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Phillips ends first major league season with… |
At home in Sacramento, there is a piece of proof Zach Phillips has reached every baseball player’s dream.
Tucked away on the Sacramento City College campus, Phillips’ name was recently added to the Panthers’ display of alumni names who have reached Major League Baseball. Phillips, 25, completed his first major league season on Sept. 30 after being called up from the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on Aug. 31 and planned to relax before possibly starting to work out in a month after the end of the season. “A few of them have texted me and said congratulations. They have a wall and said that I have to come by,” Phillips said by phone on Sept. 22 of his former coaches at Sac City. Phillips went 0-0 in his 10 games with the Baltimore Orioles with a 1.13 ERA in eight innings pitched. He gave up a total of six hits and just one earned run while striking out two. Batters were scoreless against him until his final game, played against Boston, where he gave up his only run. Phillips, who says he has played baseball “my whole life,” pitched in his first major league game the same day he was called up. He entered a game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the eighth inning and pitched one scoreless inning, giving up two hits and one walk and striking out one. Having been thrust immediately into his first game upon reaching Baltimore, he was helped in his transition by his new teammates. “It was very nerve-wracking, but all the guys were very cool,” Phillips said. Phillips, who grew up an Oakland A’s fan, worked his way up the Texas Rangers’ farm system before being traded to Baltimore in July. He went 1-1 with Norfolk with a 2.63 ERC in 14 games. Phillips was named to the Second Team All-Bay Valley Conference East in 2005 while at Sac City after being selected in the 2004 draft by Texas. When he found out while with Norfolk that he’d been called up to the Orioles, he said it didn’t hit him until later. “My reaction was kind of in shock but I didn’t actually feel it until the locker room,” Phillips said. Those feelings carried over to his friends and family when Phillips told them the good news. “They were all very excited. There was a lot of emotion going around, a lot of congratulations,” said Phillips. For his birthday on Sept. 21, his family surprised him by visiting him in Boston while the Orioles were in town. They had their first chance to see him pitch. Phillips pitched in the first game of the series at Boston on Sept. 19, which the Red Sox ended up winning 18-9, entering in the bottom of the fifth inning and getting David Ortiz to fly out and Jed Lowrie to line out to end the inning. “It was my birthday so my girlfriend surprised me and flew my parents out and the first day they were here I pitched in Fenway Park in Boston,” Phillips said. “They stayed for three days.” The left-handed pitcher, who has given back to the Galt community in the past, said that for any up-and-coming baseball players, he can offer this piece of advice. “Go after what you love. Work hard for it,” Phillips said. “Hard work pays off.”
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Orioles activate SP Britton, recall IF Adams, send… |
MINNEAPOLIS — Zach Britton was activated from the disabled list and will start for the Baltimore Orioles against the Minnesota Twins on Monday. Britton has been on the disabled list since Aug. 5 with a left shoulder strain. After winning five of his first six decisions, the 23-year-old lefty hasn’t won since June 8 and has lost eight of his last nine. Baltimore also recalled infielder Ryan Adams from Triple-A Norfolk and sent reliever Jason Berken to the 15-day DL with a right shoulder strain. Adams hit .217 in seven games with the Orioles earlier in the season. He was playing second base and hitting ninth on Monday. Berken was 1-2 with a 5.80 ERA in 35 games. Orioles infielder Josh Bell was optioned to Norfolk after Sunday’s game. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Thanks for visiting our blog =). Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Demoted Brian Matusz could miss his bobble night… |
For the second straight year, the team could find itself in a position handing out the bobblehead of a player who’s serving out a demotion in the minors. This year it could be pitcher Brian Matusz(notes), whose likeness is scheduled to be given away at Camden Yards at Aug. 6. But the real Matusz is currently pitching at Triple-A Norfolk after being demoted from the big league team on June 30. It wouldn’t be the first time the O’s had a bobblehead honoree as a no-show on his special night. Nolan Reimold(notes) celebrated his special day last season as a member of the Norfolk Tides. Like Matusz, the outfielder is a projected member of Baltimore’s future core but has had trouble living up to expectations — on the field and in the promotions office — in the early stages of his career. Can Matusz return in time to appreciate his bobble in person? It doesn’t seem likely. The O’s haven’t set a timetable for his return, but Matusz — who missed the season’s first two months with an injury — has struggled in his first four minor league starts. Through 26.2 innings with Norfolk, he owns an 0-3 record with a 4.