The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Bill Hall. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, LHP Randy Wolf has been placed on the 60-day disabled list with a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. Hall batted .222/.500/.556 in seven games over two stints with the Orioles earlier this season. Wolf appeared in five games for the Orioles, including two starts, going 2-0 with a 5.28 ERA (15.1IP, 9ER).

The Yankees beat the Twins 8-2 today, dropping the Orioles two games back in the American League East. Big start tonight for Miguel Gonzalez. Big game for the Orioles, who have lost three of four. Right? "You can find somebody in the locker room every night to tell you this is a big game," said manager Buck Showalter. "I know who's not going to say that." That would be Showalter. "Believe me, I've got a grip on reality, but what are you going to do? It is what it is," Showalter...

Yes, it is a very, very small sample size, but it's the last four games, and the Orioles' bats that were going good for most of this month have slowed down. We'll see if that small sample size can begin to be forgotten if they get some offense tonight. Over the last four games, the Orioles have scored 10 runs and are batting just .185 (5-for-27) with runners in scoring position. They had few chances, but went 0-for-4 with RISP in being shut out last night. Before this stretch, the Orioles...

Give Adam Jones credit. He's answered the same question for two days, asked by different reporters in different ways: It is a variation of "How are the Orioles holding up under pennant race pressure?" Today, Jones emphasized again there is no panic or concern in the O's clubhouse over losing back-to-back games and three of their last four. "Only two games. If there is a sense of concern, it's sure not in the clubhouse," he said. "No one is stressing. There is no pressure on us. We are...

Bill Hall is back in the Orioles clubhouse. He hasn't been officially activated yet, but it appears there is a good chance he will be. Hall went 2-for-9 with the Orioles in May. He homered in his first game with the team on May 12 against Tampa Bay. Hall went home to Arizona after the Norfolk Tides' Triple-A season ended, but then flew to Sarasota, Fla., several days ago to work out during the Orioles' instructional league. "Not sure yet, but it's possible (I'll get activated)," Hall...

The Orioles could know by the end of the day whether pitcher Randy Wolf has decided to undergo surgery on his left elbow. Wolf talked to Dr. Lewis Yocum last night, and Yocum will consult with team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens later today. Wolf could go on the 60-day disabled list to create room for Bill Hall on the 40-man roster, though manager Buck Showalter said there are "three or four options there." "We'll see what Randy and the doctors want to do," Showalter added. "We'd like...

PHILADELPHIA - A day after Nationals manager Davey Johnson said that all hands would be on deck until the Nationals clinched the division, Danny Espinosa is out of the lineup. Espinosa got a cortisone shot in his aching shoulder last Monday and has played in all eight games (with seven starts) since then, batting .348 with two RBIs and three doubles. His production has returned, and Espinosa told me yesterday that his shoulder was feeling fine. That all makes it a bit surprising that he's...

Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base tonight, as manager Buck Showalter inserts an extra left-handed bat in the lineup against Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B Miguel Gonzalez RHP Hardy is 8-for-15 with four doubles and a home run against Villanueva. Davis is 5-for-8 with a double and two homers. Reynolds is 5-for-14...

The playoff picture in the National League is close to being set with four teams already assured of spots in the postseason. The Nationals, Reds, Giants and Braves have clinched berths, while the Cardinals are the second-closest wild card team with eight regular season games remaining. Manager Davey Johnson has said he is not going to speculate as to who his starters will be for the postseason, but you can bet at his desk he has penciled in his thoughts on how he wants to set up his top guns...

The first thing I wanted to do when I heard the Nationals had clinched their first playoff berth was call my dad. I was standing at a bus stop in Arlington with Twitter feeding me a constant live stream of updates from friends, media members and baseball fans. I'll even admit to getting a little misty-eyed. That's why I wanted to call my dad. He's the one who taught me how to love baseball. To my dad and me, baseball was a bonding experience. While I don't know exactly why we chose...