O's make series of moves

BALTIMORE -- Three hours before Monday's game, the Orioles' clubhouse had an atmosphere resembling a high school reunion, with players reacquainting with teammates and meeting others for the first time.
Javy Lopez welcomed his team home, Eli Marrero checked out his new home locker and first-round draft pick Brandon Snyder met members of the team and front office.

But the call up of hard-throwing reliever Chris Ray from Double-A Bowie meant that one pitcher would be saying goodbye shortly after being welcomed back from a 13-game road trip.

Because he still could be optioned to the Minors, John Parrish was that player. Parrish is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA, but he has walked 17 batters in 17 1/3 innings this season.

"I know I haven't been that consistent," said Parrish, who was wished good luck by several teammates in front of his locker. "I'd go out and throw a good game and come back and walk three guys."

The Orioles sent Parrish to Bowie -- as opposed to Triple-A Ottawa -- because he doesn't have a Canadian visa, Executive Vice President Jim Beattie said.

"He's a kid who has tremendous stuff, but he needs to be able to command his pitches," Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli said.

The 27-year-old left-hander had been working primarily in long relief, which will become a role for Ray.

The O's purchased the contract of Ray, 23, on Sunday. For the Baysox, the former William & Mary closer was 1-2 with a 1.10 ERA. He recorded 15 consecutive saves and struck out 37 hitters in 32 2/3 innings.

"As a closer, you have to come in there with confidence. So I expected to succeed, and things just went my way," said Ray, who throws in the mid- to high-90s and features a slider and splitter.

Before meeting the media for the first time, Ray received some advice from pitching coach Ray Miller. Miller joked that Ray should give the reporters vague answers, but he didn't have too profound of a message on how to pitch.

"They just keep telling me to pitch like I did in Bowie and keep attacking hitters," Ray said.

Despite only seeing him pitch on tape, Mazzilli said he has no trepidation about using the rookie in close games.

"We'll throw him in the fire," Mazzilli said. "We need someone right now in the middle of the game to take us that inning or two to get us to the back end of the bullpen."

Bigbie back: The other transaction before Monday's game was the activation of outfielder Larry Bigbie from the 15-day disabled list. To clear space, Ramon Nivar was optioned to Ottawa.

Bigbie welcomed himself back to the club by smacking his first home run of the season on the first pitch he saw from Houston starter Brandon Backe in the second inning.

Bigbie headed to the DL on May 28 after struggling with a lingering hamstring injury. After a rehab stint with Ottawa, where he played in the outfield the last two games, Bigbie said he feels much better.

Larry Bigbie / LF
Born: 11/04/77
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 215 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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Mazzilli said he doesn't have any worries about Bigbie's condition.

"He had no problems running and played the outfield," Mazzilli said. "He's 100 percent."

While Bigbie said before going on the DL that he also wanted a chance to refine his swing, he didn't get much of a chance to concentrate on that with the Lynx.

"When you get down there, the main thing is to key on the injury," he said. "I'll take care of the swing [now]."

Entering Monday's game, Bigbie was hitting .241 with only nine RBIs. He said he was upset about being unable to contribute to the team, but he did not blame the injury for his lack of production at the plate.

Nivar was 4-for-13 (.357) in seven games with the O's.

Catching up: Lopez exchanged several left-handed handshakes in the clubhouse on Monday. He no longer has a cast on his right hand, which was broken by a foul ball off the bat of Bret Boone on May 21.

Head trainer Richie Bancells said Lopez will be checked by a hand specialist on Tuesday, and he expects the catcher to be able to begin exercising the hand and his right forearm shortly thereafter.

Home cooking: Jay Gibbons returned to the lineup on Monday after sitting out Friday and Saturday with food poisoning and having one pinch-hit at-bat on Sunday.

Like Bigbie, he wasted no time marking his return with his 10th home run of the season on the second pitch he saw from Backe in the second inning.

Together again: Sammy Sosa -- who may be forever linked in history with Mark McGwire for their pursuit of the single-season home run record in 1998 -- is one home run shy of tying the former A's and Cardinals slugger for sixth on the all-time list.

Sosa hit Nos. 581 and 582 on Sunday in Cincinnati.

On deck: The Orioles will send Bruce Chen (5-4, 3.61 ERA) to the mound in the second of three games against the Astros at Camden Yards on Tuesday. Former Yankee left-hander Andy Pettitte (3-6, 3.43 ERA) will make the start for Houston.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Snyder eager to get started with O's

BALTIMORE -- Brandon Snyder attempted to get over the surreal feeling of shagging fly balls with Miguel Tejada and taking batting practice with Sammy Sosa and B.J. Surhoff enough to speak at a press conference on Monday announcing his signing.
The Orioles' first-round pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft officially joined the organization as he signed a contract in the range of $1.6 million to hopefully become the Orioles' catcher of the future.

Snyder, 18, will report to Class A Bluefield, and he is eager to get started.

"Right now, I am in disbelief," Snyder said. "The first part of my day was me rubbing elbows with Sammy Sosa, and that was not too bad. And I was on the field next to Miguel Tejada. They told me, 'You are a pro baseball player now; you are just a few levels below where we are.'"

The organization was thrilled to get Snyder, one of the draft's most gifted high school hitters with the potential to be an above-average catcher. He hit .547 with three homers at Westfield High School in Centreville, Va., and he turned down a scholarship offer to Louisiana State to sign with the Orioles.

"I would suggest Louisiana State to any player coming out, but as soon I was in the first round, I knew I would be coming here," Snyder said. "That day was amazing. I couldn't breathe when I got the call that it was the Orioles."

Snyder spent extensive time with Orioles area scout Ty Brown, who said he was equally as impressed with Snyder's character and desire as his talent.

"The difference between him and other kids was character," Brown said. "I saw one kid, and he seemed happy to be where he was. Brandon wants to do whatever it takes to be successful."

Snyder was joined by his parents, Linda and Brian, a former Major League pitcher, and several family members. When he was whipping balls around Camden Yards, including three home runs, he had about 60 family members and friends cheering him on.

"To me, having all of these people behind me means a lot," he said. "I am just anxious to get started and begin my career."

