Kuzul

Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs, Chris Carter hit his eighth home run in just his 18th game and Bartolo Colon threw 5.2 shutout innings as the Oakland A’s rolled to a 6-1 win over Baltimore at Camden Yards. The win moved Oakland to a major league best 18-3 in July as they can move into first place in the Wild Card standings with a loss by the Los Angeles Angels tonight.

Colon was not exactly dominant, but he made enough quality pitches to keep Baltimore from scoring. He scattered seven hits with one walk in his 5.2 innings while striking out five hitters. Jordan Norberto and Evan Scribner pitched the final 3.1 innings with the only run coming on a Nick Markakis home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Oakland scored first when after a Jemile Weeks’ single, Cespedes mashed a 3-2 slider from Orioles‘ starter Tommy Hunter to make it 2-0 in the fourth inning. The A’s would make it 3-0 in the fifth when Eric Sogard singled home Kurt Suzuki, who doubled to the opposite field to start the rally. 

In the sixth inning, after Cespedes reached on a fielder’s choice, Carter crushed an inside fastball about nine rows up in the left field seats to give the A’s a 5-0 lead. Cespedes would end the scoring by hitting a triple to deep right field scoring Weeks and making it 6-0. 

At the 100-game mark, the A’s move 10 games over .500 for the first time at 55-45. They will look for the sweep Sunday afternoon as Travis Blackley will face Baltimore’s Wei-Yin Chen. First pitch is set for 10:35 a.m. 

Note: According to a tweet by CBSSports.com Insider Jon Heyman, the A’s have reached an agreement to acquire Milwaukee Brewers catcher George Kottaras. Kottaras has splits of .209/.409/.364 and bats left handed, giving manager Bob Melvin potentially more lineup flexibility as the season reaches the home stretch. It’s currently unknown what/who the Brewers will receive in exchange for Kottaras. 

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On Friday, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel dominated the Washington Nationals in a 2-1 Orioles victory at Camden Yards.

Saturday, Washington hurler Edwin Jackson returned the favor.

Jackson tossed 6 1/3 strong innings, as the Nationals beat the Orioles 3-1.

Jackson surrendered just one earned run on four hits, while striking out five on the night. With the victory, Jackson goes to 4-4 on the season and his ERA shrinks to 2.91.

Tyler Clippard picked up the save for the Nationals—his 11th.

Wei-Yin Chen took the loss for the Orioles. The rookie left-hander pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits.

With the loss, Chen is now 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA.  

Offensively, the Nationals got on the board first in the top of the second inning when Xavier Nady singled home Michael Morse. A throwing error by third baseman Wilson Betemit allowed Washington’s first baseman Adam LaRoche to score from second base.

LaRoche tacked on another run for the Nationals in the top of the fourth inning with a solo shot over the right center field wall—his 13th of the season.

Baltimore’s lone run came in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Orioles center fielder Adam Jones deposited a laser just right of the foul pole over the left field wall. Jones’ homer was his 19th of the season.

A bright spot for the Orioles, the team’s bullpen pitched four more scoreless innings in what has become one of the most reliable bullpens in baseball.

But on this night, Washington’s bullpen did not blink either, holding Baltimore scoreless in 2 2/3 innings of work.

With the win, Washington moves to 41-28. They hold a 3.5 game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East.

The Orioles fall to 40-31, and are now 2.5 games behind the AL East leading New York Yankees.

Baltimore and Washington will battle once again Sunday at 1:35 p.m.

Ross Detwiler (4-3, 3.34 ERA) will square off against Jake Arrieta (3-9, 5.83 ERA) in the grudge match of this three game series.

James Morisette is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. You can see his full archive here.

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On Saturday, the Baltimore Sun reported the Orioles acquired first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce from the New York Yankees in exchange for cash considerations.

While financial details have not been revealed, this move may very well have breathed new life into Pearce’s professional baseball career. It may have also bolstered a belabored Baltimore franchise that recently lost Gold Glove right fielder Nick Markakis to a hand injury.

Initially drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pearce is a veteran slugger who has bounced around between the major and minor leagues the past five years. The Yankees signed Pearce to a minor league contract in December 2011 after the Minnesota Twins released him.

While Pearce has tremendous upside, his major issue has been his own inconsistency from year to year. In five seasons with the Pirates, Pearce batted .232 with nine home runs and 52 RBI. Yet he also struck out 104 times in 185 games.

