Jayson Werth is out of the Nationals lineup for tonight's game against the Astros, this after he had complained about some tightness in his legs during last night's contest. Manager Davey Johnson pulled Werth in the eighth inning last night after his veteran outfielder had made it known that his legs were bothering him a bit. Since coming off the disabled list last Thursday, Werth is batting .438 (7-for-16) with an RBI and five walks in five games. Werth was on the DL for nearly three...

Manager Buck Showalter is going back to his left-handed lineup tonight, with Wilson Betemit at third base and Nate McLouth in left field. Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base, while Ryan Flaherty takes another seat on the bench. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J.Hardy SS Chris Davis DH Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit 3B Nate McLouth LF Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Zach Britton LHP For the Mariners: Dustin Ackley 2B Trayvon Robinson LF Michael...

For some time now, manager Davey Johnson and pitching coach Steve McCatty have been trying to get Nationals pitchers to throw more fastballs. Work off that pitch, they say. Establish the fastball, throw it for strikes, get ahead in counts and then mix in your off-speed stuff. It's a tried-and-true formula, one that forces hitters to put the ball in play, keeps pitch counts low and, when executed properly, gets the pitcher and his teammates off the mound quickly and back on offense. For...

Right-hander Yunesky Maya has had experience with the Nationals in the past, and was sent to Triple-A Syracuse to start the season to build on his command and control on the mound. Maya is 9-8 with a 3.54 ERA in 22 starts and has really turned it on since July 22, winning three straight games. In the last three starts, Maya has shown he can deliver on a consistent basis, allowing just three earned runs in the past 21 2/3 innings. In six of his last 10 starts, the Cuban right-hander has...

Baseball American's annual survey of American and National League managers turned up a few interesting choices involving the Orioles. Adam Jones was voted the AL's Best Defensive Outfielder ahead of the Angels' Mike Trout and the Tigers' Austin Jackson. Jones won a Gold Glove in 2009. Trout is going to be named Rookie of the Year, and perhaps Most Valuable Player, in 2012. May as well toss in a Gold Glove, too. Matt Wieters was chosen as Best Defensive Catcher, with the Twins' Joe...

In 2008, Nate McLouth hit .276 with 26 homers, 94 RBIs and an .853 OPS for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a National League All-Star, won a Gold Glove and led the NL with 46 doubles. This year, it wasn't going nearly as well for him. He was batting just .140 for the Pirates with 18 strikeouts in 57 at-bats when he was designated for assignment on May 25 and released a few days later. He would then get picked up by the Orioles and sent to Triple-A Norfolk. Now, a couple of months after being...

Could someone please remind me whether the Orioles need a starting pitcher? I'm confused again. The rotation and bullpen combined for 28 consecutive scoreless innings before the Mariners pushed across a run in the eighth inning last night against Chris Tillman. The Orioles have allowed three runs in their last four games. The starters have posted a 1.00 ERA. You'll notice that I stopped at four games. This incredible stretch of pitching began two days after Zach Britton took the mound at...

This Orioles team has been chocked full of surprises. From Chris Davis earning the win after a wild 17 innings at Fenway Park to scoring 11 unanswered runs in the Bronx and climbing out of a five-run hole to beat the Bombers. Recently in Baltimore, a new pleasant surprise has emerged and he goes by the name, "Miguel Gonzalez." As Orioles fans, we are so used to spot starters burning out our beloved bullpen and costing our favorite team wins. We became accustomed to the likes of Chris...

Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez possesses unique talent. A left-handed power pitcher in a division full of rivals who struggle against southpaws, his performance and joie de vivre plays a vital role in the Nationals' stirring success so far this season. That's important, because Washington traded four top prospects to get the two-time All Star. Gonzalez, with his wide smile, otherworldly curveball and 13 victories, has been a good addition for Nationals teammates and fans alike. He should be...

It sure wasn't pretty. No, it wasn't that. The Nationals played an Astros team last night that now is 4-31 (yes, 4-31!) in its last 35 games. They outhit the Astros 14-6, but scored just one more run than their hosts. Washington relievers combined to allow nine baserunners over 5 2/3 innings. The Nats gave up four more stolen bases without catching a runner trying to steal, yet they had one of their own runners picked off first base. They blew a three-run lead, then failed get a guy in...