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		O's Name Minor League Managers, Coaches, Staffs - 12/17/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced their minor league staffs for the 2008 season. O's net good return for Tejada - 12/12/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente Tony's take a detailed look at the return the Orioles got for Tejada and thinks the Orioles did pretty good. Tejada traded to Astros for five players - 12/12/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente The Orioles made their first big splash this offseason by trading Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros for five players. Gibbons Admits to HGH, Suspended 15 Games - 12/6/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman Major League Baseball today suspended Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons for 15 games for violating the league's drug policy. O's Add 4 in Rule V Draft - 12/6/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today selected four players in the Rule V Draft, highlighted by plucking Tigers' RHP Randor Bierd according to a press release from the team. Orioles Hangout Top Prospects: 11-20 - 11/23/2007 1:00:00 PM - Domen After discussions with scouts, coaches, players, and front office personnel both within the Orioles organization and outside, we've come up with the Orioles Hangout's Top 30 Prospect List. 6-4, 215 lb. power hitter Chris Vinyard rounds out the list at #20. O's Name Dave Jauss as New Bench Coach - 11/7/2007 9:00:00 AM - Hoffman The Orioles have named Dave Jauss as their new bench coach for the 2008 season. O's Decline Option for Benson - 11/1/2007 2:00:00 PM - Hoffman According the the Associated Press, the Orioles today declined their team option on pitcher Kris Benson making him a free agent. O's Name "T-Bone" Shelby First Base Coach - 10/30/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have named John "T-Bone" Shelby as their new first base coach. Birkins Waived, Claimed by Tampa Bay - 10/30/2007 11:00:00 AM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that LHP Kurt Birkins has been claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays according to an official press release. Etchebarren fired, Deza & McCrory added to 40-man - 10/28/2007 9:00:00 PM - Hoffman The O's made a few personnel moves this week that opened some eyes and ruffled some feathers. O's Name Kranitz Pitching Coach - 10/17/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release, the Orioles have hired Rick Kranitz as their pitching coach for the 2008 season. Mazzone Will Not Return in '08 - 10/12/2007 3:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release from the Orioles, pitching coach Leo Mazzone will not return in 2008. Jim Duquette Resigns - 10/5/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman After two seasons as the Orioles Vice President, Jim Duquette has resigned with a year remaining on his contract to pursue other front office opportunities. Orioles finish 2007 with 10-4 loss - 9/30/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles put the finishing touches on their miserable 2007 season with an appropriately lamentable loss, 10-4. This finale couldn’t have been a more fitting microcosm of the Birds’ season as a whole. Let’s run through the checklist. A double-digit run total for the opposition? Check. An atrocious outing by an overwhelmed starting pitcher? Check (Brian Burres: six runs in 3 1/3 innings). An offense that sputtered against a series of mediocrities? Check (four runs against a cavalcade of Yanks scrubs). A supposed “home” game in which 75% of the Camden Yards crowd was cheering wildly for the visitors? Check. The loss sealed the Orioles’ 2007 record at 69-93, their worst mark in five years. Ten-run inning dooms Orioles again - 9/29/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, behind Daniel Cabrera’s latest (and final) eye-popping meltdown, suffered a stinging, 11-10 loss to the Yankees. Just a night after their most exhilarating win of the year, the O’s pitching staff knocked the team back to its accustomed level with yet another disastrous performance. Cabrera and two relievers combined on a horrid, unsightly, 10-run fourth inning that turned an O’s lead of five into a deficit of the same margin. Though the Birds’ offense did nearly everything it could-- pounding out 10 runs for the second night in a row-- the club stranded the tying run at third base with one out in the ninth. The flummoxed Orioles can only shake their heads and take solace in the fact that, less than 24 hours from now, they will have finally closed the book on this torturous 2007 season. Wow! O's shock NY with comeback win - 9/28/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles pulled off their most dramatic, unbelievable win of the season in their third-to-last game, stunning the New York Yankees with a thrilling 10-9, 10-inning comeback win. It’s hard to decide which moment was the most incredible amidst a night full of them. Jay Payton’s (pic) amazing bases-loaded, two-out triple off Mariano Rivera to tie the game in the ninth? Melvin Mora’s stunning bunt single to win the game in the 10th? The Birds’ bashing of cranky ex-teammate Mike Mussina to begin their comeback from a five-run deficit? Or the fact that the O’s officially knocked the Yankees from the AL East throne they’d held for nine straight years? No-- what stood out most was the way the Orioles mobbed each other after the game-winner; a group that has endured so much ugliness getting to enjoy a rare moment of sheer euphoria. Before this team closes out its dismal season, it provided one wonderful glimpse of Orioles Magic long thought lost. Unexpected power lifts Orioles, 8-5 - 9/27/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles averted a three-game sweep, salvaging a back-and-forth series finale against the Blue Jays with an 8-5 win. The normally power-deficient O’s found their homerun stroke with a trio of long balls from very unexpected sources: Jay Payton, J.R. House, and Luis Hernandez (pic), who entered the night with a mere six dingers between the three of them. The light-hitting Hernandez’s first major-league blast put the O’s on top in the sixth, just after the Birds had blown an early 4-0 lead, while Payton contributed a three-hit game. O's allow eight in first, lose to Jays - 9/26/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles fell flat on their faces once again with another unsightly defeat, losing to the Blue Jays by an 8-5 score. On the bright side, O’s pitchers held the Blue Jays scoreless for eight of their nine innings. The exception, though, was the first, in which the Jays sent 13 batters to the plate and tallied eight runs against the latest combustible Birds starter, Victor Zambrano. The Orioles spent the rest of the night trying to claw back from their massive early hole-- with Nick Markakis (pic) contributing four hits-- but fell short thanks to an offense that stranded 10 runners on base. Four games, folks. Just four games left… Blue Jays bash Burres, Birds, 11-4 - 9/25/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles continued to limp their way to the finish line, getting pasted by the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-4. Brian Burres was crushed for seven runs and failed to last through four innings, putting the O’s in a deep early hole that the offense-- which broke out in fits and spurts but was mostly held in check-- couldn’t come back from. It was the 90th loss of the year for the Birds, who allowed double-digit runs for the sixth time this month. O's sweep season series vs. Royals - 9/24/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles kicked off their final homestand by defeating the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, to complete a seven-game season-series sweep. In a makeup of an April rainout, the Birds finally got a glimpse of the Daniel Cabrera they’d been hoping to see all year. The right-hander returned from suspension with a seven-inning, one-run gem, but was robbed of a well-earned win when the bullpen coughed up a game-tying homerun in the eighth. Nick Markakis (pic), though, saved the day with a go-ahead homer in the bottom half. O's finish road schedule with 3-0 loss - 9/23/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer In their final road game of 2007, the Orioles were blanked by the Rangers, 3-0, for their fourth shutout loss of the month. Oriole-killer Kevin Millwood continued his dominance of the club with seven shutout innings, and the Birds helped him out by batting a fruitless 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and grounding into three double plays (though Kevin Millar [pic] had three hits and even a stolen base). The criminally inopportune offense spoiled a tremendous outing by starter Jon Leicester, who held the Rangers to just three runs and tossed all eight innings for the Birds’ fourth complete game of the year. The O’s finished with a 34-47 road record for the season, and will conclude their 2007 campaign with a week of games at Camden Yards. Orioles outslug Rangers in 11-9 win - 9/22/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In an exhausting, back-and-forth slugfest, the Orioles enjoyed a rare offensive explosion, besting the Rangers by an 11-9 score. If you’re the kind of fan who loves briskly played pitcher’s duels, well, stop reading this recap right now. Both pitching staffs got torched in this nearly four-hour affair, which featured 40 baserunners between the two teams. When the dust cleared, though, the Birds’ offense proved slightly better and their pitchers slightly less flammable. Nick Markakis led the charge with three hits and five RBIs, helping the O’s rally back from a four-run deficit to beat the Rangers late. O's come up short in ninth, lose, 3-2 - 9/21/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered their 30th one-run loss of the season, blowing a potential ninth-inning rally in a dour 3-2 defeat to the Rangers. After being held in check for eight innings, the O’s again rallied in the ninth and put the tying run on third with just one out. But a disastrous game-ending strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play (with Paul Bako [pic] the whiffee and Melvin Mora the nailed runner) left the speechless Birds on the short end of the stick once again. Count ‘em with me: nine games. Just nine games left in this season. O's rally in 9th, win in extras, 6-3 - 9/20/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles began their final road series of 2007 with some late heroics, erasing a ninth-inning deficit and beating the Texas Rangers, 6-3, in 10 innings. Dave Trembley again made the unconventional move of resting most of his regulars in one fell swoop, a tactic that backfired for eight innings when the patchwork lineup, predictably, failed to hit. But when the big boppers came off the bench late, the O’s tied the game in the ninth and piled on five runs in the 10th, capped by a Brian Roberts (pic) three-run homer. It was just the Birds’ third win this year when trailing after eight innings. They certainly needed a game like this. Yanks, umps finish off sweep of O's - 9/19/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles made the AL East race a whole lot more interesting-- and dug themselves deeper into hopeless obscurity-- with a 2-1 loss to the Yankees that capped a depressing three-game sweep. For once, the Birds received a clutch, big-time performance from a starting pitcher-- with Brian Burres stifling the Yanks over 7 1/3 strong innings-- only for the offense to let them down. The O’s had their hands full with both Andy Pettitte (who notched his 200th win) and the umpires (whose frequent blown calls riled up the club all night) en route to yet another one-run defeat. While the Yanks pull within a game-and-a-half of the first-place Red Sox, the Birds drop to 23 games under .500 and can only count the days until this miserable season comes to an end. For the record, it’s 11. Yankees trounce hapless O's, 12-0 - 9/18/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered their most one-sided shutout loss of the season, getting humiliated by the Yankees, 12-0. Well, what is there to say about a game like this? It was just an old-fashioned, unsightly beatdown. When you give up 12 runs and score none yourself, you’ll tend to be in for a long evening. Jon Leicester and three relievers got tattooed, while the O’s offense managed a mighty three hits-- all singles-- against former Bird Mike Mussina. And since there’s really nothing else to say, here’s a random picture of Mike Flanagan. Squandered chances cost O's in loss - 9/17/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In a game full of missed opportunities, the Orioles fell to the New York Yankees, 8-5, to open a three-game set. The Birds’ middle stop on their final road trip of 2007 could very well have gotten off to a successful start with just one or two more timely hits, but the O’s stranded 11 runners on base-- an appalling nine of them in scoring position-- en route to a disappointing loss. Meanwhile, Daniel Cabrera further pitched himself out of the team’s future plans with another lackluster performance that marked his league-leading 17th loss. O's outmaneuver Jays, win in extras - 9/16/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles secured their first series win in a month, working extra duty to finish off the Blue Jays, 8-6, in 12 innings. Long after most Baltimore sports fans had shifted their sights to the Ravens game, the O’s battled through the late innings for one of their most tense, hard-fought victories of the season. In a fevered duel that saw the two teams use 15 pitchers and 28 position players between them, the Birds emptied their bullpen of every available hurler for 7 2/3 innings of quality relief, capped by Fernando Cabrera’s first save as an Oriole. Scott Moore’s go-ahead single in the 12th inning put the Birds on top for good, and Nick Markakis (pic) joined the 20 HR/100 RBI club with a fifth-inning blast. Tim Bascom's Long Road - 9/16/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Wedged in between first-round draft pick Matt Wieters and fifth-round pick Jacob Arrieta in the 2007 draft is one of the more interesting stories of the season in the form of fourth-rounder Tim Bascom. His is a compelling story of high school dominance, collegiate stardom, devastating injury, and a long-awaited yet richly-deserved beginning to a professional career. Birkins fizzles instantly, O's fall, 8-3 - 9/15/2007 5:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ brief winning streak came to a blasé halt with an unmemorable 8-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Kurt Birkins, granted a rare starting assignment, immediately made the O’s regret that decision by facing just six batters and allowing them all to reach base and score, putting the Birds in an insurmountable hole. Despite the most amazing effort by the O’s bullpen this year-- eight innings, zero earned runs-- the early deficit and a strong Roy Halladay proved much too daunting a dilemma for the Orioles to overcome. Burres chills Blue Jays, Orioles win, 6-2 - 9/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles won back-to-back games for the first time in a month, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2, to begin their final road trip of the year. Brian Burres (pic) played the hero, giving a tremendous shot in the arm to an O’s rotation crippled by obliques, suspensions, and ineffectiveness. The rookie southpaw-- making his first start in six weeks-- blanked the Blue Jays over seven strong innings, dancing away from several jams to deliver one of his finest outings of the year. On the hitting side, the O’s jumped out to an early lead with help from surprise sparkplug Tike Redman, whose bat stayed hot with a three-hit game. Regulars take a seat, Orioles win, 3-0 - 9/13/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles took a brief detour into Bizarro World, using a patchwork lineup full of backups, scrubs, and no-names to pull off one of their most well-played victories of the year, 3-0, over the Angels. Let’s see here. Miguel Tejada, on the bench. Brian Roberts, sitting. Melvin Mora, Ramon Hernandez-- out. Even suspended manager Dave Trembley was nowhere to be found. And yet, the threadbare lineup scraped out a lead against 16-win Cy Young candidate John Lackey, and unexpected stopper Jon Leicester made it hold up. Leicester and three relievers combined on the Birds’ ninth shutout of the season, capped by Jamie Walker’s (pic) fifth save, to secure the most improbable O’s win of the year. Trembley gets tossed, O's lose, 18-6 - 9/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ nightmare ride forged ahead at bullet-train velocity, as the club was tripped up-- and tripled up-- by the Angels, 18-6. For the second night in a row, every starting Angel reached base at least once, often without even having to swing the bat. The Angels not only bashed out 14 hits, but also took advantage of a torturous 13 walks issued by O’s pitchers, in addition to three costly Birds errors and countless other misplays brought about by lack of talent and/or focus. Even Dave Trembley’s hilarious post-ejection homage to Earl Weaver couldn’t salvage this debacle. It was arguably the most pitifully played game of the season for what’s shaping up to be the most pathetic club in franchise history. Other than that, though, everything’s fine in Birdland. O's clinch 10th straight losing season - 9/11/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles lost the series opener to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 10-5, to clinch their 10th consecutive losing season. Victor Santos proved to be a dud in his O’s debut, coughing up five runs that were matched in kind by the bullpen. Every member of the Angels’ starting lineup reached base at least once, including a pair of homeruns by Bird-killer Vladimir Guerrero. On the offensive end, Kevin Millar (pic) went 3-for-4 with a homer on his T-shirt day, but the O’s wasted several scoring chances on their way to loss #82. 2007 Draftee Bios - 9/9/2007 11:00:00 PM - other We break down each of Orioles 2007 Orioles draftees. Keep checking back as we continue to update the top picks. 