Saturday Bird Droppings

Justin Verlander gets zero help as Detroit Tigers fall to Orioles - Detroit Tigers- ESPN
"The Tigers needed Justin Verlander to stop the damage Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, and his superb eight-inning performance should have sufficed. Except it didn't. Instead, the offense was stifled completely, and the Tigers were shut out 1-0 at Camden Yards -- their 10th loss in the past 11 games." You don't see many complete game losses in the majors these days.

Showalter on Tillman, Jones and a 1-0 win - School of Roch
"Adam Jones provided the game’s only run with his 200th career home run, his 197th as an Oriole and his third in the last four games. It was a shot into the Orioles bullpen in the sixth that Darren O’Day misplayed."

Matching up with and then beating Verlander is great test for Tillman - BaltimoreBaseball.com
"You go in the game you know that you’re going to have to have a well-pitched game to be in it. And Chris did," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "They were pitchers as much as throwers. Be a lot more enjoyable if you knew how it was going to turn out so you could sit back and enjoy watching two pitchers really good at their trade."

Orioles seeing improved production after making upgrades at corner outfield spots - Baltimore Sun
"It's been an improvement," executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said. "We've had an upgrade from over a year ago, and the guys are doing a good job. Nolan, we had, but Nolan's healthy and contributing, and he, Rickard, Trumbo, they're all contributing. They all have different skill sets, so it's a pretty good complement to one another. They help the team." Somewhere in a corner, Hyun-Soo Kim is wondering what he has to do to for Dan Duquette to even remember his name...

After slump, Joey Rickard's batting average is on the rise again - Steve Melewski
"Joey Rickard has had plenty of clubhouse support throughout his time as an Oriole. That was important for him as he went through his first true struggles at the big league level. "That is probably the biggest part," Rickard said. "All these guys have been through it a lot longer than I have. Just seeing them go about their business through tough times can set an example for me."

Orioles notebook: Dylan Bundy unlikely to be a starting option until next season - Baltimore Sun
"I would have signed up for this in the offseason physically, knock on wood," Buck Showalter said. "I know he's not thinking about [his arm] anymore. I love how the changeup has come. It gives him something to left-handed hitters and now he's throwing it some to right-handed hitters. He's presented himself as a starting option for us next year. We'll see where it takes us."

Where will the Orioles find their next arm? - School of Roch
"I think you have to be active in the pitching market. We’re always looking around. Some of our young pitchers are doing a good job for the big league club. We’re trying to get some other young pitchers the innings they need to come up here and contribute, so we’re continuing to work on the pitching development throughout the organization." - Dan Duquette

Game-loving Machado wants kids to play sports; charity bowling event will help fund that hope - BaltimoreBaseball.com
"Last year, the tournament, along with a silent auction at the event, raised $80,000 for the Baltimore City Recreation Department’s Play Baseball campaign. For eight weeks, 300 kids, ages 9 to 12, were given the opportunity to play baseball — along with proper uniforms and equipment. Transportation to the fields were also provided to the participants." So great to see Manny and Adam Jones give so much back to Baltimore.

Happy Birthday to former Orioles Dennis "El Presidente" Martinez and Les Moss. It's also the birthday of famous people including 1943 Jack Bruce, bassist (Cream); 1944 George Lucas, American director; 1946 Robert Jarvik, surgeon/inventor (Jarvik 7 artificial heart); 1951 Robert Zemeckis, American film director; 1952 David Byrne, rock guitarist/singer (Talking Heads); 1961 Tim Roth, actor; 1962 C C Deville, guitarist (Poison); 1962 Ian Astbury, rock vocalist (The Cult); 1964 Suzy Kolber, American sportscaster; 1969 Cate Blanchett, Australian actress; 1971 Sofia Coppola, American director; 1984 Mark Zuckerberg, American internet entrepreneur and co-founder of Facebook; and 1993 Miranda Cosgrove, American actress and singer.

On this day in Baltimore baseball history...nothing much happened, actually.

On this day in world history...

1607 1st permanent English settlement in New World, Jamestown, Va

1787 Delegates gather in Philadelphia to draw up US constitution

1796 English country doctor Edward Jenner administered the first inoculation against smallpox, using cowpox pus, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire

1948 Israel declares independence from under British administration

1998 Last episode of Seinfeld on NBC (commercials are $2M for 30 seconds)

Consider this your discussion space for NCAA Baseball - Maryland vs Rutgers.