Though the Orioles are off today, they managed to swing a minor league trade involving Triple-A Norfolk catcher Chris Robinson. Robinson has been dealt to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later. He was batting .241/.268/.278 with four doubles and five RBIs in 29 games. He hadn't played since June 9. Robinson will report to the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in Tucson. Update: The trade is for cash considerations. No PTBNL. The Orioles signed Robinson as a minor league free agent...

The Orioles have agreed to terms on a signing bonus for their second draft pick, high school outfielder Josh Hart, and are getting close to signing their top pick, pitcher Hunter Harvey, a Major League Baseball source said. Hart agreed to a signing bonus of $1.45 million, just under the slot value of $1,508,600 for that pick. Meanwhile, a source said the O's have made a contract offer to Harvey and the sides are considered very close to a deal at this point. Hart was taken out of Parkview...

The Baltimore Orioles have been on quite a run this week, taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers and before that, taking three of four from the rival Boston Red Sox. In the offseason, a lot of experts doubted that the Orioles could repeat what they did in 2012 this season. So far, they have proven the naysayers wrong. As of this morning, 73 games into the 2013 season, the Orioles are 11 games over .500 and their record stands at 42-31. Baltimore trails Boston in the American League East...

"You've got to show up tomorrow ready to eat somebody's face." Three straight losses and a frustrating start to the season led Jayson Werth to speak with this intensity, and everyone took notice. Immediately after the words left Werth's mouth, the term "eat face" had taken on a life of its own within the Nationals. Well, apparently I'll be #EatingFace today.— Ian Desmond (@IanDesmond20) June 19, 2013 Eat face! #zombieMode— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) June 19,...

If you've followed the Nationals with any type of regularity this season, you've probably read quotes from Davey Johnson where he discusses how tough he thinks it is for young players to occupy bench roles on a major league team. Johnson knows that Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi haven't produced much from an offensive perspective at the big league level this season. Moore's level of play was low enough that the Nats optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse last weekend in order to get him on...

In the early days of his career with the Nationals, shortstop Ian Desmond racked up more errors than web gems. Presently, he's solidifying himself as a leader in the Nats clubhouse. It's a role that seems to suit him now that he's growing into himself as a player and maturing as an adult. With the heart of the Washington batting order not doing its job on a consistent basis and the Nats struggling to find a stream of positive momentum, Desmond is leading this team. Fresh off an 11th-inning...

Very few know Manny Machado the player and Manny the person better than Orioles third base/infield coach Bobby Dickerson. He worked closely with Machado in the minors and he was one of the instructors that helped him convert from shortstop to third base in those early pregame sessions at Bowie last year. I asked Dickerson what has made Machado so consistently good on defense at third. Dickerson provided some solid insight, but also some surprising insight as well. He thinks Machado can get...

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals played 11 innings tonight, and they did so with a short bench. Outfielder Roger Bernadina was scratched from the Nats' lineup before the game due to a left eye infection, and infielder Chad Tracy spent the game getting treatment on a tight back that held him out of batting practice before the game. Neither injury is thought to be too serious at this point, but they made things a bit tougher on manager Davey Johnson during tonight's 6-2, 11-inning Nats...

PHILADELPHIA - Had the Nationals not rallied from a run down in the top of the ninth inning, had Jayson Werth not tied the game against Jonathan Papelbon with two outs, the bus ride from Philly back to D.C. would've been a quiet and long one. With a loss tonight, the Nats would have fallen three games below .500 for the first time this season. They would've dropped eight games behind the Braves. They would've finished their road trip 3-6, including losses in each of their last four...

The Orioles are off today, so they can savor being 11 games above .500 for the first time this season. More likely, they haven't given it a single thought. That's especially true of third baseman Manny Machado, who only gives double thoughts. (See what I did there?) This team doesn't obsess over records and streaks. It hasn't swept a series longer than two games, but it keeps winning them. Sixteen if you're counting at home, which leads the majors. I sensed some panic here when the...