ATLANTA - It's a good thing I looked at the weekend forecast for Atlanta before packing a bag last night. It's most certainly not in the 90s down here, which is what I had expected. It's rainy and cool in Atlanta this morning, a sample of what it looks like we're going to get through the entire weekend. I'll take the temperatures in the 70s and upper 60s, but the rain could be an issue. This is the last time the Nationals are scheduled to visit Turner Field this season, so these two teams...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette is unable to provide specific details on pitching coach Rick Adair's decision to take a leave of absence from the club, but he emphasized that it's due to personal reasons and isn't tied to the staff's performance this season. "It's simply a personal leave of absence," Duquette told me over the phone a few minutes ago. "We don't really have a timetable on it. These things take some time." The Orioles issued a press release this morning...

Dan Haren told reporters this winter he was surprised by the concerns about his health when he hit the free agent market. After all, the 32-year-old right-hander had made just one trip to the disabled list in his 10-year major league career. The Los Angeles Angels put the pitcher on the DL in July 2012 with what was described then as a lower back issue. In Haren's third season in Los Angeles following a 2010 trade from Arizona, he started 6-8 with a 4.86 ERA, 24 walks (2.08 BB/9) and 86...

Orioles pitching coach Rick Adair is taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. The club just sent out a release confirming changes to the staff. Bullpen coach Bill Castro will replace Adair as pitching coach. Scott McGregor, who works with rehabbing pitchers in Sarasota, will become interim bullpen coach. McGregor filled the same role on a part-time basis in 2011. There is no timetable for Adair's return to the club. Adair began the 2011 season as bullpen coach before...

The Orioles today announced that pitching coach Rick Adair has taken a personal leave of absence. Bill Castro has moved from bullpen coach to pitching coach and Scott McGregor joins the staff as bullpen coach.

The Orioles are coming off a demoralizing three-game sweep at the hands (actually, the bats) of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won each game in walk-off fashion. I don't need to tell you that Jim Johnson recorded blown saves in the final two games of the series. Johnson currently ranks as the major league leader in both saves (39) and blown saves (nine). In the same season that he tallied his club-record 35th consecutive save, Johnson appears to be on the verge of setting an ignominious team...

You know how they always say the difference between winning and losing in Major League Baseball is so miniscule? Let's look back to yesterday evening, if it isn't too painful. The Nationals were one pitch, one called strike that wasn't, away from sweeping the Giants, winning their sixth game in a row (which would have been their longest winning streak of the season) and heading into this 10-game road trip riding more momentum than they've had all season. Instead, not. The called strike...

The stat sheet tells a story that is critical of Orioles closer Jim Johnson. He has been excellent closing games this year with a two- or three-run lead, but has struggled when he enters the game with just a one-run advantage. Pitching with a one-run lead, Johnson has saved nine of 16 games for a 56.3 percent success rate. Pitching when ahead by two or more runs, he has saved 30 of 32 for a 93.8 percent success rate. That doesn't even tell the whole story. Johnson recorded saves in his first...

The Orioles have been scouting Cuban outfielder Jose Abreu for more than a year and are intrigued by his "monster power," as it's been described by one member of the organization. There's no doubt that they like what they've seen from him Unfortunately for the Orioles, Abreu will probably command a monster contract and they aren't known to jump into bidding wars for international players. However, they continue to discuss him, for what it's worth. Abreu, who outgrew the shortstop...

Triple-A Norfolk pitcher Zach Britton left tonight's game in Toledo after being hit on the side of the ankle by a hard one-hopper from Danny Worth. No updates are available at this time. Worth reached on an infield hit with two outs in the sixth inning as the ball rolled to Tides first baseman Steve Clevenger. Tim Alderson replaced Britton and stranded Worth by retiring former Orioles catcher Ronny Paulino. Britton allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, with four walks and six...