Snyder said he would like to make it to the Major Leagues in five years, which would put him in Baltimore by age 23. But with the way the club has promoted prospects over the past few years, it could be much sooner.

"I just want to get better and work as hard as I can to accomplish my goals," Snyder said. "I am excited about the opportunity that I have, and want to take advantage of it."

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Orioles figure out old nemesis

BALTIMORE -- To many Orioles players, regardless of how long Andy Pettitte pitches for the Astros or how many National League Central titles the left-hander can help them win, he will always be a New York Yankee.
On countless occasions, Pettitte donned that grey uniform with the navy blue cap and dominated the Orioles at Camden Yards. Only Secretariat was a surer bet.

Yet, this Orioles club carried a different outlook when Pettitte stepped to the mound for Houston on a sweltering night on Tuesday at Camden Yards. Perhaps the past Orioles clubs, the ones who felt inferior to talented pitchers, especially those from New York, would have succumbed to a vintage Pettitte -- as he was this time.

This group, however, used patience, not over-aggression, to beat Pettitte and the Astros, 6-1, in front of 24,659 for its second straight win. Bruce Chen bested Pettitte with seven scoreless innings.

Pettitte, who entered the start with a 20-4 career record against the Orioles, including a 12-2 mark at Camden Yards, and with an eight-game winning streak versus the O's, did not allow a runner to second base through five innings. He has had a tough time since signing a three-year deal with the Astros before the 2004 season. He missed most of last season with a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow, and this year, he has received little run support -- as was the case on Tuesday.

In the sixth inning, Pettitte allowed a one-out single to Larry Bigbie, who has looked like a different player since coming off the disabled list. Bigbie moved to second base on a Brian Roberts' grounder, and then Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli made a move dripping with gamesmanship.

Houston first baseman Lance Berkman appeared to slightly injure his surgically-repaired knee fielding Roberts' grounder, and he walked toward the Astros' dugout after making the play. Manager Phil Garner met Berkman on the field before he reached the dugout. Berkman's knee was fine, and the only reason why he headed over to the Houston bench was because he thought there were three outs.

While walking back to first, Berkman said a few words to Pettitte.

Mazzilli jumped out of the dugout and pointed out to home-plate umpire Jim Wolfe that it should constitute a mound visit.

Wolfe called the other three umpires for a conference. Meanwhile, Pettitte waited and waited. Finally, it was ruled a visit.

"That's the correct ruling," Garner admitted. "After I talked with Lance, it doesn't matter what was said. Lance stopped and talked to the pitcher at the mound, and that constitutes a trip."

Berkman admitted after the game that he wasn't hurt. In fact, he thought there were three outs in the inning, when there were only two.

After the delay, Melvin Mora laced a single to left-center field for the game's first run.

Mora clapped his hands vigorously, because the Orioles had finally broken through.

Next, Miguel Tejada got a two-seam fastball that didn't cut inside, and he smashed it for his team-leading 18th home run and a 3-0 lead.

Tejada thrust his fist as he rounded the bases.

"We just kept battling. The key was that we just got a run, because you knew it was going to tough to score," Tejada said. "When you face a pitcher like Pettitte, you have to go out there and see that ball, be patient."

Miguel Tejada / SS
Born: 05/25/76
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 200 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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After a difficult ending to a 13-game road trip, during which they lost four of the final five games to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, the Orioles needed some momentum. As expected, the Red Sox and Yankees have returned home and gotten well against the Reds and Pirates, respectively.

So this was a pivotal win.

"This is definitely a new-and-improved team compared to a couple of years ago," said Bigbie, who had his second consecutive three-hit game. "I have been here through the rough times. And it feels good to play a good ballgame and come through against a tough pitcher."

In his fifth attempt, Chen (6-4, 3.31 ERA) finally earned his sixth win and notched his 10th quality start. He has been sharper, but Chen pitched well with men on base, evidenced by Houston's 0-for-9 clip with runners in scoring position. He left two runners stranded in the second, three in the fourth and two more in the sixth.

Chen battled with his control and pitched deep into counts, but he was able to get the lazy fly ball or key strikeout. He gave up just three hits, but he allowed nine baserunners.

"It didn't seem like they were hitting the ball hard off of him," Mazzilli said. "He has experience. He doesn't get rattled, and [he] stays within his game. He's been like that all year."

When Chen left the game, the Orioles held a precarious 3-0 lead -- and the bullpen nearly blew it in the eighth. Jorge Julio came on and hit Craig Biggio with a pitch, then walked Berkman. Steve Reed came on and walked Morgan Ensberg to load the bases with no outs.

Reed, who entered the game with an 11.88 ERA at Camden Yards, struck out Jason Lane and induced a fielder's-choice grounder for the second out as Biggio scored. Brad Ausmus then popped out to end the threat.

Garner stuck with Pettitte in the eighth, and it could have made the difference. Bigbie singled again, and Tejada walked. Sammy Sosa delivered a two-out RBI single, and after a walk to Eli Marrero, Pettitte gave up a two-run single by Rafael Palmeiro past the shift defense for a 6-1 lead.

The dominance was over. A weary Pettitte was removed after 117 pitches. The Orioles' patience finally was rewarded.

"Man, he's a smart pitcher," Palmeiro said. "But I think we had a good game plan. We had some at-bats as the game went on, and it was a good team win, a satisfying win."

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Would I have been a Boras client?

AGENTS/DRAFT

HARTMANJC asked me if I would have Scott Boras as my agent:

I played baseball for 23 years and had 23 one-year contracts. I could never have any one help me negotiate my contracts -- you know who won that battle, the owners.

Back when I was young, if I were looking for an agent, I think I would have had several people helping me in Arkansas deciding who would be my agent, especially my Dad. When players first started to have agents, anyone could be an agent. There were a lot of unscrupulous agents out there. But almost all of those have been weeded out and what you see now are guys who help players in the long run. Boras would be one of guys I would interview or have my Dad interview but there are a lot of other good agents who might suit my personality.

Certainly Scott Boras gets some great contracts but there are many other agents that get great contracts, too. I think that the object is to start playing. Sometimes Boras' clients have been helped by holding out and sometimes it has hurt them. Kids shouldn't go right to the big leagues. There is a lot to learn in the minor leagues. You're going from playing 50-60 games a year to playing 160 or so.

