As the 2014 regular season nears its completion, the focus for the Orioles now shifts to the playoffs and with that, decisions need to be made on what the American League Division Series roster will look like. Despite the injuries and suspensions sustained throughout the season, the Orioles have managed to find adequate replacements throughout the journey, helping to ensure the winning ways have been maintained. However, there are still some uncertainties remaining ahead of the playoffs, in...

It is a big problem facing baseball - the games take too long. OK, not always and there can be plenty of drama and good play to make even a 3 1/2-hour game enjoyable, but the amount of games that take three-plus hours to play now seems endless. It is time for MLB to take some measures to improve this. This week, the sport did just that. Here is a press release from the commissioner's office. * Major League Baseball announced that Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig has conducted a...

NEW YORK - Bud Norris takes the mound this afternoon at Yankee Stadium unsure of his exact placement in the Division Series rotation. Or maybe he's been told and manager Buck Showalter has sworn everyone to secrecy. Chris Tillman is starting Game 1. Wei-Yin Chen will be announced at some point as the Game 2 starter. Showalter will use four starters in the Division Series unless there's a sweep. We're just waiting for confirmation on the order. Norris might warrant the Game 1 start if...

The Nationals recorded another victory, their 92nd on this playoff-bound season, 4-2 over the Mets. But after the game, concern turned toward center fielder Denard Span, who crashed hard to the ground and into the center field wall after making a diving catch to end the third inning. He left the game and was replaced by Michael A. Taylor. "It's all right, a little sore," Span said. "Banged it pretty hard when I came down, also scraped it pretty good, too. So just a little sore, iced it a...

NEW YORK - Having already clinched their division, the Orioles knew it was time to rediscover their winning ways after losing three of their past four games. Zach Britton picked up his 36th save in 40 opportunities tonight by striking out Derek Jeter on three pitches to strand the tying run and complete the Orioles' 5-4 victory over the Yankees. The Orioles are 9-2 this season after being shut out in the previous game. They're 26-0 when hitting three or more home runs. Nelson Cruz belted...

Nationals fans surely held their breath when they saw Denard Span get removed for a pinch-hitter in the third inning after making a remarkable, tumbling grab to end the top of the third, but the good news - on top of the 4-2 Washington win tonight - is that Span doesn't appear to have suffered a serious injury. Manager Matt Williams said after tonight's win that Span just banged and scraped his right knee while making that sliding catch on a Matt den Dekker liner to the warning track in...

Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 40th homer and Nick Markakis drove in three to break out of a batting slump as the Orioles beat New York 5-4 at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles are 94-63 with the win. That is their most wins since the 1997 Orioles won 98. Cruz's solo shot leading off the fifth off Brandon McCarthy made him the sixth player in the O's history to hit 40 or more. That list also includes Chris Davis (53 in 2013), Brady Anderson (50 in 1996), Frank Robinson (49 in 1966),...

While the Nationals and Orioles deal with rotation depth going into October, here is how they compare to other teams. * Angels: The Angels' rotation is Jered Weaver and questions. Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs are injured. Weaver is money. C.J. Wilson is inconsistent. Matt Shoemaker, the rookie who saved the rotation when Richards and Skaggs went on the disabled list, is coming back from an oblique injury and hasn't pitched since Sept. 15. His next start will be in the postseason, a huge...

NEW YORK - Remember when Nelson Cruz stayed on the free-agent market into spring training and it seemed as though nobody wanted him? Remember when fans and media debated whether the Orioles should sign Cruz or Kendrys Morales? Has it really been seven months? Cruz just hit his 40th home run leading off the top of the fifth inning to give the Orioles a 5-1 lead over the Yankees. Cruz becomes the sixth Oriole to hit 40 or more home runs in a season, joining Chris Davis (53 in 2013), Brady...

NEW YORK - To find Kelly Johnson's last home run before tonight, you've got to flip the calendar back to July 11. Back to Camden Yards with Miguel Gonzalez on the mound for the Orioles. It's a small baseball world, my friends. Try not to flip over it. Johnson was playing for the Yankees, the first of his three teams this season. He's hit seven home runs, three against the Orioles. Johnson hit his first as an Oriole tonight leading off the top of the second inning. He's starting in the...