Baltimore Orioles clipped by Washington

The Baltimore Orioles didn’t quite get out of Ty Blach what they’ve seen out of other starters to this point in the spring today. Blach got knocked around a bit by the defending champion Washington Nationals, putting the O’s in an early hole. Blach’s line: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 K.

Luckily the Orioles haven’t had many days of sketchy pitching this spring. This was bound to happen at some point, as you can’t just ride a wave forever. Even the best of teams can’t do that.

The O’s actually got on the board first in the game on Chris Davis‘ sac fly-RBI. However the bottom of that third inning saw Washington put up five runs. Almost out of nowhere. That’s why they’re the defending champions.

But there’s always a silver lining. The Orioles battled back. Pedro Severino‘s RBI-triple in the fourth inning cut the Washington lead to 5-2. Mason Williams also added an RBI-single, cutting the lead to 5-3.

And that was where the score stood for the remainder of the afternoon. This snapped a six-game streak during which the Orioles didn’t lose a game – dating back to last Tuesday. However fans shouldn’t fret about that – they really shouldn’t. Just like they shouldn’t think too hard about the fact that the Birds won five straight (plus one tie). Results are meaningless here in spring training.

Incidentally, Oriole pitching did improve. Nobody scored in the game after the fourth inning. While that’s somewhat reflective on Blach, pitchers can certainly reach dead arm periods here during the spring. Furthermore the law of averages says that the Orioles were due for a performance like this.

Tomorrow the Orioles head just north to Jupiter to take on the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Wade LeBlanc gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Caleb Smith. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles tie with Tampa (updated)

Asher Wojciechowski got the start for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium against Tampa, and with some good results. Wojciechowski pitched three innings, and looked strong in doing so. He’s had a great spring thus far in limited action. Wojciechowski’s line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

After his outing Wjociechowski commented that he was impressed with how solid Oriole pitching as a whole has been thus far in the spring:

I think we’re all throwing the ball really well. It is spring training though. It’s good to build confidence here, but it’s different when the lights come on during the season. But it’s great we’re throwing the ball well and all learning from each other. And we are going to take this into the season, be a confident group and go out there and compete and give it our all.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Tampa took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a Perez home run. However the O’s were able to immediately get back in the bottom of the inning. Chris Davis drew a walk with one down; as I tweeted on Saturday, each Davis walk is worth almost as much as a homer. Because teams will pitch to him differently, opening up more of an opportunity to hit his way on base.

With Davis on first, Renato Nunez smacked a two-run home run. That gave the O’s a 2-1 lead. However Choi’s sixth inning two-run homer put Tampa back in the lead at 3-2. Choi, as you may remember, torched the Orioles last year. As in nothing that Oriole pitching threw was let go. He’s just one of those guys.

But Chris Davis’ sac fly-RBI in the last of the sixth re-tied the game back up at three. And that’s where the score remained, as the Orioles’ five-game winning streak ended. But the good news is that they didn’t start a losing streak – in theory. Both teams were content with what they saw, and the game ended in a tie.

This almost feels like the end of a home stand, as the Orioles will head to the East Coast of Florida tomorrow. They’ll have a stop in West Palm Beach to play Washington, and then Jupiter on Wednesday to play Miami. Kind of like a mini-road trip during the spring season.

The Orioles will take on the aforementioned Washington Nationals at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches tomorrow. Tommy Milone gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Washington’s Max Scherzer. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

UPDATE: Ty Blach will start tomorrow in West Palm Beach against Washington. Tommy Milone will be staying back in Sarasota.

Baltimore Orioles: John Means business for three innings

John Means pitched the deepest into a game as any starter test this spring for the Baltimore Orioles. Which that.’s only three innings, it signifies that pitchers are starting to be stretched out. In other words, the spring is progressing. Means’ line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

Means termed his outing “okay” after coming out of the game. He said that he felt he fell behind a lot, but his changeup saved him (quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports):

Not too bad. It was all right. My fastball command wasn’t there that well. My changeup was kind of my get out of jail free card. It was one of those outings where I fell behind a lot, but the changeup was an eqaulizer. Just need to make sure everything was sharp and everything kind of got better as the game went on. Felt the curveball was better shaped later on, felt like the changeup was there and the heater got better, especially on inside pitches.

Dilson Herrera‘s RBI-single in the second inning put the Orioles in the lead at 1-0. Two innings later in the fourth Rio Ruiz doubled the lead. His solo homer gave the Birds a 2-0 lead.

