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Orioles-Royals Preview

Aug 1, 2010 - 4:02 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Baltimore (32-71) at Kansas City (43-60), 2:10 p.m. EDT

Juan Samuel's future with the Baltimore Orioles is uncertain. What is known is that Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals will be his last as the team's interim manager.

The major league-worst Orioles will try to send Samuel out with a victory and gain a split of their four-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Samuel - in his fourth year on Baltimore's staff - has served as the team's manager since Dave Trembley was fired June 4, and has guided the Orioles to a 17-33 record. With Buck Showalter scheduled to take over Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, Samuel is expected to move back to third-base coach.

"I have not met Buck at all," Samuel told the team's official website. "I don't want him to feel uncomfortable. I don't want to feel uncomfortable myself. So, I'm going to think about (what to do) in the next few days. And it's a decision I'm going to make at the end of this weekend."

Showalter will enter a very difficult situation, having to deal with a pitching staff that ranks last in the AL with a 5.18 ERA and an offense that has scored more runs than only Seattle.

Baltimore opened this series with an extra-inning win, but has lost two straight on late home runs to fall to 3-13 since the All-Star break. Alex Gordon hit a walkoff three-run homer to send the Orioles (32-72) to a 7-5 loss Friday and Billy Butler's two-run shot in the eighth Saturday night gave the Royals a 4-3 win.

"Both games, last night and tonight, they're hard to digest," Samuel said "We end up losing both games the same way - on the long ball."

Kansas City (44-60) needs a victory in the series finale to win a season series from the Orioles for the first time since 2003.

The Royals were active at Saturday's trade deadline, sending outfielder Rick Ankiel and reliever Kyle Farnsworth to Atlanta for reliever Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco and minor league pitcher Tim Collins.

Kansas City also gave manager Ned Yost a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2012.

"This is my type of deal here," Yost said. "I like this. I like building. I like helping an organization when it's struggling at the bottom. And this organization is not at the bottom."

Bruce Chen (5-5, 4.83) looks to avoid a fourth straight loss for the Royals. Since going 4-2 with a 3.66 ERA in his first seven starts, the well-traveled left-hander has gone 0-3 with a 7.97 ERA in his past four outings.

He had his worst performance of the season Tuesday in an 11-2 loss to Minnesota, giving up six runs and 11 hits over 5 1-3 innings.

The Orioles send struggling Kevin Millwood (2-10, 5.96 ERA) to the mound hoping he can solve his first-inning woes. The right-hander allowed at least two first-inning runs for the 10th time in 11 starts Tuesday in an 8-2 loss at Toronto. Millwood gave up six runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings in dropping his second consecutive start following a stint on the disabled list.

He is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven starts at Kauffman Stadium.

Jose Guillen is 16 for 36 (.444) with a home run against the 14-year veteran.