When the Orioles host the San Francisco Giants this weekend, a few members of the Orioles 2013 draft class, to include Austin Wynns and Trey Mancini, plan to get together with the 14th-round pick that year. That is outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. A non-roster invitee to O's spring training this year, Yaz went 3-for-18 (.167) in spring games, was optioned to minors camp at Twin Lakes park and on March 23 was traded by the Orioles to the Giants for pitcher Tyler Herb, who is 3-2 with a 5.06 ERA for...

The Orioles have reached their first non-weather-related day off since May 9. They had back-to-back postponements in the Bronx but still reported to the ballpark and waited for the inevitable announcement. At least the second one came much quicker, with an ominous forecast sending everyone back to the hotel. Twenty games in a row were stretched across the schedule before today's breather. "Needed," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I think everybody's looking forward to it. It's been quite a...

ATLANTA - Draw up a best-case scenario for the first five innings of tonight's game from the Nationals' perspective. Now multiply whatever outcome that came to mind by a factor of three. And then think up an even better scenario than that. Seriously, what more could the Nationals have done through five innings tonight at SunTrust Park? They scored 14 runs, batting around in both the top of the first and top of the second. They saw Aníbal Sánchez retire all 15 batters he faced in his...

For the Orioles, it was another night of strong pitching by left-hander John Means. He was on his way to his sixth win with a strong six-inning outing and a one-run lead. But Mychal Givens, tasked with pitching a second inning, gave up a game-tying home run. Branden Kline, tasked with holding the tie, gave up a two-run homer in the ninth and Detroit stormed back to win. Scoring three times the last two innings, Detroit beat the Orioles 4-2 tonight at Camden Yards. The Orioles were going for...

Orioles left-hander John Means must hear the All-Star talk and wonder if he's restricted to endorsing a candidate rather than being seen as one. Means set a career high tonight with seven strikeouts while holding the Tigers to one run and three hits in six innings. He mixed his pitches, he showed the usual composure. And he did his part to lead the Orioles to a rare series win. You can lead a team there, but the bullpen has to ensure that it happens. Keon Broxton hit his first home run at...

With the season two months old, the Nationals No. 1 selection from last season, Mason Denaburg, is continuing to make good progress in West Palm Beach, Fla. The right-hander told me in March that he is 100 percent healthy. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said that all systems are go for Denaburg. "He's in Florida pitching in our extended spring training camp and progressing well," Scialabba said. The latest update for Denaburg, 19, has him at full strength and...

ATLANTA - The Nationals have shut down Jeremy Hellickson from throwing after the right-hander was continuing to experience shoulder soreness while on the injured list. Hellickson, who went on the IL on May 21 with a strained right shoulder, was already throwing long toss that afternoon and believed he could keep himself sharp during what he hoped would be a brief stint off the active roster. But the right-hander wasn't responding to the throwing sessions as well as he wanted, so the club...

Last year, the Nationals selected high school pitcher Mason Denaburg with the 27th overall selection in the First-Year Player Draft. The two-sport right-hander came into the draft recovering from biceps tendinitis, but hit the ground running in spring training. He was making very good progress and was healthy and strong in March. I sat down with him to talk about his experiences during first spring training experience. So would the Nationals go to a high school pitcher again with the 17th...

Looking for a series win for the first time in more than a month, the Orioles (17-38) host the Detroit Tigers (20-32) tonight in the rubber match of this series. The Orioles won 5-3 Monday and lost 3-0 last night, their ninth loss in the last 11 games and 16th in the past 20. Before this series, the Orioles had a seven-game stretch where they scored 43 runs on 74 hits with 11 homers and batted .356 with runners in scoring position. In these two games, they've scored five runs on 13 hits while...

ATLANTA - In their ongoing search for more bullpen help, the Nationals are taking a flier on veteran Jonny Venters, hoping the former Braves lefty can rediscover the form that made him effective last season but eluded him this year. The Nats signed Venters to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Harrisburg, where he'll attempt to get himself on track and perhaps merit a promotion at some point. "He's a prominent left-handed pitcher who pitched well in some high-leverage...