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Orioles send three pitchers to Triple-A

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By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com

10/30/09 5:06 PM ET

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles cleared some space on their roster Friday by removing three injured pitchers and outrighting them to Triple-A Norfolk. Right-hander Alfredo Simon and lefty Rich Hill were reinstated from the 60-day disabled list before clearing waivers, and righty Bob McCrory joined the pair in being assigned to Norfolk.

Simon, Hill and McCrory will all spend their winters working their way back from season-ending surgery. Simon, who began the year in the rotation, had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow in May, while Hill and McCrory both underwent operations to repair a torn labrum in their respective pitching shoulders late in the season.

Baltimore also made several roster moves on Thursday in preparation for the Hot Stove season. The Orioles declined the options for both Chad Moeller and Melvin Mora and outrighted Jeff Fiorentino, Chris Lambert, Jim Miller and Guillermo Rodriguez to Norfolk. Baltimore also lost Sean Henn to Toronto on a waiver claim.

Mora and Moeller won't officially come off the 40-man roster until they file for free agency, leaving Baltimore with six open slots. Three more players -- right-handed pitchers Koji Uehara and Brad Bergesen and center fielder Adam Jones -- are still on the 60-day disabled list and not presently accounted for on the 40-man roster.

Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.