Stevie Wilkerson‘s RBI-single later in the inning ran the score to 3-0. Philadelphia would get on the board in the sixth with a solo homer by Harrison. Philadelphia would challenge a few times, including loading the bases and allowing a run by a walk in the ninth. But the Orioles’ bullpen got them out of it, securing a 3-2 victory.

The O’s have now won five straight games, and stand at 6-4 on the spring. Now mind you, those five games all came with different lineups, and were in controlled environments. This meaning that both teams scheduled when players would go in and out of the game. But a five-game winning steak is a five game winning streak. It’s good for young players to experience this.

The Orioles return to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota tomorrow afternoon to take on the Tampa Rays. Asher Wojchiekowski gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Charlie Morton. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Chris Davis and other big wheels keep on turning

Chris Davis smacked his third home run of the spring as the Baltimore Orioles stayed hot and defeated Miami at Ed Smith Stadium. This in a game started by Keegan Akin, who’s looking to make an impression and break camp with the O’s. Keegan’s line: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.

Davis’ spring has been a major turnaround over his output from the past few years – to this point. It’s still very early in the spring, and yes the games don’t count. However you’d rather see results as opposed to not seeing them. Davis seems to agree (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

It’s nice to see some results. I think I said that earlier. I would like to get off to a good start, just for peace of mind, especially after struggling for the last couple years. Just having some success on the baseball field again feels good. It’s still spring training, it’s still early. There are a lot of things I have to accomplish, a lot of things I want to accomplish and a lot of things I still need to work on, but at the same time it feels good.

With Miami leading 1-0 in the last of the first this afternoon, Renato Nunez‘s RBI–single toes the game. One inning later Austin Hays, who’s also having a great spring, gave the O’s a 2-1 lead with an RBI-groundout. Núñez would add a sac fly-RBI in that second inning as well, and the O’s led 3-1.

But it was Davis who provided the highlight of that third inning. And of the game. His three-run homer later in the inning opened the game wide open, and gave the O’s a 6-1 lead. The O’s don’t see the Miami Marlins often in the spring for geographic reasons. That’s probably A-okay with Miami.

By the end of the fourth inning they had run the lead to 9-1. This in a sequence that included a solo homer by Pedro Severino. In fairness to Miami, they did cut the lead to 9-5 in the fifth. However the O’s added some insurance runs. Austin Wynns added an RBI-double and Ramon Urias an RBI-single in the sixth. Richard Urena, a guy who also has in mind to break camp with the team, added a solo homer in the last of the eighth.

And with that, the O’s wrapped up a 12-6 victory. (Miami tacked on a solo homer in the ninth.) Again, these games are meaningless, as are the results. But the fact that the O’s continue to look good and are winning these (meaningless) games could bode well.

The Orioles head to Spectrum Field in Clearwater tomorrow to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and Philadelphia has not yet scheduled a starter. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Another bludgeoning of Pittsburgh

The Baltimore Orioles defeated Pittsburgh by a wide margin once again this afternoon. Brandon Bailey got the start for the Birds, and in the short span he was in the game, he was dominant. Bailey’s line: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K.

I do find it interesting, and perhaps a little bit refreshing that manager Brandon Hyde seems to be giving several prospects a good hard look. By that, I mean starts in games. It would appear that the Birds are holding a true open tryout for the starting rotation. Certainly the Means’ and Cobb’s of the world are in, but they seem intent on bringing the five best starters they can find home at the end of March.

The Orioles struck early against Pittsburgh once again, with Ryan Mountcastle doubling a run home in the first inning. Later in the inning Rio Ruiz scored on a wild pitch. And the O’s were off to the races.

The O’s proceeded to get a two-RBI single out of Hanser Alberto in the second, and RBI-singles from Richie Martin and Andrew Velazquez in the third. That put them ahead 6-0 after just three innings. And it left fans wondering if this might be what could be expected come the regular season.

What I would say is that folks should keep in mind that the Orioles don’t play Pittsburgh everyday. But they certainly have made an impression against Pittsburgh these past two days. Yesterday in Sarasota, and today in Bradenton at Pittsburgh’s spring facility.

Unlike yesterday however, Pittsburgh did have a highlight. Murphy’s fourth inning grand slam cut the Orioles’ lead to 6-4. That home run didn’t need to be wind-aided. It was actually against the wind, and got way out of the park.

However the good news is that after being punched in the mouth, the O’s fought back. Dwight Smith Jr. grounded into an RBI in the fifth inning, and Richie Martin‘s bases-clearing triple ran the score to 10-4. And odds are Pittsburgh wasn’t coming back from that. For good measure, Dilson Herrera would tack on an RBI-triple in the seventh, closing out an 11-4 win for the O’s over Pittsburgh. With the win, the Birds evened their record at four wins and four losses on the spring.

