Brian Matusz did his best to put on a positive face after he got the news that he was being sent to Triple-A Norfolk to work back into shape, but the hurt was written all over his face. This has been a terribly frustrating time for a young man who was 7-1 with a sub-.2.00 ERA during the final months of last season and looked like he was ready to own the No. 2 slot in the Orioles rotation.

"It's going to be tough,'' he said. "I'm not getting it done up here. It's not fair to the team. I need to get down there, work with Mike Griffin and get back where I was before."

There continues to be questions about Matusz's health, but he made it crystal clear that he is "100 percent healthy." Manager Buck Showalter would not guarantee that Matusz is 100 percent, but he said a DL assignment was not discussed when he met with Matusz after the game.

"I'm not going to smugly say he's not (hurt),'' Showalter said. "I can only go on what he tells me."

Matusz said he believes that his mechanics are fine and that he needs to get down to Norfolk and rebuild his arm strength, put on some muscle and improve his overall conditioning. Brady Anderson has been working with him and said he will head down to Norfolk in a few days.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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Nolan Reimold made good on my Orioles Xtra prediction tonight that he would hit a home run against Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia. It's a gift, but it doesn't seem to help me at the craps table.

I'd like to see Reimold start getting some regular playing time. He swung the bat pretty good a couple of years ago before he cut the season short to undergo surgery to repair a damaged Achilles tendon. He never really got untracked last year -- for a variety of reasons -- and was the odd guy out this year after a decent spring.

He didn't respond after he was optioned to Norfolk, but he has had some very good at-bats in his limited role up here. The Orioles owe it to themselves to find out whether he can be an everyday player, because he definitely has major league power.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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The headline says above says it all, but I articulate the concept a lot better in my column on the current struggles of Vladimir Guerrero, which you can read right now, right here on the Web site.

I suggest you waste no time checking it out, because I'm pretty sure I've thrown a reverse jinx on Guerrero, who will now hit at least two home runs tonight against the Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter to make the column look inappropriate and out of place in tomorrow's print edition.

Actually, I hope he does.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
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If you haven't already, make sure you read Dan Connolly's story about Chris Jakubauskas and Lance Berkman. It's a great account of the Berkman line drive that nearly ended Jak's career, with both players weighing in on how the incident affected them. Check it out right here.

Now I can tell my favorite Berkman story, which is a lot more fun:

Back when I was The Sun's national baseball writer and Berkman was just breaking out as a big-time power hitter with the Houston Astros, one of my favorite editors (Ray Frager) thought it would be a great idea if I met the Astros in Florida and did a story on how he might turn out to be the greatest Jewish power hitter since Hank Greenberg. So I headed down to Joe Robbie Stadium -- or whatever they called it then -- and found then-Astros PR guy Warren Miller to set me up with an interview.

He thought it was pretty interesting that somebody would come from Baltimore to see Berkman, who has no Mid-Atlantic connections, so he asked me what my angle was going to be. When I told him, he laughed and ruined my day.

"That would be a great angle if Lance were Jewish,'' he said.

Well, I felt about three inches tall, and began to shrink further when Warren yelled across the clubhouse to Berkman.

"Hey Lance,'' he said. "I've got another writer here who thinks you're Jewish."

Berkman looked up and smiled, so I went over to talk to him, figuring I'd just do a standard feature on one of baseball's up-and-coming stars.

"So I'm not the first guy to make that mistake,'' I said.

"No," he replied, "but don't feel bad. You are the first guy who ever flew 1,000 miles to do it."

How could you not like that guy? I've been a fan ever since.

Associated Press photo

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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The Orioles have spent much of the first half underachieving at the plate, but they are above the midline in the American League hitting ranks in several important departments. They rank sixth in team average (.259), sluggling percentage (.399) and home runs (77), but that's not reflected in their overall performance, because they rank only 10th in runs scored and next to last in team ERA and home runs allowed.

Hate to say it, but in a lot of cases, it comes down to situational hitting. They had a chance to make a move on Saturday night trailing 6-4 when Bronson Arroyo walked Adam Jones to put runners on first and second with one out, but Vladimir Guerrero fished for the very next pitch and made two very quick and deflating outs. That's Vlad, of course. He's been a free swinger his whole career, but he isn't producing right now at a level that allows him to be a real offensive asset with that approach.

