Well, 4 p.m. has come and gone, and there's no word of any trade involving the Nationals that has been completed. The Nats appear to be standing pat at the non-waiver trade deadline, willing to stick with their current roster - for the time being, at least. Again, a trade can still be completed after today's deadline, as long as the players pass through waivers. That would allow the Nats to still look to upgrade their catcher depth over the next month. Update: Manager Davey Johnson wanted...

NEW YORK - The 4 p.m. non-waiver deadline has passed and the Orioles didn't make a trade. Executive vice president Dan Duquette will be available to the media in a conference call later this afternoon. So much for the heated trade talks with the Phillies for pitcher Joe Blanton. Nothing came of it. Keep in mind that trades can still be made after today. However, the players must pass through waivers. Update: I talked to an Orioles official who said, "We're trying to improve on what...

The Orioles today announced that they have activated infielder Robert Andino from the 15-day disabled list and placed designated hitter Jim Thome on the DL, retroactive to July 28, with a herniated disc in his neck. Andino has batted .230/.292/.325 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 79 games with the Orioles this season. He went 3-for-9 with a walk in two rehab games with Triple-A Norfolk. Thome has batted .261/.354/.391 with two home runs and six RBI in 18 games with the Orioles since...

The Washington Nationals today returned from rehab and reinstated outfielder Chad Tracy from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned outfielder Corey Brown to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Tracy, who missed the last 55 contests with a right adductor strain, is batting .265 (13-for-49) with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI in 32 games this season with the...

If you were looking for the Nationals to make a move before the trade deadline, you're in luck. OK, it's not a trade, but it is a roster move. The Nats announce that they have activated infielder Chad Tracy from the disabled list and optioned outfielder Corey Brown to Triple-A Syracuse. Tracy landed on the DL all the way back on May 28 with a right adductor strain. He's missed the last 55 games, and still somehow is tied for the second-most pinch-hit RBIs in the majors. In many ways,...

NEW YORK - Second baseman Robert Andino has arrived in New York after playing two games at Triple-A Norfolk. He's prepared to join the team, which necessitates a roster move. Andino went 3-for-9 with two RBIs, a run scored, a walk, a strikeout and an error that led to an unearned run last night off left-hander Brian Matusz. The Orioles could place designated hitter Jim Thome on the disabled list to free up a roster spot for Andino, but it depends on the MRI results from earlier...

The Phillies are throwing in the towel, dishing veterans off and, for the first time in years, looking to build toward the future. In the process, the Nationals' National League competitors are bolstering their rosters for a playoff push. Both the Giants and Dodgers have swung deals to acquire a Phillies outfielder, with San Francisco reportedly trading for Hunter Pence and Los Angeles bringing in Shane Victorino. I'm not sure who the Phillies plan on putting in the outfield over the next...

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (ankle) will continue his rehab schedule Wednesday in New York. The short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays have the day off and are traveling to New York City. Rendon will play third base against the Staten Island Yankees on Wednesday night. The team then faces the Brooklyn Cyclones starting Aug. 4. Rendon's recent schedule has followed the pattern of playing third the first day, serving as the designated hitter the next and then resting for a day. When in the...

The trade deadline is now just over four hours away. Will it be an active few hours for the Orioles? As the deadline draws near I go back to an interview I had with Dan Duquette on July 6. I sat across from him in his office that day as he spoke about the possibility of the Orioles making moves. "The future is always now, when you are trying to win. Your future is really the opportunity and the risk is in not going for it. What do you think the fans want to see? They want to see and hear...

I certainly can't predict what Dan Duquette will do to improve the Orioles today by the 4 p.m. trade deadline, but I'm confident enough to guarantee you that Nick Markakis will still be playing right field for Baltimore in tonight's match-up against the Yankees. There haven't been any legitimate trade rumors reported with Markakis' name on them, but in the Twitterverse, message boards and sports talk radio world, there are always fans wondering why the Orioles wouldn't try to move their...