If you've followed me on social media or on Orioles Uncensored for the past few years, you've probably been able to get the idea that at times, I rock the orange sunglasses and I drink the orange Kool-Aid. It's not all the time, but I sure have shown my sides of blind optimism about the Orioles. But today, I'm hopping off that train. At least for now, that is. The Orioles are currently 40-43, fourth place in the American League East, and are less than four weeks away from Major League...

Hope everybody out there had a safe and enjoyable Independence Day. I'm curious how Nationals fans feel about the annual 11:05 a.m. game. Seems like it's pretty popular, because it allows folks to both go to the game (or cover it) and still have plenty of time in the afternoon/evening for Fourth of July festivities. The Nats certainly had fun yesterday in trouncing the Mets 11-4. Joe Ross not only got his customary run support, but he pitched one of his best games of the season. And, of...

Orioles rookie Trey Mancini hit better than .300 for his minor league career. He is doing that this year in the majors, showing even more power than he showed for much of his time on the farm. For his minors career, Mancini hit .306/.357./472 with an OPS of .829. For the 2017 Orioles, he is batting .305/.351/.544 with an OPS of .895. Mancini hit 20 homers last year, but seven came when he began the 2016 season with Double-A Bowie. For Triple-A Norfolk in tough-to-homer Harbor Park, he had 13...

Hey, Orioles fans. Welcome to another edition of Yard Work. On this week's episode ... Jonathan Schoop is officially an All-Star! The Orioles second baseman earned his first career selection and will represent the Birds next week in Miami. Schoop's honor is well deserved and a testament to just how far he has progressed in his career. Steve Melewski and I will discuss Schoop's selection and what we expect to see from him next Tuesday. Meanwhile, while it's not quite the All-Star break, the...

MILWAUKEE - Get ready for more roster moves today, with Zach Britton coming off the disabled list and Chris Tillman going on paternity leave. Tyler Wilson was optioned one day after the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk to provide a long reliever. Left-hander Jayson Aquino is taking Tillman's spot in the rotation for the series finale against the Brewers. Ryan Flaherty could be transferred to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot for Britton on the 40-man roster. "I'm thankful...

MILWAUKEE - Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo received an X-ray on his left calf today that came back negative, the only positive development at Miller Park. Trumbo fouled a ball off his leg in the fifth inning of the Orioles' 6-2 loss to the Brewers. He singled into center field, but was replaced by Joey Rickard in the bottom of the sixth. "He fouled a ball off his calf and bone," said manager Buck Showalter. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow. It got to the point where he couldn't really...

The Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs won 61 games in 2016, surpassed by everyone in the International League but Omaha (58). The 2017 edition of the Chiefs is on pace to win just 53 games. In nine seasons of affiliation with the Nationals, the fans in Syracuse, as I've been reminded me on more than one occasion, have seen just two winning seasons - 2012 and 2014. One thing that needs to be made clear is that while Triple-A is the highest classification of the minors, it's no longer where you'll find...

MILWAUKEE - Ubaldo Jiménez couldn't duplicate the magic. Jiménez served up three home runs to the Brewers in five innings and the Orioles lost again today 6-2 before an announced crowd of 31,818 at Miller Park. The Brewers finished with four home runs, the second from Eric Thames coming off reliever Tyler Wilson in the seventh inning. Fireworks seemed appropriate on this day. The Orioles are three games below .500 at 40-43 to match their worst mark of the season. They've lost four of...

MILWAUKEE - Ubaldo Jiménez tossed a scoreless first inning today, striking out a batter and issuing a walk, but Stephen Vogt hit a two-run homer in the second and Orlando Arcia delivered an RBI single to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. There won't be a repeat of Jiménez's eight scoreless innings in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Orioles are trying to get back their injured players while making a run at another playoff berth. First baseman Chris Davis is fine after hitting and throwing yesterday...

It has happened quietly, and it hasn't garnered the kind of attention afforded other members of the Nationals rotation ... or the members of their lineup who seem to explode for double-digit runs every time he takes the mound. But one of the most encouraging developments of the last month, from the Nationals' perspective, has been the re-emergence of Joe Ross as something more than a No. 5 starter. It's still a work-in-progress, and the right-hander still needs to show this over a longer...