We're about 5 1/2 hours from first pitch in the Orioles' home opener against the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards, where the sun is shining and the forecast calling for a 100 percent chance of rain apparently was sent to extended spring training to work out the kinks. The Orioles haven't revealed their plans for the ceremonial first pitch. They will honor Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver, who passed away on Jan. 19, and it's expected that they will weave that tribute into the first pitch....

Happy opening day, Baltimore fans. I'm sorry to report that I won't be at Camden Yards for the opener. Nevertheless, I have taken the day off from work to watch the game at home. It's not an official holiday, but it should be. Each new season brings the promise of the unknown, so we start the year with predictions and projections that typically focus on expected team and individual totals. Given my interest in Orioles history, I decided to look at where some current players might end up on...

Something doesn't feel right about this morning's blog entry. Must be the missing Florida dateline. I'm back in Sykesville, but not for long. It's opening day at Camden Yards and I'll be arriving at the ballpark about 5 1/2 hours before the scheduled first pitch. I'll be feeding you plenty of blog entries, updates and tweets, so save room. More will be written about second baseman Brian Roberts, who injured his right hamstring yesterday and will undergo an MRI to determine the...

Three games into the season, the Nationals stand alone with the best record in baseball. They have a well-rounded, talented roster to thank for that. They also have the Miami Marlins to thank for that. Let's be honest. The Nats are the only undefeated team left in the majors after their three-game sweep over the Marlins. Now, it's on to Cincinnati to face a Reds team that took two of three from the Angels this week. After that, it's the White Sox coming to D.C. for the Nats' first...

So the Orioles are 0-1 in one-run games so far, but they are plus-5 in run differential. So there is that. It wasn't completely a one-man show - sure, it was close - but the Orioles offense just put up seven, seven and six runs over three games against a pretty good pitching staff. The Rays led the American League in ERA easily last year at 3.19 and they finished second in the league in ERA the two years before that. Anytime you can score 20 runs in a series against that staff, that's a...

Jordan Zimmermann ruined it. He ruined the Nationals' shot at 1,458 consecutive shutout innings. Might as well just cancel the season. Zimmermann went six innings today, allowing eight hits and one run. He walked two and struck out one, rounding out a line that's not incredibly impressive by his standards outside of just the one run surrendered, but Zimmermann said he actually felt pretty sharp today. "I felt good, it was the best I felt in a long time," Zimmermann said. "It was just...

It's no secret that the Marlins are rebuilding this season and will likely contend for the worst record in baseball. You look up and down Miami's roster and there really isn't much top-notch talent beyond Giancarlo Stanton. Still, games aren't played on paper. Beyond that, the Marlins have traditionally played the Nationals tough, including last year, when the teams split the season series despite the Nats winning the division and the Marlins coming in last in the National League East. So...

Right fielder Jayson Werth was 0-for-8 in the first two games of the season. There were some that might have questioned whether his surgically repaired wrist was not quite 100 percent just yet. On Thursday at Nationals Park, Werth crushed a three-run homer to left field that erased many of those doubts, lifting the Nationals to a 6-1 win and a series sweep of the Marlins. "I think you guys are a little but more worried about my wrist than anybody else," Werth said, speaking to reporters....

Here are some of the impressive stats for the Orioles after they won today 6-3 against Tampa Bay to take two of three in that series. * Chris Davis had an amazing series, going 7-for-11 with three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs. He somehow managed to work a single in there. He exits this series batting .636 with a slugging percentage of 1.727 and a 2.420 OPS. * Davis has hit 10 homers over his last 10 regular season games. He hit one in each game this series and has homered in nine of...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles pitcher Miguel Gonzalez couldn't avoid Yunel Escobar's sharp grounder in the fifth inning, but he dodged an injury. The ball nailed Gonzalez in the shin as Escobar reached on an infield hit. However, Gonzalez stayed in the game and lasted 6 1/3 innings in the Orioles' 6-3 win over Tampa Bay. "It skinned me," Gonzalez said. "Good thing it didn't hit me straight up or I probably would have been out of the game. But I'm all right. I feel good." Manager...