Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has gotten a lot of heat over the years. How's Selig look in comparison to his NFL counterpart, Roger Goodell, this morning? While everyone will still be busy ripping Goodell for subjecting us to replacement officials who look completely overmatched, I'll be making the trip up to Philadelphia this afternoon for the Nationals' final 2012 series at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are still technically in the mix for a postseason berth, but in...

Growing up, my dad always had old sayings that he would use to help teach me a life lesson. They were always simple, thought-provoking sentiments about whatever struggles I happened to be facing at the time, and many of them stick with me today. One such saying has particularly been of interest to me throughout the last five months. As I have watched the Baltimore Orioles go from 69 wins in 2011 to 88 wins (and counting) in 2012, I can't help but hear my dad saying, "You make your own...

When LJ Hoes hit a home run on Aug. 19 for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides against the Charlotte Knights, it was not just another key hit for the Orioles' 22-year-old prospect. It was a home run dedicated by Hoes to his grandfather, Charles Eguster Hoes, who died from ALS three days earlier after battling the disease for about two years. Yeah, that run around the bases was special and had plenty of meaning. "The last time I talked to him, among his last words were, he told me to hit him a home...

I thought about having a replacement ref handle my blogging duties this morning, but he kept writing about the Royals. Manny Machado made a dazzling play at third base during the Red Sox series, diving to snatch a ground ball along the line, jumping to his feet and throwing out the runner with another one of his missiles. In Game 2 of last night's doubleheader, Machado ranged to his left to glove Yan Gomes' grounder, skidded to a stop and fired a perfect strike to first baseman Mark...

After giving up five runs over five-plus innings in Game 2 tonight, Wei-Yin Chen talked about his outing against Toronto. "I can just tell you I don't have really good stuff tonight," Chen said through his interpreter. "I didn't pitch well today. After the first batter in the first inning, I walked the guy and started feeling like it's not a good day for me. I tried to fight through it, but it's not my day." Chen has an ERA of 5.90 in five September starts, and was asked if fatigue is...

The Yankees won tonight while the Orioles split their doubleheader, leaving a 1 1/2-game gap between the top two teams in the American League East. Wei-Yin Chen took the loss in Game 2, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings. He's completed seven innings only once in his last nine starts and hasn't won since Aug. 19. "It's hard to do," manager Buck Showalter said after the 9-5 loss to the Blue Jays. "He spoiled us at a very high level this year and will again. You've been...

Wei-Yin Chen struggled in another start, and Jake Arrieta came up short in his bid to get out of two straight jams. All that added up to a Toronto Blue Jays' 9-5 win tonight in Game 2 of a doubleheader. The Orioles won the opener 4-1, but fall to 88-66 with this loss. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-3 to drop Baltimore to 1 1/2 games behind New York. The Orioles have not been more than one game out since they were two games behind on September 2. Chen allowed four runs over the first two...

The first inning jumped up and bit Wei-Yin Chen again tonight. Chen allowed two runs in the first, raising his total to 21 this season, and two more in the second to dig an early hole for the Orioles as they attempt to sweep this doubleheader. His pitch count stood at 42 as he took the mound for the third inning. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 41st homer in the top of the first inning following a leadoff walk to Brett Lawrie and Rajai Davis' strikeout. The Blue Jays collected four hits in the...

A few minutes after he got the win here in Game 1 against Toronto, pitching five shutout innings in the Orioles 4-1 victory, Steve Johnson was asked about pitching in pennant race pressure. "This is what you live for," Johnson said. "Pitching in a playoff race and just wanting the team to win. Pitching in a big game. This is a lot of fun. "It was a big win for the team. I had real good stuff, but just wasn't able to command the ball well at least for the first couple innings. Got my...

Chris Davis will bat cleanup in Game 2 of today's doubleheader at Camden Yards. Robert Andino is starting at second base and Taylor Teagarden is behind the plate. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Taylor Teagarden C Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Blue Jays: Brett Lawrie 3B Rajai Davis LF Edwin Encarancion DH Yunel Escobar SS Yan Gomes 1B Moises Sierra RF Omar Vizquel 2B J.P....