1-10 available. O's acquire Victor Zambrano, Bedard done for '07 - 9/9/2007 10:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to the Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko, the Orioles have acquired Victor Zambrano from the Pittsburgh Pirates and shipped Erik Bedard to the 60-day disabled list. O's lose another game, another pitcher - 9/9/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles dropped the finale of the four-game set with the Red Sox, 3-2, to finish the season series between the two teams. Just hours after losing their staff ace for the rest of the season, the O’s saw their #2 starter go down with exactly the same injury, a strained oblique that forced Jeremy Guthrie (pic) from the mound in the sixth inning. Coco Crisp’s two-out RBI single off Chad Bradford in the eighth snapped a tie and handed Sox ace Josh Beckett his league-leading 18th win. It was the Birds’ 28th one-run defeat and their 35th bullpen loss, and it completes a 6-12 season against the Red Sox. Sobering numbers. Lesser-knowns come up big, O's win - 9/8/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer One night after nearly resorting to fisticuffs, the Orioles let their bats deliver the punches with a much-needed 11-5 win over the Red Sox. In snapping their 11-game Camden Yards losing streak, the injury-riddled Birds got key contributions from some of the unlikeliest names. The biggest blow was delivered by newcomer Scott Moore, whose grand slam capped a seven-run third inning, the Birds' most prolific of the year. Tike Redman (pic) added a homer and scored three runs, and Jon Leicester-- making his first start in two years-- delivered five solid innings, becoming the first O's starter to win a game in nearly three weeks. Frederick Keys Post Season Roster - 9/8/2007 10:00:00 AM - Hoffman Click here for an updated Frederick Keys post season roster. Frustrations boil over in 4-0 Orioles loss - 9/7/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles lost for the 15th time in 17 games, and sparked a bench-clearing brouhaha in the process, with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Red Sox. The frustrated-beyond-belief O’s subscribed to the old theory “Don’t get mad; get even,” except that they got it exactly backwards. Daniel Cabrera (pic) vented the Birds’ pent-up rage with a fastball that nearly decapitated Dustin Pedroia, sparking both benches to empty, the bullpens to rush the field, Cabrera to tear off his jersey and have to be physically restrained, Ramon Hernandez to bark at everyone within earshot, and Dave Trembley to go off on the umpires. The O’s, full of sound and fury, once again signified nothing, with a nonexistent offense leading to their second shutout loss in a week. Just 22 games left, folks. Count down with me. Buchholz, BoSox beat blundering Birds - 9/6/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened their final series against the Boston Red Sox with a frustrating but all-too-typical one-run loss, 7-6. Starter Garrett Olson (pic) sabotaged himself not through his pitching but by his defense, committing two costly mental gaffes on consecutive comebackers to put himself in an early hole. Adding injury to insult, the rookie southpaw was forced out of the game in the fourth with forearm tightness. Forced to eat up 5 1/3 innings, the O’s bullpen did a surprisingly decent job but lost the game anyway on Jason Varitek’s ninth-inning RBI single off Danys Baez. Meanwhile, nemesis Clay Buchholz stymied the O’s offense again-- this time with three scoreless innings of relief in place of torched starter Tim Wakefield-- even escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth. O's lose, 17-2. What else is new? - 9/5/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles continued their mind-numbing nightly humiliation with a shameful 17-2 blowout loss to the Devil Rays. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst this awful team has to offer, they unleash another appalling performance that sees them get out-hit 22 to 9, out-homered five to nothing, and scrape out 11 total bases to Tampa Bay’s 41 (a Rays franchise record). Eight different Devil Rays had multi-hit games, everyone scored at least one run, and eight different batters had RBIs, including seven for Carlos Pena, who hit a grand slam and a two-run homer. Meanwhile, the Birds were so helplessly out of the game early that they began emptying the bench in the fifth inning. Every Orioles pitcher allowed at least three runs, with newly recalled Rob Bell (pic) the worst of the lot. What fun this is! O's top Rays with late-inning rally, 8-4 - 9/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles notched their first win of September, and put distance between themselves and the division cellar, with an 8-4 victory over the Devil Rays. In a back-and-forth duel that saw the lead change hands several times, the game eventually matched the same old distressing script for the O’s-- a seventh-inning blown lead by the shoddy relief corps. But the Birds found a second wind-- and a bullpen as bad as their own-- with a tiebreaking four-run rally off Rays relievers in the eighth. Aubrey Huff (pic) continued his dominance of his former team with a big two-run homer, while Nick Markakis contributed four hits. Bowie's Jiminez named EL Player of the Week - 9/4/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Bowie Baysox first baseman/designated hitter Luis Antonio Jimenez has been named the Eastern League’s Player of the Week for the week ending September 2nd according to an EL press release. Devil Rays, Dome defeat Orioles - 9/3/2007 11:00:00 PM - other Orioles Hangout guest writer Heather Strassberger chimes in with her recap of yet another disappointing loss by the Orioles, this one at the hands of the AL East juggernaut Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In Heather's words, "A team in desperate need of a rainout arrived in a city where the weather was stormy, but alas they had to play under a dome. As it turned out, the dome would do more to them than force them to play a game that might otherwise have been rained out." Cabrera/O’s Lose to Sox in Tough 3-2 Defeat - 9/2/2007 10:00:00 PM - other Orioles Hangout guest writer Bob McCulloch recaps Sunday's disheartening 3-2 loss at the hands of the Red Sox. Daniel Cabrera more than held his own today in sun-drenched Fenway Park before a cast of the usual faithful doing the Wave, spewing “Sweet Caroline” and supporting their loved ones. He pitched “good enough to win”, but a lackluster offense and some ill-timed base running errors sealed the deal once again. Year in the Career of Scott McGregor: 1974 - 9/2/2007 5:00:00 PM - other The third in a series of articles by Bowie reporter Mike Miller that will chronicle 20-game winner Scott McGregor's career. In this article, McGregor talks about his experiences with then-Yankees minor league manager and current Atlanta Braves skipper Bobby Cox. Boston’s Bucholz Blanks Birds With 10-0 No-No - 9/2/2007 4:00:00 AM - other The Orioles were schooled tonight by Red Sox rookie hurler, Clay Bucholz, as he no hit them in a 10-0 rout. Dave Trembley wasn’t ejected and Tom Trebelhorn didn’t need to cajole Danys Baez to perform breathing exercises during hitter’s counts tonight. However, a series of Oriole pitchers took a back seat to Boston’s top pitching prospect as they surrendered 14 hits in a game whose outcome was never in doubt.  Check out the rest of the miserable story as interpreted by Orioles Hangout guest writer Bob McCulloch. Angry O's claw past BoSox to snap slide - 8/31/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles snapped their nine-game losing streak with an unbelievable, emotional, hair-pulling, nail-biting, head-exploding 9-8 win over the Boston Red Sox. The O’s entered Fenway Park frustrated and hopping mad, and they vented in a huge way, pounding out nine runs in a three-inning span, led by Nick Markakis’s three hits and three RBIs. But, oh, that disastrous O’s bullpen nearly melted down again-- whittling a six-run lead to just one-- before Danys Baez induced a game-ending double play with the winning run on base for the Red Sox. Along the way, the two clubs got into a heated beanball war that could spill over into the rest of the series, and manager Dave Trembley (pic) earned his first career ejection with a tirade against the umps that would make Earl Weaver proud. Trachsel Traded to the Cubs - 8/31/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman According FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles today traded veteran hurler Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers. Orioles Select Leicester, DFA Bell - 8/30/2007 6:00:00 PM - Legendre The Orioles today announced that RHP Jon Leicester has been selected from Triple-A Norfolk and RHP Rob Bell has been designated for assignment according to a press release from the team. O's cap 1-9 homestand with loss to Rays - 8/30/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed the worst homestand in franchise history, falling to the Devil Rays, 8-6, for their ninth consecutive loss. On the plus side, at least it wasn’t the bullpen’s fault this time; starter Jeremy Guthrie got knocked around for six runs in six innings, turning an early O’s 3-0 lead into a dreary-- but at this point unavoidable-- defeat. The Birds’ longest homestand of the season was an incomprehensible bust, with the O’s going 1-9 and giving up exactly 100 runs during the 10-game span, including five games blown in the eighth inning or later and one 27-run loss. Ah, home sweet home. Brutal deja vu: bullpen blows it AGAIN - 8/29/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ cataclysmic slide into horrendousness has, at this point, reached the level of ridiculous self-parody. Remember that sentence? It’s the same one I used yesterday-- and it still applies, now more than ever. The O’s, for the fifth time in their last seven games, carried a lead into the eighth inning-- again a three-run edge over the division doormat Devil Rays-- and once again saw their bullpen collapse in heartbreaking fashion, leading to a devastating, mind-numbing 5-4, 12-inning loss, their eighth in a row. One strike away from victory-- with two outs and nobody on base in the ninth-- Danys Baez coughed up the tying run, and the demoralized Birds eventually fell in the 11th inning. At this point, Dave Trembley (pic) must be re-thinking whether he even wants to stick around for next year. No way!! O's collapse in 8th again, lose - 8/28/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ cataclysmic slide into horrendousness has, at this point, reached the level of ridiculous self-parody. The O’s, for the fourth time in their last six games, carried a lead into the eighth inning-- this time a three-run edge over the division doormat Devil Rays-- and once again saw their bullpen collapse in spectacular fashion, leading to a devastating, mind-numbing 15-8 loss, their seventh in a row. The Devil Rays scorched four O’s relievers for an eye-popping 11 runs in the eighth inning, sending 15 batters to the plate and amassing 12 baserunners-- including nine consecutive-- to add to the Birds’ unprecedented level of humiliation and ineptitude. Brian Roberts says it best: “It gets harder and harder to do this every night if this is the way it’s going to go.” O's recall Birkins, DFA Shuey - 8/28/2007 3:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that LHP Kurt Birkins has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and RHP Paul Shuey has been designated for assignment. Bedard gets milestone K, but loses - 8/26/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The reeling Orioles were knocked out by the Twins, 11-3, completing Minnesota’s four-game sweep and the Birds’ sixth straight loss. Ace Erik Bedard, hoping to restore some semblance of order to his freefalling club, instead suffered one of his worst outings of the year, allowing six runs for just the second time since April. The rough start overshadowed Bedard’s entry into the history books with his franchise-record 219th strikeout. In the meantime, the disgustingly bad bullpen (which allowed five runs) and the unsightly offense (which went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position) turned the game into a fiasco. Liz arrives with flash, but O's still lose - 8/25/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ gruesome losing streak hit five games with a soggy, dismal 8-1 loss to the Twins. With all eyes on the major-league debut of Radhames Liz, the youngster dazzled on the radar screen and pitched decently, aside from a mistake pitch to Torii Hunter that turned into a three-run homer. Sadly, the arrival of the ballyhooed pitching prospect failed to inject life into his apathetic teammates, who gave one of their flattest performances of the season. The sputtering offense left 12 runners on base and scored just once, while the self-destructing bullpen was tagged for another three runs to put the game out of reach. O's Call Up Radhames Liz to Start Tonight - 8/25/2007 10:00:00 AM - Hoffman Wednesday's doubleheader put such a strain on the Orioles pitching resources that they've called up Bowie Baysox stud Radhames Liz to start this evening. Bullpen blows it AGAIN, O's lose, 7-4 - 8/24/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ freefall continued with yet another heartbreaking loss, 7-4, to the Twins. It was the same tired, inexcusable script as the previous two games. O’s take lead. O’s carry said lead into 8th inning. Bullpen comes in. O’s lose. Jim Hoey and Jamie Walker (pic) contributed to another meltdown by the ragged relief corps-- which has a 24.00 ERA in its last four games-- to ruin what had at one point been an uplifting game. The Birds tagged Johan Santana for three homeruns, while Jeremy Guthrie carried a shutout into the seventh before tiring, setting up the disastrous late-inning chain of events. Fading Orioles lose late again, 5-2 - 8/23/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ brutal losing slide continued with another hard-to-swallow defeat, 5-2, to the Minnesota Twins. Eager to erase the memory of Wednesday’s appalling doubleheader, the O’s instead prolonged their misery with another late-inning collapse, frittering away a 1-0 lead in the eighth and granting the go-ahead Twins run on Miguel Tejada’s critical two-out, bases-loaded error. Steve Trachsel, who had come up huge by carrying a shutout into the eighth, instead was saddled with an undeserved loss when the bullpen arson crew struggled again. Meanwhile, the Birds’ bats were held silent save for a pair of solo homers, but Kevin Millar (pic) made Orioles history by reaching base in his 50th straight game. O's lose by scores of 9-7 and...30-3 - 8/22/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed an all-around miserable night at Camden Yards by dropping the nightcap of the doubleheader, 9-7, to the Rangers. Though the Birds should be applauded for holding the Texas offense to single digits, their back-and-forth ballgame ended on a down note when Jim Hoey (pic) allowed three eighth-inning runs to erase a late lead. It capped a brutal twin bill sweep that saw the Rangers shatter countless major league records while the O’s lick their wounds and try to forget this 7 ½ hours of torture ever happened. Orioles lose, 30-3. Yes, THIRTY. - 8/22/2007 9:00:00 PM - Folkemer No folks, that's not a typo. The Orioles lost to the Rangers in the first game of a doubleheader by a final of 30-3. Thirty to three. That's 30. Thirty runs did the Rangers score, and the number was indeed 30. Not 20, mind you, because that would be brutal but not brutal enough. No sir; it was 30. Something that hasn't been done in more than 100 years in major league baseball. The Orioles allowed 30 runs. In one game. (head explodes) Trembley Named Manager Through 2008 Season - 8/22/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that Dave Trembley’s contract as manager has been extended through the 2008 season, with a club option for 2009. Orioles Roster Moves, 8/20 & 8/21 - 8/22/2007 - Hoffman The Orioles recalled Freddie Bynum, demoted Brandon Fahey, and signed former Cleveland Indians pitcher Fernando Cabrera over the last two days. Bedard ties strikeout record, O's win - 8/21/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, behind another incredible-- and historic-- performance by Erik Bedard, defeated the Texas Rangers, 6-2, to open a three-game series. The overpowering ace lefty not only notched his ninth straight win with seven dominant innings, but his 11 strikeouts ties him with Mike Mussina for the Birds’ all-time single-season record. He’s good, folks. Real good. Offensively, the O’s did all their damage with a pair of three-run innings, featuring homeruns by Miguel Tejada and Aubrey Huff, and this soggy, chilly evening turned out to be one the Orioles’ most exciting of the year. Guthrie's gem wasted, O's lose in extras - 8/19/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ East coast swing ended on a sour note with a 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Blue Jays in the series rubber game. The story of the day for the Birds was the tremendous bounceback performance by Jeremy Guthrie, who delivered eight sensational innings and matched former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay pitch for pitch. Ultimately, the two stellar starters were stuck with no-decisions, and a few breaks went against the O’s, as Aaron Hill’s sac fly off Chad Bradford in the 10th inning delivered the win for Toronto. The O’s now return to Camden Yards for a 10-game homestand, their longest of the season. Birds come up big, beat Blue Jays, 5-3 - 8/18/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, behind the contributions of some unlikely sources, got back on track with a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays. Much-maligned veterans Steve Trachsel and Danys Baez bookended the Birds’ solid pitching with a win and a save, respectively, with Trachsel pitching well into the seventh and Baez working a 1-2-3 ninth. In between, youngsters J.R. House, Tike Redman, and Jim Hoey-- who were each in AAA two weeks ago-- made their presence known as well. House (pic) went 2-for-3 with his first major-league homer, Redman drove in three runs, and Hoey snuffed a late-inning Jays rally to help the cause. Orioles go flat in Toronto, lose, 5-2 - 8/17/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, coming off one of the most exciting days in recent franchise history, suffered a letdown loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-2. Riding high after consecutive series wins over the Red Sox and Yankees, as well as the signing of top draft pick Matt Wieters, the Birds’ momentum apparently got lost in customs. The bats went silent against A.J. Burnett, while Garrett Olson (pic) suffered his ugliest outing as a big-leaguer, giving up five runs and failing to last through the third inning. Chris Ray has Tommy John Surgery - 8/17/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to the Baltimore Sun, Orioles closer Chris Ray underwent Tommy John surgery yesterday. O's cough up lead in 9th, but win in 10 - 8/15/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer In an utterly ridiculous game, the Orioles eked out a 6-3, 10-inning win in unconventional fashion, overcoming a heart-breaking ninth-inning collapse with a three-run rally in extras. After Shelley Duncan’s two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth erased a 3-0 O’s lead, the noticeably un-demoralized Birds ripped Mariano Rivera for a three-spot in the 10th, led by Miguel Tejada’s (pic) go-ahead double and an Aubrey Huff two-run blast. This time, the O’s held the three-run edge, securing the rubber game and their fourth straight series win over the Yanks. Poor Erik Bedard was saddled with a no-decision despite another Cy-Young-caliber outing of seven shutout innings and eight strikeouts. O's humiliate Yankees in 12-0 pasting - 8/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles delighted baseball fans everywhere by delivering a rollicking, wonderful 12-0 smackdown of the hated Yankees. There was simply nothing not to love as the O’s cooled down the red-hot Yanks in a most emphatic manner, pummeling their hapless pitching for 12 runs in a six-inning span, including a mammoth Aubrey Huff (pic) grand slam that kicked off the onslaught. Huge cushion in hand, Daniel Cabrera kept the Yanks off the board for 6 2/3 innings en route to the Birds’ eighth shutout win. It may not have been the wildest or most exciting O’s win of the season, but it was certainly one of the most satisfying. O's battle, but come up short to Yanks - 8/13/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened their series in the Bronx with a hard-fought but ultimately fruitless 7-6 loss to the New York Yankees. Despite a