Of course, it's not just Guerrero. Several of the Orioles' top hitters have let their aggressiveness get the best of the team, but it's a lot easier to take the good with the bad when Adam Jones is on pace for 28 home runs and 99 RBI.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
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Though it's good to see Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz trying to stay positive as he tries to rebuild his velocity and command after a series of physical setbacks, but he's got to be very frustrated. This was supposed to be his breakout season, after he stepped up at the end of 2010 to go 7-1 in August and September.

Everyone in the organization is hoping against hope that he simply lost some arm strengh because his spring training was interrupted by a wart on his pitching hand and he was forced out of the rotation at the start of the season by a rib cage strain. The plan, according to manager Buck Showalter is to let him continue to work his way back into shape at the major league level, but I'm not sure that's a great idea. The last thing Matusz needs right now is to get banged around by the string of good-hitting teams that lies ahead on the Orioles schedule.

Matusz is a confident kid, but I'd hate to see that confidence get chipped away while he's not at his physical best.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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Both Matt Wieters and rookie Blake Davis were intrigued by the report that an optometrist had backed up Texas Rangers star Josh Hamilton's contention that blue-eyed hitters have more trouble hitting in the daytime than at night.

Wieters is blue-eyed and Davis -- interestingly enough -- has one blue eye and one brown eye.

"So he should hit exactly the same in both day and night games,'' Wieters said.

Davis does not have a track record, but Wieters does hit better at night than in the day. His numbers aren't dramatically different, but his average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage are all higher -- the difference most noticeable in his strikeout/walk ratio and his slugging percentage.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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My latest "News Item" column is up on the Web site. I weigh in on the Nationals strange managerial situation, the Orioles recent travails and a variety of other subjects from the last week. You can read it right here, right now or wait for tomorrow's print edition.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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Since I've spent a lot of time ripping the Orioles for their lack of patience at the plate, I've got to give them a shout out for squeezing the heck out of Reds starting pitcher Edison Volquez in the first and second innings.

If you need numerical proof, Volquez had thrown 49 pitches before he got his second out of the second inning.

That didn't stop the Orioles from adding another wasted opportunity to their vast collection this year. After Blake Davis tripled home two runs with his first major league hit in the second and Volquez walked J.J. Hardy on four pitches, Nick Markakis swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play to strand Davis.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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If you've been reading me regularly -- and who hasn't -- you know that I said it was imperative for the Orioles to win their interleague series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now because of any rivalry between the two cities, but because of the sad state of baseball in both towns and what it says to fans when you're selling a turnaround and you can't beat the NL version of yourself.

This is not about where the Orioles are in their redevelopment, because we already know where they are. It's really just a matter of public relations, because the most positive fans are looking for any reason to be optimistic and this series provided just the opposite. If you can't beat the other struggling teams, you're just exascerbating your credibility problem.

Here's the most important thing I learned from this series. The key player in this losing equation -- like last year is a player who isn't playing. Brian Roberts, when healthy, is the glue that holds the infield defense and the batting order together. When and if he comes back, I suspect you'll see a much more competitive team, but you've got to be starting to doubt whether Roberts will play again this season.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (44)
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The latest report on Brian Roberts was the same as the last couple. His concussion symptoms persist and now he's not expected to rejoin the team at least until after the All-Star break.

This creates a number of possible scenarios, one of which is the possibility that Roberts will not be back at all this year. I hope that's not the case, but we're talking about a serious health issue, so whatever is best for the guy is what should happen.

The happier scenario is a rerun of what happened last year. His return to the lineup clearly had an uplifting effect on the entire team and was a major factor in the Orioles' stunning turnaround during the final two months of last season. That's a lot to ask, but if it does happen, the Orioles will be building on much more of a foundation than they started with last August.