In my day, if you got more than $4,000 you were a bonus player and you had to go directly to the Major Leagues for two years. The owners kind of penalized themselves for giving the player all that money. I have never seen a kid come out of high school, other than a pitcher, who was ready to play in the Majors. You're just inexperienced.

THOUGHTS FROM PENNSYLVANIA

Bruce asked if I remembered him and if I was going to be back in Pennsylvania now that I don't do work for Best Chevrolet. Bruce, of course I remember you and Little Brooks! I worked with Best Chevrolet for many years. Since they sold their company I am now affiliated with Anderson Automotive Group in Baltimore. I bought my first car there 50 years ago when I came to Baltimore.

I'm sure I'll be back to your area. I just made a visit to Ollie's Bargain Outlet in York, PA. I'm in the Lancaster area a fair amount going to Lancaster Barnstormers games. They have a beautiful new stadium and a good tea. I feel very confident that York, PA is going to get a new ballpark also. It would be a tremendous value to the City of York...at least that's my opinion. They need to be back in baseball. I made my professional debut in York, PA in 1955 as an 18 year old. I have many friends there. There is always something happening there. Check out my schedule on brooksrobinson.com for the next time I'll be there.

Source: http://brooks.mlblogs.com/

Orioles get best of Pettitte

BALTIMORE -- The visitor's clubhouse at Camden Yards is usually a place for celebration for Houston left-hander Andy Pettitte. The 10-year veteran was 12-2 in Baltimore and 20-4 overall against the Orioles as a member of the Yankees.
But his first trip to Charm City as a member of the Astros was not as pleasant. Pettitte paced quietly through a nearly silent clubhouse on Tuesday night after allowing six runs in 7 2/3 innings in a 6-1 loss to the O's.

While the numbers don't indicate a sterling performance, Pettitte was hardly off his game the night before turning 33 years old. The Orioles, who had lost to the southpaw more times than any other club, simply found a way to get to him.

"They've got a good lineup," Pettitte said. "They're tough to go through. I felt good, but I couldn't get it done. Obviously, they've got some different players, but they've got a lot of guys that have been here before."

In the sixth inning, the Orioles broke a scoreless tie when Melvin Mora slapped a low changeup to center field to drive in Larry Bigbie. Pettitte said he hit his location, but Mora still was able to find open space in front of Willy Taveras.

Against the next batter, Miguel Tejada, Pettitte missed his spot. He tried to bust the slugger in with a fastball, but the pitch stayed low and over the plate, and Tejada lined the ball into the left-field seats to give the O's a 3-0 advantage.

Despite breaking through in the sixth, Tejada maintained that Pettitte was pitching well.

"He was really tough today," Tejada said. "We just got lucky to finally see one good pitch. We just keep battling. I think that was the key. It was good to get some runs, because we knew it would be tough to score against Pettitte."

Trying to keep his team in the game in the eighth, Pettitte was knocked out by Rafael Palmeiro -- who entered the game hitting .321 (18-for-56) against him.

With the Astros using as shift that positioned four players on the right side of the infield, Palmeiro hit a sharp grounder that found the outfield and drove in two runs for a 6-1 O's lead.

"I wanted him to have a chance to win the ballgame, and it was a good pitch," Astros manager Phil Garner said of Pettitte's 117th and final offering. "We got 30 million guys over there, and [Palmeiro] happened to hit it in the one one-millionth of a spot where the [darn] ball couldn't be caught. So what are you going to do?"

Rafael Palmeiro / 1B
Born: 09/24/64
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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For Palmeiro -- who began the game on the bench, then replaced Chris Gomez in the seventh -- the key was to go right after Pettitte.

"Man, he's a smart pitcher," Palmeiro said. "He doesn't make a lot of mistakes. You have to be aggressive with him."

On a night where the humidity made the 93-degree temperature feel even warmer, Palmeiro suggested that Pettitte may have been tiring in the late innings, because he was missing his spots. But the pitcher and his manager disagreed.

"Actually, the last pitch he threw was 91 [mph]. That's as good as he had been throwing all night long -- so no, I don't think [he ran out of gas]," Garner said.

Fresh or not, Pettitte has not been supported by as potent a lineup as he had in New York, and he said he feels like some days he needs to throw a shutout to give his team a chance to win.

On Tuesday, Pettitte struck out six hitters, and his record (3-7) continues to appear as a contradiction to his ERA (3.76).

"Bottom line is, you need to win games," Pettitte said. "I got to figure out a way to win a game. I'm not getting it done now when I'm out there."

Regardless of how Pettitte viewed his return to Baltimore, the Orioles had nothing but respect for the veteran hurler.

"He was a big-money guy for the Yankees in the playoffs and World Series for many years," said Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli, a former Yankees coach.

By defeating one of their biggest nemeses, the first-place Orioles have more reason to believe that some of that luster could rub off on some of their players in the near future.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Lopez, O's complete sweep of Astros

BALTIMORE -- The theme in the Orioles' clubhouse after a 5-1 win over the Astros on Wednesday before 31,547 at Camden Yards was how a quick start helped the team settle in and earn the series sweep.
But the play the O's pointed to as the catalyst wasn't Melvin Mora's first inning two-run home run. Manager Lee Mazzilli and several players turned to Brian Roberts' run-saving defensive gem in the top of the first.

With runners on first and third and two outs, Roberts dove behind second base to take a hit away from Morgan Ensberg and fired to stretching first baseman Jay Gibbons just in time to end the threat.

"I think that was the big play of the game," Mazzilli said. "First of all, you make a play like that and it pumps you up. It pumps the pitcher [Rodrigo Lopez] up, and he was. Sometimes, something little like that might set the tone."

Roberts led off the bottom of the frame with a single to set up Mora's 375-foot blast to left field off Astros rookie left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. On a pitch where he "practiced his golf swing," Mora gave Lopez all the support he would need, and the Orioles swept an Interleague series for the first time since July 15-17, 1999, when they took three from the Montreal Expos.

Lopez scattered four hits in eight innings, allowing the lone run on a Jason Lane homer.

"He was outstanding tonight," Mazzilli said. "Rodrigo's ball was moving very well, it had a late break to it. He kept the ball down all night."

