The Orioles have lost catcher Michel Hernandez for the next 4-6 weeks due to a fractured right index finger. This cuts the competition for the backup catcher job down to Chad Moeller vs. Craig Tatum. My money would be on Moeller who did a decent job for them last year. Hernandez will start the 2010 season in AAA after he recovers from his injury.

The Orioles will lose starting shortstop Cesar Izturis for the next several weeks due to surgery for an appendicitis. Izturis has played in 45 games for the Orioles this season and he is 39 for 150 (.260 avg, .620 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 1 homer, 13 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. The Orioles will hand the starting job to Robert Andino while Izturis is out of action. Andino has played in 20 games this season for the Orioles and he is 11 for 43 (.256 avg, .577 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 3 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Andino is a good defensive player with a little more power than Izturis but nowhere near his speed.

The Orioles have placed righty starting pitcher Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a sore hamstring. Uehara has started 9 games this season for the Orioles and he is 2-3 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The Orioles have recalled their #16 rated prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America….right hander David Hernandez who will replace Uehara in the rotation. The 24-year Hernandez has started 8 games in AAA-ball this season and he is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He has whiffed 60 batters while only allowing 33 hits in 43 1/3 innings in the minors this year. It’s about time that the Orioles let some of the kids get a chance to show what they can do. They should have done this from the start of the season instead of going with stiffs like Adam Eaton and Mark Hendrickson in the starting rotation.

The Orioles have lost outfielder Lou Montanez until September after he recently had surgery to reattach torn ligaments in his right thumb. This is a shame as Montanez was about to get a opportunity to really show what he could do before his injury cut his season short. He has played in 18 games this season for the Orioles and he was 10 for 49 (.204 avg, .620 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs.

The Orioles have placed righty reliever Dennis Sarfate on the 15-day disabled list with a circulatory problem in his left hand. He has pitched in 8 games (0 starts) this season for the Orioles and he is 0-0 with a 6.39 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. The Orioles have recalled righty reliever Bob McCrory from AAA ball to replace Sarfate in the bullpen. The 27-year old righty has pitched in 9 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this season and he is 0-0 with 3 saves, a 2.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.