Of much more immediate concern is the outlook for starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz. Guthrie is scheduled to take the mound tonight against the Pirates at PNC Park. He suffered from back spasms in his last start, but rebounded quickly. If he's okay tonight, manager Buck Showalter can breathe a huge sigh or relief and focus all his concern on Matusz, who left his last start with leg cramps.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
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The other Baltimore/Pittsburgh sports rivalry heats up tonight at PNC Park, but there isn't quite as much at stake as when the Ravens and Steelers go at it with a chance to get to the Super Bowl.

It is important, however, because both teams are trying to drag themselves back from an interminable string of losing seasons, so a series loss by either team will register as another embarrassment to its fan following.

So far this season, the Pirates are in much better shape in the standings, both because they are one game under .500 (the O's are five under) and because they play in a division where that leaves them only four games out of first place. If they were in the AL East with that record, they would be in fifth place, a half-game behind the Toronto Blue Jays and eight games off the pace. And, of course, they would have to compile that record against tougher competition.

Though the Orioles won on Sunday and had optimistic things to say about the injuries that knocked Brian Matusz and Luke Scott out of Saturday's game and cast Jeremy Guthrie's next start into some doubt, I still contend that they are standing at the edge of a competitive cliff. If they can't win this series with their three top pitchers lined up (assuming Guthrie can go), it's hard to imagine them being very competitive over the ensuing month against a series of very good NL and AL teams.

The flip side: I'm not going to be an apologist here, but I will put the situation in a different perspective. If the Orioles were not coming off 13 consecutive losing seasons, it would be a lot easier to rationalize where they are right now. They've been without Brian Roberts for much of the first half. They've been without Brian Matusz for all but four starts. They did without J.J. Hardy for a lengthy DL stay. They lost veteran utility guy Cesar Izturis early on and have had to play without Derrek Lee because of both an injury and a bereavement leave. Things are tough all over, but in spite of all that, they still are a modest winning streak away from respectability. Okay, maybe I am being an apologist, but there are actually some people on the blog now who think I'm too negative.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (35)
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Maybe I'm being too negative here, but I've got a very bad feeling about the way this team is trending right now. I think that comes through in my column off today's loss, which you can read in tomorrow's print edition or check out right here, right now.

Now, before you jump off a cliff along with them, let's throw in an ounce of perspective. If you roll the standings back exactly one year, the Orioles were 18-49 on this date and 23 games out of first place after 67 games. They were 31 games under .500 then and six games under .500 now. They are 12 1/2 games better this season, though they are very frustrating to watch.

That's mathematical progress, and fairly dramatic mathematical progress, but it doesn't tell the story and it doesn't predict the future. Maybe Derrick Lee is busting out and Brian Matusz will be out there in five days improving on today's decent performance, but it looks more like they are digging a hole right now.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (32)
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If you thought it was odd that the Orioles had 18 hits and only scored four runs, that isn't the half of it. According to ESPN Stats and Research, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis became the first two batters on the same team to get four hits in the same game and not score or drive in a run since 1984, when Rod Carew and Fred Lynn achieved that dubious distinction for the 1984 California Angels.

I was there for that, too. Maybe it's me.

If that isn't a rare enough accomplishment, it was the first time since 1920 that three players -- Jones, Markakis and Lee -- had four or more hits in the same game without driving in a single run.

I was not there for that. In fact, there wasn't even a Yankee Stadium yet the last time that happened.

Can't wait to see what statistical magic the Orioles will work today.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
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In their quest to find as many different ways to lose as possible, the Orioles got a total of four runs on 18 hits in last night's loss to the Washington Nationals, which is one of those good news/bad news stats that -- I guess -- says that somebody was doing something right and everything still turned out wrong.

This O's team is about as proficient at wasting scoring opportunities as I've seen in my lengthy career, and I've been around a lot of bad Orioles teams. Twice, they put the first two runners on base with no one out and immediately hit into a double play each time. When the Nationals created the same situation against O's starter Zach Britton with the Orioles up 2-0 in the fifth, pitcher Jason Marquis laid down a solid sacrifice bunt and Mark Reynolds fired the ball down the right field line to facilitate a big inning that featured three unearned runs.

Manager Buck Showalter wasn't ready to lay the blame for another ugly loss on just one player, but he may be ready to explode.

