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World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966 American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969 American League Wild Card 2012, 1996 Friday, August 22, 2014 Columns: Thoughts and observations as Orioles head into interleague series against the Cubs The Sun 8/22 Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Mike Wright falls one strike short of throwing no-hitter The Sun 8/21 With postseason in sight for Orioles, five things to watch The Sun 8/21 With rotation continuing to go deep in games, Orioles utilizing bullpen pieces to perfection in late-inning chess matches The Sun 8/21 Orioles minor league catcher Alex Murphy likely out for season with shoulder injury The Sun 8/21 Surging Orioles set for challenges of stretch run MLB.com 8/21 MLB stars commit to 'All-Star Series' in Japan MLB.com 8/21 Today's game and O'Day's role as bullpen leader MASNsports.com 8/22 Jones will play in Japan in November MASNsports.com 8/21 Mike Wright talks about his near no-hitter (Aberdeen awarded 2015 All-Star Game) MASNsports.com 8/22 Do Adam Jones and Nick Markakis Need a Day Off? Press Box Online 8/21 Orioles Minor League Spotlight: Mark Blackmar, Tyler Wilson Press Box Online 8/21 In Chicago, Orioles Continue Dominance Against Top AL Pitchers Press Box Online 8/21 David Lough's body shot ESPN.com 8/13 Adam Jones is heading to Japan in November CSN Baltimore 8/21 Orioles playing well into October? Could happen, here's why CSN Baltimore 8/21 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-thoughts-and-observations-as-orioles-head- into-interleague-series-against-the-cubs-20140821,0,2501541.story Thoughts and observations as Orioles head into interleague series against the Cubs By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun 8:46 a.m. EDT, August 22, 2014 CHICAGO – Sometimes when you’re in the middle of the baseball season, it takes a day off to take a step back and really look at what’s going on. The Orioles will open their three-game interleague series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field Friday leading the American League East by nine games over the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. They are a season-high 21 games over .500 and have the best record in baseball since June 30, going 30-13 in that span. Now take a step back to June 29, when the Orioles had just dropped three of four to the Tampa Bay Rays following a 12-7 loss at Camden Yards. On that Sunday afternoon, the Orioles’ bullpen allowed nine runs, breaking open a 3-3 game. Miguel Gonzalez only went 4 2/3 innings after walking four and allowed three runs on eight hits. Evan Meek and Brian Matusz struggled in relief. At that point, the Orioles were just three games over .500, with a 42-39 record. The rotation was full of question marks and inconsistency. The bullpen was picking up too many innings. How things have changed. Since June 30, the Orioles pitching staff has a 2.89 ERA, the fourth- best mark in the majors in that span. When Kevin Gausman takes the mound Friday night, he will attempt to build on a run of the four straight quality starts since Ubaldo Jimenez allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings last Saturday in Cleveland. It’s been a landmark year for the starting rotation. On Wednesday, Wei-Yin Chen won his career-high 13th game. Two days earlier, Bud Norris set a new career-high with his 11th win. Gausman has the opportunity to earn his eighth win. Last year, it took Gausman six appearances – and a move to the bullpen – to get his first victory. “I think what they’re interested in is doing a win thing for the Orioles,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “They’re all trying to contribute and hold up their end of the bargain and pass the baton the next pitcher, the next bullpen guy, the next starter. … There’s a lot of phases of our team that are capable of picking up something that might have down night.” A couple of observations from down on the farm: -- The Orioles' acquisition of Andrew Miller has undoubtedly made the club's bullpen better, giving it a lock-down lefty that affects the game with his presence alone. Miller will undoubtedly play a significant role if the Orioles are able to make a deep run in the postseason -- he owns a slider that left-handed hitters have nightmares about -- but the trade that brought him to Baltimore won’t be able to be truly evaluated for a while. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette admitted it was a tough call to trade left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the Red Sox in order to acquire Miller. Rodriguez entered the season as the organization’s third-best prospect, according to Baseball America, trailing only Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman. But Rodriguez went 3-7 with a 4.79 ERA at Double-A Bowie, struggling to get back to form physically after a knee injury. Since the trade, Rodriguez has shown the stuff that made him one of the Orioles’ top prospects. He threw seven shutout innings for the Red Sox’s Double-A team in Portland, Maine, on Thursday night. He is 2-0 with a 0.74 ERA in four starts since the trade and has allowed just two earned runs in 24 1/3 innings. He’s also allowed just 18 hits, walked six and struck out 28 batters. -- Triple-A right-hander Mike Wright struggled this season to build on his breakout 2013 at the Double-A level. He’s just 5-11 with a 4.83 ERA on the year, but he’s finishing his season out very well. Wright, who was one strike away from throwing a no-hitter Thursday, lost nine of his first 10 decisions this season, but has held the opposition to two or fewer earned runs in each of his last six starts. He’s also gone seven or more innings in four of his last six starts. What’s been the key? A big part of it has to be improved command. Over his first 19 starts, Wright had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.0 (66 strikeouts, 33 walks). But over his last six outings, he’s posted 30 strikeouts and just five walks (a 6.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio). http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-triplea-norfolk-pitcher-mike-wright-falls- one-strike-short-of-pitching-nohitter-20140821,0,1461437.story Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Mike Wright falls one strike short of throwing no-hitter By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun 10:11 p.m. EDT, August 21, 2014 Orioles pitching prospect Mike Wright was one strike away from throwing a no-hitter for Triple- A Norfolk on Thursday night in a 5-2 win over the Durham Bulls. Wright came as close as possible to tossing a no-hitter, allowing a two-out double to Mike Mahtook on a 1-2 count in the ninth inning. Earlier in the inning, shortstop Alexi Casilla committed a throwing error with two outs on a play that could have ended the game. After allowing the double to Mahtook – which also ended Wright’s shutout bid – he was replaced by right-hander Brock Huntzinger. Wright threw 121 pitches, striking out 11 batters – both season highs. He was charged with another run following a wild pitch by Huntzinger, but both runs were unearned because of the error on Casilla. Over 8 2/3 innings, Wright allowed five baserunners: three walks, one hit and one error. Wright was named the Orioles’ eighth-best prospect by Baseball America before the season, but has struggled this season, going 5-11 with a 4.83 ERA in 2014. He opened the season losing nine of his first 10 decisions, but has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts and has gone seven or more innings in four of his last six outings. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-with-postseason-in-sight-for-orioles-five- things-to-watch-closely-pictures,0,7099298.photogallery With postseason in sight for Orioles, five things to watch The Baltimore Sun The Orioles hold a nine-game lead in the American League East with 37 games remaining in the regular season, but what do they need to do with a little more than five weeks to go before the start of the playoffs? Preparing for the postseason For baseball fans, there's only a little more than five weeks left in the regular season. For manager Buck Showalter and his players, there's still a little more than five weeks left in the regular season. While the Orioles started preparing for the postseason this week by sending out playoff ticket invoices to season-ticket holders, Showalter refuses to entertain such notions. When asked a question earlier this week that included the word "playoffs," Showalter's eyes bulged momentarily until he realized it was a query about the minor league system. Orioles players also see the club's likely postseason future, but they aren't looking too far ahead with 37 games remaining in the regular season. "Of course, everyone on this team wants to play in the playoffs," said left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, through interpreter Louis Chao, after Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.