sub-par Jeremy Guthrie outing that put the O’s in a hole, they battled tooth and nail to stay on the heels of the red-hot Yanks, capping another outstanding late-inning comeback on Brian Roberts’s (pic) two-out, game-tying RBI single to stun Mariano Rivera in the ninth. But in the end, the slugging Yankees relied on a few cheap-hit bleeders and check-swing nubbers to plate the winning run against Chad Bradford in their last at-bat. The Birds played with energy and confidence, and again gave an AL East behemoth a run for its money. The only thing they didn’t do was win. Gibbons to DL, O's Purchase Contract of JR House - 8/13/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have purchased the contract of C/1B J.R. House from AAA Norfolk. House takes the place of OF Jay Gibbons, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left labrum tear. IronBirds host Military Appreciation Night on 8/16 - 8/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Aberdeen IronBirds, short-season class A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, announce today that the team will present the second annual “Military Appreciation Night” on August 16, 2007 when the IronBirds host the Staten Island Yankees at 7:05 PM. Millar's walkoff wrecks Red Sox, 6-3 - 8/12/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer In one of their most thrilling, exhilarating victories of the season, the Orioles stunned the Red Sox, 6-3, on Kevin Millar’s walkoff, three-run homer in the 10th. The Birds secured their first series win over Boston since 2005 thanks to another late-inning comeback, with Miguel Tejada’s two-run blast in the eighth tying the game and setting up Millar’s heroics in extras. While Boston’s bullpen crumbled and defense fumbled, the O’s enjoyed stupendous glovework by third baseman Melvin Mora and 3 2/3 shutout innings from four relievers. The club now hopes to carry that momentum into their three-game series in New York. Beckett stymies Orioles in 6-2 loss - 8/11/2007 9:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, in front of their first national television audience of the year, gave a mostly lackluster showing with a 6-2 loss to the Red Sox. As Boston bats took advantage of Garrett Olson (pic) with some timely bloop hits and a boatload of walks, the Birds were kept mystified by Sox ace Josh Beckett, who came within one out of a shutout to notch his 15th win. The O’s fell to 3-7 against the AL East leaders this season, but will try to scratch out a series win in the Sunday afternoon rubber game. Markakis' 9th Inning Heroics Beats Boston 6-5 - 8/11/2007 - Hoffman The Orioles opened their three-game series with the Red Sox in remarkable fashion, winning 6-5 Friday night thanks to some late-inning heroics by Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts. Erik Bedard and Daisuke Matsuzaka faced off on the hill, and pitched up to the duel everyone expected…for seven innings. O's Lose 13-8, Swept by Seattle - 8/9/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman After recording his 1000th RBI of his career last night, tonight Miguel Tejada hit his 250th career homerun in the form of a grand slam. It wasn’t enough, however, and the Orioles lost 13-8 and failed to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners. Gomez to Cleveland, Parrish to Seattle - 8/9/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Chris Gomez was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians and John Parrish was claimed and subsequently traded to the Seattle Mariners according to the Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko. Mariners Offense Stays Hot, Double Up O's 8-4 - 8/8/2007 10:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Mariners walloped the Orioles 8-4, knocking starter Jeremy Guthrie out after just four innings. Brian Roberts didn't let the 101-degree game time temperature beat him down at the plate or in the field. He went 2-for-5 with a double a run scored, and took part in a rare and nifty 8-9-4-2 put-out at the plate to end the top of the eighth inning. Bullpen Blows It, O's Blown Out 10-3 by Seattle - 8/7/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles' bullpen squandered an encouraging start by Steve Trachsel (pictured) by allowing eight runs in the final three innings. Ramon Hernandez chipped in with a pair of RBI singles, but the rest of the lineup? Not so timely. Bedard K's 11, O's Beat D-Rays 11-3 - 8/5/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Tampa Bay Devil Rays snapped the Orioles 8-game win streak on Saturday, but 11 strikeouts from Erik Bedard and a 16-hit barrage by Baltimore’s lineup put the O’s right back on track as they won Sunday’s rubber match 11-3. Pitching, Defense, and 3-Run Homers - 8/5/2007 12:00:00 PM - Gray "Pitching, defense, and the three-run homer," is an equation for winning long attributed to Earl Weaver. Orioles Hangout writer Nowick Gray provides his breakdown as to how today's O's fit the equation. Mora Activated, Luis Hernandez Demoted to AA Bowie - 8/5/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have activated 3B Melvin Mora from the 15-day disabled list and optioned IF Luis Hernandez to AA Bowie. Burres Blasted, Baltimore Beat 9-2 by D-Rays - 8/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ starting pitcher Brian Burres was chased after just 3.1 innings of work as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays thumped Baltimore 9-2 at Tropicana Field on Saturday. O's Recall Birkins, Demote Doyne to AAA - 8/3/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have recalled LHP Kurt Birkins from AAA Norfolk and optioned RHP Cory Doyne to Norfolk. Birkins will be in uniform for tonight’s game at Tampa Bay. Cabrera Dominates D-Rays, O's Win 3-1 - 8/3/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Daniel Cabrera stepped up and stopped the Orioles’ brief two-game losing streak, throwing seven spectacular innings as Baltimore beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3-1 at Tropicana Field. Rumor has it that Cabrera will claim the D-Rays on his taxes for 2007. Bullpen Wastes Comeback Rally, O's Lose 7-4 - 8/2/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles came from behind to tie things up in the fifth only to have Rob Bell cough up four runs in the seventh as the Orioles lost this afternoon's rubber match matinee. O's Bullpen Implodes, Red Sox Rally, Drop O's 5-4 - 8/1/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Baltimore's recently reliable bullpen returned to some old habits Wednesday night. Paul Shuey, John Parrish, and Chad Bradford combined to allow four runs in the 7th inning, essentially undoing Steve Trachsel's (pictured) stellar six-inning, five hit, one unearned run performance as the Boston Red Sox beat the O's 5-4. O's Win Series Opener 5-3 over Boston - 7/31/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Erik Bedard managed his 11th win of the season, holding the best team in baseball to two runs over six innings in the Orioles' series opener with the Boston Red Sox in Beantown. ORIOLES ACQUIRE GUSTAVO MOLINA OFF WAIVERS - 7/30/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have claimed C Gustavo Molina off waivers from the Chicago White Sox and optioned him to AA Bowie. Molina is currently on the Orioles’ 40-man roster. Baysox Liz & Jimenez name EL Players of Week - 7/30/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman A press release this morning announced the Major League Baseball Advanced Media selections for the Eastern League Pitcher and Player of the Week for the week ending July 29th are Bowie Baysox 1B Luis Jimenez (Player of the Week) and P Rhadames Liz. Yankees drop O's 10-6 but still no 500 for A-Rod - 7/29/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Daniel Cabrera coughed up four runs on four hits and four walks in the first two innings, but settled down later to retire 13 of the last 15 hitters he faced. Even still, the Yankees dropped the Orioles 10-6 in Baltimore on Sunday. O's top Yanks again for 6th straight win - 7/28/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles ran their win streak to six with another trumping of the Yankees, 7-5. Miguel Tejada (pic), in his second start off the DL, led the Birds’ offensive attack with a pair of two-run, two-out base hits and four RBIs, and every member of the starting lineup reached base at least once. On the mound, starter Brian Burres returned from an 11-day layoff to outduel Roger Clemens in six outstanding innings. After carrying a six-run lead into the ninth, the O’s saw things get unexpectedly tense when an abysmal Cory Doyne coughed up four runs. But a gutsy Jamie Walker racked up a huge strikeout of Bobby Abreu, the possible tying run, to bail the Birds out of a potential ninth-inning disaster. 2007 Draft - 7/28/2007 1:00:00 PM - other 2007 Draft picks O's finish a loss, then beat Yankees - 7/27/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer On an evening of bonus baseball at Camden Yards, the Orioles finished their suspended June 28 game with an 8-7 loss but rebounded with a 4-2 win in the regularly scheduled contest. A month after a rain-soaked O’s bullpen blew a late lead, the Yankees held on for an official win when the Birds’ ninth-inning rally fell just short. But the Orioles quickly washed the sour taste out of their mouths with a well-played follow-up, riding a fantastic pitching performance by Jeremy Guthrie (pic) and four relievers to extend their winning streak to five games. Even though they lost earlier in the night. Yes, it’s all quite confusing, but the bottom line is that the Orioles broke even tonight. Birds' bats pound Rays, finish sweep - 7/26/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed their second three-game sweep of the Devil Rays, winning a 10-7 slugfest in the afternoon finale. The Birds mashed out their first double-digit run total in more than two months, exploding for a five-run third inning and a four-run eighth. Brian Roberts (pic) and Brandon Fahey each reached base four times, with Roberts swatting a three-run homer to cap the scoring. On the mound, starter Steve Trachsel may have destroyed any remaining trade value with another gruesome outing, but the bullpen picked him up with four innings of solid relief. The O’s have now won four in a row as they head into their three-and-a-fraction-game weekend series against the Yankees. Roberts' 3-Run HR Solidifies O's Sweep of D-Rays - 7/26/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Baltimore fought to stay in the game early, took a four run lead in the third, only to have Tampa Bay fight back to within a run after six innings this afternoon at Camden Yards. It took Brian Roberts’ three-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning to put things away as the Orioles won 10-7 and completed the three-game sweep of the Devil Rays. Chris Ray to the DL; O's recall Cory Doyne - 7/26/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles have announced that Chris Ray has been placed on the disabled list and they've recalled Cory Doyne from AAA Norfolk. O's cruise continues with win over Rays - 7/25/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles continued their dominance of the Devil Rays, and enjoyed another stellar starting pitching performance, with an easy 6-1 victory. Erik Bedard (pic) added another notch to his dominant July by holding the Rays to a lone run in six innings for his 10th win. Despite lacking his best fastball and laboring for 109 pitches, Bedard racked up another eight strikeouts and got help from some excellent defense behind him. At the plate, the rejuvenated Corey Patterson fell just a triple shy of the cycle, and the O’s took advantage of Rays mistakes to provide a comfortable margin of victory. Year in the Career of Scott McGregor: 1973 - 7/25/2007 1:00:00 PM - other The second in a series of articles by Bowie reporter Mike Miller that will chronicle 20-game winner Scott McGregor's career. In this article, McGregor talks about his days on the field with the West Haven Yankees and his life off the field living in East Haven. Orioles honor Cal, celebrate with win - 7/24/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer On an all-around memorable night at Camden Yards, the Orioles celebrated one of their franchise’s all-time greats and then enjoyed a hard-fought 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. A pre-game ceremony honoring the Hall-of-Fame-bound Cal Ripken Jr. brought a near sellout crowd, and the Birds’ second straight shutout win gave them something to cheer about. Daniel Cabrera (pic) delivered a much-needed quality performance with seven scoreless, one-hit innings against his favorite foe, while the O’s offense literally waited out an otherwise sharp Scott Kazmir by drawing a pair of bases-loaded walks in the seventh. For one night, at least, it was a return to the glory days of Orioles baseball. Norfolk's Tiffee Named IL Batter of the Week - 7/23/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The International League announced today that Norfolk third baseman Terry Tiffee has been named the League’s Batter-of-the-Week for the period from July 16-22. Guthrie dazzles A's in shutout win - 7/22/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer Behind a phenomenal performance by Jeremy Guthrie (pic), the Orioles won the rubber game of the three-game set with a 2-0 shutout of the Athletics. The Birds’ #2 starter -- refusing to get left in the dust by ace Erik Bedard’s latest stretch of brilliance-- made a powerful statement with a seven-inning, two-hit, scoreless masterpiece, providing an emphatic turnaround from a recent slump. A listless O’s offense nearly laid waste to the fantastic pitching effort, but managed to eke out a pair of two-out runs to provide a slim margin of victory. Jamie Walker-- subbing for injured closer Chris Ray-- tossed a scoreless ninth for his first save as an Oriole, capping the Birds’ sixth shutout victory of the year. O's can't get big hit, lose to A's, 4-3 - 7/21/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles added yet another one-run loss to their slate, falling short against the Athletics by a 4-3 score. Steve Trachsel (pic), whose tenure with the O’s appears to be winding down, was mediocre in his return from the disabled list but hopefully not bad enough to scare off potential trade partners. Oakland’s Dan Haren notched his third win against the O’s this year, thanks in large part to the Birds’ abysmal 2-for-12 performance with runners in scoring position. The Orioles are now 9-20 in one-run games this season. Bedard gets straight A's in gem - 7/20/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles rode the unstoppable Erik Bedard Express to a series-opening win over the Oakland Athletics, 6-1. The dominant left-hander followed two straight scoreless outings with another spectacular masterpiece, flummoxing the Athletics for a seven-inning, one-hit, 11-strikeout showcase. A sixth-inning solo homerun was all that stood between Erik and a potential no-hitter, as the ace southpaw instead settled for his ninth win of the year. Sure, I guess some other stuff happened-- the O’s banged out six runs with contributions from literally everyone, as every member of the starting nine had at least one hit-- but none of that is nearly as interesting as the magic that Bedard once again brought to the stage. O's option Olson, Leicester recalled and DFA'd - 7/19/2007 5:00:00 PM - According to a press release from the Orioles, Garrett Olson has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and RHP Jon Leicester (pronounced “Lester”) has been recalled from his rehab assignment, re-instated from the disabled list and designated for assignment. Mariners walk past Orioles, 6-5 - 7/18/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In a lamentable rubber game loss, the Orioles gave the Mariners a free pass to a 6-5 decision. Chad Bradford’s (pic) bases-loaded walk to Adrian Beltre snapped a five-all tie in the eighth, laying waste to another O’s late-inning comeback. After Daniel Cabrera, filling in for an ailing Erik Bedard, got knocked around yet again during a five-run, five-inning dud, the Birds made up a four-run deficit with a spirited rally in the seventh. But it all went for naught once the perpetually shaky O’s bullpen picked up its major-league worst 22nd loss. O's kick it into gear, rally to beat M's - 7/17/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, using an eight-run late-inning rally, upended the Mariners by an 8-3 score. After five innings of horrendous, bland, unfocused baseball in all facets of the game, the O’s all at once got their acts together when the scoreboard flipped to the sixth. Jay Gibbons’s (pic) three-run homer-- part of his five-RBI night-- erased a 2-0 deficit, while the red-hot Nick Markakis added to his 4-for-5 game during a five-run explosion in the seventh. Jeremy Guthrie weaved in and out of trouble all night but hung in long enough to earn his first win in nearly a month. Punchless in Seattle: Orioles lose, 4-2 - 7/16/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened in a six-game West Coast swing with a quick, forgettable 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. In a brisk two-hour, 12-minute affair, the Birds’ bats swung early and often but with little success, failing to ride the momentum of their weekend series win. Brian Burres (pic), hoping to cement his status in the starting rotation, struggled with his control during his six-inning stint, allowing a two-out, two-run Mariners rally in the sixth that snapped a two-all tie. And…well, that’s pretty much all that happened. Norfolk's Anderson named IL Pitcher of the Week - 7/16/2007 11:00:00 AM - Hoffman The Norfolk Tides' Craig Anderson was named the International League Pitcher of the Week for July 9th through July 15th. Olson gets first ML win, O's beat ChiSox - 7/15/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed a rollicking series win over the White Sox, notching their third straight victory, 5-3. Garrett Olson’s (pic) second big-league start went much more smoothly than his first-- with two Jermaine Dye solo homers his only blemish in five solid innings-- and the rookie was rewarded with his first major-league victory. A pair of O’s homers and Aubrey Huff’s two-run triple provided the offensive support, while the bedraggled bullpen held firm for four solid innings, including a redemptive appearance by the maligned Danys Baez, who escaped a late-inning jam by retiring all four batters he faced. O's shock Sox with comeback win, 7-6 - 7/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles pulled off one of their most thrilling comeback wins of the season, rallying back from a ninth-inning deficit to stun the White Sox, 7-6, in 10 innings. Nick Markakis (pic) was the late-inning hero, alertly steaming home with the tying run on a two-out wild pitch in the ninth, then delivering a two-out RBI single to win it in extras. The dramatic finish completed a rousing O’s comeback from an early four-run deficit, with practically every Oriole in the game making a key contribution of some sort, whether it was a critical pitch, a big hit, or aggressiveness on the basepaths, as an excited Camden Yards crowd soaked it all in. Forget the Birds’ record for a moment-- for one night, Orioles Magic was back. O's Place Mora on DL; Recall Jon Knott - 7/14/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have placed 3B Melvin Mora on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 13, with a left mid-foot sprain. To take his place on the roster, the Orioles have recalled OF Jon Knott from AAA Norfolk. Quick as a wink, O's blank White Sox - 7/13/2007 10:00:00 PM - Folkemer Behind another sensational outing by Erik Bedard, the Orioles made short work of the White Sox, 2-0, in a tidy two hours and 12 minutes. The O’s ace (pic) picked up right where he left off in the first half, stymieing the Chicago bats for just three hits while adding to his league-leading strikeout total. The Birds offense managed nothing more a pair of solo homers by Nick Markakis and Corey Patterson, but fortunately that was enough support for Bedard and three O’s relievers in their fifth shutout win of the season. Trachsel Set to Rehab in Frederick - 7/13/2007 11:00:00 AM - Hoffman Veteran starter Steve Trachsel, sidelined since June 30th with a strained gluteus muscle, will make a rehab start in Frederick this Saturday. O's start second half with another loss - 7/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened the second half with a dull thud-- but almost a stunning comeback!