Orioles Get It Done Against the Yankees; Zach
Britton

post from Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond on 22 March 2011 11:01:51 PM. © Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond

The Orioles this afternoon earned a 6-2 win over the New Yankees as Zach Britton threw five plus innings of one-run ball, Luke Scott showed some life at the plate ? finally ? with a two-run homer, and the hottest Oriole on the planet, Jake Fox, hit his eighth longball of the exhibition season.

Although Britton faced a Yankees B-lineup with Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher in the lineup, he struck out five and allowed six hits. The Baltimore bullpen kept the Yankees at bay for the rest of the game and got Britton his second win.

With nine days remaining before the Orioles kick off the season in the Tampa Bay area against the Rays, one has to wonder if Britton has a role on the major league squad.

I?m sure it?s being talked about all over.

As a fan, I hope he makes it and is on the roster on Opening Day. Britton has shown that he can do the job based on his numbers in Florida and perhaps has been the best hurler on the team.

However, the business of baseball may work against him in this case.

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3/22 Spring Training Game Thread

post from Royals Review on 22 March 2011 10:02:03 PM. © Royals Review

3/22 Spring Training Game Thread

Angels will fall.

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http://www.royalsreview.com/2011/3/22/2066596/3-22-spring-training-game-thread

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Braves Will Use Jonny Venters And Craig Kimbrel
As Co-Closers

post from Talking Chop on 22 March 2011 10:02:00 PM. © Talking Chop

From an AP report this evening it looks like Fredi Gonzalez and his Atlanta Braves will use both young pitchers as co-closers to start the season:

Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel will enter the season sharing the closer's role. Manager Fredi Gonzalez isn't concerned about not having a full-time answer for the ninth inning.
"In a perfect world, you'd like to name one guy, but I can't sit here and say May 15 is going to be the day or June 20," he said. "Maybe we'll go the whole way. It's not a bad thing. It really isn't."

Kimbrel has struggled by having some very bad innings this spring, but he has also showed the ability to escape trouble with the strikeout and dominate opposing batters at times. Venters has not shown the same strikeout ability he did last year, but he has been virtually unhittable (just 2 hits in 8 innings).

Last week Talking Chop laid out the reasons that Venters should get the job over Kimbrel, though Craig has turned in some good performances since then, those reasons still hold true for me. Still, it's great that the Braves have two guys this good. Just like our glut of starting pitching, two guys who can close is a good problem to have.

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http://www.talkingchop.com/2011/3/22/2066662/braves-will-use-jonny-venters-and-cr
aig-kimbrel-as-co-closers

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High & Inside: 3/22/11

post from Beyond the Box Score on 22 March 2011 09:03:56 PM. © Beyond the Box Score

Links from around the baseball blogosphere...The Bonds Trial | Joe PosnanskiAnd the whole thing will end, and we will be right back where we started when trying to figure out the Selig Era. Well, we won’t be right back where we started …[...]

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http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2011/3/22/2065960/high-inside-3-22-11

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The roster shapes up

post from LADodgerTalk.com - Daily Dodger Talk, Dodger News and Dodger Rumors on 22 March 2011 09:01:57 PM. © LADodgerTalk.com - Daily Dodger Talk, Dodger News and Dodger Rumors

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http://www.ladodgertalk.com/2011/03/the-roster-shapes-up/

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Braves To Retire Bobby Cox's Number

post from Talking Chop on 22 March 2011 08:01:47 PM. © Talking Chop

Do you have your tickets for August 12th?

The Atlanta Braves will induct Bobby Cox to the Braves Hall of Fame on August 12th, and the number 6 will be retired before the game against the Chicago Cubs. This is a Friday night and a big draw against Chicago, so those who want to be in attendance should buy their tickets immediately.

This will be the seventh time the Braves have retired a number, and Bobby joins some pretty terrific company. Hank Aaron (44), Eddie Matthews (41), Dale Murphy (3), Phil Niekro (35), Warren Spahn (21), Greg Maddux (31), and Tom Glavine (47) are the only other Braves to have their number retired. Once Bobby is enshrined and the number is retired, we're probably only looking at two more numbers to be retired in the near future (Smoltz & Chipper).

There will be a luncheon on the 12th as well and that would be quite the show. No word on how to get hold of a ticket for that event, but keep your eyes open. It would be something special to see Bobby enshrined into the Hall of Fame with all of those Braves legends in attendance.

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http://www.talkingchop.com/2011/3/22/2066442/braves-to-retire-bobby-coxs-number

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TTM Success: 1971 American League Cy Young & MVP
Winner, Mr. Vida Blue!!!

post from 30-Year Old Cardboard on 22 March 2011 07:50:03 PM. © 30-Year Old Cardboard

TTM Success: 1971 American League Cy Young & MVP Winner, Mr. Vida Blue!!! The second of five baseballs that I sent out last month in hopes of adding some newly signed balls to my collection is now home. And it … Continue reading →

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http://bapple2286.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/ttm-success-1971-american-league-cy-yo
ung-mvp-winner-mr-vida-blue/

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2B Castillo reports to Phillies camp (AP)

Luis Castillo reported to Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training camp Tuesday, four days after the second baseman was released by the New York Mets. The 35-year-old Castillo signed a minor league deal with the Phillies on Monday and he could earn regular playing time with Chase Utley out because of a right knee injury.

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/03/22/2b-castillo-reports-to-phillies-camp-ap/

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Ms to start Ryan at SS, Wilson at 2B (AP)

The Seattle Mariners say Brendan Ryan will be their starting shortstop this season and Jack Wilson will shift over to second base. Mariners manager Eric Wedge made the announcement Tuesday. He said he thinks that alignment is a more comfortable fit. The Mariners got Ryan in a trade with St. Louis last December.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/03/22/ms-to-start-ryan-at-ss-wilson-at-2b-ap/

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Os Fox hits major league-high eighth HR (AP)

Jake Fox hit his eighth home run, most in the majors this spring, and Zach Britton had another impressive outing to help the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 6-2 on Tuesday. Britton finally allowed his first run of the spring, but he’s making it hard on the Orioles to choose a No. 5 [...]

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http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/03/22/os-fox-hits-major-league-high-eighth-hr-ap/

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