jimmy paredes

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters was scheduled to have precautionary X-rays taken before Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates as Ed Smith Stadium.

The wind was blowing out of Ed Smith Stadium, but it was the Minnesota Twins who took greater advantage of the homer-friendly conditions on the way to a wild 10-9 victory over the Orioles on Tuesday.

It only took two weeks and 15 exhibition games, but the Orioles finally erupted at the plate Monday afternoon in a homer-happy 16-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies before a sellout crowd of 8,047 at Bright House Field.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said earlier this spring that infielder Everth Cabrera would likely see time in the outfield this spring, and Cabrera will make his first Grapefruit League start this afternoon, starting in center field and leading off against the Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Field.

Orioles right-hander Bud Norris has his spot in the rotation sealed, so this spring his pitching line isn¿t as important as maintaining his health.

Right-hander Chris Tillman was the last Orioles starting pitcher to make his spring debut, and was sharp in his first Grapefruit League outing on Monday afternoon.

¿One day after Orioles reserves orchestrated a late-inning rally that fell just short, they again came back late and this time beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, for the club's first Grapefruit League win of the spring on Thursday afternoon at Charlotte Sports Park.

The Orioles will play their first split-squad games of spring training Thursday when they travel to Port Charlotte to face the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 p.m. and then play host to the Toronto Blue Jays at Ed Smith Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

Orioles pitchers were battered for three home runs and the bats managed just four hits in their 15-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers in both teams¿ Grapefruit League opener at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The Orioles open their Grapefruit League schedule today with 1:05 p.m. against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The Orioles' pending deal with infielder Everth Cabrera is expected to be finalized Wednesday as the team officially kicks off spring training with its first full-squad workout of the season.

Here are five things the Orioles can do between now and Opening Day, April 6, to keep the 2015 season alive throughout October.

The Orioles haven't used Delmon Young to pinch hit in close games recently.

Behind the scenes, the Orioles front office relies on a range of contributors, from old-school scouts who gauge talent by watching players compete to younger executives adept at the statistics-driven approach captured in "Moneyball," the best-selling book and motion picture.

Because he has spent most of his six-season career with the Houston Astros, Orioles right-hander Bud Norris has never had the opportunity to pitch in the postseason. That changes Sunday, when Norris will start Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez said he was somewhat surprised that he was added to the Orioles' American League Division Series roster, but he thought he might have a chance after the way he had pitched down the stretch.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before Thursday's game that he faced some difficult choices in selecting the team's American League Division Series roster, but he said the decision to add right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez gives his 11-man pitching staff a dynamic that he likes.

Ubaldo Jimenez makes Os ALDS roster. team goes with 2 lefties in pen

In considering his American League Division Series roster, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said this weekend in Toronto that his biggest decision was whether he would carry 10 or 11 pitchers in the best-of-five series against the Detroit Tigers.

Showalter said he still needed to tell some players about their status for the ALDS.

Much has been made about what the Orioles' roster for the American League Division Series will look like. It'll likely be known later today, though manager Buck Showalter doesn't have to submit it until Thursday morning.

Needing to replace three All Stars, the Orioles looked to Steve Pearce, Caleb Joseph, Nick Hundley and Ryan Flaherty

TORONTO ¿ Alexi Casilla woke up Friday morning expected to fly home to his native Dominican Republic that night to prepare for the upcoming winter ball season. Instead, he was on a flight to Toronto to join the Orioles with an opportunity to make the team¿s postseason roster.

Defense has been one of the keys to the Orioles' success over the past three seasons. But since they lost American League Platinum Glove winner Manny Machado for the season following right-knee surgery in August, the club has struggled to find a steady replacement.

Over the past three seasons, one of the foundations of the Orioles success has been their defense. But in recent days, it's becoming evident that the team¿s defense isn't up to the standard that manager Buck Showalter has set.

Despite the 5-0 loss Monday to the New York Yankees, the Orioles still clinched home-field advantage in the AL Division Series with the Detroit Tigers' loss to the Chicago White Sox.

The starting lineup the Orioles fielded Friday night against the Boston Red Sox was one more likely to be seen in March than September.

The Orioles' lineup for Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox looks more like it is ready for Fort Myers, Fla., in March than Camden Yards in September. That's what happens when you clinch your division with a week-plus to play, I suppose.

After clinching the American League East title Tuesday, the Orioles are in a bit of a baseball limbo: Do they try to catch the Los Angeles Angels for the AL's top seed, or do they forget about trying to get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and try to spell their regulars?

Somehow, some way, the Orioles are the 2014 American League East champions.

Kelly Johnson has worn an Orioles uniform for just two weeks, but he already owns his own little part of Oriole Magic.

After being sent to the bullpen, Jimenez to start at least one more regular-season game

Despite holding the Yankees to just three hits over six innings, the Orioles fell to the Yankees, 3-2, before an announced sellout of 44,231.

"I mean, it's sad, you know?" said Cruz, who was suspended 50 games for his involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing-drug scandal last season. "You don't want to see nobody go through this."

The Orioles¿ final homestand of the regular season was supposed to be one of celebration. All signs pointed to the club¿s clinching its first American League East title since 1997 at Camden Yards, and Friday¿s split doubleheader against the New York Yankees gave the Orioles a chance to take two more sizable steps toward the postseason.

The team announced Friday morning that Davis, who was batting .196 with 26 home runs and 72 RBIs, had failed a second drug test for banned amphetamines. Davis accepted the suspension and said in a statement issued by the players union that he took Adderall.

Now the Orioles' postseason dreams will have to be realized without Chris Davis, whose suspension would end, at the earliest, late in the American League Championship Series.

Stressing that it was more precautionary than alarming, the Orioles sent starting shortstop J.J. Hardy back to Baltimore on Monday night to see a team doctor about his balky back.

The Orioles didn't play their best baseball this weekend. But after a career day by Nelson Cruz in a 7-5 win in 11 innings over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon, they left Tropicana Field with a 9 1/2-game lead in the American League East.

Within the last week the Orioles have added Jimmy Paredes, Alejandro De Aza, and Quintin Berry to their roster. The moves address a major deficiency of this club: A lack of speed.

The Orioles had five hits -- all singles -- to score four runs in the first inning against Reds right-hander Mat Latos and then held on for a 5-4 win in front of an announced 15,021 at Camden Yards.

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy said his lower back is feeling much better and he is able to play, but manager Buck Showalter wanted to give him a full day off.

The Orioles (79-57) had their four-game winning streak snapped and saw their lead in the American League East division drop to 8 1/2 games over the idle New York Yankees. The Twins (60-77) have won just two of their last nine games.

The Orioles entered the final month of the regular season with the second-best record in the major leagues, a sizable American League East lead and their offense catching fire at the right time.

Here's a look at the Orioles' acquisition of Alejandro De Aza and Kelly Johnson, amongo thers.

On Saturday night, in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, the Orioles didn't pitch well and squandered several scoring opportunities, but they ultimately squeaked out another win.