-- but then a loss after all, 9-7, to the Chicago White Sox. Jeremy Guthrie’s (pic) reign of dominance hit a temporary speed bump, as the Sox pasted him for six runs and nine hits in his shortest start of the season. Rob Bell’s mediocre long relief work and Jon Garland’s stifling of Oriole bats turned the game into a 9-2 laugher heading to the bottom of the ninth, when all of a sudden-- bang! pow! kablammo!-- the O’s launched a five-run rally and incredibly brought the tying run to the plate. In the end, though, they fell just short, and dreams of a Birds miracle come-from-behind finish will have to wait for another day. Orioles finish first half with 2-1 loss - 7/8/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles closed the first half of the season with a 2-1 loss, dropping the rubber game against the last-place Rangers to enter the All-Star break 11 games under .500. Daniel Cabrera (pic) had one of his trademark infuriating-yet-riveting performances, allowing 11 baserunners in six innings yet somehow holding the Rangers to just two runs. Still, even two runs was too much for a no-show O’s offense to overcome. The Birds frittered away a Whitman’s Sampler of RBI opportunities, stranding six runners in scoring position and twice leaving the bases loaded. Ultimately, it was a close ballgame that the O’s lost by making costly mistakes and failing to capitalize on their chances. Come to think of it, it’s a perfect microcosm of the Orioles’ entire first half. Dominance! Bedard brilliant in O's win - 7/7/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer Behind the most stupendously dominant pitching performance in years, the Orioles blanked the Rangers, 3-0. Nothing needs to be said about this game other than these two words: Erik Bedard (pic). It’s hard to encapsulate his overpowering brilliance in a precious few sentences, but I’ll try: 27 batters, 27 outs. Two singles, no walks, and no runners past first base. His first career complete game and shutout. Oh yeah-- and a career-high 15 strikeouts, matching the all-time club record, with 79 of his 109 pitches going for strikes. Fantastic. Filthy. Eye-popping. Choose your synonym. Somebody call up PBS and tell them we’ve got an entry for their next Masterpiece Theatre. John Hoffmann's Where are They Now? - 7/7/2007 1:00:00 PM - other He was a Hangout staple for over five season and now John Hoffmann is checking back in with an update on some old favorites. Back to Reality - 7/7/2007 12:00:00 PM - Pente 7/7 - Tony gives his take on the O's before he goes on a hiatus from the site. Rangers walk off over Orioles, 4-3 - 7/6/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened a three-game series with the Texas Rangers by taking a hard-to-swallow 10-inning loss, 4-3. As if the Birds didn’t already have enough going against them this season, now they’re finding themselves victimized by atrocious umpiring, with a couple of critical botched calls going against them and ultimately opening the door for Michael Young’s game-winning RBI single against Paul Shuey (pic) in the 10th. Though the O’s rallied for their second ninth-inning comeback of the season, tying the game on a Brian Roberts RBI double, their numerous squandered scoring opportunities earlier in the contest ultimately came back to haunt them. Burres blasted in ugly 11-6 O's loss - 7/5/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles finished their four-game set in Chicago with a resounding thud, getting pasted by the White Sox, 11-6, and settling for a series split. Brian Burres (pic) suffered the worst outing of any Birds starter this year, getting tattooed for seven runs while recording just four outs, and the Sox piled on four runs against the overworked bullpen to complete the onslaught. The carnage on the mound overshadowed another decent performance by the O’s offense, which saw every hitter reach base at least once in an ultimately fruitless effort. The club now heads to Texas for its final three games before the All-Star break. Baysox Honor Halitosis: "Bad Breath Night" on 7/6 - 7/5/2007 2:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Bowie Baysox, Class “AA” Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, are set to host Bad Breath Night, honoring halitosis on Friday, July 6th at 7:05 pm, when the Baysox take on the Akron Aeros. The Baysox will be on the lookout for the most un-hygienic mouths in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. metro area to attend Bad Breath Night. All You Can Eat at Oriole Park starting in July! - 7/5/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Fans who enjoy ballpark food as much as the action on the field will want to take advantage of the Orioles’ newest offer, the All-You-Can-Eat Left Field Club ticket. Launching on July 12, the offer is one of three new special ticket programs the Orioles will debut for the second half of the season. Orioles bash out Independence Day win - 7/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer On Independence Day, the Orioles enjoyed a fireworks display at the dish, pounding the White Sox for their largest run total in a month en route to a comfortable 9-6 victory. Garrett Olson’s major-league debut was decidedly underwhelming, as the lefty pitching prospect lasted just 4 1/3 innings and allowed five hits and five walks, but a rejuvenated O’s offense more than picked up the slack with contributions up and down the lineup. The much-maligned Jay Gibbons (pic) smacked a homerun and an RBI double, while Brian Roberts paced the offense with three hits from the leadoff spot. O's Add Garrett Olson, DFA Scott Williamson - 7/4/2007 8:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release, the Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of LHP Garrett Olson from AAA Norfolk in order to start tonight’s game vs. the Chicago White Sox in Chicago. To make room for Olson on the active roster, RHP Scott Williamson has been designated for assignment. Vazquez befuddles Orioles in 5-1 loss - 7/3/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer One night after pulling off a tremendous comeback, the Orioles returned to earth with a ho-hum, nondescript 5-1 loss to the White Sox. Failing to build on their momentum from Monday’s big win, the Birds’ bats went stone cold against overpowering Sox starter Javier Vazquez, who took it the distance with his first complete-game victory of the year. His opposite number, Daniel Cabrera (pic), had far less success, getting ripped for five runs while hurting his own cause with five walks and a hit batsman. That put the O’s in an early hole from which they never recovered. And that’s pretty much all there is to it. O's stage big late-inning comeback, win - 7/2/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In their most sensational, uplifting victory of the year, the Orioles stunned the Chicago White Sox with a thrilling late-inning comeback win, 7-6. Trailing by four in the eighth, it seemed only a matter of the O’s playing out the string toward another boring defeat. But they flipped the script in a huge way, roaring to life as the Sox let their guard down. The O’s rallied for three runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth, capped by Kevin Millar’s (pic) go-ahead RBI single, leading to the Birds’ first victory this season when trailing after eight innings. Though ace Erik Bedard struggled, the slack was more than picked up by two much-maligned Orioles: Corey Patterson went 4-for-4 and sparked the ninth-inning rally, while closer Chris Ray-- pitching with his job on the line-- was the most dominant he’s been all year, striking out the side in the ninth. What a start to the road trip. 3 BAYSOX NAMED TO '07 EASTERN LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME - 7/2/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Three members of the Bowie Baysox have been selected to participate in the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game, presented by Mohegan Sun on Wednesday, July 11th at Dodd Stadium in Norwich , CT. RHP Radhames Liz, OF Val Majewski, and 3B Oscar Salazar will represent the Baysox on the Southern Division’s roster. O's squander late chances in 4-3 loss - 7/1/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer On a day of All-Star recognition for one Oriole, the team itself didn’t fare as well, taking a disappointing 4-3 loss in their rubber game with the Angels. Brian Roberts (pic), chosen as the Birds’ lone representative to the upcoming Midsummer Classic, pitched in off the bench with an eighth-inning double, but his fly ball in the ninth turned into a game-ending double play when Vladimir Guerrero threw out Melvin Mora trying to score the tying run. The O’s offense twice in the last two innings put the potential tying run at third with one out, but couldn’t capitalize in either case. That saddled a loss on starter Jeremy Guthrie, who worked a strong eight innings but fell victim to a pair of Angels homeruns. O's end June with 6-3 win over Angels - 6/30/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles finished a tumultuous month of June on a bright note, notching a win over the Angels by a 6-3 score. Rookie Brian Burres (pic)-- often considered nothing more than a placeholder in the starting rotation-- made an outstanding case for a more permanent gig, stymieing the Angels over 7 2/3 strong frames. Ramon Hernandez’s three-run homer and Melvin Mora’s second straight three-hit game provided the offensive support, while Paul Shuey got the last four outs to notch his first save in five years. Huff rides the cycle, but O's lose late - 6/29/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In a wild, unbelievable game that ended with an all-too-familiar result, the Orioles dropped the opener of a three-game series, 9-7, to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Aubrey Huff, of all people, marked his place in the history books by becoming the first Oriole in 23 years to hit for the cycle. His magical 4-for-4 night helped the Birds rally back from an early 5-0 hole created by hapless starter Steve Trachsel, who gave up nine hits without finishing the second inning. But the Orioles’ furious onslaught to grab a stunning 7-5 lead instead turned into more heartbreak when the embarrassing bullpen got involved. Long man Rob Bell’s fantastic 4 1/3 scoreless innings were quickly undone by the subsequent four relievers, who coughed up four runs in the final four innings-- including a go-ahead two-run homer off Chris Ray in the ninth-- to send the Birds to a heartbreaking defeat. To be continued: Game halted in 8th - 6/28/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles and Yankees concluded their three-game series with a [result to be named later] by a final score of [???]. Yes folks, after a wild, back-and-forth roller-coaster of a game featuring five lead changes and a four-run late-inning rally for each team, the ultimate outcome is still yet to be determined. Heavy rains suspended the game in the eighth inning with the Yankees in front, 8-6, and it will pick up where it left off on July 27. The delay was horribly handled by the umpiring crew, which-- having halted play just a half hour earlier-- let the game resume for all of 10 minutes, long enough for the Yanks to mount a four-run rally, capped by Derek Jeter’s two-run single off Chris Ray (pic) in the midst of horrendous conditions nobody should’ve been playing in. All in all, it was an exciting trip that went to black with no resolution whatsoever. Kinda like The Sopranos. Year in the Career of Scott McGregor: 1972 - 6/28/2007 12:00:00 PM - other The first of a series of articles by Bowie reporter Mike Miller that will chronicle 20-game winner Scott McGregor's career. In this article, McGregor talks about his draft day and his first year in the minors. Bedard outduels Rocket, O's top Yanks - 6/27/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles trounced the Yankees for the second night in a row, notching their third shutout win of the season with a hugely satisfying 4-0 victory. While all eyes were on Roger Clemens in his quest for his 350th win, it was instead a dominant Erik Bedard (pic) who stole the show with an amazing seven innings of shutout, two-hit baseball, never allowing a runner past first base. The O’s finally gave their ace a bit of run support with a four-run sixth-inning outburst, capped by an Aubrey Huff three-run blast that ended his career-worst homerun drought. Having put the Yanks in their place for the fourth time in five games this year, the Birds will go for the series sweep on Thursday night. Walkoff walk pushes O's past Yankees - 6/26/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened their first home series against the hated New York Yankees by sweating their way through a 3-2 walkoff win, an uncharacteristic victory in many ways. The O’s offense, though still wasteful with runners in scoring position, showed oft-unseen patience by drawing eight walks, including the game-ending free pass to Ramon Hernandez (pic) that forced home the winning run in the ninth. The usually frustrating bullpen tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings, escaping a couple of tense predicaments. The only thing that went according to script was another fine performance from breakout starter Jeremy Guthrie, who hopefully cemented himself further into All-Star consideration. All in all, it was a successful Baltimore debut for interim manager Dave Trembley. Wild, Wacky, & Weird First-Half in Frederick - 6/25/2007 12:00:00 PM - other Adam Vencill has been covering the Frederick Keys for the Orioles Hangout this year. He kindly offers up his recap of a first half in which the Keys won the pennant in a wild, wacky, and sometimes weird fashion. O's melt down in Arizona desert, lose - 6/24/2007 9:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles concluded their six-game interleague west coast swing with an ugly 8-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. The Birds gave away the rubber game by going on the fritz in all facets of the game. Starter Steve Trachsel (pic) was brutalized for five runs in four innings, but got no help from several O’s defensive misplays. The bullpen struggled again, with three relievers each giving up a run. But perhaps no group was worse than the Orioles’ offense, which scored only three runs despite cranking 14 hits, repeatedly failing to get the clutch hit and ultimately saddling themselves with an unhealthy 13 runners left on base. O's squander early lead, lose, 7-4 - 6/23/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer On a 106-degree night in the desert, the Orioles wilted through a frustrating loss to the Diamondbacks, 7-4. Early on, the Birds displayed the same energy and excitement prominent in their recent win streak, jumping out to a 4-0 lead via the unlikeliest of sources (a Freddie Bynum two-run homer and an RBI single by pitcher Brian Burres). Unfortunately, reality hit the last-place Birds in the middle innings, when Burres ran out of gas, the defense made key mistakes, reliever Rob Bell (pic) coughed up the lead, and the patchwork O’s offense went silent. The rest played out as all too many games have before. No Tejada, no problem: O's win, 7-1 - 6/22/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, in perhaps their most impressive victory of the season, topped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-1, in the opener of a three-game series. Fresh off the news that star Miguel Tejada would be lost for at least two weeks, the O’s, rather than wilting, played an impeccable game in all facets. They stunned Cy Young winner Brandon Webb for seven runs-- thanks in large part to three Diamondbacks errors, as well as a homer and a triple from Brian Roberts (pic). Starter Daniel Cabrera recovered from his gopherball-itis with a strong outing, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth. Most impressively, the Orioles put on an amazing defensive clinic, with Melvin Mora making three great plays and others also contributing on stupendous glovework. This team is playing with newfound energy, folks. O's win rubber game in San Diego, 6-3 - 6/21/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed an impressive road series victory over the first-place Padres, taking the afternoon rubber game by a 6-3 score. In nailing down their first winning series of June, the Birds got contributions from some unlikely suspects, as backup catcher Alberto Castillo (pic) swatted a homerun and the bullpen, for once, protected a slim lead. Yet, the win was marred by two ugly events. Not only was starter Erik Bedard forced out early with a hamstring injury, but interim manager Dave Trembley cooked up an absolutely ridiculous and flat-out disrespectful scheme to artificially prolong the consecutive-games streak of injured shortstop Miguel Tejada. So forgive me if this victory seems a little bittersweet. Give Trembley a chance - 6/21/2007 2:00:00 PM - Pente 6/21- Tony thinks MacPhail should keep Trembley as the manager at least for the rest of the year. O's Name MacPhail President of Baseball Operations - 6/21/2007 1:00:00 AM - Hoffman According to an official press release from the team, the Orioles today announced that Andy MacPhail has been named President of Baseball Operations for the organization. In his new position, MacPhail will oversee all baseball operations of the ballclub. Guthrie's gem halts slide, O's finally win - 6/20/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles brought their nine-game losing streak to a long-awaited end, and handed Dave Trembley his first win as a manager, with a satisfying 7-1 victory over the Padres. The game can be summed up in two words: Jeremy Guthrie. The breakout rookie played the role of stopper with a sensational eight-inning, nine-strikeout performance that-- for one night, at least-- restored order to an otherwise calamitous O’s organization. For once, Guthrie got support from his hitters, who grouped their runs in bunches (three in the first, four in the eighth) to provide a comfortable margin of victory. The change we've been waiting for - 6/20/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 6/20 -With the hiring of Andy MacPhail as President of Baseball Operations, Peter Angelos has signaled he's finally allowing baseball guy to run his baseball operations. Post-Perlozzo, Orioles lose again - 6/19/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer After a tumultuous day of managerial housecleaning, the Orioles returned to the field with a familiar result: a loss, 12-6, to the San Diego