Orioles bench coach John Russell and Yankees first base coach Mick Kelleher took out the lineup cards before tonight's game. No managers. No punches thrown. So far, so good. I wasn't sure if plate umpire Jim Joyce was going to issue warnings during the pregame stretch. After the bottom of the first inning, both bullpen coaches started screaming at each other and had to be restrained by the closers. OK, not really, but wouldn't that be kind of cool? Miguel Gonzalez is going for his...

Tonight the Orioles try to figure out how to hit Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova. While Nova doesn't have dominant career numbers against the Orioles, he has been dominant in his last two starts against them. On July 5 Nova pitched a complete game, three-hitter in a 3-2 Yankees win. On Aug. 31 at Camden Yards he pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout in a 2-0 win. He needed just 102 pitches in the first game and 104 in the second. The Orioles hit .105 (6-for-57) in those two games. He is...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he hasn't heard from the commissioner's office regarding last night's outburst after the bottom of the first inning. "If I had, I probably wouldn't tell you, but I haven't," he said. Showalter took exception to Yankees manager Joe Girardi yelling at third base coach Bobby Dickerson, accusing him of stealing signs, and had to be restrained by the plate umpire as both dugouts emptied. Showalter called his mother to apologize. "Unfortunately, she...

Nate McLouth admits that in his start against the Orioles about a week and a half ago, Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova dominated the Birds. He threw a 104-pitch, complete-game, three-hit shutout as the Yankees won 2-0. In the start before that against the Orioles on July 5, Nova pitched a complete-game three-hitter in a 3-2 win. The 26-year-old Nova has pitched back-to-back complete games against the Orioles with two walks and 16 strikeouts. The O's hit just .105 in those games. To say the...

A glimpse into the possible future of the Nationals' starting rotation is on display as three affiliates continue their postseasons tonight. Double-A Harrisburg opens the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series tonight in Trenton, N.J., against the Trenton Thunder. Right-hander Blake Treinen takes the hill for Harrisburg. Treinen was part of the three-team trade that sent Michael Morse to Seattle in the offseason. Ian Krol, A.J. Cole and Treinen were traded to the Nationals as part...

As teammates, good friends and roommates, Steve Lombardozzi and Tyler Moore are around each other a lot. That's why, as a joke, an unknown member of the Nationals took Moore's jersey, hat and baseball gloves during the last homestand and put them in Lombardozzi's locker. When Moore walked into the Nats clubhouse and made his way toward his locker, he noticed his stuff was gone. The confused Moore started spinning around looking, trying to figure out what was going on, only to find his gear...

Nick Markakis is batting leadoff again tonight after collecting three hits from atop the order in the series opener against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Markakis is 11-for-32 (.344) with three doubles and a home run lifetime against Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova. Matt Wieters is 11-for-26 (.423) with three doubles, four homers and seven RBIs. Henry Urrutia will serve as the designated hitter and bat ninth. Wilson Betemit is 5-for-16 with two doubles against Nova, but he remains on the...

Here are the answers to the most often asked questions about September: * Why do teams play with 25-man rosters through August and then are allowed to expand to up to 40 for September? It's a rule that has always been, but it's driving managers crazy, and they are becoming more vocal about it. General managers have the power to change the rule, and they will likely take a look at it this winter. The simple solution is to allow roster expansion but designate a certain number of additional...

The Washington Nationals today released their 2014 schedule, which includes 81 home dates, beginning with Washington's 81st home opener since 1901 on Friday, April 4 vs. Atlanta and is highlighted by an attractive slate of weekend visits from the Braves (twice), Phillies (twice), Cardinals, Cubs and Pirates. The Nationals start the 2014 season on the road on Monday, March 31 at Citi Field against the Mets. Washington's 2014 slate both begins and concludes with a significant stretch of games...

The Orioles today announced they will open the 2014 season at home on March 31 against the Boston Red Sox. Next year will mark the 60th Anniversary Season since the club moved to Baltimore from St. Louis in 1954 to become the modern-day Orioles. It is the 61st overall season for the club and their 23rd at Oriole Park. The Orioles will play a three-game series against the Red Sox at Oriole Park March 31-April 3 to open the season, the first of three trips Boston will make to Baltimore in 2014....