"We had plenty of opportunities to make that not matter,'' he said. "Hanging it on one player...I'm not going to do that...Those things are correctable."

The Orioles are five games under .500 and they've lost enough games they should have won to be a solid .500-plus team right now.

No, I'm not saying they are better than this. The way they are playing right now, they might be overachieving to only be 10 games out of first place.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
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By most accounts, the Orioles should be about six runs ahead right now. They have banged out 10 hits in five innings against Jason Marquis, but were lucky to score two runs in the fourth inning -- on a terrible play at the plate by Nats catcher Wilson Ramos and an RBI double that was pitcher Zach Britton's first major league hit.

That gave the Orioles a two-run lead, which they were happy to give back an inning later, when an ugly throwing error by Mark Reynolds helped the Nationals turn a modest scoring opportunity into a four-run inning to take the lead.

The Orioles had two runners on and no one out in two other innings, but -- as has become their custom -- did nothing with those opportunities while they waited for the Nationals to mount a comeback.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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Zach Britton clearly looked like he felt a twinge in his side when he leapt to try and flag down Jayson Werth's inning-opening bouncer in the bottom of the first. Britton came down and seemed uncomfortable. He stretched behind the mound and then resumed pitching, throwing three straight balls to No. 2 hitter Ian Desmond before finding the strike zone again.

We'll have to just see how the next few innings play out, but with the way things have been going on the Orioles pitching staff, it doesn't take much to raise a red flag,

The good news, however, is that Jeremy Guthrie's back soreness apparently is not the result of a serious injury. The team said today that he is expected to make his next scheduled start.

Instant update: Britton appears to be fine. Has pitched through two innings and bounced out in his first major league at-bat.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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The streaky Orioles are about to take the field against the streaking Washington Nationals in the nation's capital, but I'll be making no prediction tonight. I'm still basking in the glory of yesterday's fulfilled promise that the O's would not be swept by the Toronto Blue Jays.

If the Orioles stay true to form, they should do all right this weekend, since they tend to win their games in small handfuls. The Nats have been on a terrific offensive roll, but that's nothing a sharp Zach Britton can't turn in his favor. (Can't wait to see him hit after watching some impressive batting practice sessions at Camden Yards)

The Orioles have had their way with Nats starter Jason Marquis, but it's small sample. He's 0-1 with an 11.42 ERA in four appearances, two of them starts. He has been pretty successful this season, but gave up five earned runs in four innings in his only appearance against the Orioles and was removed before he could get the decision in a 17-5 Nationals victory.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The Orioles finally pried a victory out of Rogers Centre, beating the Blue Jays, 4-3, though not without a ton of intrigue and one big piece of disturbing news. Jeremy Guthrie was cruising along with a one-hit shutout when his back seized up after the fifth inning. The Orioles put him in position to win with two runs in the top of the sixth, but took him out of the decision when a defensive blunder by young Ryan Adams helped the Blue Jays tie the game.

For once, however, the Orioles managed to hold them there and scored two runs in the top of the ninth to end the Jays' 16-game winning streak against them in Toronto.

Adams had a very tough day, making the big error and hitting into three double plays, but he got one more chance in the ninth and poked a single through the drawn-up infield to account for the final margin of victory.

There was suspense to the end. Closer Kevin Gregg gave up a foul screen home run to sizzling Adam Lind to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but retired the next three batters in order to record his 13th save.

I'm not surprised, of course, since I guaranteed an Orioles victory this morning. I also guaranteed a win by Guthrie, but his back refused to cooperate. Hopefully for the Orioles, the back spasm was minor and he'll be ready to go in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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What does it tell you when the most patient hitter on the Orioles roster is Mark Reynolds, a guy who struck out more than 200 times in each of the past three seasons? When Reynolds walked in the third inning today, it was his 36th base on balls of the season, which is 15 more than anybody else in an Orioles uniform.

I've got to give him some credit for that, since I was pretty critical of the two times he looked at called third strikes in big RISP situations on Tuesday night, but I've got to wonder what's going on in the heads of the other hitters. I'll give Ricky Romero all the credit in the world for pitching a terrific game last night, but the O's helped make it possible by rushing him through the first two innings on just 14 pitches.