The Orioles return to Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow afternoon to take on the Miami Marlins. Prospect Keegan Akin gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s TBD. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles’ Austin Hays dazzles in centerfield in Birds’ rout

The Baltimore Orioles got a blowout victory this afternoon at Pittsburgh’s expense, in a game that saw top prospect Austin Hays dazzle in the outfield. Hays seemingly caught anything that was in his vicinity in the outfield. Hays is making a great impression this spring, continuing what he did at the end of last season. Starter Tommy Milone set the tone for the day, keeping Pittsburgh off the scoreboard. Milone’s line: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.

Milone was asked after his outing what he thought of Hays’ theatrics in the outfield. He wasn’t surprised in the least:

When I was with Seattle last year we came over to Baltimore and he was playing center at that point. I think it was later in the season and he made a couple of amazing catches, so it wasn’t anything new. It’s nice to have him behind me, though.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Hays saved multiple hits during his time in the game today. It wasn’t however as if the Orioles needed it today. This game was a donnybrook from the beginning. Pat Valaika smacked a two-run homer in the last of the third, and Anthony Santander would add a sac fly RBI. And the O’s were off to the races.

Ryan Mountcastle added an RBI-double in the fourth, and the aforementioned Hays a two-RBI double. Santander would add an additional RBI-double, as would Trey Mancini. The Birds led 9-0 after four innings.

Mountcastle and Chris Davis would add homers in the fifth, at which point it appeared that the Birds called off the dogs. When the smoke was done clearing, the O’s had defeated Pittsburgh 13-0. By a long shot, it was the most lopsided game the’ve played. And probably the most lopsided one they will play this spring.

It’s also good to see Chris Davis homer again. The O’s are hoping that his offensive production can improve this year, helping to solidify the team offensively. It would certainly be a big help, needless to say.

But the story of the day was Austin Hays, and his defense. It’s not just the fact that he’s capable of making plays like that. It’s also that he’s willing to make tough plays such as diving catches. He became a bit of a fan favorite when he was called up last September, and the Orioles believe he could morph into something special.

The Orioles will travel to Bradenton tomorrow to once again take on Pittsburgh – this time at their facility. Brandon Bailey gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh’s Trevor Williams. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles defeat Atlanta

Asher Wojchiechowski made his maiden outing of the spring for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon against Atlanta. And while the numbers themselves were mostly good, he did surrender a homer. But the pitch itself was a strike, which is what the Orioles would like to see here in the early spring. Woj’s line: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

Wojchiechowski had dealt with a blister on his throwing hand, which put his spring in doubt at one point. However after leaving the game he seemed to indicate that today was a step forward:

Felt good. Focus was really just to throw strikes. First time out there you have that little self-doubt, when its been through the offseason. So, nice to go out there and execute pitches and just get back into the rhythm.

I made one mistake to d’Arnaud, first pitch of the second inning. I knew he was going to swing and just didn’t execute that pitch. But for the most part, just happy with how I felt. Looking to build upon each outing and get ready for the season

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

The O’s got on the board early with Hanser Alberto scoring in the first inning on a passed ball. Dwight Smith Jr. would score from third later in the inning on a wild pitch. I said this a couple of times last season, but if you get guys on base you never really know what’s going to happen. A wild pitch with nobody on base isn’t really a wild pitch – kind of like a tree falling in the woods and nobody hearing it.

That’s something on which the Orioles should try to focus this year – getting guys on base. Sometimes that can spook pitchers at times. If that happens and someone’s on base when a mistake is made, you can luck your way into a run.

Wjochiechowski surrendered a homer to d’Arnaud one inning later, which was the only run he surrendered. However keep in mind also that you can live with pitchers surrendering solo home runs. Solo shots aren’t going to beat you. Especially early in the game. Baltimore native Bruce Zimmerman, who made his Orioles’ debut, surrendered a solo shot an inning later to Ball, which tied the game.

Dilson Herrera led off the fifth with a double, and he was later singled home by Ryan McKenna, giving the Birds the lead back at 3-2. McKenna would later score on another wild pitch by Atlanta pitching, running it to 4-2. Atlanta would notch an RBI-single in the sixth to get to within 4-3, but the Oriole ‘pen shut them down the rest of the way.

With the win, the Birds improved their record to 2-4 on the spring (keeping in mind that yesterday was a split squad day and that technically they lost twice). Both wins of course have come at home. Again folks, wins and losses don’t matter per se. But if you’re going to play these games, you might as well try to win them.

