Bryce Harper pulverized a baseball in the fifth inning yesterday. The 89 mph pitch from Phillies starter Aaron Harang stood no chance as Harper's violent lash sent it flying to an exclusive part of Nationals Park - way, way beyond the center field wall. The ESPN Home Run Tracker measured the distance at 452 feet, making it the longest home run of Harper's career. The blast tied for the fifth-longest home run at Nationals Park over the past five seasons. "I thought I got in a pretty good...

Granted, when judging Dylan Bundy so far this season, we're just going by a stat sheet of just six innings over two outings. However, as he continues to make his way back from his June 2013 Tommy John surgery, O's top pitching prospect Bundy said he made progress last night. He gave up two runs over three innings Friday night against Erie. In his first start against Harrisburg, he pitched three scoreless innings. This time progress came with his secondary pitches. "Command and offspeed...

BOSTON - If defense up the middle is so important, how are the Orioles maintaining such a sunny disposition right now? Catcher Matt Wieters, shortstop J.J. Hardy and second baseman Jonathan Schoop are on the disabled list and we're only two weeks into the season. Wieters and Hardy still haven't played in a game. Schoop might not return until the second half if he can avoid surgery. The Everth Cabrera signing looks better every day. Cabrera is a quality shortstop who also can play second. Ryan...

BOSTON - The Orioles didn't just win today's game at Fenway Park, they survived a pace that most closely resembled a moving glacier. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz took approximately 14 hours between pitches today, forcing Orioles starter Chris Tillman to sit in the dugout for prolonged stretches. A 2-1 game dragged past the three-hour mark and ended with the Orioles ahead 4-1. Tillman came out after 5 1/3 innings and 105 pitches. "Don't get me going. Chris was good. He had good stuff,"...

BOWIE, Md. - Dylan Bundy showed similar velocity to his first start and a curveball that looked good at times Saturday, but the middle of the Erie Seawolves' order got to him in the top of the third inning. The right-hander threw three innings at Prince George's Stadium in his second 2015 start, his first at home, for the Double-A Bowie Baysox. After keeping Erie off the board in the first and second, he gave up two runs in the third. Bundy allowed four hits and the two runs with one walk and...

By no means was shortstop Ian Desmond the reason the Nationals lost 5-3 to the Phillies today, but his horrendous third inning played a major part. Desmond couldn't make a play on simple grounder from Phillies starter Aaron Harang that should've been the inning's second out. Who knows if it mentally bothered Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann, but he promptly gave up a double and a single. And just like that, the game was tied. Unfortunately for the Nats, Desmond's blunders weren't finished....

BOWIE, Md. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain, has worked out at Prince George's Stadium the last two days, taking part in drills early in the day even before the Double-A Bowie Baysox took batting practice. "It's going great," Bowie manager Gary Kendall said. "Yesterday he took his groundballs, going through different plays and different moves to the ball. Today, he threw a bit more and turned some double plays. He feels pretty good. "He hit...

Nationals manager Matt Williams said after starter Jordan Zimmermann's outing in Boston on April 13 that the gametime conditions were dry at Fenway Park and that's why his starter couldn't get a good grip on the baseball. In that loss, Zimmermann surrendered seven earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings. Boston won 9-4. Saturday was a better day for humidity in D.C. The stickiness was better for pitchers and their varying grips on the baseball. It allowed Zimmermann to feel the texture of the ball...

BOSTON - Jimmy Paredes walked onto the field at Fenway Park today with a bat in his hand and a smile on his face. He made it in time for batting practice before serving as the designated hitter. Paredes played only one game on his injury rehab assignment, starting at third base last night at Double-A Bowie. The Orioles intercepted him before he flew to Norfolk. Paredes was getting at-bats in extended spring training games before reporting to Bowie. "I said when he left us, 'This could be one...

BOSTON - The Orioles made the roster move official this afternoon, placing second baseman Jonathan Schoop on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right knee and activating infielder Jimmy Paredes. Paredes' flight landed in Boston at 1 p.m., and he's serving as the designated hitter today. Schoop will head to Sarasota within the next few days and have his rehab supervised by minor league medical coordinator Dave Walker. The slight tear of the PCL and the sprained MCL happened when Schoop...