The Orioles made a series of roster moves today, selecting the contracts of outfielders Endy Chavez and LJ Hoes from Triple-A Norfolk and designating reliever Kevin Gregg and second baseman Ryan Adams for assignment. Chavez was expected here today, and Adams was my guess to be removed from the 40-man roster. However, the Orioles changed their plans with Hoes after Nick Markakis suffered a broken left thumb. Chavez batted .190/.222/.281 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 47 games with the...

The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contracts of outfielders Endy Chavez and LJ Hoes from Triple-A Norfolk. To make room for them on the 40-man roster, right-hander Kevin Gregg and infielder Ryan Adams have been designated for assignment. Chavez batted .190/.222/.281 with two home runs and eight RBI in 47 games with the Orioles earlier this season. He was designated for assignment on August 4 and played 15 games for Triple-A Norfolk after being outrighted. Hoes will be...

So much for my earlier prediction that Nate McLouth wouldn't lead off tonight against Rays left-hander Matt Moore. McLouth is atop the order again. He's starting in left field, with Lew Ford playing right. Chris Davis is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter. Left-handers are hitting .268 against Moore, compared to .234 by right-handers, which could factor into manager Buck Showalter's lineup decisions. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C...

We've got quite a pitching matchup on our hands tonight up in Flushing, N.Y. Two of the top seven in the National League in ERA - R.A. Dickey and Jordan Zimmermann - will toe the rubber at Citi Field. Dickey (18-4, 2.64) is probably the leading candidate for the NL Cy Young award at this point, while Zimmermann (10-8, 2.99) is looking to carry some momentum from his last start out, when he allowed just two runs over seven innings with nine strikeouts in a win over the Cubs. That was the...

After Monday's three-homer offensive attack in a 5-1 win over the Mets, the Nationals have now hit 33 homers in their last 13 games and an incredible 27 homers in the month of September. That is 11 more than Milwaukee for best in the National League. The Nationals have 168 homers on the season, second only to the Brewers (177) in the National League, and better than Cincinnati (163), Pittsburgh (149) and Colorado (148). Looking down the starting nine, the top seven have displayed legitimate...

The magic number to clinch the division is down to 15 with 21 games left on the Nationals' schedule. Last night's 5-1 win over the Mets coupled with Atlanta's loss to the Brewers boosted the Nationals' lead in the division back up to 6 1/2 games, seven in the loss column. Never mind that the Nats didn't register a hit from the fourth inning on last night or that Gio Gonzalez walked five hitters in his first four innings, tying a season high for most walks in a game. None of that matters...

Three weeks ago, Pedro Strop was thought of as one of the top setup guys in baseball. If Strop came into the game, fans assumed three outs and a Jim Johnson save the next inning. Over his last six appearances, Strop has walked five, struck out four and recorded an 18.00 ERA (six earned runs in three innings). Opponents are hitting .500 with a .609 OBP off the Orioles' flamethrowing relief pitcher. Everyone remembers Strop allowing two runs in the eighth inning of last Thursday's dramatic...

In all the hullabaloo surrounding the Nationals' decision to end Stephen Strasburg's season, one common comment from the media outside the Washington area has been, "How can Washington shut down its best pitcher when they are so close to the playoffs? This is the team's dream season. They may never be in this position again." The implication? The Nationals' 2012 season, despite the fact that they currently own baseball's best record, is a fluke, a one-year wonder of good fortune and...

I've got two predictions for you today. 1. Someone will report that Nick Markakis underwent "successful surgery" on his thumb. As opposed to all those unsuccessful surgeries that players endure each year. Unless the thumb falls off, it's going to be successful. Dr. Brian Schofield will insert a T-plate and Markakis will be resting comfortably. And then we'll wait to find out whether the Orioles make the playoffs and he's healthy enough to contribute. Apparently, a realistic goal is...

Another game, more Nationals longballs. The Nats have played just four innings tonight and they've already smacked three home runs - a solo shot by Kurt Suzuki, a two-run bomb to straightaway center by Ryan Zimmerman and a two-run opposite-field shot by Ian Desmond. That's been nothing unusual over the last week; in the Nationals' last seven games, they've hit 23 homers. Not bad, I guess. The Nats lead the Mets 5-1 after four innings thanks to the homer-fest and four decent innings from...