Maybe I'm stretching this point, but I've never seen so many hitters bail opposing pitchers out of great hitters' counts with pop ups and double-play balls. There's a difference between being aggressive in good hitting situations and being overly aggressive to the point where opposing pitchers know they do not have to throw the ball in the strike zone when the count is 2-0.

The Yankees and Red Sox squeeze pitchers by taking first strikes. The Orioles squeeze themselves by fishing for questionable pitches early in counts. Vladimir Guerrero can afford to do that. Adam Jones can't.

If you;'re watching the game right now, you just saw Derrek Lee swing from his heels at a 2-0 pitch that was low enough to hit him in the ankle. Next time I see him, I'll thank him for illustrating my point.

Instant update: Today, Zach Stewart is making his major league debut, and they're being shut out through five innings. He might be that good, but how are we supposed to know when the Orioles seem to make everybody look like Cliff Lee.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
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I'm sorry that the reader comments don't post as fast as they used to, and hope we can find a way to rectify that situation, but I thought I'd highlight my favorite post from the last few hours. It comes from Harry, who felt my guarantee that the Orioles would win today was irresponsible and may have put Canadians in danger.

Harry's take: That's crazy talk---think of the consequences---an Orioles win would spark another Canadian riot---hell, I might even turn over my car and burn it...

My take: What was I thinking? Well, at least they have national health care.

One more thing: To those of you who wrote in to correct my math, you are correct about the real statistical probability of a coin coming up heads on the 17th consecutive flip. Not a tough concept. Where you come up short is recognizing my keen sense of humor, but maybe that's my fault.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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It's almost impossible to assail my logic in guaranteeing that the Orioles will avert a three-game sweep today with an afternoon victory over the Toronto Blue Jays with the roof open at Rogers Centre.

Quite simply, it has been scientifically proven that you can't lose them all. The Orioles have to win today because they've lost 16 straight games in Toronto and the odds against losing 17 straight are astronomical. It's sort of like flipping a coin and getting heads 16 times in a row. You know that it's got to be a million to one against a head coming up on the 17th flip. Duh!

The same goes for Jeremy Guthrie, who also has defied the odds by winning just one game since Opening Day in spite of holding a sub-4.00 ERA for much of the past 2 1/2 months. that's hard to do.

Really, there isn't much else bad left to happen to this team. The Orioles clearly are destined to win today and begin another five-game winning streak. I guarantee it.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
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I've got mixed feelings about the way home plate umpire Jerry Layne has called tonight's game at Rogers Centre.

Being a baseball purist, I think his double-wide strike zone is an abomination, though he has been consistent regardless of who's on the mound.

Being a guy who loves a full night's sleep, I like the way it has kept the game moving along and a brisk pace.

The difference in this game -- and it's not a big difference -- is that Jays starter Ricky Romero has had terrific command and has kept the ball out of the middle of the strike zone. Jake Arrieta has pitched well, too, but he has left a couple of balls close to the hot spot and the Jays have a pair of solo homers as a result.

Oh, and there's the uncanny ability of the Orioles to turn an opportunity into an embarrassment, as they did in the fourth inning, when they had runners at first and second with no one out. Adam Jones got himself out swinging at two balls well down and off the plate and Vladimir Guerrero swung at the first pitch and bounced into a room service double play. It's what they do.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
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Going into the third inning of tonight's game between the Orioles and Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Jays pitcher Ricky Romero is on pace to throw 63 pitches over nine innings.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
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If my fairly extensive experience covering the baseball labor wars of the past three decades allow me any instinct about the NFL dispute at all, let me give you football fans a piece of advice. The guys and gals from ESPN, Fox Sports, NFL.com and all the other print, television and internet reporters are working very hard to give you a feel for what's going on at the super-secret negotiating site outside Washington, D.C., but they are filtering countless small fragments of information that may or may not fit together to give a true sense of where the negotiations stand.

One day, you're hearing that there appears to be some kind of progress. The next, you're reading -- as in the story you can jump to right here -- that the talks "almost blew up."

