About Last Night: O's Lose to Twins, Draft, Adam Loewen

The seemingly upward climb of Daniel Cabrera hit a little bump in the road as Baltimore lost to Minnesota, 7-5, last night in Minneapolis. Despite leading for much of the first half of the game, the Daniel of old returned in the fifth and sixth inning as the Twins scored four runs combined and the Orioles were left to lick their wounds. Daniel Cabrera (5-2) took the loss for the O's, allowing six runs on eight hits over six frames.

Baltimore's offense was able to knock out Kevin Slowey, the Minnesota starter, out of the game; however, they could not capitalize on a multitude of scoring opportunities. Joe Mauer homered and drove in three runs, helping Boof Bonser get a win out of the bullpen on Wednesday night.

Kevin Millar and Melvin Mora each hit solo home runs for the Orioles, who have dropped five of their last seven contests. Brian Roberts went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Nick Markakis had two hits and one RBI.

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The 2008 MLB draft is upon us, and while it is known Tim Beckham will be chosen first by the Rays, the Orioles have a number of options to choose from. It's conventional wisdom that Baltimore will go after a pitcher -- San Diego area pitcher Brian Matusz -- as their first round pick.

Unless something changes, I guess that's what may happen. I like Justin Smoak as a power option -- the Orioles sorely need it -- however, the Baltimore media is reporting it will more than likely be Matusz.

From Roch's blog: The Orioles' pick seems pretty clear unless the Kansas City Royals muck up the works and take San Diego pitcher Brian Matusz at No. 3. I'm guessing they'll take high school first baseman Eric Hosmer instead.

Hosmer is high up on the Orioles' draft board, along with Beckham, Matusz, Alvarez, South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak and Missouri pitcher Aaron Crow.

Obviously things can change, and at times, events like this may become unpredicatable, but it looks like many are set with Matusz as the first pick.

The Baltimore Sun goes through the top five players the Orioles are looking at as their first pick & Dan Connolly muses with fans as to who they want as a part of the organization; and if you want a very good rundown of the draft picks in the latter rounds, the excellent and newest blog in Oriole-land, Camden Depot may be the place to go along with Orioles Hangout to get your draft expertise. As well, the Washington post has some tidbits and insight as to what the Orioles might do this afternoon.

I would like to hop into the fray and give my thoughts, but I am a little weak in that department and I only have so many hours in the day to devote to blogging.

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Meanwhile, O's hurler Adam Loewen should be back in June and will more than likely have him in the bullpen. This is good news, as the Orioles are set with a glutton of pitching options right now, so there's no need to throw Loewen into the Lion's Den and have him starting again. I say that Baltimore should take their time with the youngster, and let him heal, get his command back and just let him build little by little in relief.

From the Baltimore Sun: Although the club is not addressing it specifically, Loewen might rejoin the Orioles as a reliever. He has come out of the bullpen just six times in his six-season pro career and only three times in 32 big-league games.

"I think we are developing the plan for the role that Loewen will be in when he comes back, but we are going to wait and see what he does in the minor leagues on his rehab stint first," Trembley said. "[Team president] Andy MacPhail and I and [pitching coach] Rick Kranitz and Adam Loewen have discussed all the options."

Pitching out of the bullpen would help ease Loewen (0-1, 7.85 ERA in four 2008 starts) back into the majors while putting less wear on a tender left elbow that has hampered the former first-round pick for more than a year.

Needless to say, the best course of action is to have Adam just get his mojo back and have him make a go of it in 2009.