Earlier in the season, I wrote about how great the Orioles bullpen was doing and in the weeks since, the relievers have not only kept it up, they have gotten even better. Heading into this evening's game, the Orioles have the best bullpen in baseball in terms of ERA. But what you may not have known is that the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town, and they are bringing the best bullpen in the National League with them, the second best in baseball behind Baltimore. So if you're going to do some...

Outfielder Bryce Harper rested for eight innings Sunday. Back in the lineup Monday, he picked up where he left off with an RBI single in the first inning that scored Steve Lombardozzi. Harper finished 3-4 with two runs, a walk, a stolen base and an RBI, and is now hitting .295. .295? Yes, this rookie is here to stay. There was a recent article in USA Today about how important rookie Mike Trout was to the Angels' turnaround, saying that Trout had more of an impact on his team's play than...

The last time we saw Brian Roberts' name in an Orioles lineup was May 16, 2011 in Boston. I'm expecting to feel a bit nostalgic today when I walked into the clubhouse and glance at the magnetic board across from manager Buck Showalter's office. Roberts should be batting leadoff and starting at second base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It would be quite a shocker if he's not activated from the 60-day disabled list. The trickle-down effect on the lineup should be minimal. If Robert...

The Nationals' injury list keeps growing. This time it's Roger Bernadina who will spend some time in the trainer's room, this after suffering a strained right hamstring while running from first to third on a wild pitch in the fourth inning of tonight's game. Bernadina slid head-first into third and immediately grimaced while asking the umpire for time. He got to his feet, hunched over at the waist and talked things over with trainer Lee Kuntz. The Nats outfielder started to walk off the...

He pitched on the mound at Camden Yards yesterday and tonight he agreed to a contract with the Orioles. The Orioles this evening came to terms with a local Baltimore product, 19th-round draft pick Josh Hader, a left-handed pitcher from Old Mill High in Anne Arundel County, MASNsports.com has learned. The 6-foot-3, 160-lb. Hader had tremendous stats this season, going 10-0 with an ERA of 0.39. and he fanned 125 batters over 72 2/3 innings. Hader pitched two shutout innings yesterday at Camden...

There are so many great things about baseball and maybe at the top of the list is some of the people you meet along the way. I have met many memorable characters in this game and today I was sad to hear the news that one I met has passed away. Brooklyn Cyclones radio broadcaster Warner Fusselle died Sunday from an apparent heart attack. He was 68. I got to know Warner during the three years I was the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the Aberdeen IronBirds from 2004 through 2006. Warner was...

Another catcher in the Nationals' system who has had an outstanding start to the season is David Freitas of the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. The 23-year old Freitas leads Carolina League backstops with a .282 average and has hit nine doubles, three homers and 22 RBIs in 46 games. On Monday, Freitas was named a starter for the California-Carolina League All-Star Game, which will be played June 19 in Winston-Salem, N.C. "David continues to make strides in all parts of his game and has...

Major League Baseball released the latest All-Star Game vote totals in the American League, and Orioles catcher Matt Wieters has dropped to third behind the Rangers' Mike Napoli and the Twins' Joe Mauer. Wieters was second a week ago, but Mauer has passed him with 912,997 votes. Wieters has received 904,425 votes. J.J. Hardy ranks third among shortstops. Robert Andino is fourth among second basemen, Adam Jones ranks fifth among outfielders, and Nick Markakis slipped to 15th among...

When hitting right-handed, Danny Espinosa feels like he's on top of the world. He's locked in, is seeing the ball well and is doing some serious damage when he puts it in play. "I feel like no one can get me out," Espinosa said this weekend. "I feel pretty good. I have a good approach up there. I know what I can hit, and I know what I can't hit. I feel good." The problem is, while he's excelling when hitting right-handed, Espinosa is struggling mightily when swinging from the left...

In the baseball world, interleague play is like the designated hitter: It creates controversy and debate, and it doesn't appear either is going away any time soon. Ever since becoming part of the landscape in 1997, players, managers and coaches have never liked the interleague format, which is based more on marketing and ticket sales than scheduling integrity. For example, they don't understand the fairness in the Braves having to play two interleague series against the Yankees while the...