When the Orioles chose to sign what Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz, two free-agent stragglers with free-agent compensation attached to them, it was a blessing and a curse for the amateur scouts in the organization. Bad news first - the curse was the continual loss of top selections in the draft. Add in the loss of a competitive pick, which the team dealt in the Bud Norris trade last year, and the Orioles handed over three picks over the first two rounds. The major league draft is one where...

In the nine games prior to the Nationals' current four-game losing streak, the offense came to life in a big way. The Nats slugged 36 extra-base hits in those nine contests (eight homers, three triples and 25 doubles). They hit .265 as a team with a .338 on-base percentage and .442 slugging percentage. They averaged 5.67 runs per game. Combine that offensive punch with the tremendous pitching that the Nats got during that stretch, and it's not a surprise that the team went 8-1 over those...

Sure, he has a famous baseball name, but this year Mike Yastrzemski is making a name for himself. He's had a huge year, filling up the stat sheet for Single-A Delmarva, and is one of seven Shorebirds that will play in tonight's South Atlantic League All-Star game in Hickory, N.C. Over 63 games, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is batting .306 with 14 doubles, a league-leading 10 triples, 10 homers and 44 RBIs. The Orioles' 14th-round pick in 2013 out of Vanderbilt has an OBP...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles will make a roster move this afternoon, activating Miguel Gonzalez for tonight's start against the Rays and sending out a pitcher. It won't be Kevin Gausman, who starts on Wednesday. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will undergo surgery at noon to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, also known as a "UCL." It's not to be confused with the school that won 10 national championships under John Wooden. The Orioles will let us know...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For one of the few times since he moved to the bullpen, Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz couldn't keep an inherited runner from scoring. The batter also rounded the bases tonight, the decisive blow in the Orioles' 5-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. Pinch-hitter Jerry Sands smacked a two-run homer off Matusz with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. He got ahead in the count 2-0 and pulled a 91 mph fastball into the left field seats. Matusz...

Another quality start, but another loss for the Baltimore Orioles. Another night with not much offense and this one went wrong with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the Orioles tied the game 3-3 in the top of the eighth, Brian Matusz came on to face lefty David DeJesus with two outs and a man on first, but the Rays instead sent up pinch hitter Jerry Sands, a right-handed hitter. Sands hit a two-run homer to left on a 2-0 pitch to snap the tie and lift Tampa Bay to a 5-4 win...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jerry Sands picked an opportune time to hit his first home run of the season. Sands, pinch-hitting for David DeJesus, belted a two-run homer off left-hander Brian Matusz with two outs in the eighth to give Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead. It's the first pinch-hit homer of Sands' career and the second for the Rays this season. The Orioles had tied the game in the top of the eighth, but they couldn't score again after loading the bases with one out. The run was charged to Grant...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nick Markakis doubled off the top of the fence in left field tonight leading off the sixth inning, giving him 1,455 career hits to tie Ken Singleton for sixth place on the Orioles' all-time list. Once Markakis passes Singleton, he can take aim at Boog Powell, who ranks fifth with 1,574 hits. Brady Anderson is fourth with 1,614. Markakis is 4-for-6 lifetime against Rays starter Jake Odorizzi. Markakis came close to breaking up Odorizzi's shutout bid with a home run....

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Yunel Escobar homered off Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen in the bottom of the first inning tonight to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. Escobar was 1-for-12 lifetime against Chen. The Orioles have allowed only two home runs in the last 70 innings. David Lough drew an 11-pitch walk off Rays starter Jake Odorizzi with two outs in the second after J.J. Hardy reached on an infield hit, but Ryan Flaherty struck out. In the latest round of American League All-Star voting, Nelson...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that catcher Matt Wieters will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Here's more from Showalter: "With a catcher/position player you're talking about nine months. I'm pretty sure that's from being able to play in a major league game, as far as the regular season. We're hopeful he's ready to start the year next year. "His facial (expressions), body...