The O’s will stay in Sarasota tomorrow, ending a three-game/day “homestand” as Pittsburgh comes to town. Tommy Milone makes his first (spring) start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh’s Hector Noesi. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall to Tampa despite a Chris Davis homer

The Baltimore Orioles sent John Means to the mound this afternoon against Tampa for his maiden voyage this spring. He was slated to go two innings, but came out early due to a high pitch count. However it was a typical start against the Tampa Rays. Among other things, Means surrendered a wind-aided triple, an infield hit, and a “normal” single. Means’ line: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K.

Tampa’s notorious for getting guys on base however they can. Sometimes in unorthodox manners. But they get on base. And they get runners in. Following the aforementioned wind-aided triple in the second, Robertson’s RBI-single gave them a 1-0 lead. Brousseau’s RBI-single later in the inning extended the lead to 2-0.

Means was upbeat after coming out, saying that he felt good. In fact, he said he felt “better” than giving up two runs (which came as a result of some wind-aided hits):

In spring training you’re not too worried about results. You’re really just worried about how you feel, how the ball’s coming out, how the hitters are reacting. And I honestly felt really good. I felt like the fastball was there, changeup was there, curveball was there. So yeah, I definitely felt a lot better than the two runs.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Following a ground-rule double in the fourth, Cozens’ RBI-single gave Tampa a 3-0 lead. Again, this is how they do things. They just keep adding on runs. Their runs usually don’t come in buckets, but it’s one here and one there. Today however, they did have a big inning.

And that process continued. Tampa loaded the bases later in that fourth inning, and Lowe cleared them with a wind-aided bases-clearing double. He would later score when Renato Nunez (who got a rare assignment in the first) botched a throw, committing an error. But that error allowed another Tampa score, and the Birds trailed 7-0.

But there was one bright spot for the O’s this afternoon. Chris Davis smacked a solo homer the opposite way in the last of the fourth, cutting the Tampa lead to 7-1. Tampa would immediately come back in the fifth with an RBI-single by Zunino, but I digress. The fact that Chris Davis is homering this early in the spring is a really good sign for the O’s.

Davis put on about 25 lbs in the off season, and he seems to think that as a result he might faire better this year. Going oppo-boppo in his second spring game is a good start to that. He’s also drawn a few walks, which shows he’s working the count.

It’s also worth mentioning regarding Oriole bats…like all team’s they’re behind the pitching. Position players only reported last Monday, so they’re about a week behind the pitchers (and catchers). It’s always worth remembering that in some of these early spring games.

Tampa would tack on several other runs in the later innings, including a three-run homer by Perez. They ended up beating the Orioles 15-2 on the afternoon. (Rylan Bannon homered for the O’s in the last of the eighth.) One of the differences between Tampa and the Orioles is that Tampa has better pitching – top to bottom. However offensively they also take advantage of EVERYTHING that comes their way. If you slip up in some way by leaving a ball up in the zone or something along those lines, their next guy up is ready to make you pay. And again, that’s true top to bottom of their organization.

Blowout losses must have been contagious throughout the organization today, as the Orioles’ B Team seemingly suffered the same fate down at Jet Blue Park against Boston in Fort Myers. The split squad O’s fell to Boston, 12-4. As the saying goes, some days you’re the bug.

The Orioles will remain in Sarasota tomorrow as the Atlanta Braves come to town. Baltimore native Bruce Zimmerman (a non-roster invite to camp) gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Atlanta’s Sean Newcomb. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles battle back, but fall in the ninth

Alex Cobb made his maiden start of the spring for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon in Clearwater against Philadelphia. However his day was cut short after a lone inning – due apparently to Cobb not feeling well. Cobb had apparently been dealing with flu-like symptoms the past couple of days, and was only able to pitch one inning. Cobb’s line: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.

After his short outing Cobb seemed semi-content with the preparation he had put in, and with what he got out of the start:

I told you I wasn’t feeling that good, so just feel dehydrated and dizzy. So, figure it was stupid to keep pitching and risk anything. I just didn’t feel very good today. I put a lot of work into getting ready for the game and got a lot of information in the game. So there is a lot to build off there.”

Quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports

I suppose I would question why Cobb was starting to begin with given that. Flu and other illnesses can spread like wildfire through an MLB clubhouse. Especially for whatever reason during the spring. Now Cobb did look fairly crisp through that one inning, however it might have been advisable for him to stay home until he feels right.

