It was a disappointing road trip, Captain Obvious called and told me. He added it was a real chance for the Orioles to beat teams they are directly competing with for a wild card spot and that they went 2-4 against the Angels and Mariners, losing both series. This is no way to start a strong late-season charge. It ended in the most disappointing fashion with Chris Davis taking a called third strike with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 7-6 loss at Seattle. Yep,...

SEATTLE - The Orioles are off today and back at Camden Yards on Friday, where they've gone 35-23 this season. There's no place like home for this team. Clicking heels is optional. And anyone who's afraid to admit it is cowardly lyin'. (Please accept my apology. It's been a long season.) Yesterday's loss in Seattle left the Orioles 24-39 on the road. They should be giddy to get off the road, especially with their 35 wins at home tied with the Yankees for second-most in the American...

SEATTLE - The Orioles made the first of their two necessary roster moves tonight, activating Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander from the 60-day disabled list and optioning outfielder Joey Rickard to Triple-A Norfolk. Santander will wear No. 25 as he makes the jump from the Single-A level last season to the majors. Craig Gentry was the other candidate to come off the roster for Santander, but he's out of options and would have needed to clear waivers before his outright assignment. Though he...

With the minor league season winding down - Labor Day is the last day - thoughts start to turn to the Arizona Fall League. In theory, the AFL, which runs from Oct. 10-Nov. 18 this season, is a finishing school for the top prospects. In practice, it's not quite that. That's not to say that top prospects don't appear; they do, but not exclusively. Pitchers, for example, have a tendency to fit into one of three categories: injured, Rule 5 draft-eligible, marginal. Consequently, the offensive...

SEATTLE - The Orioles continue to score first, to take early leads as if trying to assert themselves. What doesn't necessarily follow is a win, which they so badly need while chasing the second wild card. Ubaldo Jiménez stayed in today's game long enough to be charged with six runs, including three in a decisive fifth inning that finally forced his exit, and the Orioles lost to the Mariners 7-6 before an announced crowd of 33,448 at Safeco Field. The Orioles went 4-6 on their West Coast...

Michael A. Taylor got hit in face on a foul tip and then made one of the more amazing diving catches in the Nationals' 3-2 setback Wednesday to the Angels. All in a day's work for the center fielder, who is just returning from an oblique injury. In the sixth, Taylor got hit with a foul tip that bounced close to home plate and then back up near his right eye. After being dazed for a moment, he returned to the batter's box and completed the at-bat. "I really didn't see it coming," Taylor...

The Angels had one more big hit than the Nationals did on Wednesday, and that was enough to take away a 3-2 getaway day win. Ryan Zimmerman smacked a two-run shot to set the tone for the Nats early, but that was all the offense they could muster as Ricky Nolasco pitched 5 2/3 innings and three relievers held the Nats to four hits and no runs the rest of the way. Even with the loss, the Nats ended up winning two out of three series for the homestand. Zimmerman likes that and said Nolasco...

Manager: Mike Scioscia (18th season) Record: 62-59 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: CF Mike Trout (.340/.466/.679 with 23 HR, 55 RBIs), DH Albert Pujols (17 HR, 72 RBIs), SS Andrelton Simmons (.296, 12 HR, 55 RBIs, 17 SB), LF Cameron Maybin (25 SB), RHP Parker Bridwell (7-1, 2.88 ERA), RHP Cam Bedrosian (6 saves, 3.54 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 18: LHP Andrew Heaney vs. RHP Jeremy Hellickson, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 19: RHP J.C. Ramirez vs. TBA, 7:05 p.m., MASN...

Center fielder Adam Eaton updated his progress from ACL knee surgery. He has been out since late April. Eaton said he has started running and swinging a bat the last two weeks. "I've been hitting, been throwing," Eaton reported. "Literally all baseball activities in kind of slow motion. So it's been rather productive. Ahead of schedule still. Just continue to try to get better (with) slow motion running. I'm running, but (we're) not sprinting by any stretch of the imagination. Soft jog....

The Orioles have a chance to do something today they haven't done yet on this long West Coast trip ending today - win a series. They went 1-2 at Anaheim against the Angels and 2-2 in Oakland versus the A's. The O's and Mariners have split the first two games of this series with the Orioles winning 11-3 Monday night and losing 3-1 last night. Right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (5-7, 6.25 ERA) makes his 25th appearance, 20th as a starter, this afternoon. Jiménez has pitched better lately and is...