One theory for the Orioles' lack of offense late this season is that several players are tiring and that they've simply been asked to play too much this year. That theory makes some sense when you see a team struggling to score runs like the 2013 Orioles have been late this season. But as a counter point to that, I took a look at five key players that are basically playing about as much as they played last year, when the team was thriving late in the year. The 2012 Orioles went 19-9 in...

There was touching moment Friday night during the Nationals' 3-2 victory over the Marlins. Following his three-run homer in the first inning, left fielder Bryce Harper was met at home plate by his teammate, right fielder Jayson Werth. Werth had a big smile on his face, looking like a big brother who was happy with what little brother was able to accomplish. You could see in the exchange the pride Werth had for Harper after he hit his 20th homer of the season. Later in the inning, MASN...

Rain continues to fall at Nationals Park, and based on the radar that we're all looking at in the press box, there's no sign of things letting up for a while. If this was June, it'd be an easy call to bang this one tonight and reschedule the game for later in the season. But in late September, postponements are tough because of scheduling issues. The only possible option other than waiting it out tonight is playing two tomorrow, which is a getaway day for both the Nats and the Marlins....

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - No matter how much today's game at Tropicana Field was dissected, the main points kept coming back to Rays starter Alex Cobb. The man was dealing. "He was tough," said left fielder Nate McLouth following a 5-1 loss to the Rays. "You see what he does. He throws a lot of breaking balls, split-finger or changeups, whatever it is. And he's real effective. He was pretty much unhittable. "With that split-finger, he can get so much weak contact and he's got pitches to...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Today's 5-1 loss to the Rays dropped the Orioles three games back in the wild card chase, with three teams ahead of them for that last spot. The Orioles had plenty of excuses to lean on, including last night's 18-inning marathon, but they declined. "Everybody was engaged and ready to go today," said manager Buck Showalter. "There's no excuses. We're all playing under the same umbrella. Our guys understand it. It's why they attempt to do something not many people...

The Orioles' flickering playoff hopes took another hit today and the issue, once again, was the club's inability to hit. Alex Cobb took a three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts to the ninth before the O's pushed across a run in a 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay this afternoon. Cobb gave up just five hits over 8 1/3 to improve to 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA. The Orioles got a break when Chris Davis hit a fly to left in the ninth; David DeJesus lost track of the ball, and it went for a triple. An Adam Jones...

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Stephen Strasburg is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Nationals tonight. The skies are dark, it's already raining at Nats Park and the forecast is a more than a little foreboding. How foreboding? Check the weather radar and you'll discover a huge green blob stretching from slightly north of Ottawa, Ont., to south of New Orleans. Right now, its width is from about Burke in the western suburbs of D.C. to a little east of Charleston, W.Va. In...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Rays starter Alex Cobb won't get a shutout or a complete game. Chris Davis tripled with one out in the top of the ninth and scored on Adam Jones' opposite-field single, reducing Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1. It was a gift triple, but it counts. Left fielder David DeJesus appeared to lose the ball in the Tropicana Field roof and fell to the turf. Davis now has 93 extra-base hits, breaking Brady Anderson's club record of 92 set in 1996. Earlier on this trip, Davis hit...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez has tied his career high today by issuing five walks in five innings. It's happened three times this season, including April 12 and July 5 against the Yankees. Continually falling behind in the count, Gonzalez played with fire and got burned in the fifth when Desmond Jennings smacked a three-run homer to give Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead at Tropicana Field. Gonzalez walked the eighth and ninth hitters in the Rays lineup to open the inning. David...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Rays starter Alex Cobb walked the second and fourth batters in the first inning and escaped the jam with a strikeout. Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez walked the second and fourth batters in the first inning and escaped the jam with a strikeout. Somebody hold me. Nick Markakis fanned to end the Orioles' rally. Wil Myers fanned to end the Rays rally. Delmon Young, in his first career at-bat against Gonzalez, doubled down the left field line leading off the bottom of the...