The Nationals announced Tuesday that top infield prospect Anthony Rendon has been promoted to Double-A Harrisburg. In years past, players had to be on the Double-A roster by Aug. 1 to be eligible to participate in the Arizona Fall League. But under new roster guidelines, teams can send seven players to the AFL. The seven appointments can include two low Single-A or first-year draft picks signed by July 13, two high-A players and three Double-A or higher participants. Further, a team is...

BOWIE, Md. - Yes, there is a little excitement at Prince George's Stadium as Dylan Bundy gets set to make his Double-A debut at 6 o'clock in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Bowie's Gary Kendall has never managed Bundy but he saw him in spring training in Sarasota. He was impressed with what he saw. "How focused he was," Kendall said. "There is urgency with him. He wants to move up as quick as he can. Not to say that isn't in every kid, but you see it in him more. You see really good work...

Troy Patton sprained his right ankle Sunday night after rolling it in his parking garage, a "freakish" injury that's forcing him on the 15-day disabled list. "I was walking in the garage where I stay and caught it on the edge of the curb, at angle, and just turned it quick," he said. "I didn't think it was very bad until I woke up the next day, and it was very, very swollen. I thought it was just a little tweak, no problem." It's a problem. Patton will go on the disabled list...

Wei-Yin Chen remains the starter for tonight's series opener against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Steve Johnson and J.C. Romero are listed among the relievers. Troy Patton, with crutches leaning against his locker, is headed to the disabled list with an ankle injury. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Omar Quintanilla 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP

BOWIE, Md. - Dylan Bundy will make his Double-A debut at Prince George's Stadium for the Bowie Baysox tonight, starting in game one of a doubleheader with Erie at 6:05 p.m. It will mark the third level the 19-year-old has pitched at this year, following his time with Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Frederick. They play seven-inning games in minor league doubleheaders so Bundy possibly could pitch a complete game as he will be working with a pitch count of around 100 tonight. Bundy's pitch...

Center field prospect Eury Perez continues to excel at Triple-A Syracuse since his call-up from Double-A Harrisburg. Perez has played 25 games and is hitting .330 with a .374 on-base percentage for the Chiefs. Syracuse manager Tony Beasley said they have liked what they have seen from the speedy outfielder in his first month with the squad. "He has been doing a nice job," Beasley said. "He definitely hasn't been overwhelmed offensively. He is a good hitter. He has done a good job hitting...

The way Roger Bernadina has been playing the last couple months, it's a shame the Nationals have nowhere to put him in their starting lineup. With Michael Morse raking again and Jayson Werth back from a broken wrist, Bernadina has lost out on some playing time. But it doesn't seem to matter to the 28-year-old outfielder from Curacao, who is playing at the highest level of his major league career. Every time he's been given a chance to step into game action recently, it seems like he's...

A Nationals source has confirmed that third baseman Anthony Rendon has been promoted from high Single-A Potomac to Double-A Harrisburg. The 22-year-old Rendon was Washington's first pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, taken sixth overall. He was rated Baseball America's 19th best prospect heading into the 2012 season. Rendon was informed of the promotion after the P-Nats' 4-3 home loss to Wilmington on Monday night, a game in which he went 2-for-4 while serving as the designated...

In many ways, 2009 seems like so long ago. Then, in others, it seems like just yesterday. In watching every pitch of every at-bat of Manny Machado's fantastic young major league career, I can't help but think back to Matt Wieters' call-up on May 29, 2009. I will never forget Andy MacPhail telling viewers on MASN, "It's time," after the Orioles' 7-2 win on May 26, 2009 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The two games in between the news and Wieters' actual debut were an absolute frenzy. It...

Lately, in my Ellicott City neighborhood, we have experienced the strange phenomenon of pouring rain falling from half-sunny, half-cloudy skies as thunder booms in the background. Whenever this happens, a rainbow appears right above my neighbor's house. I can see it from my driveway. Strangely, a lot of folks who walk or drive by look irritated by the clouds, rain and thunder. Most fail to notice the rainbow. The few that do glance for about 15 seconds or so, then go back inside. Me, I stand...