With another extremely uncomfortable ninth-inning save opportunity almost thrown away, the Nationals and manager Davey Johnson need to make a decision. Johnson told the media he would sleep on what happened to reliever Henry Rodriguez on Monday in Philadelphia. Without the literal save by Sean Burnett, Rodriguez was on the rocky road to his fourth blown save of the season. It is obvious Rodriguez has the swing-and-miss stuff one covets in a closer, firing fastballs regularly at 101 mph. But...

PHILADELPHIA - Now that Davey Johnson is at the very least considering other options when it comes to the closer's role, it's probably worthwhile for us to take a look at the guys the Nationals' skipper has to work with. Henry Rodriguez's struggles have caused Johnson to look for alternatives in save situations, and while the Nationals don't have an obvious backup plan at this point, they do have some hurlers who Johnson could look to in the ninth inning. Johnson has indicated he might...

The big development at Camden Yards yesterday really took place before the game, when Brian Roberts spoke for more than seven minutes with reporters about his impending return to the diamond. Roberts has not played for the Orioles since May 16, 2011, but said yesterday that he should be able to begin a minor league rehab assignment very soon. The exact date has not been set, but it now could be days or weeks away - and not months down the road. Here are some audio clips from that interview...

Given the debut strategy taken with Stephen Strasburg in 2010, not many people thought going into this year that 19-year-old Bryce Harper would end playing at least 100 games in 2012. Now, barring injury, it seems almost a lock that the club's starting outfielder will surpass that mark, making him just the 18th player in Major League Baseball history to play 100 or more games as a teenager. Among those 18 players, Harper is currently on pace to have one of the best seasons ever. Below I've...

If you missed it over the weekend, the Single-A Frederick Keys had a weekend of stunning starting pitching. Three Orioles 2011 draft picks in Mike Wright (round 3), Kyle Simon (round 4) and Trent Howard (round 7) combined to pitch 18 innings without allowing a run on just seven hits against a good-hitting Salem team. Salem batters went just 7-for-57 (.123) against the Keys' trio, which walked eight and fanned 16 batters. On top of that, in his first start in the Carolina League last...

I'm ready to create another "Because You Asked" just for this one question. If I needed to pad it, I'm sure that I could insert a Dylan Bundy question, too, but let's stick to Robert Andino this morning. It's natural to wonder how Brian Roberts' return to the 25-man roster, assuming it happens, will impact Andino. Roberts could go on an injury-rehab assignment in a few weeks. This is the closest we've gotten to having any sort of timetable on him. I'm more curious about how...

PHILADELPHIA - Last season, in 154 games, Ian Desmond hit eight home runs. In 2010, also in the span of 154 games, Desmond jacked 10 homers. This season, in just 41 games, the Nationals' shortstop already has seven home runs, tied with Adam LaRoche for most on the team. What's the reason for his newfound power stroke? Possibly his baby boy. "I think daddy strength," Desmond said. "They say when you have a kid, you get stronger. Thanks, Grayson." Desmond delivered his seventh longball...

PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson has stood by Henry Rodriguez through his three blown saves, handfuls of wild pitches and bunches of baserunners allowed. But after tonight's performance, in which Rodriguez was pulled after putting the tying runners in scoring position and throwing two wild pitches over 1/3 of an inning, Johnson finally said he's considering a change when it comes to the closer role. "I'm going to sleep on it, but I'm looking at alternatives," Johnson said. There aren't...

Tommy Hunter didn't argue the balk call in the sixth inning that allowed the tying run to score. As he said afterward, "I got got." "A famous Little League play and it worked," he said. Apparently, Hunter heard one of the Red Sox yell and became distracted. "I didn't even see the runner," he said. "I had no idea what the runner (Will Middlebrooks) was doing. There was a little bit of commotion. I thought he was going, stepped off and did some stupid (stuff) and there it was. "Tip...

Tommy Hunter retired the first six batters he faced tonight, striking out two. He just couldn't sustain that momentum. Hunter allowed five runs and nine hits over six innings and left with the score tied, 5-5. "He was driving the ball down and away to right-handed hitters, but then he just started elevating the ball," manager Buck Showalter said following the Orioles' 8-6 loss to the Red Sox. "Made some mistakes and paid for it. Gets him behind in the count, too. "Tommy was pitching...