In an attempt to win today's game at Oakland, the Orioles are counting on a 36-year-old left-hander who won just three of his 24 starts with the Brewers this year and who has pitched just 1/3 of an inning over the last nine days. At least Randy Wolf is rested. You can tell that the fact that Wolf is getting the ball for today's game has some fans nervous, and we'll see how he does. He did go 3-10 with an ERA of 5.69 for Milwaukee, and he went 0-4 with an ERA of 6.53 over his last four...

Chris Davis is batting third today as the Orioles' designated hitter. Mark Reynolds remains at first base after experiencing some numbness in his left biceps last night. Robert Andino remains at second base. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Randy Wolf LHP For the Athletics: Coco Crisp CF Jonny Gomes DH Josh Reddick RF Yoenis Cespedes LF Chris Carter 1B Josh...

First of all, let me say that it is your right as a fan to have any opinion of the Orioles that you do. But it is my right to not agree with you. I disagree with several of you today. Between this blog and Twitter I saw some interesting comments after last night's game: "Well....it has been an excellent run." "I fear it is over." "There is no way the Orioles can be in a pennant race with Chavez in the lineup." This reminds of one we got a lot earlier this year, "How much longer can...

The Orioles will try to avoid being swept by the Athletics today and remain one game behind the Yankees in the American League East. It's a tall order, given their surroundings. The Orioles have lost 16 of their last 18 games at Oakland Coliseum dating back to 2008, and they have been outscored, 90-55. Not all of these Oakland teams have been Grade A's, but the dominance continues. Orioles pitchers have posted a 4.93 ERA during that stretch, and the A's are batting .276. Meanwhile,...

ATLANTA - The Nationals' final trip to Atlanta this season hasn't gone as planned though the series' first two games. They've had close calls go against them. They've struck out a whopping 29 times. They've seen the Braves manufacture runs with groundball singles, walks and errors. Two games, two losses. The Nats' division lead over the Braves, which was 8 1/2 entering the series, is now down to 6 1/2. Nats fans might be a little antsy today, fearing a three-game sweep by the Braves...

Is there a pecking order developing as the final month of the regular season plays out? Are the Orioles better than the Rays, and are the Athletics better than the Orioles? Only if you put a lot of stock in their most recent games against each other. The Orioles swept Tampa Bay at Camden Yards, flew to Oakland and promptly dropped the first two games of their series. Now they need Randy Wolf, who won one of his last 20 starts with the Brewers, to play the role of stopper. Wolf has made two...

Based on last year's playoff format, the Atlanta Braves would be the only wild card team and the Nationals would know what to expect once October rolls around. Of course, the Nationals still need to maintain first place for that scenario to play out. The Nats will have 10 of their remaining 16 games at home after Sunday. Sunday is a big game, even if it doesn't mean the Nationals' lead will be relinquished, and they could use a win after two hard fought, one-run losses at Turner...

It's been a rough two nights for the Orioles in Oakland. A loss there Friday cost them a chance to move into sole possession of first place, while tonight's loss dropped the Orioles out of a first-place tie in the AL East. The Birds fell one game back of the Yankees, who won this afternoon, with a 5-2 loss at Oakland. The Orioles continue to hold the second wild card spot in the AL, leading the Angels by 2 1/2 games. The Orioles fall to 81-64 and have now lost back-to-back games for the...

For four starts, Zach Britton was a dominant left-hander with a fresh arm and the ability to anchor the Orioles' rotation. So what happened in his last two starts? Britton has surrendered 10 runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings in those two outings, with nine walks and six strikeouts. The Athletics jumped Britton in the third inning tonight, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring five runs to take a 5-2 lead. He was gone after the fourth with his pitch count at 86. Britton had won...

ATLANTA - A despondent Ryan Mattheus sat at his locker after today's 5-4 loss to the Braves, quietly staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. Mattheus allowed the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning tonight, loading the bases on two walks and a single. He then grazed the jersey of Andrelton Simmons with a sinker, plating Jeff Baker to give the Braves the lead. Only nine of Mattheus' 23 pitches were strikes, so it's obvious what the issue was. "I just couldn't...