Here's what everybody knows. The soft deadline for starting the season on time is about Aug. 10, so it seems unlikely that either side is going to make any dramatic concessions on June 15. Maybe the NFL players union and the owners are more reasonable than the people who blew up the 1994 baseball postseason (I certainly hope so), but even the unnamed sources who are expressing optimism are saying that they wouldn't expect an agreement for another month.

In the meantime, I'll bet you my Orioles playoff tickets that there will be at least a couple of occasions where news outlets jump the gun with a piece of information that seems to indicate an agreement is at hand, so don't believe everything you read.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure a lot of your are still gnashing your teeth over the way the Orioles battled back from a 4-1 deficit last night and then just waited around for the Toronto Blue Jays to hit them with a big stick in extra innings.

That makes 15 straight victories over the Orioles at Rogers Centre, which is pretty hard to do -- even against the Orioles.

Here's the good news. Koji Uehara gave up that game-winning home run to Adam Lind while you could still get to bed at a reasonable time. The alternative was to stay up all night waiting for the Orioles to get a clutch hit, and you would probably be sitting in front of the TV right now because they seemed determined to get a couple of guys on base in every inning and then lay their bats down.

Don't want to point fingers, but if the defense had been adequate in the early innings, Chris Jakubauskus would have given up only two runs over five or six innings. And if Mark Reynolds looks at another called third strike with runners in scoring position and less than two outs, I'm going to stick my head in the oven.

Okay, I understand that hitting is hard and sometimes you guess wrong at the plate, but with the go-ahead run at third base and one out, most guys swing at a ball that makes a perfect bulls-eye inside that little strike zone graphic they use on MASN. The second time was a borderline pitch, but two called third strikes with RISP and less than two outs late in the game and you're probably not wondering why the other team ends up celebrating at home plate.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)
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If you haven't already, you can read my column for tomorrow's print edition right here, right now. I weigh in on the possibility or a J.J. Hardy contract extension and try to make sense of the rest of the midseason trade possibilities.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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The notion that Mark Connor resigned as Orioles pitching coach on Monday because of the struggles of some of his pitchers doesn't make any sense to me. Connor has been a great pitching coach for a long time, and you don't get to be that by getting frustrated when things don't go well. You get to be that by helping guys correct the problems that keep them from having success.

Connor apparently told manager Buck Showalter that he just couldn't grind out another long season and give the effort the job deserves. I don't see any reason to doubt that, though I can see why somebody could look in from the outside and wonder if he just got tired of the uphill battle he had been fighting with this inconsistent pitching staff.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
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The Orioles again find themselves in a difficult spot as they open a three-game series in Toronto tonight at Rogers Centre. They let some opportunities slip through their fingers over the weekend to fall three games under .500, and the distance between last place and first place in the American League East is widening quickly.

Tonight's game will be a particular challenge for the sporatic Orioles offense. They'll face a pitcher in Carlos Villanueva who has worked his way into the Jays rotation and is 3-0 in his four starts, including a very solid 5 1/3 innings against the Orioles at Camden Yards on June 3. He is stretched out now, so he could be around a lot longer than that it the O's don't force him to work.

Orioles starter Chris Jakubauskas is coming off a strong performance in his first Orioles start, giving up just three hits over five innings against a soft Oakland A's lineup. He'll need to be better than that against the Jays, who rank third in the American League in runs scored and tied for second in home runs.

The ensuing matchups appear a bit more favorable, with Jake Arrieta going for his ninth victory against Ricky Romera -- who allowed 14 baserunners against the O's on June 4 -- and Jeremy Guthrie facing Jo-Jo Reyes (2-5), but I think the Orioles will be very fortunate to get back across the border with more than one victory.

The best news for the pitching staff is the return of first baseman Derrek Lee from the bereavement list. He has not been the major offensive force the Orioles had hoped for when they signed him, but his defensive acumen has been a major positive for the club so far.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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My column for the Sunday print edition is already up on the Web site, so you can read it right here.

The column was written before Jeremy Guthrie took the mound tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays tonight, but the outcome isn't going to affect my opinion. I think he's a good pitcher who has had a lot of bad luck and probably would benefit from a midseason trade to a competitive team that might give him more run support.