This season, however, it appears this 29-year-old Lakeland, FL native has put all the pieces together for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. In 52 games, the right-handed hitter batted .321 (61-for-190) with 11 home runs and 30 RBI. He also had 15 doubles and a .422/.574/.996 line, while having just 33 strikeouts.

While these numbers were certainly deserving of a call up, the Yankees already have Mark Teixeira holding down the first base position at the big league level.

For Baltimore, acquiring Pearce is a shrewd move. Pearce gives the Orioles both the power and flexibility they need for a fairly low price. While Chris Davis is the Orioles first baseman, having a second option at the position gives Buck Showalter flexibility at the outfield and the DH positions.

It also gives Baltimore trade possibilities prior to the deadline. For example, maybe the Orioles package Pearce with Mark Reynolds in a deal that could bring Baltimore a starting pitcher who could help this struggling franchise down the stretch.

With that said, should Pearce remain and excel with the Orioles, the team may have a great story on its hands pointing to a man who found a second wind with an up-and-coming team.

As if the 2012 big league season needed any more memorable storylines.

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Four Ways Orioles Can Withstand Run from Red Sox and Yankees

Xavier Avery: Controversial Photo Up Close and Personal

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Josh Hamilton hit for the “cycle” Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles. But when the ball flies out of the park, they don’t let you stop at first, second or third.

Hamilton hit four two-run home runs against the shell-shocked Orioles. He finished a perfect five-for-five with eight RBIs.  He now sits at 14 homers on the year with 36 RBI and appears to be steam-rolling toward another MVP award.

The first two long balls came at the expense of Orioles starter Jake Arrieta, who was coming off eight shutout innings against the New York Yankees in his last start. Hamilton’s third came off Zach Phillips and the fourth off of Darren O’Day. 

It’s somewhat surprising the O’s lost by a final tally of only 10-3.

Hamilton also set a new American League record with 18 total bases in one game and he set a personal best with those eight driven in. He also doubled in the fifth inning as he was perhaps pacing himself, taking a moment to rest at second.

The Rangers are now 20-10 and have tied the St. Louis Cardinals for the best run-differential in baseball at +65 (going into the Cardinals late game against Arizona).

He is the first player to have a four-homer game since Carlos Delgado did nine years ago with Toronto.

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I could not help but chuckle at the obnoxious Boston Red Sox fan shouting obscenities at Orioles first baseman Chris Davis Friday night at Fenway Park.

As Davis stepped to the plate in the top of the 13th inning, with the game tied at four, all I could hear was, “Go home Davis! Go home, you’re horrible!”

Two pitches later, Davis slipped a sharp ground ball past Boston’s first and second basemen to give the Orioles the lead.

This increasingly confident club never looked back, and after scoring another run in the top of the 13th, the Orioles defeated the Red Sox, 6-4.

In a positive development, Mark Reynolds, who had struggled mightily to this point in the season, went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI. Reynolds also had a double and a walk. Matt Wieters also had a pair of hits for the Orioles.

Wei-Yin Chen did not have his sharpest outing for the Birds, giving up three earned runs and five hits in five innings of work. But once again, the Orioles bullpen cashed in winning chips. Using five hurlers, the Orioles bullpen gave up zero runs in the next eight innings of play. Jim Johnson earned his eighth save for the Orioles.

On Boston’s side, Jon Lester had a bumpy starting go of it as well. He gave up three runs in six innings. The Red Sox bullpen matched the Orioles bullpen inning for inning. Or at least until the 13th inning when left-hander Franklin Morales gave up the winning runs to the Orioles.

Offensively for the Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-6. Dustin Pedroia added two hits with an RBI. David Ortiz, who had been scalding hot at the plate prior to this game, went 0-for-5 with an RBI.

With the victory the Orioles move to 17-9, which is good for second place in the American League East.

The Red Sox fall to 11-14, seven games behind the first place Tampa Bay Rays.

The Orioles and Red Sox play again Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm ET at Fenway Park.

Basebook me!

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Last year at this time, Rick Peterson was getting ready to take a trip to Italy, not the place where one of pitching’s most innovative minds usually spend March. It was just the second time in more than 35 years that Peterson had been away from a baseball diamond for any substantial stretch of time. This year, although not back in a major league clubhouse full-time, the New Jersey resident is back in the game, with one of the most challenging and intriguing roles he has ever had, as director of pitching operations for the Baltimore Orioles under new General Manager Dan Duquette.