David Hess followed Cobb to the mound, and shut Philadelphia down. The Orioles’ issues started when some of the young minor leaguers got into the game. Mahtook smacked a three-run homer in the fourth, giving Philadelphia a 3-0 lead. The O’s would battle back two innings later in the sixth, with Anthony Santander smacking an RBI-single to get the O’s on the board.

However it was the last of the sixth that really put the Birds in a hole. Williams and Forsythe smacked back-to-back home runs, and Maton a two-run shot. Again, keep in mind that the people in the game at this stage were minor leaguers. The majority of them won’t be seeing time in the majors this year. But these spring outings are good for them to help them to get ready for when they are in the big leagues.

Pat Valaika and Richie Martin each smacked solo homers in the seventh inning (back-to-back), bringing the Birds to within 7-3. The game appeared to be drawing to a conclusion. But the Orioles had other ideas.

Jose Rondon smacked a two-RBI double, bringing the O’s to within 7-5. Ryan McKenna would reach on a throwing error, allowing another run to score and bringing the O’s to within one at 7-6. Malquin Canelo would later double home the tying run, knotting the game at seven. You have to appreciate the effort on the part of the youngsters in the game at that stage. It shows a lot of fight, and it shows what the organization is all about.

Unfortunately however, a win wasn’t to be in this one. A throwing error (E3) in the last of the ninth allowed Philadelphia to go home with a walk off win. However you have to tip your cap to the young Orioles out there this afternoon. They battled, and that’s what you want to see.

Manager Brandon Hyde also addressed the play of first baseman Chris Davis yesterday against Boston, and he appeared upbeat regarding Davis:

I liked all three at-bats. First at-bat I was excited about. Couple of runners on, nobody out. Gets behind on the count. Fouls a couple of pitches off, takes a couple of tough ones and works a walk. Great at-bat. I liked the left-on-left too. Stays in there, stayed closed. Used the whole field and punches one to left off a left-hander. Thought it was a really good Day One for him, took three good at-bats.

Quote Courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports

Tomorrow the Orioles head into a split squad game, with the “A team” staying at home and playing Tampa at Ed Smith Stadium, and the “B team” heading to Jet Blue Park to take on Boston. We’ll primarily cover the home game tomorrow; John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Charlie Morton. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles in the spring training WIN COLUMN!

Wade LeBlanc got the start for the Baltimore Orioles on spring opening day in Sarasota. Keep in kind, these outings are short and are often tough to judge in the spring. But LeBlanc looked crisp – very crisp. That’s a good sign. LeBlanc’s line: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.

LeBlanc retired the first two Boston hitters on three pitches. Both grounded out to first base. Offensively, it appeared that the Orioles might struggle. After being shutout yesterday, the O’s loaded the bases in the last of the first. However Boston pitched out of the jam, inducing a 1-2-3 double-play.

However that bit about the Orioles loading the bases – that was a harbinger for things to come. Stevie Wilkerson‘s RBI-groundout, giving them Orioles a 1-0 lead in the second. For what it’s worth, that was the Orioles’ first run of the spring. It was also their first unofficial lead of 2020.

One inning later the O’s had something cooking once again. Dwight Smith Jr.‘s RBI-single extended the lead to 2-0. An inning later, Rio Ruiz added a sac fly-RBI, extending the lead to 3-0. Boston would attempt to chip away in the fourth with a lone RBI-ground out in the fourth.

However the O’s kept at it. Cedric Mullins smacked a two-RBI single in the fifth to extend the Birds’ lead to 5-1. Mullins you’ll remember was meant to be the new team leader last season, but ended up being sent back to the minors. He could afford to have a breakout spring this year. Once on base he immediately swiped second, so that was good to see. He has speed, but he struggled to get on base to be able to use that speed last year. Maybe this time around it’ll be different.

Rylan Bannon‘s sixth inning two-RBI double ran the score to 7-1, and Bryan Holladay added the Orioles’ first homer of the spring in the seventh to it to 8-1. They’d also add a ninth run when yet another guy scored on a pass ball in the seventh. Mason Williams‘ seventh inning RBI-double ran it to 10-1. The O’s would net an eleventh run on a pass ball, and Boston would tack four on in the ninth (including a two-run homer) to close out an 11-5 Orioles’ victory.

The O’s were able to plate runs once guys got on base today. That was an issue all of last year. And even just a smidge today when they left the bases loaded early. But for the most part they were able to get guys in today, defeating Boston and winning their Sarasota home opener.

The Orioles head to Spectrum Park in Clearwater tomorrow to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Alex Cobb gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Philadelphia’s Vince Velasquez. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.