the Orioles trailed 4-0, and it got progressively worse. REMEMBER WHEN? : When Fernando Cabrera struck out Coco Crisp in the fifth inning, it marked the first called third strike for an Orioles pitcher in 12 2/3 innings.

RUDE WELCOME Rookie pitcher Radhames Liz didn't get past the first batter last night without having issues. His problems stemmed from Akinori Iwamura's line drive that nailed him on the left calf. The ball caromed toward first base as Iwamura reached safely. Liz started to limp back to the mound while assistant trainer Brian Ebel and manager Dave Trembley rushed onto the field. Liz threw two warm-up tosses and signaled he could continue. It probably wasn't the best decision, given what happened next.

Rather than wait for rookie pitcher Radhames Liz to consistently find the strike zone and work deeper into games, the Orioles will continue his education in the minor leagues. Liz was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels, a move that corresponded with left-hander Jamie Walker coming off the disabled list. Liz went 4-3 with a 7.47 ERA in 10 starts and had gone at least six innings only twice in his past seven outings. "Liz needs to have better command.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- His front shoulder no longer is flying open toward first base. His delivery is shorter and his windup more fluid. Through the first 3 1/2 weeks of spring training, Orioles right-hander Radhames Liz has looked like a different pitcher from the one who last year posted a 6.93 ERA in nine games. "His mechanics are much better," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We noticed it when he came into spring training. He's throwing more strikes. He's throwing more strikes with his breaking pitch, and he didn't do that when we had him last year."

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- The clicking sound began as a mystery, then grew into a concern. And it was so audible that players and coaches sitting in the dugout last season could hear it. Orioles pitching prospect Radhames Liz would unleash mid-90s fastballs, first at Single-A Frederick and later at Double-A Bowie, and the guessing would begin. One theory held that his long fingers were snapping against his palm. Or maybe his shoulder was out of whack. Or he was storing crickets in his back pocket.

It wasn't until the seventh inning, when both teams lined up for the playing of "God Bless America," that Double-A Bowie pitcher Radhames Liz glanced at the scoreboard. His team was winning. That much he knew. What Liz discovered at that moment was that his opponent, the Harrisburg Senators, didn't have a hit. Liz was six outs away from making minor league baseball history. Again. Liz had combined with two relievers on a no-hitter last year in his first start at Single-A Frederick. But on Friday night, he got one of his own, walking three and striking out eight along the way. "I wasn't even thinking about that," he said the next day. "I saw the scoreboard and thought, `Oh, a no-hitter.

BOSTON - The education of young Orioles pitcher Radhames Liz continued last night, in a hostile classroom where every indiscretion found its way onto his permanent record. The eight earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, the three walks and a hit batter, the 61 pitches. They're all in there. Liz surrendered three home runs - including the first grand slam of Kevin Youkilis' career - during another short and volatile outing, and the Boston Red Sox coasted to a 12-1 victory at Fenway Park that made the All-Star break seem even more appealing to the Orioles, who suffered their largest margin of defeat this season.

Baseball Yankees @Orioles 7 p.m. [MASN]: The Orioles bring back pitcher Radhames Liz from the exile of Triple-A Norfolk to go against the Yankees and Mike Mussina, who is working on a 16-7 record.

Rather than wait for rookie pitcher Radhames Liz to consistently find the strike zone and work deeper into games, the Orioles will continue his education in the minor leagues. Liz was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels, a move that corresponded with left-hander Jamie Walker coming off the disabled list. Liz went 4-3 with a 7.47 ERA in 10 starts and had gone at least six innings only twice in his past seven outings. "Liz needs to have better command.

Not wanting to lean so heavily on his bullpen again last night, uncertain whether it would hold up under the weight, Orioles manager Dave Trembley issued a plea of sorts to rookie pitcher Radhames Liz. "Liz better give us some innings," Trembley said before taking the field for batting practice. "Otherwise, I'll be asking a little bit too much of some people." It was asking a lot of Liz, who had gone six full innings only once in his previous six starts, and he fell a little short of the challenge.

BOSTON - The education of young Orioles pitcher Radhames Liz continued last night, in a hostile classroom where every indiscretion found its way onto his permanent record. The eight earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, the three walks and a hit batter, the 61 pitches. They're all in there. Liz surrendered three home runs - including the first grand slam of Kevin Youkilis' career - during another short and volatile outing, and the Boston Red Sox coasted to a 12-1 victory at Fenway Park that made the All-Star break seem even more appealing to the Orioles, who suffered their largest margin of defeat this season.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- His front shoulder no longer is flying open toward first base. His delivery is shorter and his windup more fluid. Through the first 3 1/2 weeks of spring training, Orioles right-hander Radhames Liz has looked like a different pitcher from the one who last year posted a 6.93 ERA in nine games. "His mechanics are much better," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We noticed it when he came into spring training. He's throwing more strikes. He's throwing more strikes with his breaking pitch, and he didn't do that when we had him last year."

RUDE WELCOME Rookie pitcher Radhames Liz didn't get past the first batter last night without having issues. His problems stemmed from Akinori Iwamura's line drive that nailed him on the left calf. The ball caromed toward first base as Iwamura reached safely. Liz started to limp back to the mound while assistant trainer Brian Ebel and manager Dave Trembley rushed onto the field. Liz threw two warm-up tosses and signaled he could continue. It probably wasn't the best decision, given what happened next.

Not wanting to lean so heavily on his bullpen again last night, uncertain whether it would hold up under the weight, Orioles manager Dave Trembley issued a plea of sorts to rookie pitcher Radhames Liz. "Liz better give us some innings," Trembley said before taking the field for batting practice. "Otherwise, I'll be asking a little bit too much of some people." It was asking a lot of Liz, who had gone six full innings only once in his previous six starts, and he fell a little short of the challenge.

It wasn't until the seventh inning, when both teams lined up for the playing of "God Bless America," that Double-A Bowie pitcher Radhames Liz glanced at the scoreboard. His team was winning. That much he knew. What Liz discovered at that moment was that his opponent, the Harrisburg Senators, didn't have a hit. Liz was six outs away from making minor league baseball history. Again. Liz had combined with two relievers on a no-hitter last year in his first start at Single-A Frederick. But on Friday night, he got one of his own, walking three and striking out eight along the way. "I wasn't even thinking about that," he said the next day. "I saw the scoreboard and thought, `Oh, a no-hitter.