The weather fortunately didn't factor into yesterday's series finale between the Nationals and Braves, despite the ridiculously dark clouds that hung over top of Turner Field for much of the afternoon. It did factor into my attempts to get home last night, however. I didn't get in until after 2 a.m., thanks to a lengthy delay and issues at BWI upon our landing there, but given that a number of flights out of Atlanta were canceled last night, I'm feeling pretty fortunate to have eventually...

Orioles pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, on the disabled list with a strained right oblique, will do some soft throwing on Tuesday in Sarasota if the weather permits it. The news came via Chen's interpreter, Tim Lin, who sent out the following tweet earlier this morning: "Light toss tomorrow -> big step!!! Please stop raining, Florida!!!" Chen hasn't picked up a ball since sustaining the injury on May 12 in Minnesota. His most recent activity involved jogging in a pool. Manager Buck Showalter...

Manny Machado, Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman are the three players the Orioles selected with their first pick in the last three First-Year Player Drafts. When the first round of this year's draft takes place Thursday night at 7 p.m., the Orioles are unlikely to get a talent on that level. That is because they drafted that threesome third, fourth and fourth overall, respectively. This time, after winning 93 games in 2012, the O's don't have a selection until the 22nd pick. Baseball America...

The Orioles are off today and it should be relatively quiet, but Tuesday figures to bring more than just a game against the Houston Astros and right-hander Lucas Harrell, who leads the majors with 37 walks in 63 2/3 innings. As if I need to provide Lucas Harrell's walk total. Who doesn't know about this guy? Anyway, Pedro Strop will pitch a simulated game and Taylor Teagarden could be activated from the disabled list, which would likely remove Chris Snyder from the 25-man roster, unless the...

Right fielder Jayson Werth made the biggest noise Sunday, crushing a pair of three-run homers in high Single-A Potomac's 10-6 win over Lynchburg. It was the best offensive output Werth had contributed this week, having played five consecutive games with the P-Nats as he recovers from a tender hamstring. Werth had made a rehab appearance on May 15, but his hamstring did not feel good the next day and he was shut down. This time, Werth played in five straight games, from five, seven, to nine...

ATLANTA - In both of the major league starts he's made to this point in his career, Nathan Karns has allowed three earned runs in just less than five innings. Last time out, pitching against the Orioles in his big league debut, Karns surrendered five hits, two home runs and two walks, and he struck out three over 4 1/3 innings. In today's 6-3 loss to the Braves, the 25-year-old right-hander surrendered seven hits, two home runs and one walk, and he struck out six over 4 2/3 frames. He also...

ATLANTA - With today's 6-3 loss to the Braves, the Nationals' record stands at 28-29. On June 2, the team many people picked to win the World Series has a sub-.500 record and sits a season-high 6 1/2 games back of the Braves in the National League East. "We deserve to be where we're at right now," Adam LaRoche said after today's loss. "We've played like crap, and still not in awful shape. It only goes so far, we're pretty deep into the season. We've got to get it going or else we...

The confidence that Orioles manager Buck Showalter demonstrated in pitcher Kevin Gausman didn't waver after two outings that left the rookie's ERA at 11.00. And today, Gausman repaid Showalter in a sense by holding the Tigers to one run over six innings in the Orioles' 4-2 victory at Camden Yards. "I thought he had a much better angle today," Showalter said. "Rick and he made a couple adjustments getting back to what he was doing in the spring, which is the good thing about having him....

Throwing a second variation of a changeup in a game for the first time, Kevin Gausman pitched six strong innings today allowing just one run in a no decision against the Tigers. He yielded only a Prince Fielder homer and five hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Gausman threw 96 pitches and was on the hook for a loss, but the Orioles rallied to beat Detroit 4-2. Looking to improve his changeup command, Gausman added a circle change to his repertoire today and felt that was an important...

Going into the 2013 season, one of the big questions surrounding the Orioles was Chris Davis at first base. In 26 games at first last year, Davis fielded at a .989 clip and committed four errors before Mark Reynolds became the Orioles' everyday first baseman. However, for the season overall, Davis hit .270 with 33 homers. I remember saying on Birds Watcher during spring training that the nightmare scenario for the Birds would be for Davis to struggle in the field to the point that the O's...