Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was eliminated in the first round of tonight's Home Run Derby at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Machado hit 12 home runs with Orioles coach Einar Diaz pitching to him, the last two coming in the bonus round under the new format. But the Dodgers' Joc Pederson belted 13 home runs within the four-minute round and advanced against the Angels' Albert Pujols. Pederson still had a minute left when No. 13 cleared the fence. Toronto's Josh Donaldson hit...

Bryce Harper will start in right field and bat third for the National League in Tuesday's All-Star Game. It is the 22-year-old's third appearance in the Midsummer Classic after playing left field and going 0-for-1 with a walk in 2012 and then starting in center in 2013 while going 0-for-2. Harper will get an early chance to collect his first career All-Star hit when he faces Houston's Dallas Keuchel, who was named the American League's starter earlier today by manager Ned Yost. Harper was...

The All-Star Game may be an exhibition, but the basic rules apply, including how there's room for only one center fielder in each lineup. Adam Jones, the only starter for the Orioles, will play left field and bat sixth for the American League. Jones is replacing the Royals' Alex Gordon, who sustained a groin injury. AL manager Ned Yost is putting the Angels' Mike Trout in center field and the Royals' Lorenzo Cain in right field. All three players normally patrol center during the regular...

When your top two pitching prospects have thrown a combined 22 innings this deep into the season, that has to be a concern for any organization. Both Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey have missed time this year for the Orioles. Harvey had a PRP injection during a visit with Dr. James Andrews on May 18 and was shut down for the next six weeks after being diagnosed with a strained right flexor mass. He has just recently resumed a throwing program. Harvey was already recovering from a slight fracture...

It is a question that is debated from time to time in baseball: How important is winning in the minor leagues? Well, who doesn't like to win, but can you develop players to help your major league team without winning? Orioles director of player development Brian Graham spoke with me at length recently on this topic. He said sure you can develop players no matter a team's won-loss record, but they are also trying to develop players that understand what it takes to win. "It is a very important...

U.S. Futures All-Stars blasted the Worlds Futures All-Stars 10-1 at the SiriusXM Futures Game Sunday. Nationals prospect Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell each contributed two RBIs, and the U.S. tallied five runs early and then five more runs in the sixth inning to put the game away. Turner went 2-for-2 with the two RBIs, including a double. But his biggest highlight might have come before the game began. J.J. Cooper, managing editor of Baseball America, was there and explained: "When...

The Orioles won't strand any runners in scoring position tonight. They won't lose more ground in the American League East. They won't break your hearts or cause you to smash your fine china on the floor. You should get a reprieve unless you have serious coin riding on the Home Run Derby. The Orioles lost 10 of their last 13 games and are a .500 team for the first time since June 14. The Yankees won yesterday, leaving the Orioles four games back in the American League East. This is now a...

Adam Jones is headed to the All-Star Game for the fifth time and Darren O'Day for the first. But both are thrilled to join Zach Britton and Manny Machado to represent the Orioles tonight in Cincinnati. O'Day was a manager's selection after a first half where he went 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA in 35 games. "The initial shock and excitement was pretty cool. I'm excited to represent the Orioles and excited to be an All-Star for sure," O'Day said at Camden Yards over the weekend. "It is real...

Pat Connaughton is currently playing basketball for the Portland Trail Blazers summer league team. While he is trying to make that team's roster for the coming NBA season, the Orioles still hold out hope that one day he will be pitching in the major leagues for them. They seem to feel Connaughton has a better future in baseball and the door remains open for him to return. The Orioles drafted Connaughton out of Notre Dame in the fourth round last summer. He then pitched 14 2/3 innings to an ERA...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette feels the countdown this month to the non-waiver trade deadline could and should be active throughout baseball with plenty of trade discussions that will include the O's pursuing one or more deals to fortify their team for the stretch run. "Our team is in contention and there are a lot of teams in contention, so there is going to be a robust trade market," Duquette said. "But it is going to be a seller's market because there are so many teams...