With a four-run lead entering the ninth, Lopez wanted to finish the game. But the right-hander had tossed 110 pitches, and Mazzilli turned to Todd Williams. Punctuating a stellar defensive series, Mora made a stunning barehanded play to retire Ensberg in the final inning.

The first-place Orioles winning three in a row against the fifth-place Astros may not turn too many heads around the country, and the O's seemingly took no extra pleasure in beating a National League foe.

Yet, the manner in which the Orioles swept a NL team for the first time in almost six years was impressive.

On Monday, the Orioles fell behind in the first inning, but bashed the ball around Camden Yards like a prototypical American League team.

But in the final two games of the series, the Orioles used pitching, defense and timely hitting as they maintained a three-game lead in the AL East standings.

Roberts lined a two-run single past the glove of diving third baseman Ensberg in the second to give the O's a 4-0 advantage.

Rodrigo Lopez / P
Born: 12/14/75
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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And like Bruce Chen the day before, Lopez did nothing Wednesday to overpower the Astros. He peppered the corners and let his fielders take care of the rest against the worst offense in the Major Leagues.

"[On Tuesday], they made great plays, and [Wednesday] wasn't an exception," Lopez said. "That means a lot to our pitching staff. You know that you have somebody behind you."

Before winning this Interleague series, the Orioles had lost 11 straight sets, including three this season. They still have the worst overall Interleague record at 62-89 and were swept by the Astros at Minute Maid Park in 2003.

"I think everyone knows our struggles in Interleague, but that's basically been a microcosm of our team the last six years," Roberts said. "I don't think that any of us expected it to stay like that. When you're playing well, I don't think it really matters who you play."

Regardless of who occupied the visitor's dugout this week, the Orioles felt like they needed to bounce back from a 6-7 road trip. And despite the Astros riding a five-game winning streak entering the series, the O's realized they had to capitalize on one of the league's worst road teams (7-26).

"There's certain times when you need to win," Roberts said. "We played okay on the road and we held our own and battled, and when you get home, you need to win. Especially if you're playing teams that are kind of down and aren't really playing as well as they'd like, and that's when you have to kind of bury people and give yourself a lead."

With three games this weekend against the NL West's last-place Colorado Rockies, the Orioles have another ideal opportunity to display their newfound success in Interleague Play.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Bedard out until mid-July

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles are not expecting left-hander Erik Bedard back in the rotation until at least mid-July after an examination of his left knee showed that his strained ligament is about two weeks from being healed.
Bedard, who was placed on the disabled list on May 26, said he will rehabilitate his knee "for another week or two, and probably two." An MRI of the knee showed the medical collateral ligament was still strained.

"They said it's healing, but slowly healing," Bedard said. "And I expected this. Usually, sprained knee ligaments take you out for four-to-six weeks. So this is not a surprise."

Bedard said he will wait until the knee is entirely healed before he begins pitching off a mound. He has been keeping his arm sharp by throwing off flat ground.

"There's no reason not to wait," he said. "If I go out there earlier and I mess it up again, I will be out even longer. So it makes no sense to come back early."

The club projected Bedard to miss two to three starts, but that has transformed into six weeks. Some in the organization are privately wondering when Bedard will return and if he will be at the level he was when he was injured. The left-hander was on a dominant streak, going 3-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 29 innings in May.

Bedard said he had been pitching during that stretch in great pain, and an MRI revealed the strained ligament. Bedard is working out with a knee brace, but even when he is healthy, he will have to make at least two rehab starts to regain his arm strength.

"We'll wait until the pain is gone and he feels like going out there again," executive vice president Jim Beattie said. "Some of these things have a life of their own. We thought it might be a couple of starts, and it took longer than that. It's going to be at least two weeks before he gets back on the mound."

The Orioles have replaced Bedard in the rotation with rookie Hayden Penn, who collected three no-decisions before earning his first Major League win on Monday night against the Astros.

Matching numbers: Jay Gibbons hit his 10th home run of the season in Monday's win, and the mark was unnoticed by everyone except him. The left-handed slugger took just 56 games to match his season home run total from last season.

Gibbons suffered through a miserable season in 2004, when he hit 10 homers with 47 RBIs. He was limited to 97 games because of hip and back injuries.

"I wasn't hitting with any power last season," Gibbons said. "I had no torque, because I was just not myself. But this season reminds me what I can do when I am hitting and also hitting well -- because at the beginning of last season, I wasn't hurt and I was still struggling."

The difference between Gibbons' performance this year and last year is slugging percentage and doubles. He is hitting for a .528 slugging percentage, compared to .379 last season. He already has more doubles (16) than in 2004 (14).

Luis Matos / CF
Born: 10/30/78
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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Matos update: Center fielder Luis Matos went 1-for-4 -- the hit was a single -- with a strikeout in Double-A Bowie's 4-3 loss to Trenton on Monday. Matos is expected to play in four or five more games before being activated from the disabled list.

Meanwhile, left-hander John Parrish made his first appearance for Bowie, just hours after being demoted from the Orioles. He allowed one run and one hit in 2 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. He also committed an error.

New kid in the 'pen: Relief pitcher Chris Ray didn't appear in Monday's game, his first since being called up from Bowie, but the 23-year-old right-hander had a front row seat to soak up the atmosphere of a Major League game.

Ray -- who attended games at Camden Yards as a fan -- was on the other side of the fence, sitting in the bullpen amongst veterans like Steve Reed, Steve Kline and B.J. Ryan.

"It was pretty incredible seeing all the fans and hanging out with the guys," Ray said. "They hang out and talk about the game -- it's fun."

Ray said the vets didn't give him too much of a hard time for being the new guy, but he felt like there was more attention on him being surrounded by more than 20,000 fans.

"Instead of you watching the guys down there, you're actually one of the guys that people came to watch," he said.

Tidbits: Former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and former Major League player Robin Ventura participated in a pregame ceremony for prostate cancer awareness.