“It’s a great challenge to help Dan and Buck sculpt this vision of pitching form and analytics from the ground up, and I’m loving what is going to be a very interesting challenge for me at this stage of my career,” he recently said from spring training, where he is helping put in a new system-wide approach to pitching for the O’s.

Now startups in baseball are not strange to Peterson; he arrived both in Oakland and New York to organizations much in need of a pitching makeover, and his success in turning around the staffs of both the “Moneyball” A’s and then the Mets are well documented. His work also left its mark in Milwaukee, where two years ago he helped implement a system that has made John Axford into the closer that he is today for the Brewers. Still, the man who had had all that success did not have a Major League home last year, so Peterson spent the time with some off field pursuits, and continued to work in baseball with his company 3P Sports, as well as with Bloomberg Sports helping that company expand its position in the baseball analytic field as a consultant. The result of the year off the field was phenomenal in his growth in understanding the game.

“I had a rare perspective last year to look at pitching and mechanics and analytics as a whole due to my work with Bloomberg,” he said. “That work gave me the ability really for the first time in my career as a coach to look at many pitchers and what they were doing, and as a result I was able to stand back, improve on the ideas I had learned over the years, and now apply that to this brand new role with the Orioles.”

His organizational role with the Orioles will bring him to every level of the organization, implementing a plan that will develop and cultivate pitchers with a system of bio-mechanics and data that will complement all the physical tools young pitchers have. The first step is in spring training, where the Orioles have also brought in Dr. James Andrews and his team from the American Sports Medicine Institute to help us evaluate the mechanics of all the pitchers in the organization.

“By working with ASMI, we are creating a great footprint from which to build our programs,” he added. “It is the first time anyone is using this approach across the organization from such an early stage, so it is exciting and we think it will really give us a leg up on evaluation of all our pitchers and prospects going forward.”

That consistent approach is what Peterson thinks will help turn the fortunes of the young pitchers in the system, and it is one which will be brought and positioned with coaching staffs at every level.

“We will work with the coaches to make sure they understand and give their input into the program, and we think as it becomes successful, is one that will be replicated elsewhere,” Peterson said. “It is great that everyone from Mr. Angelos on down has bought into the system, and that we have people like Jim and Buck to let us establish the program.”

As far as the day-to-day goes in his new role, Peterson said he will be on the road evaluating pitching talent and prospects more than spending time in Baltimore.

“My role is to help in any way, and that really starts with the young guys we have in the system and the coaches working with them,” he said. “If there is a specific need for me to be in Baltimore that’s great, but my real role is in developing and implementing what will make us successful for the long run, that is what makes this such an exciting challenge.”

That challenge will of course also lie in how well Baltimore will be able to grow on the Major League level, in one of the deepest divisions in baseball. However, even with those challenges, Peterson, a baseball lifer, is glad to be back in and around the game full-time.

“Last year I got to go to Italy and the Caribbean and do some things with analytics I never had the chance to do, but this is my life and where I want to be, and where I think I can help make a difference,” he added. “Heck, I have come full circle since the Orioles drafted me in high school — it took me over 30 years to finally get here!”

Hopefully the journey back is a fruitful one for Peterson and the Orioles organization. 

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This is 100 percent “what if” thinking and theoretical, but it’s fun nonetheless.

The Orioles have been basement dwellers for, well, I’ve lost count on the number years. I just know the last time I saw them in the playoffs I was a sophomore in college with a full head of hair. Since then the O’s have played at a level somewhere in-between terrible and below average. Long gone are the good ol’ days when it was Baltimore and Toronto battling  tooth and nail. And how quickly did the country forget about the heated rivalry and brawls with the Yankees back in the ’80s and ’90s.

To be bad this long takes some luck—part of that luck is being in the AL East with the three-headed monster: New York, Boston and, its newest addition, Tampa Bay.

Let’s pretend for a moment that the Orioles were in National League East. How would they have fared over the past decade? My theory: The Orioles would have made the playoffs at least once or twice since 2000.

How the Math Works

1. The numbers say the AL is stronger. Since interleague play began in 1997, the American League has won 1,939 interleague games while the national League has won 1,773. Therefore, the American League is about 10 percent better.

Let’s add 10 percent improvement to their typical 68-win season: that gives the O’s 74 wins and 88 losses.

