You ask me lots of questions. I have legitimate answers on a few occasions. It's really hit or miss. I'm the Dave Kingman of live chats and mailbags. But somehow we make it work. (Yes, I'm an Orioles beat reporter who referenced Dave Kingman. That's the direction I chose.) I embrace the inquiries that don't fly over my head or elicit a blank stare. No matter how many times I'm asked, because people have a tendency to skip over the comments on this blog or on my Twitter timeline. And...

He was probably just trying to pitch his team to a series win tonight. But in doing so, left-hander John Means stated his case to stay in the Orioles' rotation. Means once again looked good and featured a swing and miss changeup. He threw five strong innings as the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 at Oriole Park. After losing big on Monday night, the Birds take the last two games to win the series. They are now 2-0 in rubber match games, 10-16 for the year and 3-10 at home. They've won...

The idea of Renato Núñez as the Orioles' cleanup hitter and regular DH probably didn't gain much traction early in the winter, with the new regime trying to formulate a camp roster and learn about its inherited players. Rio Ruiz getting most of the starts at third base evolved as Núñez came down with a sore biceps in camp, other possibilities were eliminated and the defensive performance instilled more confidence. Dwight Smith Jr. as the regular left fielder and an offensive...

The Orioles followed Monday's 12-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox with Tuesday's 9-1 win. They have two wins by eight runs this year and each followed a blowout loss. They beat Oakland 12-4 on April 8, one day after losing 15-3 and allowing seven home runs to the New York Yankees. They were shutout once, 4-0 by Boston on April 14. They won 8-1 the next night. So they bounce back well. Tonight, the Orioles (9-16) host the White Sox (9-13) in the rubber match of a three-game series. They are 1-0...

DENVER - They lose one, they win one, they lose one, they hope to win the next one. It was the Nationals' recurring pattern in 2018, and it has become the recurring theme in 2019 as well. One day this team looks like a mess, dropping a series opener and digging itself into a hole. The next day, all looks right again and there seems reason for optimism. And then the next day, it falls apart amid poor pitching, poor defense and poor clutch hitting. "I don't know why; it's really hard to...

It is happening slowly, but for Orioles third baseman Rio Ruiz, it is happening. Getting the chance to play every day in the big leagues at age 24, his bat is starting to trend up. Yes, he is batting just .237 over 89 plate appearances, but three of his four multi-hit games have come in the last six games. He is 7-for-24 (.292) in that span and is 9-for-31 (.290) over his past eight games to raise his average from .200. Ruiz is batting .474 (9-for-19) when he faces a pitcher the second time in...

Orioles reliever Nate Karns is reporting to Double-A Bowie on Thursday while his teammates fly to Minnesota for the start of a three-game series. Karns threw again today without discomfort in his right forearm. He's going to throw an inning with the Baysox Thursday and another inning a few days later. "He's going to have a couple outings and then we'll kind of reassess," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We always reassess after every outing, but we plan on him having a couple outings and then...

Chris Davis is absent from the Orioles lineup tonight as they close out their homestand. Davis is 9-for-25 (.360) with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs in his last seven games with an at-bat to raise his season average to .155. Eighteen of Davis' 34 balls put in play have registered 95 mph or more, the highest percentage on the team at 52.9. Manager Brandon Hyde indicated last night that he'll keep Davis in the lower portion of the order. At least for now. "I'm really comfortable...

DENVER - Some injury updates for you before the Nationals and Rockies wrap up their three-game series ... * Anthony Rendon is out of the lineup for the fourth straight game with a bruised left elbow, but the Nationals remain optimistic about their third baseman and believe he's on the verge of returning to action. Rendon, who hasn't played since he was struck by a pitch Saturday night in Miami, has taken swings in the batting tunnel each of the last two days. He had seen enough improvement...

Mike Wright won't be staying in the Orioles organization. The club announced today that Wright has been traded to the Mariners for infielder Ryne Ogren, who is headed to low Single-A Delmarva. Wright was designated for assignment on Sunday while the Orioles selected Gabriel Ynoa's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. Wright, a third-round pick in 2011 out of East Carolina University, was carrying a 9.45 ERA and 2.025 WHIP in 10 appearances covering 13 1/3 innings. He also was out of minor league...