Padres. In the opening stop of a west coast interleague swing, the Birds’ first game under interim manager Dave Trembley (pic) brought a slight resurgence from a previously lethargic offense, but also a disastrous outing from Steve Trachsel (who didn’t last five innings) and another unsightly bullpen performance (seven runs in 3 1/3 frames). No matter who’s in charge, the O’s just cannot stop losing. Perlozzo Out, Dave Trembley In - 6/18/2007 2:00:00 PM - Hoffman Sam Perlozzo has been fired as manager of the Orioles. He'll be replaced on an interim basis by current bullpen coach Dave Trembley beginning tomorrow night in San Diego. O's finish 1-8 homestand with 6-4 loss - 6/17/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles lost their eighth game in a row, completing a ludicrous 1-8 homestand and getting swept by the Diamondbacks, 6-4. The sad thing is that you don’t even have to have seen today’s game to know exactly what happened. Excellent job by the starting pitcher! Horrendous offense! And a mind-bogglingly putrid bullpen that once again lost the game late! I honestly don’t know what to say anymore, so I’ll let Kevin Millar (pic) do the talking: “It’s brutal. We haven’t played well. We haven’t won games. We haven’t hit. The problem is we’re getting our [butts] kicked. We just have to find a way to stop the bleeding, now.” Bullpen Shakeup - 6/17/2007 12:00:00 PM - Domen O's call up two relievers after putting one on the disabled list and letting the other one go. Roster changes don't stop slide; O's fall - 6/16/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, surging full steam ahead in their quest for the number one draft pick, ran their losing streak to seven with a 8-4 defeat to the Diamondbacks. Emergency starter Daniel Cabrera was tagged for three homeruns in the early innings before settling down late, by which time the Birds’ ship had sailed. One of two fresh additions to the maligned bullpen, new arrival Jim Hoey (pic) was ripped for three runs in the ninth to put the game out of reach. O's collapse late, lose sixth in a row - 6/15/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The laughably inept Orioles extended their losing streak to six games, once again suffering a bullpen collapse in a 7-3 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks. A mere six outs away from victory with a three-run lead, the O’s instead melted down and coughed up a five-run eighth inning, punctuated by Orlando Hudson’s pinch-hit, three-run homer off Todd Williams (pic). I never thought the Birds could embarrass themselves more egregiously than getting swept by the Nationals, but it appears I’ve underestimated them. The sky’s the limit! Hang on to your seats, folks, because this is getting good! Watch out, ’62 Mets! Rock bottom? O's swept by Nationals - 6/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles lost their fifth in a row, dropped to eight games below .500, and were utterly humiliated by their regional rivals, as the Nationals completed a three-game sweep, 3-1. What’s left to say about this train wreck of a team? Tonight they were yet again let down by their two pinnacles of putrid: the offense and the bullpen. At the plate, this horror show lineup put up a truly atrocious display, managing a grand total of one run despite 15 men on base, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. When a tired Jeremy Guthrie asked out after seven superb innings, relievers Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker gave up a run apiece to break a 1-1 tie. The bitter ordeal was exacerbated by a few eye-popping decisions from manager Sam Perlozzo (pic), who feels the noose tightening with each passing day. If there’s any justice in Oriole-land, a massive housecleaning will soon be underway. Loewen Having Surgery - 6/14/2007 - Domen Pitcher Adam Loewen will have a screw inserted into his arm today, in an effort to help a stress fracture that's kept him off the field for a month and a half now. Nats upend Orioles in extras, 9-6 - 6/13/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In a back-and-forth, 11-inning battle with the Nationals, the Orioles ended up on the usual losing end, 9-6. The wild episode included five lead changes, four late-inning rallies, 14 pitchers, multiple exhibitions in horrendous relief work, and-- as a rancid cherry on top-- a Birds meltdown in the top of the 11th. After a should’ve-been-caught fly ball kept the inning alive, Chris Ray (pic) walked two hitters and allowed a bases-loaded triple that put the Nats on top for good, dropping the Birds to seven games under .500. The bitter finish overshadowed a semi-recovery by the O’s offense, including Jay Payton’s four-hit night. Orioles sink into cellar with 7-4 loss - 6/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles dropped into sole possession of last place in the AL East, falling to the Washington Nationals, 7-4. In the Beltway Battle encore, the O’s flashed all the elements that make them our favorite division doormat. Starter Daniel Cabrera was pulverized for seven runs-- including three homers-- by a usually nondescript Nationals offense, while the dormant Birds bats again found themselves stifled by a no-name starting pitcher. It was ugly. It was boring. It was Orioles baseball to a tee. 24 players signed from draft - 6/12/2007 12:00:00 PM - other The Hangout has learned that 24 players were signed for the 2007 Amatuer Draft. Birds' bats disappear again in 6-1 loss - 6/10/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles limped to a punchless series loss to the Rockies, dropping the rubber game by a 6-1 score. It’s the same old woeful story for the Birds. Instead of opening their nine-game homestand by taking advantage of a eminently beatable team, the O’s instead squandered their chances for a series win by getting confounded by the unlikeliest of sources. Jason Hirsh, he of the 4.92 season ERA, bedazzled the Birds’ bats by tossing his first career complete game, while spare outfielder Ryan Spilborghs, homerless in 2007, connected for two blasts and drove in all six Rockie runs. Erik Bedard (pic) labored through a mediocre five-inning performance, while the O’s offense failed to show up at all. Rockies stifle rocky O's offense, 3-2 - 6/9/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered an embarrassing offensive blackout against a former foe, ultimately losing to the Rockies, 3-2, in 10 innings. Familiar ex-Oriole Rodrigo Lopez (pic), in his first start against his former team, stymied a flat O’s offense for just two runs in seven innings, with the Birds managing just six hits (all singles). The futility forced a once-again brilliant Jeremy Guthrie to settle for a no-decision despite eight fantastic frames, while Kaz Matsui’s two-out RBI double in the 10th provided the margin of victory for Colorado. Orioles follow Trax past the Rockies - 6/8/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened their nine-game interleague homestand with a workmanlike 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. With their season-long road trip behind them, the return home marked a bounceback for several Birds who bombed on the west coast. Steve Trachsel (pic) delivered a solid six-inning performance and was backed by three scoreless innings from a recovering O’s bullpen, including a four-out save for maligned closer Chris Ray. The offense, though mostly quiet, picked its spots with a pair of two-run innings. Even skipper Sam Perlozzo showed unprecedented fire, getting ejected for the first time this year. With the 5th Pick, The Baltimore Orioles Select... - 6/7/2007 6:00:00 PM - Hoffman ...switch-hitting catcher from Georgia Tech, Matt Wieters. Find out more about Matt and what the O's front office had to say about their latest addition. Birds' bats come alive in comeback win - 6/6/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles salvaged the final game in Seattle, and snapped their five-game slide, with an impressive 9-5 comeback win over the Mariners. After falling into an early 4-0 hole and seemingly limping to another forgettable defeat, the O’s instead showed tremendous spark by posting a five-run rally in the fifth and taking flight from there. Really, the only thing unlikelier than the Birds’ come-from-behind heroics was the players involved. A threadbare lineup got two hits apiece from horribly struggling Jay Gibbons and invisible man Freddie Bynum, along with three-hit days from Aubrey Huff and fill-in leadoff guy Jay Payton (pic). The unexpected offensive surge backed Daniel Cabrera, who recovered from his early-inning struggles to collect his team-leading fifth win. 2007 Draft Preview - 6/6/2007 7:00:00 AM - other Adam Forster examines Joe Jordan's last two drafts to see if any clues exist that could indicate what he'll due in tomorrow's amateur draft. Five Shorebirds Named SAL All-Stars - 6/6/2007 1:00:00 AM - Hoffman On Tuesday, June 5th the South Atlantic League announced the rosters for the 48th Annual SAL All-Star game to be held in Rome , GA on June 19th. 66 players and coaches filled out the Northern and Southern Division rosters with five (5) of Your Delmarva Shorebirds making the grade for the South Atlantic Leagues Northern Division squad. Not again! Bullpen blows it in O's loss - 6/5/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer In an unwatchable repeat of their recent losses, the Orioles’ bullpen yet again collapsed in the late innings of a terrible 5-4 loss to the Mariners. It’s hard to put a new spin on the same old ridiculous script. A cavalcade of underperforming relievers, utilized poorly by manager Sam Perlozzo, conspired to give away a three-run lead in the seventh inning and doom the Birds to their fifth straight loss, with the dreadful Danys Baez (pic) the chief culprit. The O’s offense, meanwhile, once again scored early and then failed to add insurance, costing them dearly in the end. It all adds up to one miserably perplexing ballclub. Bullpen implodes again, O's fall to M's - 6/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles fell victim to another embarrassing late-inning collapse, falling to the Seattle Mariners, 7-4, for their fourth straight loss. With a one-run lead in the eighth inning, O’s relievers Chad Bradford and John Parrish (pic) coughed up five consecutive two-out hits to turn a possible feel-good win into an aggravating come-from-ahead defeat. The Birds’ offense jumped out for four early runs-- paced by three Brian Roberts doubles-- but were held scoreless after the second inning, while Erik Bedard gutted through a laborious six-inning performance but became the team’s latest starter to be abandoned by his bullpen. Radhames Liz Named EL Pitcher of the Week - 6/4/2007 2:00:00 PM - Hoffman Radhames Liz, a right-handed starting pitcher for the Bowie Baysox, is the Eastern League’s Pitcher of the Week for the week ending June 3rd. Beau Knows, 6/2: Beau Knows...the Draft? - 6/4/2007 12:00:00 PM - other Yet another installment of "Beau Knows" from our Bowie Baysox Beat Writer, Mike Miller. Vlad impales walkoff in bitter O's loss - 6/3/2007 9:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered another heartbreaking Sunday defeat, losing in the bottom of the ninth for the third time this year, 4-3. Closer Chris Ray (pic) needed just two batters to undo two hours of Jeremy Guthrie’s brilliance, giving up a leadoff single and a walkoff two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero to turn the Birds’ ninth-inning lead into a bitter loss. Guthrie was once again robbed of a much-deserved win, holding the Angels to three hits in eight sensational innings before Sam Perlozzo’s questionable decision to yank him yielded disastrous results. It’s hard to believe this is the same team that recently won six games in a row, as the O’s once again find a way to snag defeat from the jaws of victory. Angels wipe Trax away, O's lose, 7-4 - 6/2/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The backsliding Orioles got trampled by the Angels, 7-4, losing for the second time in their two June contests. After two tense, hard-battled nailbiters to open the series, tonight’s game was a lost cause by the third inning, with Steve Trachsel (pic) getting ripped for five runs without making it to the fourth. The Birds’ offense wasn’t much better, with the exception of Ramon Hernandez, who drove in all four runs for the otherwise blanked lineup. Really, the only memorable part of this bleak, boring affair was an unbelievable homerun-robbing catch by right fielder Nick Markakis. Late-inning loss snaps Orioles' streak - 6/1/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles fell back to earth-- and back under the .500 mark-- with a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Angels, snapping their six-game winning streak. An astoundingly erratic Daniel Cabrera (pic), after miraculously escaping a boatload of early-inning jams, finally reached his breaking point in the seventh. A Gary Matthews bases-loaded single-- following a preposterous non-pitching change by manager Sam Perlozzo-- plated the tying and go-ahead runs for Anaheim. Save for Miguel Tejada’s first-inning homer, the O’s offense was shut down by John Lackey, who became the first nine-game winner in the majors. Orioles stay hot in Anaheim, win 6-2 - 5/31/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles pulled off one of their most impressive wins of the year, taking the opener of a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 6-2. The win not only extended the Birds’ winning streak to six games-- their longest in two years-- and brought them back to the .500 mark, but it also was one of the first instances of the club holding its own against an elite AL team. The surging Brian Roberts set the tone for the offense with three hits, Nick Markakis (pic) contributed a trio of RBIs, rookie starter Brian Burres outdueled Kelvim Escobar, the bullpen held solid, and Ramon Hernandez threw out a pair of basestealers to crush a couple of Angels threats. It was good stuff all around. Beau Knows, 5/28 - 5/31/2007 11:00:00 AM - other Orioles Hangout Minor League Reporter Mike Miller brings us Part 3 of "Beau Knows", recaps of a series of casual chats between Miller and Bowie's Beau Hale. Bedard blanks Royals, finishes sweep - 5/30/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed a three-game sweep of the Royals, coming up on the right end of a pitcher’s duel in a 3-0 win. For most of the night, it seemed the hard-luck Erik Bedard (pic) was doomed to another superb-yet-winless outing, as his stupendous eight-inning gem was almost matched pitch for pitch by the Royals’ Gil Meche. But the O’s finally squeaked across the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning rally, then added two in the ninth, allowing Bedard to happily finish the month of May with a win to his name. Chris Ray worked the final inning of the shutout, the second thrown by the Birds this year. O's trump Royals, win streak hits four - 5/29/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles cruised to their fourth straight win, whipping up on their designated doormats again with a 6-2 victory over the Royals. Starter Jeremy Guthrie (pic) continued his stellar starting work by holding the Royals to three runs in seven strong innings, notching his third win. Meanwhile, the Birds’ offense couldn’t quite keep up its recent eight-runs-a-game pace, but provided Guthrie more than enough support with some key RBI hits and a few Royals mistakes. The O’s will try to complete the series sweep on Wednesday. Oscar Salazar Named Eastern League Player of Week - 5/29/2007 1:00:00 PM - other Bowie third baseman Oscar Salazar was named the Eastern League Player of the Week. Trachsel's gem, Ramon's slam lead O's - 5/28/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles got off to a flying start to their 10-game, three-city road trip, pounding a 9-1 blowout win over the Kansas City Royals. The Birds’ offensive renaissance continued with another well-balanced attack up and down the order, as Ramon Hernandez offered the loudest contribution with a fourth-inning grand slam. The real star of the game, though, was Steve Trachsel (pic), who delivered the first nine-inning complete game by an O’s pitcher this season, backed up by his teammates’ dazzling defensive work. All in all, this Memorial Day offered one of the Orioles’ most memorable performances of the year. Revitalized bats spark Orioles win, 8-4 - 5/27/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles notched a rare but much-needed series win over a quality team, taking the rubber game with the Athletics by an 8-4 decision. The Birds’ suddenly rejuvenated bats posted an eight-spot for the second consecutive game, finding their long-missing power stroke by blasting three homeruns for just the second time this year. Roundtrippers by Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora, and Nick Markakis (pic)-- as part of his three-hit afternoon-- sparked an offensive attack that also included five O’s stolen bases. Orioles earn straight A's in blowout win - 5/26/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles bounced back against the Athletics by enjoying a rare decisive victory, 8-3. The oft-stagnant O’s offense busted through with its most productive run output in more than two weeks, riding three-hit games from former A’s Miguel Tejada (pic) and Jay Payton, while Brian Roberts reached base four times and collected three RBIs. The offensive explosion provided more than enough support for starter Brian Burres, who pitched six impressive innings to get the Birds back on the winning track. Tensions rise, Orioles lose again, 3-2 - 5/25/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles dropped to a season-worst six games under .500 with yet another tight defeat, losing to the Oakland Athletics, 3-2. It was an all-too-familiar refrain for the freefalling Birds: they once again got an admirable performance from a starting pitcher (Erik Bedard tossed seven strong innings and made just one mistake pitch), only to squander it with brutal offense (the O’s managed just two hits in the first seven innings) and a bit of bad fielding (two errors led to a critical unearned run). With the tying run at third in the ninth, Jay Gibbons was inexplicably allowed to bat against a lefty and struck out to end the game. Oh, and Melvin Mora and Sam Perlozzo (pic) were seen bickering about lack of communication. Boy, what’s not to love about this team?? No hometown Baez: Reliever loses again - 5/24/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, suffering another frustrating bullpen letdown, dropped the 10-inning rubber game to the Blue Jays, 5-4. Recent arsonist Danys Baez (pic) was the goat again, serving up an Alex Rios extra-inning homerun to provide the margin of defeat, after John Parrish failed to hold a one-run O’s edge in the eighth. The late-inning fumbling ruined another fine outing by Jeremy Guthrie as well as a rare two-homerun performance by the usually powerless Birds lineup (including Miguel Tejada’s first blast in 100 at-bats). Between Sam Perlozzo’s questionable late-inning tactics, and the team’s 19th loss in their last 29 games, the manager’s hot seat has gotten a little bit warmer. Roberts shines in 5-2 Orioles win - 5/23/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles got back on the winning track with a well-played 5-2 victory over the Blue Jays. For one night, anyway, the recently reeling O’s looked like a functional team. Steve Trachsel gutted through control problems to deliver a solid start, the bullpen did its job to