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. His last start came on Thursday and it wasn’t good: eight runs (seven earned) over 3 2/3 innings. You really can’t blame the Orioles for scheduling the promotion. Not after Matusz finished fifth in the voting for 2010 AL ROY, going 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA while striking out 143 batters, tops of any rookie in the league. Matusz’s unfortunate 2011, however, should provide a few lessons for Baltimore’s promotional schedule in 2012. Step away from the Zach Britton(notes) bobbles and give us another Jason Berken shirsey. Related: Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles Feel free to leave your comments below. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Demoted Brian Matusz could miss his bobble night… |
For the second straight year, the team could find itself in a position handing out the bobblehead of a player who’s serving out a demotion in the minors. This year it could be pitcher Brian Matusz(notes), whose likeness is scheduled to be given away at Camden Yards at Aug. 6. But the real Matusz is currently pitching at Triple-A Norfolk after being demoted from the big league team on June 30. It wouldn’t be the first time the O’s had a bobblehead honoree as a no-show on his special night. Nolan Reimold(notes) celebrated his special day last season as a member of the Norfolk Tides. Like Matusz, the outfielder is a projected member of Baltimore’s future core but has had trouble living up to expectations — on the field and in the promotions office — in the early stages of his career. Can Matusz return in time to appreciate his bobble in person? It doesn’t seem likely. The O’s haven’t set a timetable for his return, but Matusz — who missed the season’s first two months with an injury — has struggled in his first four minor league starts. Through 26.2 innings with Norfolk, he owns an 0-3 record with a 4.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. His last start came on Thursday and it wasn’t good: eight runs (seven earned) over 3 2/3 innings. You really can’t blame the Orioles for scheduling the promotion. Not after Matusz finished fifth in the voting for 2010 AL ROY, going 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA while striking out 143 batters, tops of any rookie in the league. Matusz’s unfortunate 2011, however, should provide a few lessons for Baltimore’s promotional schedule in 2012. Step away from the Zach Britton(notes) bobbles and give us another Jason Berken shirsey. Related: Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Orioles summon Adams, Reimold; send Berken down |
BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Orioles selected the contract of second baseman Ryan Adams and recalled outfielder Nolan Reimold from Triple-A Norfolk for their interleague game against the Washington Nationals on Friday night. After the Orioles’ 17-5 loss, reliever Jason Berken was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Berken allowed six runs in an inning against Washington. The 24-year-old Adams was in the starting lineup and went 1 for 4 with a run scored while batting ninth in his major league debut. He was hitting .303 with two homers and eight RBIs for Norfolk. Reimold was batting .237 with six homers and 22 RBIs. Left-hander Troy Patton was designated for assignment by the Orioles before Friday’s game. Patton and right-hander Chris Jakubauskas, who was optioned to Norfolk after Thursday’s 13-0 loss to the New York Yankees, both pitched in the lopsided defeat. Jakubauskas and Patton had replaced first baseman Derrek Lee (strained left oblique) and second baseman Brian Roberts (concussion) on the roster Thursday. Lee went on the 15-day disabled list and Roberts was placed on baseball’s new seven-day DL for concussion-related symptoms. Gotta run!. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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Orioles’ Derrek Lee, Roberts lost to injury |
Pitchers Jakubauskas, Patton recalled from AAA Norfolk after 15-inning lossThe Associated Press Posted:May 19, 2011 8:08 PM ET Last Updated:May 19, 2011 8:08 PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles have placed first baseman Derrek Lee on the 15-day disabled list and second baseman Brian Roberts on the 7-day DL. Both moves, made Thursday, are retroactive to May 17. Lee has a left oblique muscle strain and Roberts has been sidelined with a concussion. Lee is hitting .231 with four homers and 14 runs batted in. Roberts is hitting .221 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. After using the entire bullpen in Wednesday night’s 15-inning loss to the New York Yankees, the Orioles recalled two relievers from AAA Norfolk, right-hander Chris Jakubauskas and lefty Troy Patton. Jakubauskas pitched in three games with the Orioles in April. Patton was 1-0 with a 2.60 earned-run average in six games with Norfolk. That’s all the news for today. Posted in orioles-news | Comments Off
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As Roar From 34 points out via email, the Baltimore Orioles are starting to develop a bad bobblehead jinx.
