Taking a look at some questions and, as always, seeking your answers to some Orioles topics this morning: Why is Adam Jones struggling on defense? He seems to be getting some poor jumps, poor reads and sometimes running poor routes. Not a good combination. Jones can be a lightning rod for criticism and those waiting for some material to criticize are getting it. It seems almost every ball hit his way these days is a tough chance, but they are plays with a degree of difficulty that we have...

Well, that could have gone better. Adam Jones again had some tough defensive plays that he failed to make. Wei-Yin Chen lasted just four innings. The Orioles' offense failed to score over the first five innings against Aaron Harang, who entered with an ERA of 11.37. Seattle beat the Orioles 8-3 tonight to take the series finale and snap the O's streak of four straight series wins. They were looking to win five consecutive series for the first time since 1999. Jones could not haul in...

Tonight's game had been largely forgettable until the Orioles scored twice in the sixth inning, but we should hold onto the memory of Zach Clark making his major league debut. Clark will turn 30 in July. He agreed to terms on a professional contract while standing with scout Dean Albany in the parking lot at UMBC. It wasn't a hard negotiation. He settled for a cool $1,000. The Orioles interrupted Clark's eighth minor league season yesterday by recalling him. And here he is, pitching in...

ATLANTA - Twice already this season, Jordan Zimmermann has taken the mound with the Nationals riding a three-game mini losing streak and gotten things back on track. Tonight, it was eight stellar, two-hit innings from Zimmermann that propelled the Nats to a 2-0 win over the Braves, their first victory against Atlanta in their last 10 tries. "We needed that one bad and he went out there and pitched a blueprint game," manager Davey Johnson said. "That was outstanding. Some good fastball...

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman looked back to 100 percent health on the field, his hamstring returning to full strength, during his rehab assignment with the high Single-A Potomac Nationals on Wednesday night. "Everything went great," Zimmerman said. "It was good to get back out there. Everything felt fine so I will work out tomorrow at the stadium and fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow night. "I came here and got ready for a game (doing) everything that I would...

Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen hadn't allowed a run in his last 13 innings before tonight. He fell behind 1-0 in the first after a line drive fell in front of center fielder Adam Jones to spark the Mariners' two-out rally. He fell behind 3-0 in the second after Jesus Montero tripled on a ball that bounced off the heel of Jones' glove as he raced to the warning track. It could have been a whole lot worse in the first. Chen threw 28 pitches, the last a called third strike on Dustin Ackley...

ATLANTA - The medical update on Bryce Harper is one that should allow Nationals fans to breathe easy, even if Harper had trouble breathing for a couple of seconds after a sixth-inning check-swing. Harper, who left tonight's game midway through the sixth after grounding out to first base, was diagnosed with a bad bruise on his left side, manager Davey Johnson said following tonight's 2-0 Nats win. It appears that Harper has avoided any serious injury, including anything affecting his...

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...