2. A three-headed monster vs. a one-headed monster. The Orioles have to play the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays more than any other team in Major League Baseball. In the NL East, it’s usually only one team per season playing up to that level—typically the Phillies, Mets or Braves. Let’s subtract 10 losses due to an easier division schedule.

Now the O’s are at 84 wins and 78 losses.

3. The DH effect. The Orioles have a reputation for picking up average designated hitters, or DHs who are past their prime. On the flip side, shaky Oriole pitching could definitely benefit from facing one less talented hitter per lineup.

With the Orioles still spending about the same amount on payroll, not having to include a DH on the roster frees up about $8 million that could go toward a decent pitcher or position player. Plus the pitching staff would give up a few less big hits. Let’s give the O’s four more wins.

The O’s are creeping to the top with 88 wins, 74 losses.

4. Payroll competition. The O’s have been willing to spend near or into the upper third of MLB teams. In the NL East, this would put the O’s on par with the Mets and Phillies. And with a more competitive season, perhaps ownership would be willing to spend a little more to get the job done. I’m giving the O’s three more wins due to the increased market value of their payroll.

The O’s now have 91 wins, 71 losses.

That’s good enough to make the playoffs, at least as a wild card.

Looking back over the Orioles’ rosters and records from the past decade, the best performing clubs were in 2004 (third place in the AL East with 78 wins) and 2005 (fourth place in the AL East with 74 wins). These were the days of Ponson, Palmeiro, Bedard, Javy Lopez and Brian Roberts in his prime. In my opinion one of these teams likely would have played into mid-October would they have played in the NL East versus the AL East.

How do you think the O’s would do with a different schedule, level of competition and no DH?

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Derrek Lee, 1B Baltimore Orioles (26 percent owned in Yahoo, 28.8 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .247 AVG/26 R/5 HR/19 RBI/2 SB

Lee has certainly not lived up to expectations so far in 2011, but his bat seems to be coming alive. In the past seven games, Lee has hit .438 with five XBH and six runs.

He has been shuffled between the fourth and sixth spot in the lineup, so if he can stay healthy, he should help your team in AVG and RBI.

Projection (rest of season): .283 AVG/39 R/11 HR/44 RBI/2 SB

Alexi Casilla, 2B/SS Minnesota Twins (28 percent owned in Yahoo, 55.6 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .260 AVG/32 R/2 HR/15 RBI/11 SB

Casilla has been on fire for the past month. Since May 24th he has hit .327 AVG/9 R/2 HR/11 RBI/8 SB. Casilla is currently batting second for the Twins and he should stay there. I don’t expect him to hit .327 for the rest of the year, but he should be a solid contributor in AVG, R, SB. 

Projection (rest of season): .280 AVG/36 R/4 HR/23 RBI/11 SB

Jemile Weeks, 2B Oakland Athletics (20 percent owned in Yahoo, 35 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .305 AVG/11 R/0 HR/6 RBI/6 SB

Weeks started out with a .400 BABIP and one walk in 44 AB. Since then he has shown more patience at the plate with four walks in 19 at bats and he is batting leadoff for the Athletics.

The stolen bases is a huge plus, but it will only be a matter of time before pitchers start adjusting to him. Pick him up while he is hot but don’t expect a long-term fix.

Projection (rest of season): .260 AVG/26 R/2 HR/19 RBI/10 SB

Alcides Escobar, SS Kansas City Royals (29 percent owned in Yahoo, 73.5 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .246 AVG/34 R/1 HR/21 RBI/12 SB

In the minors, Escobar was an annual three category producer in AVG, R and SB. When called up by the Brewers, he was planted in the eight hole where he was unable to showcase his true potential.

Now that he is batting ninth for an AL team, he will have more opportunity to steal bases and score runs. Since June 7th he has hit, .411 AVG/13 R/8 RBI/6 SB. I would rather roster Escobar than Chone Figgins, Gordon Beckham, Darwin Barney and Omar Infante.

Projection (rest of season): .265 AVG/40 R/2 HR/27 RBI/15 SB

Carlos Carrasco, SP Cleveland Indians (39 percent owned in Yahoo, 47.1 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: 7 W/4 L/53 K/3.62 ERA/1.21 WHIP

Carlos Carrasco, a regular on “Spot Starting,” has been untouchable on the mound in his last four starts. During that time he has thrown 29.2 IP/2 ER/21 K/5 BB. His current K/9 sits at 5.48, but last year it was at 7.66 even though his current SwStr% of 8.4 is nearly identical to his 8.7 mark in 2010.

