This is starting to look like the Michael Morse we saw last season. It took a few weeks to find him, but that's to be expected. Given how long Morse was out with that strained lat and given how little time he had on a rehab appearance before returning to the Nationals' lineup, it was bound to take a bit for him to find his timing and his stroke. The first 21 games were frustrating for the Nationals' slugger. He was hitting just .217, slugging .313 and had more strikeouts than...

The Orioles needed a starter today - well, they need one for every game, but a fifth starter wasn't required until today - and manager Buck Showalter chose Dana Eveland over Tommy Hunter or a minor league call up. What should we read into it? Well, the Indians are much weaker against left-handers, so Showalter lined up three of them in this four-game series. And he wanted a right-hander to back them in long relief in case of an early exit, and Hunter is capable of doing it. He's been...

Left-hander Dana Eveland will make his 12th Orioles appearance and second start today when he takes the mound this afternoon against Cleveland. Eveland has been pitching well, allowing just one earned run on five hits over his past four games, covering 8 2/3 innings. He has walked just one and fanned five in that time, lowering his ERA to 3.00 on the year. Is he excited to get the start today? "Yeah, I guess," Eveland said. "I love being here and love being a part of this team on either...

One of the lingering images for manager Buck Showalter from last night's 9-8 victory over the Indians involved rookie outfielder Xavier Avery. Not the home run swing. Not the trip around the bases. Not the catch to end the game. Just the smile. Xavier Avery actually smiled. "This is the about the first unabashed smile we've gotten out of him out in the public eye," Showalter said. Avery laughed when Showalter's comment was relayed to him. "He's probably right," Avery said. "I'm...

Nice little storm we've had tonight. Hope everyone got home safely or made the wise decision to stay indoors. Game time temperature was 100 degrees. We hadn't hit triple digits at Camden Yards since a July 23, 2011 game against the Angels. First pitch was 102 degrees. I knew it felt two degrees cooler tonight. Jake Arrieta allowed five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. He's 2-5 with a 6.63 ERA in 10 home starts this season. And that includes seven scoreless innings on opening...

Nick Johnson received some good news regarding the MRI taken on his right wrist this morning. Johnson said the MRI didn't reveal any structural damage. No tears or broken bones. It only showed old scarring from his multiple surgeries. Johnson, who had to leave Wednesday night's game after one at-bat and went on the disabled list yesterday afternoon, will wear a brace on the wrist for a week. "Just some wear and tear from the past," he said after tonight's 9-8 victory over the Indians....

Xavier Avery can cross "home run" off his list of firsts in the majors. Avery produced the all-important tack-on run in the bottom of the eighth with a shot off Chris Perez that cleared the left-field fence and increased the Orioles' lead to 9-7. Avery has a home run, walk and two RBIs in his second game since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. Avery had six home runs in 224 at-bats with the Tides. He hit four in 557 at-bats with Double-A Bowie last year. Pedro Strop needed only five...

Orioles starters posted an 11.66 ERA in the last three games before tonight. Jake Arrieta couldn't stop the bleeding. Arrieta was charged with five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes, before manager Buck Showalter ended his night. The Indians sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the fourth and turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead. They loaded the bases with one out and Arrieta walked Shin-Soo Choo to force in...

The Nationals were able to get a few hits early on against Braves right-hander Randall Delgado. Nationals left-hander Ross Detwiler got off to a good start and contributed offensively for one of the few times in his career. Detwiler's RBI single plated Michael Morse in the second, giving the Nationals a 1-0 lead. In the third inning with two outs, Ian Desmond smacked a single to left field that scored Adam Laroche and Morse. Desmond was tagged out at third. Nationals lead 3-0. Desmond...

ESPN's Buster Olney says the Orioles would be a good fit for the Phillies' Jim Thome, and I agree with him. The question always is, at what price? What would it cost in a trade to get a 41-year-old slugger to see if he has one last push left to help an offensively challenged club? Olney posted this on his Twitter account tonight: My speculation and nothing more, at this point: I think that on paper, Orioles and Rangers are two best possible fits for Thome. Thome has always hit with plenty...