The Orioles are giving away Buck Showalter garden gnomes tonight to the first 25,000 fans 15 and over who are wearing snorkels and flippers. Seriously though, we're supposed to get lots of rain. Keep your fingers crossed, unless you're using them to plug your nose. I'm going to practice parking my inflatable raft in the A Lot. Showalter doesn't sound enthused about the gnome and there's rain in the forecast. My suspicions were correct. He also controls the weather. If the game is played,...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter indicated tonight that the club could add a seventh reliever on Saturday if center fielder Adam Jones goes on the disabled list with a right shoulder injury. Earlier today, second baseman Jonathan Schoop was tabbed as the likely replacement for Jones if the Orioles made a roster move. However, left-hander T.J. McFarland could return one day after being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. It may be a moot point, since Jones threw today and could be in Saturday's lineup...

David McCullough has a shelf on my bookcase with all he has written. Yes, I like his work. Thomas Jefferson is quoted in "John Adams" as saying John Adams was "the colossus of independence." No small matter from the mind of Jefferson. This book is in part a love story about Adams and his wife Abigail - a very big part. She was far ahead of her time in terms of securing her own independence of thought and self-assurance. Because of that, John Adams always sought her thoughts on matters that...

The Orioles had to get the lead twice tonight, but they did so with clutch hits in the sixth and eighth innings to beat Cleveland 4-3 in front of 31,112 at Camden Yards in the opener of the series and a seven-game homestand. The Orioles are 39-34 and go five games over the .500 mark for the first time in 2015. After 2014 Cy Young Winner Corey Kluber allowed three runs over seven innings, Marc Rzepczynski came on to start the eighth in a 3-3 tie and was greeted by three hits on three pitches as...

PHILADELPHIA - Back spasms forced Denard Span out of tonight's game, with Michael A. Taylor taking over center field and the leadoff spot in the order. Taylor smacked the first pitch from Phillies starter Aaron Harang over center fielder Odubel Herrera's head for a double. Two batters later, Harang ran an 89 mph fastball in hard on Yunel Escobar's left hand, sending him to the ground. Nationals manager Matt Williams and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz immediately came out of the dugout to...

PHILADELPHIA - Just as the Nationals seemingly were separating themselves from the competition in the National League East, the injury bug has struck again. Second baseman Anthony Rendon was the first bad news, the Nationals placing the 25-year-old infielder on the 15-day disabled list earlier today with a left quadriceps strain. Then came news that right fielder Bryce Harper will miss his second straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. And center fielder Denard Span was the latest...

Tonight the Orioles open a seven-game homestand, hosting Cleveland this weekend and then Texas for four games starting Monday at Camden Yards. The last time the Orioles were home, they completed a 7-1 (.875) homestand. It was their best mark during a homestand of at least eight games since also going 7-1 during an eight-game homestand July 4-11, 1977. The O's are 22-13 at home for the season. The Orioles are 38-34 and have won four of their last five, 13 of 17 and 15 of 20 games. The O's...

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled left-hander Wei-Yin Chen from High-A Frederick and optioned left-hander T.J. McFarland to Triple-A Norfolk. Chen, 29, was optioned to High-A Frederick on June 16 and made one start with the Keys on June 20 vs. Wilmington, allowing one hit and striking out two over 3.0 scoreless innings. In 13 starts with the Orioles this season, Chen is 3-4 with a 2.89 ERA (81.0IP, 26ER) and has gone 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA (19.1IP, 4ER) over his last three...

The Orioles have decided to go with a short bullpen to create a roster spot for Wei-Yin Chen, optioning left-hander T.J. McFarland to Triple-A Norfolk before tonight's series opener against the Indians. McFarland appeared in one game after being recalled on Wednesday, allowing two runs in two innings yesterday in Boston. He threw 28 pitches. McFarland, 26, has gone 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three stints with the Orioles this season, allowing four earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. He's walked eight,...

Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop was at Camden Yards and took the field this afternoon, but he will play in another game tonight at Double-A Bowie and has not yet been activated by the Orioles. Schoop ran sprints and ran the bases well before batting practice as Orioles vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson looked on, along with manager Buck Showalter, head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and assistant athletic trainer Brian Ebel. Schoop may not be activated before Monday...