If it's not too painful, let's take a little time to nibble on some leftovers from this weekend's three-game sweep in Philadelphia. Settle in. Grab some coffee. There are a few topics to discuss. Topic No. 1: Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson met after yesterday's game and Johnson was heard getting a bit heated during the discussion in his office, shouting, "You come down and manage the team!" Yes, this happened. Is this a big deal? Is it a sign of the team morale deteriorating or an...

Yesterday qualified as a strange day at Camden Yards. The heavy lifting took place before the scheduled first pitch, with Matt Lindstrom being traded to the Diamondbacks for Joe Saunders, and Jake Arrieta being called up from Triple-A Norfolk. Lindstrom met with the media outside the clubhouse. Manager Buck Showalter met with the media in the auxiliary clubhouse. Executive vice president Dan Duquette met with the media in the back of the press box. We never saw Arrieta, who wasn't supposed...

Gary Kendall, the manager of the Double-A Bowie Baysox, can remember the exact date. It was June 6 and his team had lost to Portland to fall to a season-worst 11 games under .500 at 23-34. At that point, Kendall, on a suggestion from pitcher Kyler Newby, called a team meeting. "I really didn't think we had any kind of identity, even though I thought there was a lot of talent on the field. We had a meeting in Portland and it was just about owning up to this. It was just a talk about pulling...

PHILADELPHIA - Both Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche took full responsibility for their share of the baserunning error in the seventh inning of today's 4-1 loss to the Phillies, an error which turned a promising Nationals rally into just a one-run inning. The veterans both thought LaRoche's fly ball to right had left the yard and let up on the gas, Werth casually jogging into third base and LaRoche making a turn around second and heading for third. The logjam that resulted allowed the Phillies...

PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson didn't hold a team meeting following today's 4-1 loss to the Phillies, the Nationals' fourth straight defeat. With his team still holding the best record in baseball, Johnson didn't feel it was necessary. He did, however, have a closed-door discussion with general manager Mike Rizzo following the game which got heated at one point. Some shouting could be heard from Johnson's office, although that's not necessarily anything out of the ordinary. Emotions can...

The Orioles' rotation has undergone another change. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen will start Monday night against the White Sox at Camden Yards. Chris Tillman, whose start today was rained out, will take the ball Tuesday. The Orioles haven't announced starters for Wednesday or Thursday, but left-hander Joe Saunders figures to make his Orioles debut after Tillman. Miguel Gonzalez, who had been listed as Tuesday's starter, or left-hander Zach Britton could start on Thursday. The Orioles have a...

Today's game between the Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays has been postponed due to rain. The teams will play a single-admission doubleheader on Monday, September 24 beginning at 4:05 p.m., with all gates opening at 3:00. Game two will not start before 7:05. Tickets for today's game may be exchanged for seats of equal value for the September 24 doubleheader or any remaining non-prime home game during the 2012 season, subject to availability. Ticket exchanges must be made by September 26. ...

BOWIE, Md. - The Orioles' top pitching prospect, right-hander Dylan Bundy, had his scheduled start rained out today. The game was called about an hour after the scheduled 2:05 p.m. start time and will likely be made up next weekend when the Baysox play at Harrisburg. It has not been yet decided whether Bundy will start tomorrow night. Tommy Hunter was sent from the Orioles to the Baysox and is tomorrow's scheduled starter at this point. So Bundy's next start is on hold for now, with a...

PHILADELPHIA - Adam LaRoche thought his fly ball was out. Jayson Werth did, too. Heck, much of the stadium probably thought that LaRoche's deep fly to right had bounced off a seat or something before caroming back into the playing field. Turns out, it hadn't. The ball had bounced off the very top of a metal railing atop the scoreboard, a railing which is in play. LaRoche calmly circled the bases, as did Werth, who had only made it to third base on the play after starting the at-bat on...

PHILADELPHIA - The way Jordan Zimmermann and Cliff Lee have been dealing today, the first team to finally get on the board might just take this series finale. We're scoreless through 4 1/2 innings today, and neither team has really threatened much thus far. Tyler Moore's one-out double in the top of the fifth has provided the lone runner in scoring position for either team. The two starters have allowed a combined five hits thus far this afternoon, only one of which has been surrendered by...