The Orioles minor league award winners for 2013 will be announced on Sunday. The Player of the Year receives the Brooks Robinson award while the Pitcher of the Year earns the Jim Palmer award. The pitcher honor appears to be a two-man race between left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and right-hander Mike Wright. Wright, the club's third-round pick in 2011 out of East Carolina, went 11-3 with a 3.26 ERA for Double-A Bowie over 26 starts and tied for first for the Eastern League ERA crown. In nine...

While the Orioles continue to gradually expand their roster, left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada remains in Sarasota. Away from the team. His major league debut still an uncertainty. Other players have hopped on planes to join the Orioles. For Wada, only his future is up in the air. Here's what I know: There are people in the organization who would like for Wada to pitch for the Orioles this month in some capacity. There also are some folks who don't think it's a good idea to experiment in a pennant...

The Orioles have taken the first two games of this four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, allowing only one run in the process. Scott Feldman tossed his first career complete-game shutout and only his second complete game, the other coming on May 1, 2013 against the Padres. "It's my first shutout, so any time something like that happens, it's something I'll always remember," he said. "Also, I'll remember all the plays the guys made behind me. I think B-Rob (Brian Roberts) made...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he couldn't remember the last time one of his pitchers tossed a complete game. Did it happen this season? Sure didn't seem like it. Showalter probably knew the exact date - June 16, 2012 - but reporters supplied the answer anyway. Scott Feldman was the first to do it since Jason Hammel, going the distance to blank the White Sox 4-0 at Camden Yards. "He had command of all his pitches," Showalter said. "Got ahead in the count. I don't think he ever got...

Nationals right-hander Dan Haren struggled from the start Friday night, allowing the first four batters to reach base. Rookie Jose Fernandez allowed just one hit in seven innings for the Marlins. The result was a 7-0 Miami win at a time of year when the Nationals are desperate for wins in every game they play. Manager Davey Johnson was impressed by the Marlins' young rookie starter. "He really used all his pitches," Johnson said on MASN's "Nats Xtra." "He was really attacking our...

Scott Feldman took the mound in the ninth inning tonight with Jim Johnson and Brian Matusz warming in the Orioles bullpen. He hadn't allowed a run. His pitch count was up to 101. But he was staying in the game. Manager Buck Showalter was going to let Feldman try for a complete-game shutout, but he also had two relievers ready to match up if the right-hander ran into trouble. It wasn't necessary. Feldman retired the White Sox in order to cap a 4-0 victory at Camden Yards. Feldman turned in...

Danny Valencia is in the Orioles lineup again tonight because the Chicago White Sox sent another left-hander to the mound. Just as they did last night. Just as they will do on Saturday. John Danks retired the first eight Orioles before Valencia stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the third. Danks tried to blow a fastball past Valencia on a 2-2 count, and it landed in the left field seats for a 1-0 lead. Valencia was batting .333 against left-handers before tonight, .172...

ABERDEEN, Md. - The Aberdeen IronBirds and Tri-City ValleyCats are locked in an early pitchers' duel in Game 1 of their New York-Penn League playoff series tonight at Ripken Stadium. Two pitchers that have had good seasons with strong finishes have carried that over so far in this game. Aberdeen and Tri-City are scoreless through three innings. Aberdeen starter Sebastian Vader went 7-3 with an ERA of 2.43 in 14 games, 13 as a starter this year. He allowed an average against of just .222 over...

Davey Johnson's playful "World Series of bust" boast from back in spring training seems eons ago. As the Nationals try to pull off an impossible comeback and work their way back into contention for a National League wild card berth, there are already rumblings about possible successors for their lame-duck manager. Johnson announced before the season that 2013 would be his last at the helm of the Nationals. Johnson clearly didn't envision a departure so full of disappointment and...

The Nationals looking to make some noise this weekend in Miami. To do that, it's important for a good start at Marlins Park. So far, it hasn't been a good start for Dan Haren. The Marlins scored three in the first inning and lead 3-0. Giancarlo Stanton started the scoring with a two-run single and Placido Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Christian Yelich. Haren has thrown 22 pitches, 13 for strikes. But he's behind early. The right-hander has shown a...