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07-22-2004, 11:38 PM
And now, the Maine attraction :D Sorry, couldn't resist.
Maine to debut on Friday
Gary Washburn / MLB.com (http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/news/bal_news.jsp?ymd=20040721&content_id=805605&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp)
http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/images/2004/07/21/sLXK4whS.jpg (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
BOSTON (July 21) -- The Orioles will purchase the contract of pitcher John Maine, and the right-hander will make his long-awaited Major League debut on Friday, against the Minnesota Twins.
The Orioles confirmed the move after Wednesday's 10-5 win over Boston. The other likely candidate considered, Bruce Chen, pitched on Wednesday for Triple-A Ottawa, against Louisville.
Maine, 23, is scheduled to pitch on Thursday but will fly to Baltimore and prepare for his debut.
The right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.26 ERA but has a 3.22 ERA with 51 strikeouts in the past eight starts. Mazzilli contacted Maine on Thursday night to give him the good news.
Orioles fans have awaited Maine's arrival in Baltimore since he emerged as a top prospect last season. He was the team's Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 14-3 with a 2.27 ERA with Class A Delmarva and Frederick.
A non-roster invitee to Orioles' camp, he went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in Spring Training. He was 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA with Double-A Bowie before being promoted to Ottawa on May 15. His got off to a rough start for the Lynx but has showed flashes of dominance in starts.
With 40 players on the 40-man roster, the Orioles will need to make a significant roster move to make room for Maine. Either a current Major Leaguer or minor league prospect will have to be outrighted.
Mazzilli decided to shuffle the rotation and pitch Dave Borkowski on three days' rest on Thursday and give Friday's starter an opportunity to pitch at home.
Health report: Mazzilli was relieved when Brian Roberts (bruised right pinkie) and Jerry Hairston (bruised ribs) both reported to Fenway Park improved and ready to play. :thumbsup: Roberts was in the starting lineup, Hairston was not.
The left side of Roberts' hand is bruised, but it was flexible enough to play second base. He was forced to leave Tuesday's game against Kansas City after trying to barehand a sharp Angel Berroa grounder.
"It was one of those balls you just try to stay in front of," he said. "I was trying to take it off the chest, not the hand. You gotta play hurt sometimes. I am ready to do it."
Hairston said that he could have played on Wednesday, but Mazzilli decided to give him a precautionary day off. He crashed into the wall just minutes before Roberts was injured, trying to catch a Mike Sweeney liner in right field. He wanted to stay in the game.
"I was a little in shock, now I know what it's like to get hit by [Ravens linebacker] Ray Lewis," he said. "I wanted to stay in the game, but I guess it was best they [played it] safe. I banged into that wall pretty hard."
The Orioles could have used Hairston's bat against Boston right-hander Pedro Martinez. Hairston is 8-for-24 against Martinez lifetime.
Martinez-Garcia intrigue: One storyline on Wednesday was the return of Karim Garcia to Fenway Park for the first time since the ugly bench-clearing brawl in Game 3 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox.
In the fourth inning of that game, Martinez threw behind Garcia, who began yelling back to the mound. That sparked more yelling from the Yankees' bench, and Martinez responded by pointing to his head while barking at Jorge Posada.
One inning later, Manny Ramirez tried to charge the mound after a high pitch from Roger Clemens, and both benches emptied, then came the tussle between Martinez and 72-year-old Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer.
Then, in the ninth inning, Garcia and reliever Jeff Nelson got into an altercation with a Red Sox employee in the visitors' bullpen.
Garcia, who started in right field on Wednesday, was booed vigorously in his first at-bat, a strikeout.
"I have moved past that," he said before the game. "I am here to play baseball. I am sure I will get booed, but I am ready for that. I don't pay attention to what people say about me. My job is to play baseball."
Roster move: To add depth to the bullpen after Mike DeJean's trade, the club purchased the contract of right-hander Todd Williams and optioned Tim Raines back to Ottawa.
Williams is the third veteran pitcher added to the 40-man roster this season to aid an injured bullpen, joining Borkowski and Darwin Cubillan, who was sent back to Ottawa two months ago. Williams was 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA and two saves in 14 games with Ottawa. He has Major League experience, having pitched 50 total games for the Yankees, Dodgers and Mariners.
He last pitched in the Majors in 2001, with the Yankees. He was signed in June after being released by the Rangers.
"He's a sinkerballer and can go a few innings," said Mazzilli. "We will use him. I had him with the Yankees. He is not just a situational guy."