Let me know what you think.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (30)
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Former Orioles beat writer Buster Olney cites several sources claiming that a modest realignment could be part of the next baseball labor agreement, but I can't imagine that MLB wants to emulate the NBA playoff system by going to two 15-team leagues that would each produce five playoff teams.

Here's a link to the story.

The current baseball model has been so successful that MLB revenues have more than tripled since the disastrous labor war of 1994-95. Going with a system in which the top five teams would advance might increase late-season interest in some mediocre clubs, but it would remove a lot of the suspense from the regular season for the elite teams that have to battle each other for their respective division titles.

I would oppose any attempt to increase the number of playoff teams, but I could live with an extra wild card in each league, which would create a play-in series and expand the postseason to four rounds. I wouldn't be in favor of it, but it wouldn't seriously diminish the integrity of the regular season.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles, at least theoretically, could get back to the .500 mark tonight with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, but I wouldn't be the farm on that. Rays ace David Price has strung together three strong outings after struggling through a couple of tough starts in late May.

The O's are on something of a roll right now, outscoring opponents 18-4 in their four-game winning streak, and they beat Price on Opening Night at Tropicana Field.

Tonight's game will be a rematch between Price and Orioles No. 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie, who won that first game with a strong eight-inning performance, but has won just one decision since then.

J.J. Hardy will make his third start in the leadoff spot. He has homered to lead off each of his first two starts at the top of the order. Nolan Reimold is in the lineup batting sixth and Brandon Snyder will hit ninth and play first base.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Nick Markakis doubled home two more runs in the eighth inning to finish with a career-high six RBI -- matching his RBI total for his previous 27 games. He has been working tirelessly to pull out of a lengthy run-production and snapped a string of 88 at-bats without an extra-base hit with his third career grand slam in the second.

"There's still a lot more hard work to be done,'' he said afterward. "I feel better, but I still don't feel I'm where I need to be."

Here's the bottom line. His revival at the plate would provide a huge boost to an Orioles offense that has had way too much trouble scoring runs. This would be a great time for the offensive attack to become more consistent, since both the starting rotation and the bullpen appear to have settled into a pretty good groove.

The shutout was the Orioles' fifth of the year and second of the homestand. The three hits allowed were the fewest this year.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It was starting to look like the Orioles would blow another prime scoring opportunity after they put runners at second and third with no one out on Friday night. When Felix Pie lined out softly and Robert Andino laid down an apparent squeeze bunt with Luke Scott holding at third, you had to think this was going to be another one of those frustrating moments for the O's inconsistent offense.

Instead, Jeremy Hellickson walked J.J. Hardy to load the bases and Nick Markakis yanked the first pitch over the scoreboard in right field to give the Orioles a five-run lead. It was Nick's third career grand slam and his first extra-base in 89 at-bats.

OK, now that you've got an in-game update, why don't you take a look at my latest "News Item" column. You can find it right here.

Blog update: Because of a spam problem, the entire Sun comment system is in a "must approve" mode, at least for the time being. Several of you have posted comments that have not gone up and have been lost in the system, but bear with me and I'll try to get this thing moving again.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Just baseball
        

If you haven't already, here's the column I just wrote on new Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy. The kid has all the tools, but it's still a long road to major league stardom.

The Orioles will be very careful with him. They picked one of the most highly-touted young pitchers in the history of the draft when Ben McDonald came out of LSU in the late 1980s, but he never reached the full potential ascribed to him. The Nationals got the can't-miss pitcher of this century when they drafted Stephen Strasburg, and now they're waiting for him to come back from extensive arm surgery. You just never know.

Blog update: Apparently, while I was on vacation, the Sun web site experienced some technical difficulties as a result of a spam attack. That's why the comments section has reverted to the old system, where I had to approve every comment before it was published. I certainly hope this situation is not permanent, because I like the free-wheeling discussions that go on here and I can't sit at my laptop all day long keeping the comments flowing evenly. I'll do the best I can and keep you posted.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles got a very solid performance from spot starter Chris Jakubauskas tonight on the way to their fourth shutout victory of the year, but that isn't enough. They need to put the hammer down one more time on the slumping A's and inch closer to .500 before the weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

They'll face Jeremy Hellickson, David Price and Wade Davis, which means it's going to be a very difficult home series for a team that is averaging 3.3 runs in its last 11 games.

