Do the Orioles retain interest in free agent reliever Joel Hanrahan? Well, they're checking his medical records again, according to an industry source. They also reviewed his records during the winter. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has declined comment when asked whether the club scouted Hanrahan, 32, last Thursday while he threw at the University of Tampa. Approximately 20 teams were represented. Duquette refuses to talk about specific free agents. Hanrahan, a two-time...

Auctions for World Series plate numbers 1966, 1970 and 1983 begin Wednesday at noon. The Orioles today announced a series of Orioles license plate online auctions through www.orioles.com/plates in honor of the club's 60th anniversary. Fans will have the opportunity to commemorate a birthday, anniversary, or their favorite Orioles season with these plates, which feature the popular cartoon bird logo. Beginning today until April 30, Maryland residents can visit www.orioles.com/plates to bid...

There's been a lot of going on at Nationals Park this week with the Los Angeles Angels in town. Fans in attendance at Tuesday night's game witnessed history as Angels first baseman Albert Pujols slugged his 499th and 500th career home runs. The three-game series, which concludes this evening, also marked the first time young guns Mike Trout and Bryce Harper's ballclubs have faced each other. But all of that aside, what's been most notable from a Nationals perspective is that this team is...

Through the first 21 games of the season, the Nationals have been outscored 44-12 in the first two innings of ballgames. They've allowed at least three runs in the first inning six times. They've allowed at least three runs in the second inning five times. All of that in just 21 games. Tough to come back from those type of early deficits. Now, as we've discussed, the Nats have shown a propensity for battling back late in ballgames. They don't give up, and they scrap. That's all good...

After he gave up one unearned run over four innings in his latest start last night for Single-A Delmarva, right-hander Hunter Harvey lowered his ERA, which was tied for first in the South Atlantic League at first pitch. The O's 2013 top draft pick is now alone atop the ERA leaders in that league, lowering the number from 1.06 to 0.86 last night. A check of his pitching line indicates his command was not as sharp as usual. He walked five, more than he had in his first three starts...

Human nature can be defined as the general psychological characteristics, feelings and behavioural traits of humankind, regarded as being shared by all humans. One such characteristic is that most of us enjoy hearing about a genuine feel-good story. In life, feel-good stories often focus on achievements by individuals who have had to fight to overcome adversity, and in the world of sports, that exact sentiment rings true. A feel-good story is never far away in professional baseball and each new...

I'm here to offer a few simple facts and check whether you like your eggs scrambled or over easy. The starting pitching has to get better. Period. Bash the bullpen for allowing a pair of three-run homers in last night's 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Bash the offense for producing nothing except for Nelson Cruz's three-run homer. Bash Steve Lombardozzi for the error that opened both the bottom of the sixth inning and the floodgates. The bottom line is, the rotation can't give the Orioles...

Angels first baseman Albert Pujols crushed a pair of home runs to reach 500 for his career in a 7-2 win over the Nationals on Tuesday night. Pujols hit both home runs off Nationals starter Taylor Jordan. "It was a really good swing, a fastball middle up and obviously, probably the best swing I have taken this year so far," Pujols said. "It came at a good time." Although Jordan thought his pitch on Pujols' 499th home run was a good one, he admitted that he missed his target on Pujols'...

A couple of familiar early-season trends popped up again in tonight's 7-2 Nationals loss - an early deficit and defensive miscues. The Nats trailed 3-0 three hitters into the game following a double, an Anthony Rendon throwing error and Albert Pujols' 499th career homer. The Angels added another run later in the frame, and had a four-run cushion before the Nats even got their first ups. The lead was trimmed to two in the third when the Nats scored twice without the benefit of an RBI (a wild...

The Orioles have not been hitting many homers this year, but did get one tonight. But Toronto hit three and those three big swings produced a 9-3 win for the Blue Jays over the Orioles at Rogers Centre. The O's let another lead get away. They led 3-0 heading to the last of the sixth. Evan Meek started the last of the eighth of a 3-3 tie. He had pitched 9 1/3 scoreless innings this season. But he gave up a single, walk and then three-run homer to Brett Lawrie. It was the fourth of the year...