With Monday's 7 p.m. amateur draft looming, the Orioles are basically in the same spot they were in a few days ago.
They're waiting for the potential multimillion-dollar dominoes to fall.
The Orioles have sharpened their list of potential players to take No. 4 overall, but who will be there seemingly has not been determined. The top players available include UCLA right-handers Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen, Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon and Oklahoma prep pitcher Dylan Bundy.
"Nothing has really changed; we are waiting to get information on the clubs in front of us, and we'll then try to figure out our plans," said Joe Jordan, who is in charge of his seventh draft as the Orioles' director of amateur scouting. "We are more in the wait-and-see mode right now, which means we are getting close."
The Pittsburgh Pirates pick first and could be leaning toward Cole, a prototypical power pitcher who can reach 100 mph with his fastball. The Seattle Mariners choose second and are reportedly looking to boost their offense and could tab Rendon, who is considered a plus offensive and defensive player assuming he can rebound from an injured shoulder which has sapped his power and limited him to six games in the field in 2011.
At least partial medical records on Rendon's shoulder have been released to all major league clubs. Whether teams are comfortable enough with the results to invest a top pick and a significant signing bonus in Rendon is one of the more intriguing storylines of this draft.
With the third pick, the Diamondbacks have been linked to Bauer, Hultzen and Bundy, with some pundits expecting Arizona to take the eccentric Bauer.
If that happens, the Orioles would be left to choose between Hultzen, a Bethesda native who is considered the most polished pitcher available, and Bundy, who may have highest upside and is the brother of Frederick Keys starter Bobby Bundy.
"We would have a tough decision to make," Jordan said.
The Orioles like both and would almost certainly grab the one that remains if Arizona snags the other. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has been following the matter with intense interest but said that ultimately it is up to Jordan to make the call.
"I am aware of what's going on. You've got to be blind not to know what's going on in the draft and the names mentioned," Showalter said. "But as far as calling up Joe and saying take this guy or that guy and him doing it, I hope not. No. But there's not [many] secrets this time of year, unless it is trying to find a physical on somebody."
Scott gets cortisone shot
The Orioles had a man on base and two outs in the ninth inning of Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays when Robert Andino came to the plate against right-hander Jon Rauch. It was the perfect time to use Luke Scott as a pinch-hitter, but Showalter stuck with Andino, who was called out on a questionable third strike.
After the game, Showalter revealed that Scott had a cortisone injection in his ailing right shoulder Sunday and the manager did not want to put him in the game in any circumstance.
"He'll be available [Monday]," Showalter said. "They did it before the game, and he told me that he thought he could probably pinch hit, but for me that wasn't an option, and I certainly wasn't going to broadcast it before the game."
Scott has a torn labrum that limits his ability to throw in left field and to hit with authority. Last year's team Most Valuable Player is batting .224 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 46 games.
"I've been doing a lot of scapula exercises and it has been feeling better, but it still bothers me and, subconsciously, it is a challenge to deal with," he said. "So I saw this as an opportunity to get a cortisone shot and see where that goes."
If the cortisone shot does not help, Scott said that doesn't mean he is headed toward the disabled list and in-season surgery. He has elected to play through the problem — which he has been dealing with all season — and is hopeful his situation will improve.
"Obviously, it is impacting my hitting. I have had trouble turning on balls. It is my lead shoulder, which is the most important. That's what takes the bat to the ball," Scott said. "It's a challenge, but it happens in this game, happens in life. So what are you going to do with it? I could complain, I can try to make excuses: 'But, hey, I have a torn labrum, and that's why I am not hitting.' I am not making any excuses. It's a challenge for me, but I believe I can still do a good job."
Klein shut down at Bowie
Dan Klein, the organization's second pick in the 2010 amateur draft and perhaps the best pitching prospect in the Orioles' farm system, has been shut down with a shoulder injury.
He is expected to be placed on the seven-day disabled list with bicipital tendinitis, basically a sore right shoulder. The Orioles don't have a timetable for his return but are optimistic the problem is not significant. Klein missed all of his sophomore season at UCLA in 2009 after undergoing exploratory shoulder surgery.
"We want to make sure he is 100 percent before he pitches again," Orioles director of player development John Stockstill said.
Klein, 22, is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in nine relief appearances for Double-A Bowie. He was promoted after going 0-1 with a 1.15 ERA in seven outings for Single-A Frederick this season. In 321/3 innings this year, he has surrendered four earned runs, 23 hits, six walks while striking out 37 batters.
Jakubauskas likely to start
Orioles right-hander Alfredo Simon threw three innings in relief Sunday, taking him out of the running for Tuesday's spot start against the Oakland Athletics.
The Orioles have not officially named the starter, but the assignment likely falls to righty Chris Jakubauskas, who threw two innings of relief Friday. Jakubauskas hasn't started since April 24, 2010, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That start ended with his 12th pitch, when the Houston Astros' Lance Berkman hit a line drive off Jakubauskas' head. He didn't pitch again for the Pirates.
Jakubauskas has been in five games with the Orioles this year, all in relief. He is 0-0 with a 6.39 ERA, allowing 18 hits and six walks in 122/3 innings.
Around the horn
Showalter said infielder Ryan Adams likely would be demoted to Triple-A Norfolk soon to get regular playing time after starting just three games and getting 12 at-bats with the Orioles. The club would likely recall a reserve infielder, but both veterans at Norfolk, Brendan Harris (.216 average) and Nick Green (.195), are struggling offensively. … Andino started his 14th game at second base Sunday. He is filling in for Brian Roberts, who is on the DL with a concussion. … Shortstop Cesar Izturis (elbow surgery) is back in Baltimore and will rehabilitate with the club's athletic trainers before heading to Sarasota, Fla., to continue his rehab when the team leaves for the road next week. He is on the 60-day disabled list but still hopes to play this season. … Shortstop prospect Manny Machado (dislocated kneecap) was officially reinstated to Single-A Delmarva's active roster Sunday and went 1-for-4 with a run. … Infield prospect Jonathan Schoop was promoted from Delmarva to Frederick on Sunday and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his debut at High-A. … Mark Reynolds' 128 career homers before getting his first grand slam Saturday night were the most by an active player. … Left-hander Michael Gonzalez, who hadn't pitched since May 27, threw a perfect ninth Sunday. … Lefty Brian Matusz makes his second start of the season Monday and first at Camden Yards this year.
dan.connolly@baltsun.com
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