As productive as the Nationals bench was last season - with Chad Tracy, Roger Bernadina, Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi coming through with countless pinch-hits in clutch spots and getting significant playing time in the place of a few injured starters - that group has been pretty quiet through the first six weeks of the 2013 campaign. In 51 pinch-hit opportunities this season, Nationals hitters have gone just 7-of-48 with two extra-base hits and three walks. That's good for a .146 batting...

Orioles pitcher Wei-Yin Chen is expected to be placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a strained right oblique. Chen underwent an MRI earlier today in Baltimore. "Chen is a DL candidate," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "It's a right oblique strain, and these things take a little time to heal. So, it looks that way. We'll decide tomorrow. But he looks like a DL candidate." Duquette estimated that it would take "more than a couple weeks" for Chen to return. "We'll...

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned LHP Mike Belfiore to Triple-A Norfolk. Belfiore, 24, was recalled prior to Sunday's game but did not pitch. Belfiore was 1-0 with a 5.52 ERA (14.2IP, 9ER) and 17 strikeouts in 10 games for the Tides. In 2012, with Double-A Bowie, Belfiore was 5-1 with a 2.85 ERA (47.1IP, 15ER) in 28 games. A corresponding roster move will be announced tomorrow.

One player has been on fire since his return from the Washington Nationals. The other threw eight of the nine innings of a no-hitter. This week the Eastern League took notice. The Double-A Eastern League announced that right-hander Paul Demny has been named Pitcher of the Week and third baseman Anthony Rendon is the Player of the Week for May 6 -12. Rendon used his time with the Nationals as a springboard to his return to Double-A Harrisburg. The 22-year old Rendon batted .500 (12-for-24)...

At Double-A Bowie, there is help for Henry. As Cuban outfielder

Jair Jurrjens made today's start for Triple-A Norfolk and has allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Former Orioles farmhand Mike Constanzo, part of the Miguel Tejada trade with the Houston Astros, homered off Jurrjens as the Syracuse Chiefs' designated hitter today. The Orioles are down to three starters with Miguel Gonzalez on the disabled list and Wei-Yin Chen being re-evaluated today after leaving yesterday's start with a strained right...

As the umpiring issues involving Fielden Culbreth and Angel Hernandez continue to rage, and as Major League Baseball continues to look into expanded replay, it would be nice if the umpires would stand up and admit mistakes after controversial calls. That would go a long way in restoring their credibility with the players and fans. Instead, after missing a home-run call in Cleveland, and then refusing to change it after watching it on replay, Hernandez basically blew off the pool reporter...

After going 3-2 on their brief homestand, the Nationals packed the bags and took off for the west coast, where they'll play 10 games in 10 days. First is a stop in Los Angeles for three against the Dodgers, who shockingly have started the season 15-21 and are currently last in the National League West. Yup, the team with the $216 million payroll sits behind the Rockies and Padres nearly a quarter of the way through the season. You can't predict ball. Following their three-game set...

A baseball team can't win on talent alone. It also takes discipline, maturity and courage, qualities that key members of the Nationals seemed to be lacking against the Chicago Cubs this weekend. In dropping games Saturday and Sunday to the last-place team in the National Legaue Central, the Nats' 24-year-old pitching phenom and 70-year-old manager both showed they have something to learn about handling both adversity and success. Stephen Strasburg has shown plenty of talent since the Nats...

MINNEAPOLIS - Orioles reliever Pedro Strop seems to have straightened himself out after an extremely rough stretch of games. His cap is still crooked, but he's straightened out. More on that later. Strop tossed another scoreless inning yesterday at Target Field, again throwing eight of 12 pitches for strikes, just as he did Saturday night. Velocity good. Movement on his slider good. Results good. Strop hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 10 outings, and he hasn't permitted a run or...