The Orioles officially recalled Tommy Hunter from Triple-A Norfolk today and designated reliever Brad Bergesen for assignment. Hunter is starting tonight against the Twins. Bergesen is wondering again where his career is headed. Bergesen had his contract purchased yesterday because the Orioles needed a long reliever, but he didn't get into last night's game. Bergesen is 4-3 with a 4.03 ERA and one save in 22 games (10 starts) with Norfolk this season, with 90 hits, 23 walks and 41...

Taylor Teagarden gets another start behind the plate tonight for the Orioles, with Matt Wieters serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters DH Mark Reynolds 1B Steve Pearce LF Wilson Betemit 3B Taylor Teagarden C Steve Tolleson 2B Tommy Hunter RHP The Orioles will try to rediscover their winning touch tonight against Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano, who gave up five earned runs (six total) and eight hits in four...

Still no Nationals lineup just yet, as the team could yet again be checking on Ian Desmond's status before setting their starting nine for tonight's game against the Mets. While we wait on the Nats lineup, I've got some good news to pass along on Jayson Werth, who is currently taking part in some early batting practice along with Chad Tracy. This is the first time I've seen Werth taking BP since suffering a broken wrist back in early May. Manager Davey Johnson said yesterday he expected...

The Orioles added a draft pick for next June today in the first Competitive Balance Lottery. The Orioles will get the fourth pick in Round A, which will follow the first-round picks in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft. A projection on the MLB Network, where the results were announced this afternoon, was that the pick would fall between the 32nd and 37th overall selections and the Round A picks will come before the second-round picks. The order for the Round A picks is Kansas City, Pittsburgh,...

Davey Johnson said yesterday afternoon that the Nationals wanted to see Drew Storen's command improve and his breaking ball get more consistent before the team would consider activating the reliever from his rehab assignment. Storen was apparently listening loud and clear. He worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning for Single-A Potomac yesterday, throwing 11 pitches, 10 of which were strikes. Storen struck out two, both of which were swinging Ks on sliders. He's getting closer to a...

The Orioles say their seventh-round draft pick, pitcher Matt Price from the University of South Carolina, is dealing with a tight right shoulder capsule and may not pitch in a game this year. "His physical wasn't completely clean and they are being overly cautious," Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich said. "I'm not saying that is anything out of the ordinary, it is just a pitcher with a lot of wear and tear. It's something that hasn't held other pitchers back. There are some pretty...

Low Single-A Hagerstown's pitching staff was acknowledged with the recent news that right-handers Alex Meyer and Aaron Barrett will be promoted to high Single-A Potomac on Thursday. Shortstop Jason Martinson was promoted on the offensive side earlier this season. It is likely that some of the tremendous offensive talent on his former team in Hagerstown will be bumped up to join him in Potomac very soon. There are several candidates who could get the promotion, including third baseman Matt...

For the last two weeks, I've been stuck home sick from work. It sounds sort of nice, but I assure you that after a while, the novelty of that sentiment wears off and then the boredom hits. As a result, I had to miss one of my favorite baseball games of the year - the Fourth of July. As I sat home that day waiting for the results of that 9-4 victory against the then-first-place San Francisco Giants, I longed to be at the 100-plus degree ballpark sweltering in the hot, hot D.C. heat. That's...

There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. -- From "Hagakure" If nothing else this season, the Orioles have succeeded at keeping us on the edge. They have been like the summer weather in which they play, at...

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled left-hander Zach Britton and selected the contract of right-hander Brad Bergesen from Triple-A Norfolk. Additionally, right-hander Miguel Socolovich has been optioned to Norfolk and infielder Robert Andino has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 16, with a left shoulder subluxation. To make room for Bergesen on the 40-man roster, infielder Nick Johnson has been transferred to the 60-day DL. Britton opened the season...