Coming up: The Orioles will host the Astros in the final game of a three-game series at Camden Yards on Wednesday. Right-hander Rodrigo Lopez (5-2, 4.52 ERA) will take on Houston rookie Wandy Rodriguez (2-2, 8.41 ERA). This will be Lopez's first Major League appearance against Houston.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Gil avoids Lopez's fate

BALTIMORE -- Orioles Manager Lee Mazzilli and head trainer Richie Bancells wasted no time trotting onto the field to check on Geronimo Gil after the catcher took a foul ball off his throwing hand Tuesday night against Houston.
The play looked like a carbon copy of the foul tip that broke Javy Lopez's right hand on May 24 and sent the starter to the disabled list.

But Gil remained in the game, and Mazzilli said Wednesday that the catcher is fine. Unlike Lopez, Gil was able to absorb the blow because he held his hand the correct way.

"You should keep that hand back in there, thumb inside the fingers nice and loose," Orioles first base coach and former catcher Rick Dempsey said. "[If the ball hits you], it should hit the knuckles. [Lopez] had his hand in sideways and that's why it got broke."

While Gil had his right hand adjacent to the mitt, Dempsey said he avoided such encounters with deflected balls in his 24-year career by guarding his hand completely.

"I kept it behind the glove all the time," Dempsey said. "Foul balls don't get to your hand when it's behind the glove."

Backup catcher Sal Fasano says breaking bones in the hand is a pitfall that comes with the task of being behind the plate.

"Foul tips happen and it's like a hockey deflection, you can't really control where it's going," he said.

As many catchers do, Fasano said he keeps his hand behind his back when the bases are empty because he doesn't need to be able to get the ball out of his mitt as quickly. But Dempsey doesn't think that method is foolproof either.

"When you put your hand behind your back, it opens up the AC joint [in the shoulder], and if you get a foul tip, it's going to bruise real deep and you'll be out for a month, or sometimes with a sore arm like that, never recover," Dempsey said.

One of only three catchers in Major League history to play in four decades, Dempsey says he can try to teach current players his methods, but the way they catch "is just a habit and you can't break it."

No pressure: When rookie reliever Chris Ray began throwing in the Orioles bullpen for the first time Tuesday, the O's were locked in a scoreless tie with the Astros. The 23-year-old could have made his Major League debut in a tight game before 24,659 anxious fans, but he wasn't aware of the magnitude at that point.

"I didn't really think about that, I was trying to get loose," Ray said. "It was the first time I've thrown in the past couple days so I was just trying to throw strikes."

When the Double-A callup finally did run onto the field to start the ninth, the Orioles had a five-run lead, and he says he was as comfortable as he could have been making his first appearance.

"Yeah, definitely, especially when you know with B.J. Ryan that if you get in trouble, you have one of the best relievers coming in behind you," he said.

Ray retired the first two hitters before pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino slapped a single to right field. Ray settled back in and forced Craig Biggio to pop out to short to end the game.

"I'll probably still have a few jitters [next time]," Ray said. "[Pitching coach Ray Miller] just told me to slow down a little bit."

Boo birds: While Ray received a warm welcome to the Majors, Jorge Julio was booed off the mound after hitting Biggio with a pitch and walking Lance Berkman to start the eighth.

Julio said he doesn't really pay attention to the fans, but Mazzilli noted that Julio was overthrowing the ball.

Before leaving for the recent road trip, reliever Steve Reed earned a similar reaction from the fans after allowing four runs in one-third of an inning and blowing the O's lead to the Tigers on May 29.

But Reed proved his worth Tuesday in his first Camden Yards appearance since that game. He minimized the damage left by Julio in the eighth by striking out Jason Lane and inducing a groundout and a pop out, allowing just one of two inherited runners to score.

"I've been in lots of those situations," said the 40-year-old Reed, who is losing his hair. "That's why I look like this."

Black and blue: Morgan Ensberg showed off a baseball-sized bruise on the left side of his chest to Fasano while the O's were taking batting practice Wednesday. Ensberg was drilled by Julio in the eighth inning Monday.

Fasano was hit in the back of the left leg by a Wandy Rodriguez pitch in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday.

And a little purple: Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Mark Clayton visited the Orioles clubhouse before Tuesday's game. The former Oklahoma Sooner was drafted 22nd overall in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

On deck: After an off-day on Thursday, the Orioles will try to win their second straight Interleague series in a three-game weekend set with the Colorado Rockies at Camden Yards. Daniel Cabrera will face Jason Jennings in the opener, Sidney Ponson squares off with Byung-Hyun Kim on Saturday and Hayden Penn pitches the finale against Jeff Francis.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

O's gear up for trade deadline

BALTIMORE -- Well, folks, it's been a long time, but the mailbag is back. Some interesting questions have been submitted in the past couple of months, and hopefully you guys will send it a lot more, especially since the Orioles have emerged as such an intriguing story.
With six weeks to go before the trade deadline, the Orioles could be working the phones for potential trades. And two players -- Luis Matos and Javy Lopez -- are going to be back soon, so it should be the most intriguing second half since the wire-to-wire season in 1997.

So keep those questions coming, and we'll have more mailbags in the second half -- promise.

According to The New York Times, the Orioles' average home attendance is 29,346 through 33 home games while the Nationals' average home attendance is 31,913 through 33 games -- almost identical to the Orioles' average home attendance at this point last year (31,946). I am a season-plan ticket holder (I attend about 30 games a year), and I have to believe that the lack of home support for a first-place team in arguably the toughest division in baseball must not go unnoticed.

Do the Orioles have any PR plans? For example, last year the Orioles had advertisements in several D.C. Metro stations, and I haven't seen any this year. I hate to see the team that I support rely on Yankees and Red Sox fans to boost home attendance figures. -- Frank C., Arlington, Va.

I think many in the Orioles' organization are unsure how the club is perceived in the District now that the Nationals have arrived and are playing well. There are still some diehard Orioles fans in the D.C. area, and they should be catered to, but I think the presence of the Nationals, the poor early-season weather and a schedule that has featured the Devil Rays, Tigers, Astros, Mariners and Royals has adversely affected attendance.

I also think many Orioles fans are not convinced that this club is truly a pennant contender and will probably wait until the second half of the season to come out. But the lack of fans is definitely an issue among club officials, and I am sure there will be more promotions later in the season.