precision with three perfect innings, Brian Roberts (pic) paced the offense by reaching base all five times, the defense contributed a few outstanding plays, and the Birds even stole a run with heads-up baserunning. After so many disappointing and unsightly losses, it’s nice to see that the Orioles still have a game like this in them. Ho-hum: O's come home, lose again - 5/22/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles returned home for the first time in a week and a half, but faced a familiar result: another loss, 6-4, to the Toronto Blue Jays. This game was noteworthy simply for its lack of remarkableness-- there was no epic bullpen implosion or galling game-changing play. Simply a fielding mistake here, a bad Daniel Cabrera pitch there, a couple of missed offensive opportunities, and voila-- a loss that wasn’t as close as the two-run margin implied. Boring, flat, and just plain not good enough. Your 2007 Baltimore Orioles. An Organization in Need of Change: 2007 Version - 5/21/2007 2:00:00 PM - Pente 5/21 - It was October of 2002 when Tony wrote his original An Organization in Need of Change after being frustrated by what he saw with Syd Thrift at the helm. Four and half years later, the organization needs another change. Norfolk's Redman named IL Batter of the Week - 5/21/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The International League announced today that Norfolk outfielder Tike Redman has been named the League’s Batter-of-the-Week for the period from May 14-20. He is the first member of the Tides to win an IL weekly award in 2007. Orioles give one away to Nats, 4-3 - 5/20/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ attempts for a series sweep were thwarted late, with the Nationals’ three-run eighth-inning rally sending the Birds to a bitter 4-3 loss. The O’s were undone by another meltdown from faulty setup man Danys Baez (pic), atrocious bullpen mismanagement by Sam Perlozzo, and an inopportune Birds offense that stranded 10 runners on base. The ugliness overpowered a phenomenal outing by Erik Bedard, who not only racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts in seven superb innings, but also helped his own cause with an RBI single. If only the rest of the team could’ve brought its “A” game. Or even its “B” or “C” games. O's go extras to swat pesky Nats, 3-2 - 5/19/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles notched their second straight one-run victory over the Nationals, plating two runs in the 11th inning for a tight 3-2 win. Jay Payton’s (pic) go-ahead two-run double snapped a long night’s worth of wasted opportunities and futile efforts by the O’s offense, which was held scoreless until a lone run tied the game in the eighth. Sudden sensation Jeremy Guthrie had another stupendous start with seven stalwart innings, and this time the bullpen did a decent job after he was gone, with four relievers combining to hold the Nats at bay for four innings. The Birds will try to sweep their regional rivals on Sunday. O's ride Trax to much-needed win, 5-4 - 5/18/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened their interleague slate of 2007 with a 5-4 win over the “regional rival” Washington Nationals, snapping their five-game losing streak. Steve Trachsel (pic) played the role of stopper with an effective-but-not-brilliant performance, holding the Nats to two runs in 5 2/3 labored innings, while Brian Roberts set the tone for the offense with a season-high four hits. In an eerie and unwelcome near-repeat of recent events, setup man Danys Baez and closer Chris Ray almost coughed away a three-run lead, but the Nats left the tying run at third to finish off a shaky but much-needed O’s win. Burnout, Burnett trip up O's in 2-1 loss - 5/16/2007 10:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles continued their descent into hopeless oblivion, falling to the Blue Jays in their second straight 2-1 defeat. Once again, the Birds’ offense played with all the fire and enthusiasm of a small child visiting the dentist, amazingly unveiling a near-perfect replica of their Tuesday futility. One night after Jesse Litsch came within one out of a complete game, A.J. Burnett one-upped him and took it the distance with a three-hit, 10-strikeout masterpiece. A capable five-inning start by Brian Burres (pic) was rendered moot, and in my (admittedly inexpert) opinion, the O’s are playing like a team that has simply packed it in. Doc Shorebird's Q & A: Brandon Snyder - 5/16/2007 12:00:00 PM - Shorebird The Orioles Hangout's very own Doc Shorebird sat down with catching prospect Brandon Snyder in Sarasota back in March. Find out how he's recovering from surgery to repair his torn labrum and his outlook for the upcoming season. Orioles Positional Values - 5/16/2007 12:00:00 PM - Gray Resident stat-genius Nowick Gray checks in with the Orioles Hangout again, this time to discuss positional values as they pertain to the Orioles. Beau Knows, 5/13 - 5/16/2007 11:00:00 AM - other Orioles Hangout Minor League Reporter Mike Miller brings us Part II of "Beau Knows", recaps of a series of casual chats between Miller and Bowie's Beau Hale. Rook makes O's look fool-Litsch in loss - 5/15/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The lifeless Orioles continued their near-unwatchable play, dropping their fourth straight game, 2-1, to the Blue Jays. For the third game in a row, the O’s squandered an admirable outing from a starting pitcher, with Daniel Cabrera (pic) tossing the club’s first complete game of the year but still ending up on the losing side. That’s because the Birds offense was totally hapless against Double-A callup Jesse Litsch, who came within one out of a complete game in a thoroughly dominant major-league debut. The O’s amassed a jaw-dropping 22 ground-ball outs-- including three double plays-- and generally looked uninspired and eager to go home the whole way through. I can’t believe it’s only May. Jays Glaus over bickering Orioles, 5-3 - 5/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ emotions boiled over in another frustrating loss, opening a three-game series with a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. In an all-too-familiar refrain, the Birds again blew a multi-run lead-- this time a three-run third-inning edge-- when a few bad breaks conspired against starter Erik Bedard. Troy Glaus tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth and put the Jays on top with a two-run, eighth-inning homer off perpetual goat Danys Baez (pic). What’s worse, a ninth-inning baserunning controversy sparked heated words between O’s teammates Jay Payton and Melvin Mora, who had to be physically restrained from each other. How early is too early for a team to come apart at the seams? Are the Walls Coming Crashing Down? - 5/14/2007 12:00:00 PM - Pente 5/15 - With terrible losses mounting and players now screaming at each other in the field, is it time for the Orioles to make a change? Also, a take on the Sun's coverage of Perlozzogate. Meltdown: O's blow five-run lead in 9th - 5/13/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered one of the most eye-popping, heartbreaking, unwatchable collapses in franchise history, blowing a five-run lead with one out in the ninth in a devastating 6-5 loss to the Red Sox. Everything was in place for the O’s to pull off the feel-good series win: Jeremy Guthrie had the most sensational performance of his big-league career, overpowering the Red Sox in 8 1/3 shutout innings while the Birds gave him a 5-0 lead. But in the ninth, the wheels came completely off the bus. Ramon Hernandez dropped a popup that would’ve been the second out, Sam Perlozzo made a curious decision to turn to the bullpen, and Danys Baez and Chris Ray (pic) utterly melted down. Ray issued three walks and then dropped a throw to first base on what would’ve been the last out of the game, instead plating the tying and winning runs. I would be in shock right now, but, well, if any team can pull off this dramatic a collapse, it’s the O’s. Bad teams find a way to lose. Beau Knows - 5/13/2007 1:00:00 PM - other Orioles Hangout Minor League Reporter Mike Miller brings us Part I of "Beau Knows", recaps of a series of casual chats between Miller and Bowie's Beau Hale. O's battered late by Red Sox, 13-4 - 5/12/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ Fenway haplessness reared its ugly head again in a brutal 13-4 loss to the Red Sox. Despite the blowout margin of defeat, the O’s were right in the thick of things until the seventh inning, twice battling back from deficits (including a game-tying three-run rally against Curt Schilling in the sixth). But the game got completely out of hand when recent minor-league callups Jon Leicester and Todd Williams (pic) were torched for eight runs in the final two innings. The Orioles gave away an appalling amount of free runs, with the Red Sox scoring eight runners who had reached via walk, hit-by-pitch, or error. Orioles gut out a win in Fenway, 6-3 - 5/11/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox in surprising fashion, scraping and clawing their way to a hard-fought 6-3 victory. The O’s bucked their two-year futility against Boston with a few timely runs-- scoring four times with two outs-- and four-hit games apiece from Melvin Mora (pic) and Nick Markakis. On the pitching end, the Birds seemed perpetually on the edge of disaster, but jittery second-time starter Brian Burres kept his wits about him long enough to squeeze out his first major-league win, while five relievers were mixed and matched to preserve the lead for the final four frames. O's sweep Rays in 11-6 slugfest - 5/10/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed a three-game sweep over their favorite patsy, the Devil Rays, with a wild 11-6 victory. A night after the two teams combined for just one run in 10 innings, the bats exploded on both sides with a 21-hit, 17-run fireworks display. The O’s busted loose with a season-high 11 runs, led by Kevin Millar’s (pic) four RBIs, yet were constantly on the edge of coughing up the lead due to a laborious Daniel Cabrera outing. In the end, though, the Birds held on, pulling within one game of .500 as they prepare for a daunting three-game series in Boston. O's walk off in a Huff, beat Rays - 5/9/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ flair for the dramatic continued with their fourth walkoff win of the season, riding Aubrey Huff’s (pic) 10th-inning homerun to a 1-0 win over the Devil Rays. Erik Bedard tossed one half of this brilliantly pitched affair, overpowering the Rays for 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings, while Tampa Bay starter James Shields dazzled with nine scoreless frames of his own. Finally, Huff burned his former team with his game-ending blast, just the Birds’ fourth hit of the game. This was the kind of tense, old-school nail-biter in which every pitch was a potential game-changer. Who knew these two teams had it in them? Guthrie, Birkins and Don't Look Now - 5/9/2007 3:00:00 PM - Pente 5/9 - One can only be impressed when you listen to new Orioles right-handed Jeremy Guthrie and has any pitcher been treated worse than Kurt Birkins? O's click on all cylinders, beat Rays - 5/8/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles welcomed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to town with an efficient, well-played 8-3 victory. In a complete reversal of Monday’s fiasco, the O’s showed off a potent offense-- a 13-hit attack, paced by a 3-for-4 night from formerly struggling Jay Gibbons (pic)-- and a sparkling defensive showing that included several fine Melvin Mora plays. Their contributions backed a tremendous starting effort from Jeremy Guthrie, who held the Rays to a lone run in six strong innings. The Birds again proved that while their 2007 season may be a bumpy road, they don’t have much trouble winning against bad teams. Bullpen implodes, Orioles ripped, 10-1 - 5/7/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles utterly self-destructed in the afternoon finale of the four-game set, settling for a split with the Indians in an unsightly 10-1 loss. This was actually a tense game for six innings…until the bullpen got involved. In no time, a 1-1 tie was turned into an Indians blowout when four Birds relievers were torched for nine runs in a three-inning span, with a John Parrish (pic) bases-loaded walk, a Miguel Tejada mental blunder, and a Travis Hafner grand slam the most egregious sins. Poor, unlucky Steve Trachsel was again the victim of his teammates’ blunderings, seeing his strong six-inning, one-run contribution go to waste. Orioles call up Jon Leicester, demote Kurt Birkins - 5/7/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that RHP Jon Leicester (pronounced “Lester”) has been selected from AAA Norfolk and LHP Kurt Birkins has been optioned to Norfolk. To make room on the 40-man roster for Leicester, LHP Adam Loewen has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list. O's fall short, lose to Indians, 9-6 - 5/6/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ modest winning streak was halted at two, with the Indians putting them in their place in a 9-6 decision. First, the good news: the Birds’ bats continued their recent resurgence with a season-best 15 hits, including four by the red-hot Ramon Hernandez. Now, the bad news: everything else. Brian Burres’s (pic) starting debut didn’t last through the fourth, as he was tagged for five runs in the fill-in assignment while getting no help from shaky reliever Kurt Birkins. Trot Nixon’s 5-for-5 game and Grady Sizemore’s dazzling defensive display led the Indians, who simply proved too much for the Birds to handle. A rare treat: O's enjoy blowout win, 8-2 - 5/5/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles hammered away their offensive struggles with a hitting-happy win over the Indians, 8-2. Newly anointed cleanup man Ramon Hernandez (pic) blasted a three-run homer, as the top four hitters in the lineup combined for eight hits, six runs, and seven RBIs. All but one Oriole contributed a hit to the club’s most productive batting display in three weeks. Daniel Cabrera took it from there with an impressive rebound performance, holding the Indians to three hits and escaping several jams in a seven-inning display. Loewen on DL with Stress Fracture - 5/5/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente The Orioles placed left-handed starter Adam Loewen on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his left elbow. Markakis, O's walk off with win, 3-2 - 5/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles notched a much-needed feel-good victory, walking off with a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Cleveland Indians. Nick Markakis (pic) played the hero by driving in both the tying run in the eighth and the game-winner in extras, ripping a bases-loaded single to snap the Birds’ four-game slide. A solid Erik Bedard outing and Chris Ray’s first two-inning stint of the season held the Indians in check until the Birds’ slumping bats-- which were familiarly hapless for the first seven frames-- could get their act in gear in the late stages. Q & A with Chorye Spoone - 5/3/2007 10:00:00 PM - other Adam Vencill, the Orioles Hangout beat writer for the Frederick Keys, had the opportunity to sit down with Keys' starter and top-10 organizational prospect Chorye Spoone for a little question and answer session. Surhoff elected to Orioles Hall of Fame - 5/3/2007 3:00:00 PM - According to a press release from the team, it was announced today that B. J. Surhoff, who spent 7 ½ years in two stints with the Orioles and earned Most Valuable Oriole honors in 1999, has been elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame. Beato: Determination, Hard Work, Hard Throwing - 5/3/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Doc Shorebird sits down with an impressive young man and an impressive pitcher. Doc gives us his take on the 6'5", 230 lb. Shorebirds' ace Pedro Beato. Shuffled lineup, same result: O's lose - 5/2/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ massive freefall continued unabated, as they completed their season series against the Tigers with a forgettable 3-2 loss. A radically redesigned starting lineup failed to spark the Birds’ pathetic bats, which were held to four or fewer runs for the eighth time in the last nine games. The offensive futility negated another admirable outing by Steve Trachsel, who became the first starter in three weeks to work seven innings but was victimized by a pair of homeruns. The loss concludes a three-game sweep, a 1-5 road trip, and a 1-9 record in the Birds’ last 10 games. Boy, how can you not love this team? Inopportune Orioles lose again, 5-4 - 5/1/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles opened the month of May by giving away another easily winnable game, falling to the Tigers, 5-4. Rather than getting fired up by Monday’s near-fisticuffs, the O’s put on their sorriest clutch hitting display of the season, posting an appallingly terrible 1-for-16 mark with runners in scoring position. Squandering the opportunity to blow the game open, the Birds instead let it slip through their grasp when Danys Baez (pic) allowed the tiebreaking runs in the bottom of the eighth. Escaping April did nothing to reverse the Orioles’ fortunes-- they still appear underqualified, overmatched, and out of their league. Orioles get mad, get beaten - 4/30/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles ended their April with sparks on the field but a whimper on the scoreboard, losing to the Detroit Tigers, 8-4. The O’s showed more life than they have in weeks when they nearly got into a heated on-field melee with the Tigers, after both teams took turns throwing at each other. In the end, though, the shot in the arm didn’t translate into a win for the slumping Birds, as Gary Sheffield hit a tiebreaking homerun off Daniel Cabrera (pic)-- just minutes after Cabrera had to be forcibly restrained from going after him-- to sink the spiraling Birds to a 12-14 record for the month of April. Wright to DL, Birkins Recalled - 4/30/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that RHP Jaret Wright has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a recurrence of right shoulder soreness. In his place, LHP Kurt Birkins has been recalled from AAA Norfolk and will join the team tonight in Detroit. Kick me in the Jimmy!! - 4/30/2007 12:00:00 PM - Pente 4/30 - Sometimes it takes a special person to keep watching for our beloved O's and after looking over the first month of the season, Tony realizes that a character from TV may have the best way to cope. Offense hopeless, Orioles lose, 6-1 - 4/29/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles packed it in early in their series finale with the Indians, sleepwalking their way through a 6-1 loss. The hapless, impatient Birds bats seemed anxious to leave town, hacking away early in counts with little success and bringing no-name Fausto Carmona within two outs of a complete-game shutout. Only Aubrey Huff’s (pic) ninth-inning homer prevented the Birds’ first blanking of the season. Jaret Wright’s return from the disabled list lasted just three innings and put the O’s in a small yet insurmountable early hole. Phantom run helps Orioles win, 7-4 - 4/28/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles snapped their five-game skid with a late-inning comeback against the Indians, bagging a disputed 7-4 victory. It took a few unusual occurrences for the O’s to get back in the win column, from a rare Corey Patterson (pic) double against a lefty pitcher (delivering the winning run in the eighth) to a bizarre play in which a third-inning run wasn’t officially counted until three innings later. Erik Bedard zig-zagged between hittable and dominant, coughing up four runs but striking out 11, and Ramon Hernandez drove in four runs. O's fall, 5-4; losing streak hits five - 4/27/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles slipped back under the even-water mark with their fifth consecutive loss, falling to the Cleveland Indians, 5-4. The O’s took their woes on the road with another coulda-had-it near-comeback that fell just short in the end, leaving the possible tying run stranded at third base in the seventh after rallying back from a 5-1 deficit. A gutsy Steve Trachsel outing was undone in only three pitches by reliever Jeremy Guthrie, who coughed up a go-ahead two-run single and a Grady Sizemore inside-the-park homerun in the fifth that provided the Indians’ pencil-thin margin of victory. Back In Bowie - 4/27/2007 1:00:00 PM - Domen Val Majewski is back in Bowie. But he hasn't forgotten what the big leagues were like, and he's hoping he hasn't forgotten how to get back there. 