Maine to debut on Friday
Gary Washburn / MLB.com (http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/news/bal_news.jsp?ymd=20040721&content_id=805605&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp)
http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/images/2004/07/21/sLXK4whS.jpg (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
BOSTON (July 21) -- The Orioles will purchase the contract of pitcher John Maine, and the right-hander will make his long-awaited Major League debut on Friday, against the Minnesota Twins.
The Orioles confirmed the move after Wednesday's 10-5 win over Boston. The other likely candidate considered, Bruce Chen, pitched on Wednesday for Triple-A Ottawa, against Louisville.
Maine, 23, is scheduled to pitch on Thursday but will fly to Baltimore and prepare for his debut.
The right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.26 ERA but has a 3.22 ERA with 51 strikeouts in the past eight starts. Mazzilli contacted Maine on Thursday night to give him the good news.
Orioles fans have awaited Maine's arrival in Baltimore since he emerged as a top prospect last season. He was the team's Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 14-3 with a 2.27 ERA with Class A Delmarva and Frederick.
A non-roster invitee to Orioles' camp, he went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in Spring Training. He was 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA with Double-A Bowie before being promoted to Ottawa on May 15. His got off to a rough start for the Lynx but has showed flashes of dominance in starts.
With 40 players on the 40-man roster, the Orioles will need to make a significant roster move to make room for Maine. Either a current Major Leaguer or minor league prospect will have to be outrighted.
Mazzilli decided to shuffle the rotation and pitch Dave Borkowski on three days' rest on Thursday and give Friday's starter an opportunity to pitch at home.
Health report: Mazzilli was relieved when Brian Roberts (bruised right pinkie) and Jerry Hairston (bruised ribs) both reported to Fenway Park improved and ready to play. :thumbsup: Roberts was in the starting lineup, Hairston was not.
The left side of Roberts' hand is bruised, but it was flexible enough to play second base. He was forced to leave Tuesday's game against Kansas City after trying to barehand a sharp Angel Berroa grounder.
"It was one of those balls you just try to stay in front of," he said. "I was trying to take it off the chest, not the hand. You gotta play hurt sometimes. I am ready to do it."
Hairston said that he could have played on Wednesday, but Mazzilli decided to give him a precautionary day off. He crashed into the wall just minutes before Roberts was injured, trying to catch a Mike Sweeney liner in right field. He wanted to stay in the game.
"I was a little in shock, now I know what it's like to get hit by [Ravens linebacker] Ray Lewis," he said. "I wanted to stay in the game, but I guess it was best they [played it] safe. I banged into that wall pretty hard."
The Orioles could have used Hairston's bat against Boston right-hander Pedro Martinez. Hairston is 8-for-24 against Martinez lifetime.
Martinez-Garcia intrigue: One storyline on Wednesday was the return of Karim Garcia to Fenway Park for the first time since the ugly bench-clearing brawl in Game 3 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox.
In the fourth inning of that game, Martinez threw behind Garcia, who began yelling back to the mound. That sparked more yelling from the Yankees' bench, and Martinez responded by pointing to his head while barking at Jorge Posada.
One inning later, Manny Ramirez tried to charge the mound after a high pitch from Roger Clemens, and both benches emptied, then came the tussle between Martinez and 72-year-old Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer.
Then, in the ninth inning, Garcia and reliever Jeff Nelson got into an altercation with a Red Sox employee in the visitors' bullpen.
Garcia, who started in right field on Wednesday, was booed vigorously in his first at-bat, a strikeout.
"I have moved past that," he said before the game. "I am here to play baseball. I am sure I will get booed, but I am ready for that. I don't pay attention to what people say about me. My job is to play baseball."
Roster move: To add depth to the bullpen after Mike DeJean's trade, the club purchased the contract of right-hander Todd Williams and optioned Tim Raines back to Ottawa.
Williams is the third veteran pitcher added to the 40-man roster this season to aid an injured bullpen, joining Borkowski and Darwin Cubillan, who was sent back to Ottawa two months ago. Williams was 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA and two saves in 14 games with Ottawa. He has Major League experience, having pitched 50 total games for the Yankees, Dodgers and Mariners.
He last pitched in the Majors in 2001, with the Yankees. He was signed in June after being released by the Rangers.
"He's a sinkerballer and can go a few innings," said Mazzilli. "We will use him. I had him with the Yankees. He is not just a situational guy."