Do you think the Orioles may try to see if Mike Mussina would waive his no-trade clause for the chance to return to where he started? -- Pat, Baltimore

I don't think there is any doubt that Mussina will always be linked with the Orioles, as he was one of the more popular players in recent team history. But let's be realistic: There is no way the Orioles and Yankees are ever going to make a trade. Could you see rivals George Steinbrenner and Peter Angelos actually agreeing to a deal that would send Mussina, who many thought betrayed Angelos when he didn't allow the Orioles to make a counter offer, back to Baltimore? The only way Mussina comes back to Camden Yards in an Orioles uniform is through free agency. He will be a free agent after next season and will be 37 at the time, so perhaps Mussina could return to lead the rotation or be a veteran presence. But that will have to wait.

If the Tigers remain out of the race (which seems likely), Sammy Sosa continues to struggle in the No. 5 hole and Javy Lopez doesn't return before the All-Star break, would the Orioles consider trading for Ivan Rodriguez? Lopez could be the designated hitter he wants to be and Jay Gibbons could return to right field, where he has played well and bring his bat back to the lineup. Rafael Palmeiro could DH some and play first base, and Sosa could be a pinch-hitter. -- Nick P., Edmonton, Alb.

This isn't going to happen for several reasons. First of all, Rodriguez is due $10 million per season for the next three years, so why would the Orioles take on such a contract when they backed off signing him two years ago? Rodriguez is not going to be on the block because the Tigers are trying to show their fans they truly intend to field a competitive team, and trading for unproven prospect isn't going to help that cause.

Also, isn't it a little presumptuous to make Sosa a pinch-hitter already? The season is barely two months old. I think Sosa could be a valuable commodity as the season wears on, especially since he is historically a better hitter during the summer. Sosa is already beginning to heat up, and Lopez will be back in about a month, so let's hold off until then before making drastic moves. But I do think the Orioles will be players during the trade deadline.

Us O's fans are still stumped about what is wrong with Larry Bigbie. The guy was on fire for the last half of 2004, and now he can't seem to hit the ball hard. What does the coaching staff think the problem is? Have the scouts found a hole in his swing, or are there injuries or other issues we don't know about? -- Mike M., New York

I think Bigbie was pressing during the beginning of the season and began slumping, then he hurt his hamstring, which cost him some valuable time. The Orioles put Bigbie on the disabled list in the hope that he wouldn't try to rush back too quickly and he could fully heal.

Bigbie has eight hits in the three games since his return and has sprayed the ball to all fields. So let's give the healthy Bigbie until the All-Star break and see what he can do. Although he has been a major disappointment, I think Bigbie deserves some patience.

I went to the Chicago Cubs' Web site looking for Dave Crouthers, to see how he is doing. He doesn't seem to be on any of their rosters. Then I went to minorleaguebaseball.com and searched for him. Nothing. What happened to him? -- Mark F., New York

Crouthers has experienced some emotional issues during the past year and has retired from baseball. The Cubs gave him his unconditional release this week, meaning he will have some time to straighten out his problems and hopefully return to baseball, because he is talented.

Crouthers also had some trouble while with the Orioles, and he fell out of favor after leaving the Arizona Fall League early in 2004. The Cubs will get a chance to pick another mutually-agreed-upon player from the Orioles' system to compensate them for Crouthers.

I have an unusual question, but I wasn't sure whom to write, so I guess it's your lucky day. I've noticed that the Orioles' Web site is now orioles.com, but I know it used to be theorioles.com. When did it change and why? Maybe there's nothing to it, but something tells me that maybe there is. -- Brian Loisel

In past years, it was theorioles.com because orioles.com was already being used. But MLB has obtained the rights to orioles.com, so now the site can be reached using both addresses. While orioles.com is easier for fans to remember and is my personal preference, theorioles.com works just as well.

I know it's a long shot, but with a one-year contract, wouldn't it make sense for the Orioles to try to trade for Roger Clemens? He could be a great asset and keep the Orioles in contention, as well as help Sidney Ponson, Daniel Cabrera, Bruce Chen, Rodrigo Lopez, Hayden Penn and Erik Bedard. Is there any talk of trading for a front-line starter like Clemens? -- John, College Park, Md.

I think the Orioles could use a reliable starter down the stretch, but I don't see them being able to pry Clemens from the Astros, especially since Houston management has maintained it will not move the future Hall of Famer just because the team is not in the race. If anything, Clemens could go to the Yankees or Red Sox, because they are his former teams. I think the Orioles can compete with a solid pitching addition not named Clemens.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Cincinnati 10, Baltimore 1

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Felipe Lopez has matched Ken Griffey Jr. in homers -- for part of a season, anyway.

Surprising? Not to Lopez, who did more in one night than Griffey and two of his 500-homer partners combined.

Lopez hit his second career grand slam, jolting Cincinnati out of its bases-loaded slump, and singled home two more runs Saturday night, leading a 10-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

Before the first pitch, three of the game's greatest power hitters posed behind home plate for a commemorative photograph. The interleague series marked the first time that three 500-homer sluggers played together -- Sammy Sosa (580), Rafael Palmeiro (559) and Griffey (511).

As in the series opener, the trio watched a lightweight do the damage. Lopez, who has 32 homers in five seasons, hit his grand slam in the second inning off Daniel Cabrera (5-5). Lopez and Griffey are now tied for second on the Reds with 10 homers apiece.

``I'm not surprised at the power,'' said the shortstop, who had never hit more than eight in a season. ``I've always been capable of hitting home runs. That's not my game, but I can hit them. I try to stay patient and not miss too many pitches. That's what I did when I was young -- missed too many pitches.''

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Given a big early lead, Brandon Claussen (3-3) held the AL's top hitting lineup to three hits over a career-high eight innings. The left-hander lost his shutout when Sal Fasano homered with two outs in the eighth.

``Any pitcher will tell you -- or even hitters -- that once you get in a groove, it's easy,'' Claussen said. ``The key is to stay in it.''

Adam Dunn added a two-run shot for the Reds, who have homered 15 times in the last five games against Tampa Bay and Baltimore. Lopez's two-run single gave him a career-high six RBIs.