1st Hangout Take back the Yard Night a Success - 4/27/2007 12:00:00 PM - Pente 4/27 - Does being in the only section where Red Sox fans actually didn't feel comfortable sound like a good night at the Yard? It did to us as well... Bullpen blows it again, O's lose to Sox - 4/26/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered their second straight heartbreaking loss to the Red Sox, witnessing another late-inning bullpen implosion in a 5-2 defeat. Chris Ray (pic) coughed up his second game-losing grand slam of the year, this time victimized by Wily Mo Pena to turn an eighth-inning lead into a frustrating Red Sox sweep. It never fails. No matter what the O’s do-- no matter which relievers they bring in, no matter who’s in the batter’s box-- the ground always seems to crumble beneath their feet when they’re playing the Sox. The freefalling Birds will now take their four-game losing streak to Cleveland and Detroit. Unlucky seventh: O's lose late to Sox - 4/25/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ woes continued with an ugly defeat to the Boston Red Sox, 6-1, in the opener of a brief two-game set. A tight pitcher’s duel between Daniel Cabrera and Curt Schilling reached its breaking point in Sam Perlozzo’s (pic) poorly managed seventh inning, when a tired Cabrera and ineffective bullpen coughed up three runs to break a 1-1 tie. It was a repeat of Boston’s dominant ’06 against the O’s, as the Sox picked up all the clutch hits, all the most effective pitching, and basically took over Camden Yards with their fans. Taking back the Yard game on the 25th!!! - 4/25/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente Here's how you can cheer in a section full of rabid Orioles fan for just $6-$8... Come out and join us TONIGHT!!!! Blundering Orioles snooze, lose - 4/24/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles completed their most embarrassing series of the year, phoning in an atrocious 4-2 loss to the Athletics. Rather than rebound from their brain cramps in Monday’s loss, the O’s continued their mental blundery unabated, committing several costly misplays that proved the difference in the tight defeat. Melvin Mora’s (pic) first-inning error led to a pair of runs, and a middle-infield mixup in the sixth led to two more, spoiling a fine starting debut by Jeremy Guthrie. Meanwhile, Oakland’s Dallas Braden baffled the Birds in his major-league debut as the A’s completed the two-game sweep. Firestone and Mora - 4/24/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 4/23 - Roy Firestone joins the Orioles Hangout community and staff and Tony is still wondering what Melvin Mora was thinking with last night's bunt. Williamson to DL, Johnson recalled from AAA - 4/24/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have placed RHP Scott Williamson on the 15-day disabled list with right triceps tendon tightness and recalled RHP Jim Johnson from AAA Norfolk. Shaky Erik, 9th-inning gaffes cost O's - 4/23/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ four-game winning streak came to a screeching halt with a bitter 6-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Erik Bedard (pic) was torched for a five-run fourth inning that put the Birds in a 5-0 hole, but the ever-resilient O’s stormed all the way back…or at least, they should have. After putting the tying run on second with no outs in the ninth, the Orioles suffered a series of brain freezes-- from a Corey Patterson baserunning blunder to an inexplicable Melvin Mora bunt attempt-- to fall one disappointing run short. O's sweep away Jays with 7-3 win - 4/22/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles capped off a feel-good three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, clicking on all cylinders in a 7-3 win. The top four hitters of the Birds’ lineup reached base 11 times, including two run-scoring extra-base knocks from Nick Markakis (pic), three singles and three RBIs for Miguel Tejada, and Jay Payton’s three-hit O’s debut. The run support backed Steve Trachsel’s first win, and completed the Birds’ first home sweep of Toronto since 1994. The 11-7 O’s now prepare for two-game sets with the A’s and Red Sox. Birds' cruise continues with 5-2 win - 4/21/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles racked up their seventh win in their last eight games, notching another well-played victory over the Blue Jays, 5-2. The O’s jumped on ex-Bird Josh Towers for an early lead and never gave it up, despite an eye-popping seven walks from starter Adam Loewen. The Birds’ defense aided its control-challenged southpaw by turning four double plays, while the bullpen continued its spotless work, including a huge Chad Bradford (pic) strikeout with the bases loaded in the sixth. The O’s go for the series sweep on Sunday. Nick the Stick: Markakis wins it for O's - 4/20/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles celebrated their second walkoff win of the season, riding Nick Markakis’s (pic) ninth-inning RBI single to a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. The O’s proved again that they’re a team you can never count out, rallying back from a two-run eighth-inning deficit to stun the Jays in the opener of a three-game series. A patient Birds offense worked Toronto for seven walks and a Melvin Mora homer to set up the last at-bat heroics by Markakis, whose winning single capped a three-hit night. Press Release: O's Activate Payton, Demote Knott - 4/20/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have activated OF Jay Payton from the 15-day disabled list and optioned OF Jon Knott to AAA Norfolk. Questionable Roster Management - 4/18/2007 10:00:00 PM - Pente 4/18 - Another questionable roster management game for Sam Perlozzo has Tony scratching his head and more "Don't look now" tidbits. O's win rubber game vs. Rays, 6-4 - 4/18/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles finished a successful stint against the cellar-dwellers of the AL, winning the afternoon rubber game with the Devil Rays, 6-4. Erik Bedard (pic), despite being far from his sharpest, picked up his third victory to tie for the AL lead, while the Birds’ bats exhausted ace lefty Scott Kazmir and victimized the bullpen with a few well-place doink hits. Miguel Tejada collected three knocks, while Jon Knott cemented cult hero status with two hits and an RBI. The win caps an impressive 5-1 week against the last-place Royals and Rays. Patterson Activated, Stern Optioned to Norfolk - 4/18/2007 3:00:00 PM - Hoffman Corey Patterson was activated off the bereavement list this afternoon and in order to make room for him the Orioles have optioned Adam Stern back to AAA Norfolk. Rays roll over Trax, Orioles lose - 4/17/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles suffered a letdown from their high-flying Monday comeback, sputtering to a 6-4 loss to the Devil Rays in the encore. Steve Trachsel’s superb beginning to 2007 came to a crashing halt, with the Rays flattening him for a six-run fourth-inning rally and managing to hold the lead this time. New arrival Jon Knott made noise with a three-run homer in his first Orioles at-bat, bringing the O’s within two in the eighth, but the club couldn’t complete the comeback (getting no help from Sam Perlozzo’s (pic) late-inning mismanagement). The loss halts the Birds’ win streak at four games. Don't look now - 4/17/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 4/17 - Don't look now, but the new and improved bullpen has come through so far this season. Also, some don't look now tidbits. Wow! O's rally from 6 runs down, win - 4/16/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles pulled off their most incredible comeback win in years, rallying back from a 6-0 deficit to stun the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 9-7. Where do we even start with this? The first four innings were a complete debacle: Adam Loewen walked everyone in the park, the offense sputtered in the clutch, and the defense was so bad that it committed three errors on the same play. But the last four innings were pure magic as the O’s turned the tides with an unbelievable eight-run swing, led by homers from Melvin Mora (pic), Aubrey Huff, and even Freddie Bynum, who drove in the go-ahead run. The Birds’ stalwart bullpen held the Rays in check to finish off the extraordinary come-from-behind victory. Checking In At Bowie - 4/16/2007 1:00:00 PM - Domen John takes a look at the Bowie Baysox early on this year, including who is hot and who is not, the list of which is much longer and much more literal. Press Release: O's Make Roster Moves - 4/16/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release from the team, the Orioles' Corey Patterson has been placed on bereavement leave, Kurt Birkins optioned to AAA Norfolk, and Adam Stern & Jon Knott added to the roster. Doc Shorebird Sits Down with Billy Rowell - 4/15/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Before the Orioles' minor leaguers broke camp, Doc Shorebird had the opportunity to sit down with uber-prospect Billy Rowell. Doc gets the scoop on everything from Rowell's approach to hitting to the status of his injury. Way to Gomez! Chris's slam powers O's - 4/14/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles clawed their way to the level-water mark, reaching .500 for the first time this year with a 6-4 win over the Royals. Chris Gomez (pic) played the role of unexpected hero, launching a sixth-inning grand slam that capped a three-run Birds comeback. While starter Daniel Cabrera wasn’t at his best on this rain-soaked, muddy evening, the increasingly impressive bullpen backed him up with four more innings of scoreless work, bringing the Birds’ record to 6-6 and putting them in position for a four-game sweep on Sunday. Royal drubbing: O's slam KC, 8-1 - 4/13/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles shook off their offensive struggles with a healthy dose of Royals pitching, pounding out a satisfying 8-1 victory. The O’s plated four runs early and-- despite stranding a slew of runners on base-- put the game away late when Nick Markakis (pic) blasted his first career grand slam. On the pitching end, a swarm of killer Bs-- Bedard, Bradford, Baez, and Burres-- held the Royals offense to one run for the second night in a row. Boy, it’s amazing how good this team can look when they’re playing a doormat. Why I like this job - 4/13/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 4/13 - As the minor league teams start their home schedules, Tony remembers why he still does the Hangout. Also, some initial thoughts on some Reimold, Fiorentino and Sing. O's Place Wright on DL, Recall Burres - 4/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to a press release from the team, the Orioles have placed P Jaret Wright on the disabled list with shoulder soreness. In his place, the team has recalled left-handed pitcher Brian Burres from AAA Norfolk. Gibb it up: Jay's hit wins it in 10th - 4/12/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles went extra innings for the second straight night but this time with a happier result, beating the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, in 10 innings. Jay Gibbons’s (pic) game-winning, two-out, bases-loaded single gave the O’s temporary relief from what had been another irritatingly fruitless night at the plate. The Birds got another stupendous performance from their pitching staff, as Steve Trachsel tossed a seven-inning gem and the bullpen followed up with three scoreless frames. This time, it didn’t go to waste. Orioles Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day this Sunday - 4/12/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release, the Orioles will join the rest of Major League Baseball in celebrating the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic entry into the major leagues this Sunday, April 15. The Orioles play the Kansas City Royals at 1:35 p.m. at Camden Yards. Punchless O's slammed in 12th - 4/11/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, in one of their most feeble hitting displays in recent memory, slogged through a miserable 4-1, 12-inning loss to the Tigers. A hapless O’s offense was stymied for an astoundingly pitiful six hits in 12 innings, scraping across their only run on a closing-inning balk. Meanwhile, an admirable parade of seven Birds pitchers did its best to preserve the scoreless tie, until number eight-- Kurt Birkins (pic)-- coughed up a Craig Monroe grand slam that decided the game nearly four hours after it began. All in all, it was a cold, rainy, interminable, and unhappy night for the 3-6 Orioles. Perlozzoed!!! - 4/11/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 4/11 - After watching a managerial debatcle last night, at least everyone knows why the Orioles carry 13 relievers. O's throw one away vs. Tigers, 3-1 - 4/10/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ evening opener at Camden Yards was a chilly and forgettable affair, with silent bats and costly glovework leading to a 3-1 loss to the Tigers. A superb second outing by Jaret Wright reached an unhappy conclusion in the sixth, when the right-hander was forced from the game with an injury. It was soon followed by a critical Brian Roberts (pic) error on a shoulda-been double play that provided the Tigers their margin of victory. Meanwhile, the offense was kept completely in the dark by Tigers lefty Nate Robertson, who doomed the Birds to their fifth loss of the year. Opening Day Stuff and other Minutiae - 4/10/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 4/10 - Opening Day was yesterday, but didn't it feel weird? Also, is it time for a House call and why two mental mistakes cost the O's a game. Welcome home! O's win OPACY opener - 4/9/2007 8:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles celebrated their 2007 home opener with a well-played, feel-good 6-2 win over the Detroit Tigers. On a chilly but exciting afternoon at Camden Yards, Daniel Cabrera (pic) wowed the sellout crowd with a masterful outing, holding the defending AL champions to a meager two runs in 7 2/3 strong innings for his first win. He was backed by a balanced offensive attack that saw six different Orioles contribute an RBI. In every facet, it was an uplifting start to the season’s home schedule. We’re back in the game, folks. Roberts to Raise Money for U of MD Kids Hospital - 4/9/2007 11:00:00 AM - Hoffman Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts will sponsor the sale of baseball seam bracelets this season to raise funds for the University of Maryland Hospital for Children. Roberts, who underwent heart surgery at age five, makes regular visits to the patients at UMHC. An Easter treat: O's win series vs. Yanks - 4/8/2007 7:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles bounced back from a heartbreaking loss with a hard-fought 6-4 Easter victory over the Yankees, winning the weekend series. Erik Bedard (pic) looked every bit the ace with an excellent performance (except for a rocky first inning) to pull the team out of its self-created sinkhole and restore the momentum that was shattered on Saturday. The offense was sparked by homers from Kevin Millar and-- of all people-- Paul Bako, his first since 2004. And the bullpen? Well, it once again sent O’s fans into cardiac arrest, but managed to hold the lead, as Chris Ray redeemed himself with a scoreless ninth for the save. A-Rod's walk-off grand slam stuns O's - 4/7/2007 6:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles, seemingly on their way to a second impressive win over the Yankees, instead suffered one of their most devastating losses in recent history, 10-7. After carrying a four-run lead into the eighth inning, the Birds’ late-end relievers utterly collapsed. Setup man Danys Baez coughed up a three-run homer to Jason Giambi to pull the Yanks within one, and closer Chris Ray (pic) allowed a brutal two-out, two-strike walkoff grand slam to Alex Rodriguez in the ninth, handing the stunned O’s their fourth loss. The colossal choke job ruined an impressive O’s debut by starter Steve Trachsel, as well as a five-RBI performance from Melvin Mora. It’s safe to say this season isn’t going well. Loewen behold: O's win first of 2007 - 4/6/2007 1:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles snapped their 2007 drought against-- of all teams-- the New York Yankees, scraping and clawing their way to their first win of the season, 6-4. Yankee-killing youngster Adam Loewen (pic) soldiered through a frosty Bronx evening, gutting out five admirable innings despite lacking his best stuff. The struggling O’s offense found Mike Mussina a cure to their ills, bashing the former Bird for six early runs. And the new-look O’s bullpen subscribed to the “bend but don’t break” philosophy, with five relievers combining to hold down the fort for four innings. The tense contest wasn’t always pretty, but the club finally did what it took to crack the win column. Doc's Minor League Spring Training Wrapup - 4/6/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Doc wraps up the spring training with some observations on some of the top young talent in the Orioles organization. He also reports on Brett Bordes (pic) condition. Orioles Announce Home Opener Festivities - 4/5/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles have announced plans for the home opener via press release. The team faces the Detroit Tigers on Monday, April 9th at 3:05pm. Nothing goes Wright in ugly 7-2 loss - 4/4/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The Orioles’ already sluggish 2007 turned into an out-and-out debacle, with the team self-destructing in every phase of the game in a 7-2 loss to the Twins. Jaret Wright (pic) was beaten to a pulp in his Oriole debut, coughing up six runs and failing to get out of the third inning. A spectacularly awful O’s defense committed two key misplays in a five-run Twins third. And to complete the trinity of despair, the Birds’ bats went egregiously silent as well, scraping together only two runs when the game was already out of reach. The 0-3 O’s will now limp to Yankee Stadium for a three-game set, while wondering how this season could have gotten so out of hand so quickly. Twins steal one from O's, 3-2 - 4/3/2007 11:00:00 PM - Folkemer The punchless Orioles dropped their second game in a row, wasting Daniel Cabrera’s (pic) impressive ‘07 debut with a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Twins. The O’s were ultimately nickel-and-dimed to death by the pesky Twins, who scurried for five stolen bases and plated the go-ahead run on a broken-bat blooper. Cabrera dazzled ‘em on the mound with nine strikeouts in seven strong innings, though his own glovework failed him on an ill-timed run-scoring misplay. He wasn’t helped by an unclutch Birds offense that stranded six runners in scoring position. Opening Daze: O's fall to Twins, 7-4 - 4/3/2007 1:00:00 AM - Folkemer The Orioles’ six-year Opening Day win streak came to a disappointing end, with the road-weary club falling to the Minnesota Twins, 7-4. Surprisingly, the Birds’ biggest challenge wasn’t Johan Santana, but rather their own ace, Erik Bedard (pic), who was ripped for six runs without lasting five innings. While a lefty-heavy O’s offense eked out four runs against the Twins’ dominant southpaw, Bedard was off his game practically from start to finish as Minnesota hitters pinballed his pitches around the Metrodome. The result was a sour start to the 2007 season. Orioles select Castillo, Option Burres - 4/2/2007 10:00:00 AM - Hoffman Per an official press release, the Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of C Alberto Castillo from AAA Norfolk and optioned LHP Brian Burres to AAA Norfolk. Opening Day Roster Set - 4/1/2007 3:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release, the Orioles have established their Opening Day Roster. P Todd Williams was outrighted to AAA Norfolk to start the 2007 season and OF Jay Payton will start the season on the disabled list. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 4/1 - 4/1/2007 2:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's 8th report from Orioles' Minor League Spring Training in Sarasota. O’s Power Past Nats 6-3 - 3/31/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Adam Loewen was a little erratic but kept the damage to a minimum while Corey Patterson and Aubrey Huff powered the Orioles past the Nationals 6-3. Millar Knocks in Two as O’s Nip Nats, 6-5 - 3/30/2007 8:00:00 PM - Hoffman Kevin Millar had his first two-RBI day of the spring today as he led the Orioles past the Washington Nationals this afternoon. Cabrera Strong, O’s Tie Nats 3-3 - 3/30/2007 7:00:00 AM - Hoffman Daniel Cabrera was stellar in his final Spring Training start as he guided the Orioles to a 3-3 tie with the Washington Nationals. O’s Tie 2-2 With Nats, Lose 5-1 To Cards - 3/28/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles tied 2-2 with the Washington Nationals and dropped 5-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals today in split-squad action. Erik Bedard got roughed up in his final spring training start. O's Reduce Roster Again, This Time by 3 - 3/28/2007 12:00:00 PM - The Orioles today reduced their spring training camp roster to 28 players by optioning one player and reassigning two others to their minor league camp according to a press release. O's Reduce Roster by 10 - 3/27/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to a press release, the Orioles whittled their roster down to 31 players this afternoon by optioning one player and re-assigning nine others to their minor league camp in Sarasota. FanFest this Sunday, April 1st!!! - 3/27/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Over 35 current and former Orioles will be on-hand at Oriole Park to sign autographs at this Sunday's FanFest! O’s Flop to Fish, 5-3 - 3/27/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman In his final Grapefruit League, Steve Trachsel scattered nine Marlins’ hits over six innings with a walk and three strikeouts as the Orioles went on to lose 5-3. 3B Melvin Mora had a pair of RBI. O's Acquire C Castillo From Boston - 3/27/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Non-roster catcher Alberto Castillo was acquired by the Orioles from the Boston Red Sox today for minor league outfielder Cory Keylor according to a press release from the team. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/27 - 3/27/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's 7th report from Orioles' Minor League Spring Training in Sarasota. Loewen Looks Ready as O’s Top Twins 5-3 - 3/26/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman Adam Loewen continued his impressive spring this afternoon giving up three hits, a walk, and a run in six innings as he led the O’s to victory over the Minnesota Twins 5-3. Payton Hurt, Donachie Shipped Back To Royals - 3/26/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ OF Jay Payton could miss up to three weeks with a strained hamstring according to the Baltimore Sun. The O’s also shipped Rule 5 draftee C Adam Donachie back to the Royals, unable to strike a deal with KC. O's Reduce Camp Roster by Five - 3/25/2007 7:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to an official press release, the Orioles reduced the spring training camp roster by five today. Sendy Rleal will continue his rehab in minor league camp. O’s Edge Cards in the 9th, 6-5 - 3/25/2007 7:00:00 PM - Hoffman RF Jay Payton went 3-4 with an RBI and 1B Kevin Millar had two RBI as the Orioles beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/24 - 3/24/2007 9:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's 6th report from Orioles' Minor League Spring Training in Sarasota. O’s Dropped by Dodgers 4-2, Win vs. Mets 2-1 - 3/24/2007 7:00:00 PM - Hoffman Daniel Cabrera took the loss against the Dodgers, but Hayden Penn earned the win against the Mets in Orioles Spring Training split-squad action today in Florida. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/22 - 3/23/2007 10:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's 5th report from Minor League Spring Training Camp in Sarasota. O's release OF Cedeno, claim P Tracey from CWS - 3/23/2007 9:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles today announced that they have claimed RHP Sean Tracey off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. They also dropped OF Roger Cedeno from their roster and re-assigned him to their minor league camp. Bedard the Star, but Boston Drops Birds, 3-2 - 3/23/2007 9:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ starting pitcher Erik Bedard looked to be in mid-season form this afternoon, but it still wasn’t enough as Boston edged Baltimore 3-2. Minor League Spring Training Update 3/23 - 3/23/2007 1:00:00 AM - Pente Garret Olson tossed five no-hit innings in Thursday's Triple-A game and Radhames Liz (pic) is having a breakout spring in minor league camp. Also, find out what super prospect may not break camp when the season opens and what pitcher has made great strides since last year. Birds Blow Out Dodgers 8-0 - 3/22/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Nick Markakis led the way with a 4-4 performance that included a triple, home run, and four RBI as the Orioles downed the Dodgers 8-0 this afternoon. Orioles' Tag Day is Saturday, 3/24! - 3/22/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ Tag Day will be held this Saturday, March 24, from noon – 4:00 p.m. at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Loewen Superb as O’s Win 4-1 - 3/21/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ pitcher Adam Loewen looked all tuned up and ready for the regular season this afternoon as he allowed four hits, two walks, and struck out five in four scoreless innings as the Birds went on to win 4-1. O’s fall again to Mets 6-1 - 3/20/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Brian Roberts went 2-3 and scored on a 1st inning RBI double by Nick Markakis, but the Orioles still came away losers in Port St. Lucie as the New York Mets piled on late to win 6-1. Birds bats fall quiet again as Boston wins 2-1 - 3/18/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Visions of wild outings in 2006 returned for P Daniel Cabrera who walked five today but managed to keep the Boston Red Sox to one run in his five innings of work. It wasn't enough, however, and the Sox went on to beat the O's 2-1 in another weak offensive display by the Birds. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/17 - 3/18/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's 4th report from Minor League Spring Training Camp in Sarasota. O's roster moves, 3/18 - 3/18/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente The Orioles today reduced their spring training camp roster to 46 players by sending seven players their minor league camp including Jeff Fiorentino and Jim Hoey. Birds’ Bats Come Alive, Beat Marlins & Mets - 3/17/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman In split squad action today against the Mets and Marlins, the Orioles got terrific performances from Erik Bedard, Jay Gibbons, Nick Markakis, and most encouraging of all, Hayden Penn. How about shutting your yap, Sid? - 3/17/2007 1:00:00 AM - Pente 3/17 - Sir Sid runs his mouth about the Baltimore fan and Tony responds. Trachsel & Bradford Trampled, Twins Win 16-2 - 3/16/2007 11:00:00 PM - Hoffman Steve Trachsel and Chad Bradford take a beating today while former Oriole Sidney Ponson sails through to earn the win as the Orioles drop another to the Minnesota Twins 16-2. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/15 - 3/16/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Doc reports on the first minor league spring games of the year. Hear how Keiron Pope, Brandon Snyder, and others made out. Also, get an update on Billy Rowell. O’s Come Up Short Again, 4-2 losers to Twins - 3/15/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman Despite getting on the board early with two runs in the first inning, the Orioles could muster no more and came up short once again to the Minnesota Twins 4-2. Benson Out for Year, Millar Sore - 3/15/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles are expected to announce today that pitcher Kris Benson will end his bid to rehabilitate his partially-torn rotator cuff and opt instead for season-ending surgery. Doc Shorebird's Minor League Report, 3/13 - 3/15/2007 1:00:00 AM - Shorebird Doc Shorebird checks in with the Orioles Hangout from the Birds Minor League Spring Training Camp in Sarasota, Florida. What's the scoop with Billy Rowell? Pedro Beato? O’s fall to Fish again 4-1; 4th loss in 5 games - 3/14/2007 10:00:00 PM - Hoffman Aubrey Huff hit a solo home run in the O's half of the 7th and that was all the power Baltimore could muster as they dropped another to the Marlins 4-1. 2007 Minor League Spring Training Roster - 3/13/2007 9:00:00 PM - Shorebird Doc Shorebird has put together a comprehensive Minor League Spring Training Roster complete with jersey numbers. Cabrera falters, bats silent again as O’s lose 4-1 - 3/13/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles P Daniel Cabrera today had his worst outing of the spring thus far, a loss highlighted by a three-run homerun in the bottom of the third off the bat of Marlins’ star 3B Miguel Cabrera. Doc Shorebird's Spring Training Report, 3/11 - 3/13/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Check out Doc Shorebird's first minor league spring training report! Get the scoop on prospects Billy Rowell, Kieron Pope, and plenty others. O's drop one to the Dodgers, 4-2 - 3/12/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman P Erik Bedard looked good again despite giving up a run as the Birds went on to lose to the Dodgers 4-2. P Hayden Penn took the loss. O's Roster Moves, 03/12 - 3/12/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The O's release 2, send 7 to minors including OF Val Majewski and P Jim Johnson. Knott and Dubois blast O's past Red Sox 5-3 - 3/11/2007 8:00:00 PM - Hoffman 25-man roster-hopefuls Jon Knott and Jason Dubois each hit home runs today to push the Orioles by the Red Sox 5-3 today. Gray Area - 3/10/2007 9:00:00 PM - Gray So many of us Oriole fans are reduced to a kind of bipolar limbo, where we waffle between abject pessimism born of, you know, a decade of losing, and hopeless optimism (how oxymoronic can you get?), born of a generation of winning (you know, a generation ago?). Between this dualistic polarity of black and white (or black and orange) is an area where anything is possible. Let’s call it the Gray Area. O's Streak Ends 4-0 to Cardinals - 3/10/2007 9:00:00 PM - Hoffman LHP Adam Loewen took his first loss of the spring despite giving up just one run as the Cards blanked the O's 4-0. O's Win Another Close One 4-3 Over Nats - 3/9/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman RHP Jaret Wright continued the streak of stellar outings by O's starters this afternoon throwing 2 scoreless innings on the way to a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals. Spring Training News & Notes, 3/8 - 3/8/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman An update on O's news from Spring Training O's Win 8-7; Cabrera Dominates Again - 3/8/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles starting pitching continued to shine today as Daniel Cabrera threw 3 more scoreless innings this afternoon as the O's beat the Mets 8-7. O's tie Marlins 2-2; Bedard Shines Again - 3/7/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles’ left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard continued to dominate the Grapefruit League with another stellar performance as the O’s tied the Marlins 2-2 this afternoon. O’s tie Cards 2-2; Markakis continues Spring tear - 3/6/2007 4:00:00 PM - Hoffman Nick Markakis had a double and a pair of singles today and Aubrey Huff a 2 RBI double as the Orioles tied the St. Louis Cardinals 2-2 in Fort Lauderdale. The Great Debate: '07 O's - 3/6/2007 12:00:00 PM - Folkemer As the 2007 Orioles campaign inches closer, I can’t help but debate about what this season will hold. And since I can’t actually beat anyone else in a debate, I’ll have to take on myself instead. Here, Orange-Colored Glasses Paul stakes his optimistic view against the cynical slants of Black Cloud Paul. It’s showdown time. Young arms continue to shine, O's win 5-3 vs. Mets - 3/5/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Another big showing by the O's young pitchers keeps the Birds on track as Adam Loewen and Jeremy Guthrie combined for 6 K's, 2 hits, 2 walks, and no runs in their 4 innings of work. Birds drop Mets 6-3 - 3/4/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Melvin Mora led the way with 2 doubles and 4 RBI’s as the Orioles dropped the New York Mets today 6-3. SS Miguel Tejada and OF Val Majewski had a hit and a RBI each as well. Early Spring Tidbits - 3/2/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente 3/2- Spring is in the air and there is Orioles major and minor league news ready to go. O's win 3-0 - 3/2/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Orioles ace Erik Bedard struck out two as he held the Marlins without a baserunner during his 2 innings of work as the O’s went on to win 3-0. O's drop Spring Opener to Marlins - 3/2/2007 7:00:00 AM - Pente Jason Woods smacked a two-run walk-off homer off minor leaguer Fredy Deza in the bottom of the ninth to send the Orioles to defeat in their Grapefruit opener. Deza was only pitching after starter Steve Trachsel reached his pitch count after just one inning when he allowed three first inning runs. Chris Gomez homered and drove in three runs for the O's. Too early to be excited about Spring Training? - 2/24/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman Updates and quotes from Spring Training. Also...what's up with our message boards? On the Record: O's 2007 Pitching - 2/14/2007 1:00:00 PM - Pente In the first of series of articles, Tony takes a look at the Orioles 2007 projected pitching and likes what he sees. A Few Small Steps Down the Long Road Back? - 2/13/2007 2:00:00 PM - Hoffman Have the Orioles taken a few small steps down the long road back to greatness or is it the same ol', same ol' for this once proud organization? New Chapter (or Same Old Story?) - 2/12/2007 12:00:00 PM - Gray Yes, it's that time of year again: pitchers and catchers reporting. Hank Bauer passes - 2/9/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to AP wire reports, former O's Skipper Hank Bauer died today at age 84. Minor League Spring Training Reporting Schedule - 2/8/2007 8:00:00 PM - Shorebird When's your favorite minor league prospect headed to Sarasota? Check Doc's schedule! Complete O's Minor League Spring Training Info - 2/8/2007 1:00:00 PM - Shorebird Doc Shorebird brings all you need to know about O's Minor League Spring Training to the Orioles Hangout! Orioles Sign 4 Players, Publish Spring Roster - 2/7/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman According to a press release this evening, the Orioles announced that four more players on the 40-man roster have signed contracts for the 2007 season. Think Spring with Mike Flanagan & Jim Duquette - 2/6/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles hosted "Think Spring", an unmoderated question-and-answer forum with O's fans this evening at Baltimore's ESPN Zone. Flanagan and Duquette Talk with Fans - 2/6/2007 12:00:00 PM - Pente Mike Flanagan and Jim Duquette met with Orioles fans at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore tonight. Tony explains that a lot of fans missed out on an opportunity. O's ink Roberts - 2/1/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles have avoided arbitration with 2B Brian Roberts by agreeing to a 1-year deal worth $4.2 million. Orioles claim RHP Guthrie, former first round pick - 1/31/2007 5:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles claimed RHP Jeremy Guthrie off waivers from the Cleveland Indians Monday. O's Ink Markakis, Invite More to Spring Training - 1/31/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The O's agreed to terms on a one-year deal with right fielder Nick Markakis yesterday. FanFest, April 1! - 1/31/2007 12:00:00 PM - Hoffman After postponing FanFest because of the conflict with the NFL playoffs, the Orioles have re-scheduled FanFest for Sunday April 1st. Discovery Channel’s 'Dirty Jobs' To Feature B-Sox - 1/16/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Bowie Baysox, Class AA Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, will be featured on an upcoming episode of the hit Discovery Channel Show “Dirty Jobs” hosted by Baltimore native Mike Rowe. The show has been scheduled to air on The Discovery Channel on Tuesday, January 30th at 9:00 pm. Adios, Rodrigo! - 1/12/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles have agreed to trade RHP Rodrigo Lopez to the Colorado Rockies for AA pitchers Jim Miller and Jason Burch. The Orioles are coming to FM, Baltimore! - 1/10/2007 3:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles confirmed this week that the team is leaving it's radio home of 19 years, WBAL, for CBS Radio affiliate WHFS 105.7 FM. Cal's Hall Of Fame News Conference - 1/9/2007 10:00:00 PM - Pente Cal credits veteran clubhouse for teaching him how to be a professional and Mike Flanagan talks about what made Cal special. It's official: Ripken elected to Hall of Fame - 1/9/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman It’s official: Baseball’s Ironman and beloved hometown hero Cal Ripken Jr. has been selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America to be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame this summer in Cooperstown. Orioles Invite 18 to Spring Training...News/Notes - 1/7/2007 1:00:00 PM - Hoffman The Orioles announced today that they have signed and invited 18 non-roster players to Spring Training camp.

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