Triple A Norfolk

The Orioles' top position player prospect, Jonathan Schoop, was placed on the seven-day minor league disabled list Thursday with a lower back strain. The 21-year-old Schoop, who raised his stock after strong offseason performances in the Arizona Fall League and the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .268/.331/.386 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 34 games at Triple-A Norfolk. The injury isn't expected to be serious. Schoop is the Orioles' No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America behind pitchers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman.

Danny Valencia, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before Sunday's game, contributed immediately in his first start in an Orioles uniform. In his first at-bat Sunday, Valencia opened the second inning with a double off Rays starter Matt Moore. In his third at-bat, he hit a deep fly ball that Showalter said would have been a home run at Norfolk's Harbor Park. “He had some good swings off a tough left-hander,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “It's kind of the resume he brings, so hopefully we'll see him again tomorrow and see how he does.” Valencia was hitting .306/.339/.600 in 40 games at Triple-A Norfolk, including a .356/.375/.991 stretch with seven homers, 13 runs and 17 RBIs in his last 10 games.

The Orioles announced Thursday night that outfielder Xavier Avery has been sent down to Triple-A Norfolk. Although they have not announced a corresponding move, left fielder Endy Chavez, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, is expected to come off the disabled list Friday. The Orioles don't want the 22-year-old Avery, who has hit .233 with a .317 on-base percentage in 24 games in three stints with the club, to be a fourth outfielder in the majors. They'd rather have him play every day. Steve Pearce and Chris Davis likely will serve as reserve outfielders.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he hopes that getting second baseman Ryan Flaherty consistent at-bats at Triple-A Norfolk - while getting the 26-year-old to work on offensive problems away from the major league spotlight - will help him rebound from a tough start to the season. Flaherty, who has held most of the starting second baseman duties since Brian Roberts was injured in the third game of the season, was hitting just .133/.228/.233 in 30 games before he was optioned to the Tides on Saturday night.

Right-handed hitter Danny Valencia has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk and will be with the Orioles at Camden Yards on Sunday, according to an industry source. The 28-year-old, who did not play for the Tides on Saturday, is batting .306 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 40 games this season. In his past 10 games, Valencia is batting .356 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs. He hit two home runs last Tuesday against Lehigh Valley.

The Orioles have an interesting starting lineup in tonight's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, which includes Yamaico Navarro starting at second base. This could be the beginning of the Orioles taking an extended look at Navarro at the position, and it could signal that the team is about to option struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk. Navarro was hitting .303/.395/.434 with eight doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs at Triple-A Norfolk, so he definitely deserves a look.

The Orioles made an additional roster move tonight, optioning RHP Tommy Hunter to Triple-A Norfolk. Hunter is 3-4 with a 6.11 ERA (81.01 IP, 55 ER) in 15 games for the Orioles. He had 13 starts. Hunter made a relief appearance on Saturday in an 11-5 loss against the Cleveland Indians. He allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings. He threw 51 pitches. The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reports, Miguel Gonzalez is expected to be promoted.

Jamie Moyer made his third start for Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday night, allowing one run on three hits in four innings against Buffalo. The Tides won, 3-1, but Moyer -- who struck out four and threw 54 of his 77 pitches for strikes -- didn't get a decision. He's 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA for Norfolk, making a case that he could help the Orioles' rotation. After signing Moyer two weeks ago, Dan Duquette said the 49-year-old lefty would likely get two or three starts in Triple-A to assess where he is. Moyer was 2-5 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts with the Colorado Rockies before being released.

The D-Train starting era began at Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday It didn't last long. Veteran lefty Dontrelle Willis, making his first start for the Tides, lasted just 2 2/3 innings. He gave up four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four batters against Columbus, the Cleveland Indians' top affiliate. He threw 70 pitches, only 43 for strikes. Not exactly what the Orioles or Willis were looking for considering Dontrelle-Gate back in April. The Orioles signed the affable 30-year-old to be a situational reliever in March after he was cut by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Orioles announced after Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Tampa Bay rays that they optioned infielder Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk. Flaherty, 26, was hitting .133 with a .228 on-base percentage and a .233 slugging percentage in 90 at-bats over 30 games for the Orioles this season. He had two homers and six RBIs. Flaherty appeared in Saturday's game as a defensive replacement. The Orioles recalled Yamaico Navarro from Norfolk on Tuesday and he started the past two games at second base.

Right-handed hitter Danny Valencia has been called up from Triple-A Norfolk and will be with the Orioles at Camden Yards on Sunday, according to an industry source. The 28-year-old, who did not play for the Tides on Saturday, is batting .306 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 40 games this season. In his past 10 games, Valencia is batting .356 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs. He hit two home runs last Tuesday against Lehigh Valley.

The Orioles made several moves before Saturday's game, with one high-profile player hitting the disabled list and another getting a recall to the major leagues. Outfielder Nolan Reimold, who has struggled to hit in the early season and hasn't played since May 11, was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to last Sunday, with a strained right hamstring. Right-hander Jake Arrieta, the club's 2012 Opening Day starter who pitched in four games this year before being demoted to Triple-A Norfolk in April, was recalled and was in the bullpen Saturday night.

The Orioles have an interesting starting lineup in tonight's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, which includes Yamaico Navarro starting at second base. This could be the beginning of the Orioles taking an extended look at Navarro at the position, and it could signal that the team is about to option struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk. Navarro was hitting .303/.395/.434 with eight doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs at Triple-A Norfolk, so he definitely deserves a look.

The Orioles' top position player prospect, Jonathan Schoop, was placed on the seven-day minor league disabled list Thursday with a lower back strain. The 21-year-old Schoop, who raised his stock after strong offseason performances in the Arizona Fall League and the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .268/.331/.386 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 34 games at Triple-A Norfolk. The injury isn't expected to be serious. Schoop is the Orioles' No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America behind pitchers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman.

The Orioles have not specified the schedule for Miguel Gonzalez yet. Gonzalez threw a side session this morning and indicated things went fine with the blister on his right thumb. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it is still a possibility that he could fill the Orioles' need for Tuesday's open rotation spot, but said the club is more focused on making sure he is 100 percent healthy. Jake Arrieta had some tightness in his shoulder when he began a throwing session Tuesday at Triple-A Norfolk, but that subsided as he continued to throw fastballs.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who has not pitched since developing a deep blister on his right thumb May 3 in Anaheim, is getting closer to appearing in a big league game. Gonzalez threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday, the last few without a bandage covering the thumb (he won't be able to use a covering in a game). He said he came out feeling “really good.” “The ball was coming out good,” Gonzalez said. “The breaking pitches were fine. I was pretty happy about my performance.” Gonzalez is next scheduled to pitch in a simulated game Friday afternoon at Camden Yards so that the team can best control the environment.

Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada, who is recovering from last May's Tommy John surgery, will make his first minor league rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday afternoon at Lehigh Valley. It will be the first time Wada pitches in a minor league game since last April, when he lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a minor league rehab start for Norfolk. Wada, a former standout in the Japanese Pacific League who signed a two-year, $8.14 million contract before the 2012 season, has yet to pitch in a regular season game for the Orioles.