The game started with a touch of nostalgia. Pitcher Jose Rijo and center fielder Eric Davis -- the cornerstones of Cincinnati's 1990 World Series championship team -- were inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Lopez got the crowd of 32,834 to its feet again with his decisive homer in the second inning, when the Reds loaded the bases with none out on a pair of singles and a walk. Cabrera then walked Claussen -- 0-for-13 this season -- on four pitches, forcing in a run. Three pitches later, Lopez homered to right off a fastball.

``He got me in the first inning on a similar pitch,'' Lopez said. ``I tried to stay back and hit the ball hard somewhere. The ball stayed up, and I took advantage.''

It was a breakthrough for the Reds, who were hitting .192 with the bases loaded and less than two outs. During a 4-3 loss to the Orioles on Friday, the Reds loaded the bases twice and managed only one run -- on a wild pitch.


AP - Jun 11, 10:29 pm EDT
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It also marked the second time in the series that a low-profile hitter delivered the game's pivotal homer. Baltimore's Melvin Mora had a three-run shot on Friday night, putting the Orioles ahead to stay.

Dunn added his 16th homer off another fastball as Cincinnati knocked Cabrera out of the game in the third. The right-hander matched his season high by giving up seven runs in two-plus innings, his shortest start of the season.

Manager Lee Mazzilli talked to Cabrera on the mound before deciding to take him out.

``I asked him what the problem was,'' Mazzilli said. ``He really didn't know. He just didn't feel right, he said. ``As soon as he said he didn't feel right, that was it.''

Cabrera has been maddeningly inconsistent this season, failing to go four innings in three of his 12 starts. His problem Saturday was an unpredictable fastball.

``My ball was moving too much,'' he said. ``I tried to control that.''

The 500-homer trio got only one ball as far as the warning track -- Griffey's fly out in the first inning. They've combined for one extra-base hit in the series, Griffey's solo homer on Friday night.

Sosa is 0-for-6 with four strikeouts in the series, played in the ballpark where he hit No. 500 two years ago with the Cubs. Since returning May 24 from an infected left foot, Sosa is hitting .186 with two homers.

Notes

Lopez's other grand slam was April 26 in Chicago off Ryan Dempster. Lopez is 3-for-4 with the bases loaded this season. ... OF Wily Mo Pena and 2B Ryan Freel were out of the Reds lineup with sore knees. ... Eli Marrero, acquired by the Orioles in a trade with Kansas City on Wednesday, made his first start for Baltimore -- in center field. ... Right-handed batters are hitting .188 off Cabrera without a homer. Left-handers are .313 with seven homers. ... The Orioles are 6-6 on a 13-game, four-city trip that is their longest of the season. ... Griffey's 13-game hitting streak ended. ... Baltimore's Steve Reed made his 825th appearance, moving ahead of Tug McGraw for 27th place on the career list.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

Marrero joins Orioles, Calzado optioned

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Eli Marrero joined the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, two days after he was acquired in a trade with Kansas City.

The Orioles optioned outfielder Napoleon Calzado to Triple-A Ottawa. Calzado went 1-for-5 in four games after being called up on May 28.

Marrero, a catcher and first baseman, hit .159 with four homers in 32 games for Kansas City. He was designated for assignment on May 31, and the Orioles got him for minor league second baseman Pete Maestrales.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

Orioles, top pick agree to terms

CINCINNATI -- The Orioles agreed to terms Saturday with first-round pick Brandon Snyder, a catcher from Centreville, Va. He will be introduced at a Monday press conference at Camden Yards.
Snyder was the 13th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft and is considered one of the premier prep hitters in the country. He is expected to report to the Orioles' rookie league affiliate in Bluefield, W.V.

"We've sent the contract in and everything," scouting director Joe Jordan said. "Yeah, he's done. I feel real good about it. It's one of the things -- that you get the players that you liked. It's really good to get the top of your draft out playing."

Snyder, 18, hit .574 with three home runs for Westefield High School, and he said Wednesday that he wanted to sign quickly. The process was a far cry from last year, when No. 1 pick Wade Townsend did not sign and reenrolled at Rice University. He was declared ineligible to sign by the Commissioner's Office. He was drafted Tuesday by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Snyder will arrive in Baltimore on Sunday night and meet with the media and work out with the Orioles before Monday's game with the Houston Astros. It is believed Snyder's signing bonus is in the $1.6 million range, just below the $1.75 million last year's No. 13 pick, William & Mary left-hander Bill Bray, received from the Montreal Expos, now Washington Nationals.

Jordan said the club has also agreed to terms with sandwich pick Garret Olson, a right-handed pitcher from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Olson is considered one of the top college lefties in California and was 12-4 with a 2.71 ERA for the Mustangs.

The Orioles have signed sixth-round pick William Owen, an outfielder from Belmont University; eighth-rounder Chorye Spoone, a right-hander from Catonsville CC; 10th-rounder Ryan Stadanlick, a right-hander from St. John's (NY); 11th-rounder Michael Gallaway, a left-hander from Missouri Valley College; 13th-rounder Kyle Dahlberg, a catcher from Texas Christian University and 14th-round pick Mark Fleisher, a first baseman from Radford University.

Jordan said the club could lock down second-round pick Nolan Reimold, a power-hitting outfielder from Bowling Green, by Sunday night. The most intriguing name still unsigned is Baltimore McDonough School pitcher Brandon Erbe, who had committed to the University of Miami. Many clubs backed off the right-hander because it believed he would honor the commitment to Miami. But the prep standout is a lifelong Orioles fan and has indicated he may not pass up a chance to play for the Orioles.

"I don't expect that to be a long, drawn-out thing," Jordan said of the Erbe negotiations. "Grow up in the Minor Leagues right here, I think it's going to be good for his family to see him play."


Gary Washburn is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Ex-Oriole Davis honored

CINCINNATI -- Former Oriole Eric Davis was being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame on Saturday at Great American Ball Park. And that occasion gave Orioles head trainer Richie Bancells a chance to reunite with a player with whom he still shares fond memories.
In May 1997, Davis was feeling stomach discomfort and asked Bancells to feel the affected area while in the on-deck circle at Cleveland's Jacobs Field. Davis was cleared to continue playing. After the discomfort didn't improve, Bancells ordered Davis back to Baltimore for an examination. Doctors at Johns Hopkins discovered a tumor the size of an orange in Davis' colon.