It would certainly help if Luke Scott is really breaking out again at the plate...and it would help even more if Nick Markakis could get his groove back. He hasn't had an extra-base hit in his last 84 at-bats and has just five singles in 40 at-bats over the last 10 games. He's got to snap out of this at some point. This weekend would be a particularly good time as the O's try go sneak up on .500 again.

Look for Zach Britton to snap a five-week winless streak today. He has lost three straight decisions, though his three no-decisions during that span were quality starts and one of them featured nine shutout innings. The Orioles were 2-1 in his no-decision games.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Okay, I've returned from my Southern California vacation to find that my Facebook friends are way better at geography than my blog commentors. No one even attempted to answer my "Where's Waldo?" question about the James Dean bust, which is located at the Griffith Observatory high above Los Angeles.

If you aren't a movie trivia buff, an important chunk of the 1950s movie classic "Rebel Without a Cause" was filmed at the Observatory, which features planetarium shows and some of the greatest views of the LA area. If you look one way, you see the LA skyline. Turn around, and there's the Hollywood sign. Really a great tourist spot.

That was the same day I visited the Gene Autry Western Heritage Center, which also is located in the park. The museum is terrific, featuring one of the finest collections of western art as well as a comprehensive display that chronicles the history of western movies and television shows. It's a special place for me because I had the privilege of knowing Gene Autry, who owned the Angels during my time covering them and was very generous with his time and memories of his days as one of the biggest box office stars in Hollywood.

Of course, no visit to that area is complete without a visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where you can retrace Reagan's movie career, relive the 1970s and 1980s and walk through the Air Force One that was in use during his administration. No political comment here, but I've got to say one thing. No matter what you thought of Reagan's politics, I can't think of anyone who lived a more varied and eventful life.

We were also going to go to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA, but we heard that the admission line had an 18 1/2-minute gap, and we didn't want to wait.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

If you're wondering again where I've disappeared to, I'm including a photo that should give you a clue. I'll be interested to see how many of the baseball nuts on this blog are well-traveled enough to identify the exact location where this photo was taken. No Googling. Honor system.

I've been on vacation out West for the past week, but I'll be back in the saddle for the Orioles' next home series. I think I picked the right time to enjoy some well-deserved R&R, since I'm not sure my heart could have taken some of those ridiculous losses.

I'm not at today's game, of course, but I've got to ask a question. When you allow 10 baserunners in 3 2/3 innings and top off the fourth by giving up a three-run homer to center field...is that good???

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

Listen, I know the Orioles are a so-so team with all sorts of flaws, but I cannot explain how they find a different way to lose ignominiously just about every week. I've been around a long time, and the kind of loss they suffered on Tuesday night at Safeco Field happens to every team about once or twice every year. Trouble is, that's the fourth or fifth already this year (I'd be more specific, but I just can't bear to go back and check) that the O's have suffered such a discouraging late-inning setback.

I think if you go back to this time last year, you'll find an almost identical post. I vaguely remember saying the same thing as the O's were immolating during the first half of the 2010 season. And here we go again. The Orioles lost that game to the Red Sox a couple of weeks ago after leading by six runs heading into the late innings. Most teams will not do that once this year. But they already had lost a game in which they held a 5-0 lead over the Yankees.

Maybe it isn't fair to throw in the 15-inning game against the Yankees in which they simply choked on several extra-inning scoring opportunities, but I'm going to anyway. Now, Jeremy Guthrie -- the victim of the famous Mother's Day Meltdown of a few years ago, melted down all by himself.

He committed the error that kept the eighth inning alive, then allowed a single and a game-winning three-run home run. Can't remember seeing that particular combination of events in my three decades or so of baseball coverage, but I'm sure something like that has happened once or twice. The fact that it is happening once or twice a week really does test the limits of credulity.

Seriously, that kind of thing is hard to do, but it seems to be the one thing the Orioles are really good at.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (80)
Categories: Just baseball