Remember the cute little tale from a few weeks ago about the small plush Orioles mascot that alerts residents at the Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville about whether the O's win or lose? Well, the Charlestown bird had a visit today from its larger feathered namesake who usually roosts at Camden Yards. The Oriole Bird visited Charlestown as part of the kickoff for the "Swim for Service" lap-a-thon fundrasiser today and made a point out of seeking out the small town crier who...

After being out of yesterday's starting lineup due to the flu, Bryce Harper is back in the Nationals lineup tonight, hitting third and playing left field. Harper pinch-hit in the eighth inning last night and was intentionally walked. He'll try and go a full nine innings tonight. As expected, catcher Wilson Ramos is out of the lineup after aggravating a left hamstring injury last night. This is the third time this season that Ramos has injured his left hamstring, and while the Nationals...

Cuban outfielder Dariel Alvarez is playing his third game in the Gulf Coast League today. It is believed to be his last in Florida, as the Orioles are planning to move Alvarez to Single-A Frederick, where he is expected to debut for the Keys on Thursday at Potomac. The Keys return home Saturday to begin a series against Winston-Salem. The 24-year-old Alvarez, signed by the club to an $800,000 bonus in July, went 2-for-4 in his first two GCL games Monday and Tuesday, and homered in his first...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has moved Nick Markakis atop the order again today against a left-handed starter, Arizona's Patrick Corbin. Steve Pearce is in left field. Taylor Teagarden is behind the plate. Markakis is batting .328/.358/.377 with six doubles, 17 RBIs and 15 runs scored in 29 games as the leadoff hitter this season. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Steve Pearce LF Taylor Teagarden C Brian Roberts 2B Chris...

Over his last 162 games since Aug. 8, 2012, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis is batting .298/.371/.663 with 39 doubles, 59 home runs, 142 RBIs, 177 hits and 115 runs scored. He struck out 198 times in those 162 games. According to STATS, the only American League players since 1921 with 44 or more home runs through Aug. 13 are Davis (44), Babe Ruth (44 in 1921), Roger Maris (45 in 1961) and Mickey Mantle (45 in 1961). In 2001, Arizona's Luis Gonzalez had 44 through Aug. 13, a franchise record...

Coming into the season, the Nationals felt like they had a team that was capable of running off numerous lengthy winning streaks. Players and front office staffers believed that with the starting rotation being structured the way it was, with four very talented, young starters and one proven veteran, and with a seemingly improved back of the bullpen, wins would come in bunches. Fast forward to the middle of August and the Nationals have put together just three four-game winning streaks all...

Second baseman Danny Espinosa has been able to build up his average over his last 10 games for Triple-A Syracuse. Espinosa is hitting .308 (12-for-39) the last 10 games, with two doubles and two RBIs. He still is striking out, 14 in the last 10 games, and drew three walks during this recent clip, but has had four multi-hit games in the run. * High Single-A Potomac Nationals first baseman Kevin Keyes is in a recent good rhythm, going 12-for-35 (.342) in his last nine games. Keyes has one...

The Nationals' four-game winning streak is a small glimmer of hope, faint light from a far off place. In "The Dark Knight Rises," Bane shows Batman the means to escape his prison. It is a one-in-a-million shot. One person out of all the prisoners had done it and it was a mystery as to if that were fact or fiction. It is the nature of hope. Hope cannot exist without despair. The 2013 Nationals have been full of despair and this small glimmer of hope shouldn't excite anyone. The Nationals...

So why did Jim Johnson save 94 percent of games last year (51-of-54) and is on pace for 83 percent this year (39-of-47)? Johnson began this year saving 14-of-14. He then suffered four blown saves in five chances before saving 12 in a row. He then suffered two blown saves in four chances before saving 10 in a row. Now he has suffered back-to-back blown saves. Yes, eight blown saves is a lot. Johnson's command and sink just do not seem to be at 2012 levels. Even in some of his saves he has...

The Orioles may need a bullpen arm for this afternoon's series finale against the Diamondbacks, which also concludes their three-city road trip. Miguel Gonzalez worked seven innings last night, but the game carried into the 11th before Paul Goldschmidt hit a walk-off home run off left-hander T.J. McFarland, who was making his first appearance since Aug. 3. Kevin Gausman is listed as tonight's starter for Triple-A Norfolk, but the Orioles could redirect him to Phoenix. The Tides are in...