Before tonight, left-handers were batting .302 this season against Orioles starter Bud Norris. Brandon Moss, a left-handed hitter, delivered an RBI single in the first inning and homered to right field in the third to give Oakland a 3-0 lead. Moss' home run came with two outs. Coco Crisp, a switch-hitter, led off the inning with a home run to right. Norris struck out the side in the third, but he won't remember the inning fondly. Crisp pulled a slider onto the flag court. Moss hit a...

The decision by Osceola County commissioners to reject plans for a new $98 million spring training complex for the Nationals may have opened the door for Brevard County to retain its status as the team's Grapefruit League home. According to this story in Florida Today, Brevard County commissioner Robin Fisher says the county will go "all in" in its attempts to keep the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium for spring training. Fisher has proposed that the county make $29 million in improvements...

In the chase for the AL's second wild card playoff berth, Oakland is leading Cleveland by 2 1/2 games, the Orioles by three and New York by 3 1/2. Another important series has arrived for the Orioles, who are 68-58 to Oakland's 71-55. The A's have lost their last two games and are 15-16 since the All-Star break. Oakland has solid pitching with a team ERA that ranks third in the AL and they've issued the second-fewest walks in the majors. But when the O's took three of four at Oakland...

When Matt Wieters threw out Kelly Johnson trying to steal to end Wednesday's game, not only did J.J. Hardy make a nice tag, but Wieters' time in getting the ball to second base was exceptional. Wieters was clocked at 1.75 seconds from the time he caught the ball to the time it took to get the ball to Hardy's glove. The major league average is right around or just under under 2.0 seconds. Buck Showalter talked about that play earlier today. "If you go through (the video), you'll see him...

Scott Feldman is available in the bullpen tonight for the Orioles, and he will start Sunday's series finale against the A's if he isn't needed in relief. The A's changed their rotation for the series. Jarrod Parker will start Saturday instead of left-hander Tommy Milone, who was scratched, and Sonny Gray will start Sunday. The Red Sox tentatively are scheduled to start Felix Doubront, John Lackey and Jon Lester in the three-game series against the Orioles that begins Tuesday at Fenway...

After getting double-switched out of Wednesday's game in the fifth inning and missing yesterday's game due to back stiffness, Ian Desmond is back in the Nationals' lineup for tonight's game against the Royals. Yesterday marked just the third game that Desmond has missed all season. His back originally tightened up on him during batting practice Wednesday. Jayson Werth will serve as the designated hitter for the Nats tonight in their interleague matchup against Kansas City. Bryce Harper...

While Buck Showalter hasn't said that Jim Johnson is still the Orioles closer, he hasn't said he isn't either. But Tommy Hunter did get the save Wednesday against Tampa Bay and it was his fourth this year. Hunter said he didn't know he would be on the mound to end the game that night, but he also doesn't feel the Orioles have any closer controversy right now either. He certainly isn't campaigning to pitch the ninth. He is happy to work whenever they hand him the ball. "I think everyone...

The Washington Nationals today recalled catcher Jhonatan Solano and left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Solano is a career .239 (17-for-71) big league hitter with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 28 games for the Nationals. He debuted with Washington last season and impressed both offensively (five extra-base hits in 12 games) and...

Jason Hammel threw off a mound today for the first time since going on the disabled list with a strained right flexor mass. He used all of his pitches, including a slider that had brought the most discomfort to his arm, and is moving closer to an injury-rehab assignment. "It went real well," Hammel said. "It felt great. I felt the extension that I was looking for that I didn't have before, so outstanding. "We'll go again on Sunday. I'm not trying to stay on the DL, I'm trying to get...

The Orioles are three games behind the Athletics for the final wild card spot, and the teams are starting a three-game series tonight at Camden Yards. You can do the math. Ryan Flaherty is serving as the designated hitter and Brian Roberts is starting at second base. Nick Markakis is batting sixth. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Chris Davis 1B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty DH Brian Roberts 2B Bud Norris RHP A light raining is...