Expect a slight uptick in strikeouts. 

Projection (rest of season): 6 W/4 L/78 K/3.5 ERA/1.20 WHIP

For other entries in our waiver-wire gems series, click here!

Brian “Killboy” Kilpatrick is a Senior Writer for 4thandHome.com, where this, and other work, can be found. Additionally, he is co-host of The 4th and Home Show on Blog Talk Radio.

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J.J. Hardy, SS Baltimore Orioles (23 percent owned in Yahoo, 37.1 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .288 AVG / 19 R / 6 HR / 19 RBI / 0 SB

Hardy has been a monster the past 14 days hitting .375 AVG, 11 R, four HR, seven RBI. It seems like everyone has forgotten his ’07 and ’08 seasons with the Brewers when he hit .280 AVG, 167 R, 50 HR, 164 RBI. I am writing off last year as a fluke because Target Field is a tough place to call home. Now he is in a park that is very friendly to right-handed hitters.

My Projection: .279 AVG / 80 R / 20 HR / 65 RBI / 2 SB

Michael Brantley, OF Cleveland Indians (49 percent owned in Yahoo, 83 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .293 AVG / 35 R / 5 HR / 26 RBI / 8 SB

You Yahoo people need to get with the program. I don’t know what else this guy has to do to be more universally owned. He is sitting atop a good AL lineup that will continue to score runs, he is taking walks at a decent clip and the batting average should stick. I would like to see him be more active on the base paths because he has shown the ability in the minors and don’t expect 15 home runs.

My Projection: .290 AVG / 100 R / 10 HR / 62 RBI / 29 SB

Corey Patterson, OF Toronto Blue Jays (43 percent owned in Yahoo, 77.8 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .293 AVG / 35 R / 5 HR / 28 RBI / 9 SB

If Brantley isn’t available in your league, hopefully Patterson is because you are getting similar production. He has not consistently hit for high average in his career (.255 career AVG) but it should remain respectable if he continues to hit in front of Bautista and Lind. His .153 ISO is in-line with his career mark of .151 ISO so 15 HR is not out of the question. He has been caught stealing 6 times but the Jays are very aggressive on the bases so he still has the green light.

My Projection: .270 AVG / 85 R / 15 HR / 65 RBI / 30 SB

Mark Trumbo, 1B Los Angeles Angels (34 percent owned in Yahoo, 79.2 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .252 AVG / 23 R / 11 HR / 29 RBI / 6 SB

Mark Trumbo’s Yahoo ownership level baffles me. In the minors last year, he hit .299 AVG with 36 HR and he is showing the same type of power in the majors. This guy is a near lock for 25 HR and the stolen bases are an added bonus. He has been hitting out of the seven spot more often than I would like but he may get an opportunity to move up.

My Projection: 250 AVG / 65 R / 26 HR / 79 RBI / 12 SB

Miguel Olivo, C Seattle Mariners (31 percent owned in Yahoo, 29.2 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .241 AVG / 28 R / 8 HR / 30 RBI / 2 SB

In a year that the catcher position is so thin, Olivo deserves a good look. Seattle may not have the best lineup in the world (or 28th best) but Olivo is batting cleanup or fifth everyday for the Mariners. In the past seven games he has four HR and 11 RBI. He may finish the year as a top ten catcher so give him a shot.

My Projection: .250 AVG / 72 R / 22 HR / 85 RBI / 4 SB

Click here for our other waiver wire gems!

Brian “Killboy” Kilpatrick is a Senior Writer for 4thandHome.com, where this, and other work, can be found. Additionally, he is co-host of The 4th and Home Show on Blog Talk Radio.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Since the inception of the American League East, it has always been a two-horse race with the exception of a Tampa Bay Rays organization or Baltimore Orioles team showing some hope early on in the season. It usually always comes down to either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, with the second place team more often than not taking the AL Wild Card home.

The 2011 MLB Season has proved to be different than the past several years. We are about a third of the way through the season and just four games separates the fifth place Toronto Blue Jays from the first place Boston Red Sox.

Let’s break down where each of the five teams are at right now and see what they need to do to improve or if it is even realistic to keep them in the conversation.

Begin Slideshow