Triple-A Syracuse right-handed reliever Josh Wilkie has been suspended 50 games for use of a banned substance, according to a club source. Wilkie said in a text message that he was suspended for a substance called Spice, which was mixed with a flavored tobacco. Spice is sold and distributed legally in some places, although it is increasingly being banned at the state and local levels. A chemical in Spice is not permissible according to Major League Baseball's banned substance...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have recorded three straight winning road trips for the first time since April 8-May 19, 2005. However, they will have to take the last two games here against the Rays and three vs. the Red Sox next week at Fenway Park to post a winning record on their fourth consecutive trip. Tall order. The Orioles have lost six games in a row for the first time since Aug. 16-21, 2011. They haven't lost seven straight since July 4-15, 2011, when they dropped nine in a...

Outfielder J.P. Ramirez returned to high Single-A Potomac after showing well again at low Single-A Hagerstown, where he displayed his knack for getting on base and making good contact at the plate. The 22-year old Ramirez has gone back and forth a couple of times between Hagerstown and Potomac, but that is not a signal that he is not worthy of playing at Potomac. There has been a logjam of talented players at both stops and there were not enough roster spots available on opening day. Now that...

If you think Johns Hopkins University doesn't sound like a perfect venue for baseball discussion, you don't know your Orioles history. Back in the 1960s, then-O's second baseman Davey Johnson studied in the hallowed halls in north Baltimore, poring over statistics en route to an eventual degree in mathematics from Texas' Trinity University. Even back then, Johnson understood ideas like platoons and lefty/righty percentages for pinch hitters, and he took printouts to manager Earl Weaver to...

We're all plenty aware how much injuries have ravaged this Nationals team this season. But bring yourself back to April 4, the day before opening day, for a second. If I had told you back then that the Nationals would be without cleanup hitter Michael Morse and closer Drew Storen for 50 games (and counting, for Storen), face of the franchise Ryan Zimmerman for 17 days, right fielder Jayson Werth for the last three weeks and the bulk of the summer, catcher Wilson Ramos for the last two weeks...

In looking back at the days leading up to last June's First-Year Player Draft, Baseball America's Jim Callis was very high on high school pitcher Steve Johnson, as of this morning, nothing has been resolved. The midnight deadline passed and now it appears that Johnson, through his agent, must declare today whether he is taking his out clause, which could lead to him leaving the organization. If he does opt to take the out, the team could still respond then by either putting him on the 40-man...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter stopped by the Ed Smith Stadium complex Thursday and ate lunch with a few of his rehabbing players. He got caught up with the likes of Nolan Reimold, Matt Lindstrom and Taylor Teagarden. He found out that Tsuyoshi Wada was going to visit teammates before tonight's game against the Rays. At another part of the complex, minor league outfielder Scott Beerer continued to rehab his surgically repaired left wrist and sympathize with Nick...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Steve Tolleson explained to reporters tonight how he got thrown out at second base on J.J. Hardy's fly ball as Bill Hall was attempting to score the Orioles' first run. "I knew the throw was going to come there," he said. "I just saw where he was in the outfield and thought I could make it. It was a bad play. I was a little bit too aggressive there in a situation where I really didn't need to be aggressive. My run really didn't mean much. Fortunately we didn't...

You already know all the details regarding outfielder Michael Morse and his return from what he said today was an injury to the teres major tendon around his right shoulder. Quickly, here are a handful of additional injury updates: Catcher Jesus Flores was in the lineup today and was set to play for the first time since suffering a hamstring strain Sunday. Flores said he could've played on Wednesday, but the Nats held him out just to be sure. Tonight's rain delay will give him an additional...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The losing streak has reached a season-high six games. That's nine losses in the last 11. The Orioles have dropped out of first place for the first time since May 5. It's no longer fun. "Frustration?" manager Buck Showalter asked, repeating a question. "They've got a lot of confidence. They're a mature group. They understand. We'll get it going again. Hopefully tomorrow." It better happen soon. Wei-Yin Chen surrendered all five of his runs and hits in the...