The Baltimore Orioles have hired 54-year old Buck Showalter to manage the team starting next Tuesday against the Angels. Showalter will be taking over for Juan Samuel who has led the team to a 16-31 record since taking over as manager of the O’s. Showalter will have his work cut out for him as he’s taking over a team that is 31-70 right now which has them in last place in the A.L. East, 33.5 games behind the Yankees. Showalter is a winner and the hope is that he will change the team’s attitude the rest of the way. He last managed in 2006 with the Texas Rangers. He has a career record of 882-833 (51.4%) in his 11 years as a major league manager and he was won 2 division titles. He was the A.L. Manager of the Year in both 1994 with the Yankees and 2004 with the Rangers. Showalter has his work cut out for him in Baltimore but I really like this hire for the Orioles.

The Orioles have designated 26-year old lefty swinging infielder Scott Moore for assignment. Moore played in 41 games for the O’s this season and he was 18 of 86 (.209 avg, .611 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers, 10 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Orioles needed Moore’s roster spot to activate Brian Roberts from the D.L. Roberts played in 4 games for the Orioles earlier this season and he was 2 of 14 (.143 avg, .464 OPS) with 1 run scored and 2 stolen bases. On his rehab assignment, Roberts played in 8 games in Rookie+AA-ball and he was 14 of 29 (.483 avg, 1.102 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs. The Orioles have to be ecstatic to get a player like Roberts back as they have really missed him this year.

The Orioles have released 29-year old switch hitting outfielder Joey Gathright. Gathright played in 61 games for the O’s in AAA-ball last year and he was 40 of 216 (.185 avg, .477 OPS) with 25 runs scored, 0 homers, 7 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. This is not much of a loss for the Orioles as Gathright was being overmatched in AAA. Speed is his best asset but you can’t steal first base.

The Baltimore Orioles have designated 30-year old righty swinging 1B Garrett Atkins for assignment. He played in 44 games for the O’s this season and he was 30 of 140 (.214 avg, .562 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 9 RBIs. Atkins was a complete bust for the Orioles who gave him a 1-year, $4.5 million dollar deal over last winter. I thought it was foolish to buy on a player like Atkins who never has hit too well away from Coors Field. The Orioles can’t afford to waste money like they did on Atkins if they want to compete in the American League East. The Orioles have activated 35-year old righty reliever Koji Uehara from the D.L. to replace Atkins on the active roster. Uehara has pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the O’s this season and he is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Uehara will likely boost the bullpen as he has pitched well for the Orioles when healthy the last two years.

UPDATE: (7/6/2010) - The Orioles have released Garrett Atkins. No loss there.

The Orioles have designated 27-year old righty reliever Cla Meredith for assignment to make room on the roster for Jake Fox. Meredith has pitched in 21 games (0 starts) for the Orioles this season and he is 0-2 with 1 save, a 5.40 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. In parts of two years with the Orioles, Meredith has worked in 50 games (0 starts) in which he is 0-2 with 1 save, a 4.33 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Some team that’s hurting for a reliever might give the O’s a little something for Meredith.