Davis had surgery and amazingly returned to the field in September 1997 to help the Orioles' playoff run. Davis would hit .327 for the Orioles in 1998, with 28 home runs, and he played three more seasons before retiring in 2001.

"He's always been a great guy, a great player, and I always enjoyed him when he was here," Bancells said. "It's a lesson for anybody who goes through a cancer situation like that.

"He was strong from the get-go. From the time I talked to him after he knew he had it, he was like, 'This isn't going to beat me.' He took it head-on. You knew everything was going to be OK."

Davis was perhaps more heralded for helping the Reds win the 1990 World Series with his heroics in the four-game sweep over the Oakland A's. But he proved to be a valuable player and clubhouse leader for the Orioles during his two seasons with the club.

Bancells said he still remembers the feeling when he touched Davis' stomach area.

"It was out of my league, but my experience with muscle pulls and muscle strains, my instincts told me it was not that," he said. "When you feel something like that, you have to get it in the hands of people who are more expert than you."

Davis and Bancells had a warm reunion just before Davis was to be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame. (He was selected by the fans along with former fireballer Jose Rijo.)

"The experiences I had playing in the era I played in -- I wouldn't change it for the world," Davis said in a press conference before the game. "It was more than a teaching thing about how to be a professional. To see how they went through what they went through made my transition a lot easier. It made me the player that I was. The game back then was a totally different game than it is now. It was real down and dirty. They didn't just teach us how to get to the league, but how to stay in it."

Marrero in CF: Eli Marrero, who drew a walk Friday in his Orioles debut, was in the lineup in center field Saturday against Cincinnati lefty Brandon Claussen. Marrero had started three games in center for Kansas City earlier this season but has played mostly left field in his career.

It was Marrero's 52nd game at center, compared with 112 in left.

B.J. Surhoff got the nod in left field, and Sal Fasano caught Daniel Cabrera for the fourth consecutive start.

Farm report: John Maine allowed one run and three hits over six innings and Alejandro Freire drove in two runs as Triple-A Ottawa beat Columbus, 6-1, on Friday night. Larry Bigbie, who played both games of Thursday's doubleheader as part of his rehabilitation assignment, did not play.

Gibbons on the mend: Add Jay Gibbons to the list of Orioles players dealing with some type of ailment. Gibbons did not take batting practice and wasn't expected to play Saturday because of food poisoning. Gibbons did not play in Friday's 4-3 win over Cincinnati and would not have started against left-hander Brandon Claussen.

"I ate a steak the other night and haven't been the same since," Gibbons said. "I am feeling a little better, hopefully I'll be back [Sunday]."

Coming up: The Orioles take on the Reds in the final game of a three-game series and finale of a season-long 13-game road trip. Right-hander Sidney Ponson (6-3, 4.94 ERA) will take on right-hander Ramon Ortiz (1-4, 5.23). Ortiz, formerly of the Anaheim Angels, is 3-4 with a 2.93 ERA career against the Orioles.

Gary Washburn is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/

Orioles @ Reds

(Cincinnati, OH) -- The Orioles open a three-game series with the Reds tonight in Cincinnati. The O's bring a three-game lead over Boston into play tonight, despite losing two of three in Pittsburgh. For the Reds, it's been a down year, but a hot week. Cincinnati enters tonight's contest eleven games under 500, but having just completed a three-game sweep of the Rays last night. Rodrigo Lopez gets the call for the O's. He'll be opposed by Aaron Harang. First pitch is set for 7:10.


Source: http://www.wcbm.com/

Baltimore Orioles defeated the Pirates

The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Pirates 4-3 last night at PNC Park. The Bucs spotted the Orioles a 2-0 lead, Miguel Tejada hitting a two-run homer off of Pirate starter Josh Fogg in the first inning. The lead expanded to 3-0 before the Pirates began a comeback with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jack Wilson and Tike Redman drove in a run apiece to pull the Pirate's to within one. Matt Lawton, who has been extremely hot at the plate recently, drilled a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at three. The Orioles, though, took the lead in the top half of the eighth, when Pirate catcher Humberto Cota bobbled a Mike Gonzalez pitch with runners at first and second, then threw late to first baseman Daryle Ward, enabling Tejada to advance to third. Rafael Palmiero then drove in the game winner with a sacrifice fly. Salomon Torres took the loss. He's now 2-2. The Pirates and Orioles play again tonight. Dave Williams (5-5) pitches for the Pirates against Hayden Penn (0-0). Penn is making his third start since being called up from class AA Bowie. He received no-decisions in his first two starts.

Pirate notes: The Pirates will pick 11th in the first round of the amateur draft today. The Bucs are leaning toward picking outfielder Andrew McCutchen out of Fort Mead, Florida. The Pirates are expected to make 50 picks today.....Third baseman Freddy Sanchez sat out last night's game with a sore groin. Rob Mackowiak played third base last evening.

Major League Baseball notes: Butler's Matt Clement pitches for the Red Sox tonight in St. Louis. Clement is 6-0. His mound opponent will be former Pirate Jeff Suppan.....Colorado Rockie's shortstop Clint Barmes will miss at least three months when he broke his left collarbone after slipping and falling on a stairway while carrying groceries up a stairwell at his apartment complex. Barmes was leading National League rookies in most offensive categories.

In the PIAA baseball playoffs yesterday, Peters Twp. defeated Grove City 5-2 in a class AAA first round game. Clarion-Limestone lost to Homer Center 4-1 in a class A baseball.

360 coaches in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Association have been authorized to call for a strike. The coaches have been working without a contract since June, 2004. The biggest stumbling block has been a co-pay for medical insurance. Should the coaches strike, the 2005 football season and other fall sports may be in jeopardy for the 14 schools in the PSAC, of which Slippery Rock University is a member.

John Aubrey and John Aubrey, Jr. each shot two-over par 74 and finished tied for sixth in the Tam O'Shanter Open.

Congratulalations to 13 year-old R. J. Sepich, who knocked in a hole-in-one on the 146-yard 15th hole at Oakview Golf Club. He used a five-iron.

NASCAR Live is tonight on 1050am. Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, and Martin Truex, Jr. will be the guests of host Eli Gold. The program airs on 1050am at 7pm.