It didn't seem very likely before this season began that Chris Davis would hit 53 homers again for the Orioles. But no one could have expected him to be batting .199 at the All-Star break either. As the games resume tonight, a big second half from Davis would go a long way toward helping the Orioles claim their first American League East title since 1997. In recent weeks, Davis and the season he is having have become a primary topic for O's fans and readers on this blog. Some suggested he get...

In three starts for short-season Single-A Aberdeen, right-hander Dylan Bundy allowed one run and struck out 22 batters in 15 innings. Opponents in the New York-Penn League hit .189 against him. In three starts for advanced Single-A Frederick, Bundy has allowed 12 runs and struck out six batters in 11 2/3 innings. Opponents in the Carolina League are hitting .326 against him. This just in: The competition grows tougher at each level of the farm system. Bundy worked four-plus innings last night...

This may come as a surprise to fans who think the Orioles don't look a day over 50, but they're actually celebrating their 60th season in Baltimore. The party really kicks in on Friday, Aug. 8 at Camden Yards - before, during and after their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. According to a press release, the club is welcoming back 23 Orioles Hall of Famers who will take part in a postgame celebration. Among the legends expected to attend are Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr....

The Orioles today announced plans to celebrate their 60th Anniversary season in Baltimore with a series of events before, during and after their August 8 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Orioles are welcoming back 23 Orioles Hall of Famers, who will take part in a spectacular post-game celebration. Expected to attend are Orioles Legends Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr., Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson, as well as the following Orioles Hall of Famers: Brady Anderson, Mike Bordick, Don...

OK, we'll make this nice and simple on the final day of the All-Star break. Who are you choosing as your first-half Most Valuable National? This is a tough question to answer, of course, because there have been a number of steady contributors to this team. Only two Nationals made the All-Star team - Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard - and neither had other-worldly first halves. The Nats were a pretty balanced team before the break, getting contributions from throughout their roster. I've...

Bill Ripken will never forget the advice his dad, Cal Ripken Sr., gave him the day he signed with the Orioles. The year was 1982 and Bill had just graduated from high school. They were sitting at a table at home in Aberdeen, Md., when Orioles scout Jim Gilbert gave Bill a contract worth $20,000. As usual, dad's advice was direct. "I said, 'Do I have to read the contract?' '' Bill says. "Dad said, 'No, but what it says is that if they ask you to do something, you better do it.' That...

Now that the American League has won the All-Star Game 5-3 and claimed home-field advantage in the World Series, is it too much to speculate that the Orioles will be hosting the Nationals in Game 1 at Camden Yards come October? It is a possibility, given both teams are in an excellent position to win division titles. The AL East has been falling apart daily, and that leaves the Orioles as the best team in the division. They have the deepest pitching, the potential for the biggest improvement...

The All-Star break has pretty much ended for the Orioles, who are holding a workout today in Oakland before starting a three-game series on Friday. There shouldn't be any news coming out of it, since manager Buck Showalter already announced his second-half rotation on Sunday. Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen and Kevin Gausman will start against the Athletics, and Bud Norris, Miguel Gonzalez and Tillman will start against the Angels in the series that follows. Ubaldo Jimenez will attempt to throw in...

I got some more insight from Team USA hitting coach Mark Harris, who got to work with and watch Nationals prospects Michael Taylor and Lucas Giolito play Sunday in the All-Star Futures Game. Team USA beat team World 3-2 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Harris, the hitting coach at Double-A Harrisburg, had this to say about Taylor's season. Giolito did give up a home run in the game, but he also was able to work through his pitches, get his fastball to 97 mph and gain experience in a big game at...

The Orioles will be among the teams attending Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo's workout July 26 at the University of Miami. The session is termed a "showcase" for interested clubs. Castillo, 26, defected to the Dominican Republic in December and the Orioles scouted him two months later. They want to take another look at him. Castillo, listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 lbs., has spent the majority of his career in center field, but he also has played the corner positions on a more limited basis....