It is a concern that right now is not going away. Can the Orioles bullpen withstand pitching so many innings and will it become an issue for the team if the starting pitchers continue to not get deep in games? The Orioles have had a starter go seven innings or more just once all year. While there haven't been many early exits by O's starters, like in the second or third inning, they could still use a few nights when their starter gets deep into the game. The last three games, the O's...

ATLANTA - This is just about the last thing the Nationals needed right now. Bryce Harper has been removed from tonight's game in the middle of the sixth inning with an apparent injury. Roger Bernadina has taken over for Harper in right field. Harper suffered a bad bruise up on his left side last night when he collided with the right field wall attempting to catch Tim Hudson's fly ball. The ball went off Harper's glove and bounced over the fence for a home run. Harper showed the bruise to...

ATLANTA - In 487 career major league games played, tonight is the first time that Ian Desmond has hit cleanup. Talking with reporters about it before the game, Desmond downplayed the significance of his place in the order, joking that he hit cleanup two days ago - when he came up fourth in the fourth inning. Jokes notwithstanding, Desmond seems to be having a decent time in the No. 4 spot tonight. Desmond followed a Bryce Harper walk in the fourth inning by smoking a Paul Maholm curveball...

ATLANTA - There was a bit of a scary moment here at Turner Field this afternoon, when a stadium worker named Reuben collapsed with an apparent heart attack. Nationals head trainer Lee Kuntz and training assistant John Hsu rushed to the man's aid and revived him. Word is that Reuben is recovering in a local hospital now. Good on Kuntz and Hsu for rushing to the man's aid. Update: We've been told here in the press box that the man that Kuntz and Hsu revived, Reuben Porras, has passed away...

ATLANTA - Danny Espinosa showed up at Turner Field this afternoon, took a look at the Nationals' lineup card and didn't see his name in the starting lineup. Instead, Steve Lombardozzi was written in with the number "4" next to his name, indicating Lombardozzi will start at second base tonight. "Haven't been playing well, got benched," Espinosa said at his locker earlier today. "I guess it just kind of is what it is. That's the decision they made and they don't have to explain...

Nate McLouth is leading off and Manny Machado is batting second tonight for the Orioles' series finale against the Seattle Mariners. Why mess with a good thing? For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Mariners Saunders CF Seager 3B Morales DH Morse RF Bay LF Smoak 1B Ackley 2B Montero C Andino SS Harang RHP The Mariners are 0-3 in rubber matches...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter used four relievers last night to cover the final four innings of a 7-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Showalter used Tommy Hunter for a second consecutive game, but he avoided closer Jim Johnson, who hasn't pitched since Saturday. He's rested and ready tonight if there's a save situation. Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland hasn't pitched since Thursday in Oakland. He's been used once since April 21, totaling one inning. He's rested, ready and probably a...

ATLANTA - As promised, Davey Johnson has made a few changes to tonight's starting lineup. Danny Espinosa has been benched tonight in favor of Steve Lombardozzi, who will start at second base and hit second. Jayson Werth will miss his second straight game with a sore ankle/hamstring cramps, with Tyler Moore taking over in left and Bryce Harper manning right field. Ian Desmond will hit cleanup for the first time this season, Adam LaRoche will hit fifth, and Anthony Rendon returns to the...

Now that the calendar has turned to May, we can take a look back at April and make some comparisons to where the Orioles were at this point last year. As for the bottom line, they went 14-9 (.609) in April 2012 and were in second place at that point, one game out. At the end of this April, they are 16-11 (.593) and two and a half games out in third place. The Orioles have hit better in April 2013, and they pitched better in April 2012 in looking at several stats. Here is the comparison of...

19-year old Dominican catcher Pedro Severino has made a nice step up to Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns, and is off to a good start in his first profesional season. In 70 games for Gulf Coast Nationals from 2011 and 2012, Severino hit .201 with 11 extra base hits and 17 RBIs. Focusing on last season, he hit .220 in 38 games, dwindling his strikeout total from 27 down to nine. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said Severino is a "high energy kid who is really throwing well. He...