Tonight's live game blog: We'll be trying something new here tonight and filing notes, opinions and stats about tonight's game as it goes on. Everything I add will appear at the top of the text right after this blog introduction. So check back here often during tonight's game and hit that refresh button to get the latest from here. Please feel free to post your own opinions and ask questions as the game goes on as well. Hope I hear from a lot of you tonight starting now. That was close:...

So how did Nationals manager Davey Johnson arrive at the notion of moving leadoff hitter Ian Desmond to the No. 5 spot in Saturday's lineup, while bumping Bryce Harper, who had been hitting fifth, into the two-hole? Partly out of need to inject some life into a batting order that's been struggling to produce offense and partly because the change was suggested to him by one of the parties involved. "Just needs shaking up a little bit, you know?" Johnson said during his pregame session...

Over the course of his major league career, Chien-Ming Wang has made just five relief appearances. That number is likely to increase. Manager Davey Johnson said today that when Wang returns to the Nationals after he's wrapped up his rehab stint, the 32-year-old right-hander will probably be used out of the bullpen, with Ross Detwiler holding onto the No. 5 spot in the Nats' rotation. "When he comes up, I will probably start him in the bullpen," Johnson said of Wang. "That's probably...

Carlos Maldonado gets his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to replace the injured Sandy Leon, but tonight's Nationals lineup against the Orioles also includes some other surprising shuffling. Shortstop Ian Desmond gets his first shot at the five-hole this season, with Steve Lombardozzi hitting leadoff and playing second base. This isn't the first time Desmond has hit fifth - he did so once in 2010 and three times in 2011, and is a career .353 (6-for-17) in that spot in...

With great wins and exciting baseball, it may seem easy for many to focus on the positives. However, the other day I received a tweet that asked what was going wrong with the Orioles' defense. The Battle of the Beltways behind them, the Orioles have emerged from the weekend tied with the Dodgers for the most wins in baseball. The Birds also lead the majors in home runs with 64. However, there is one glaring statistic that the Orioles should not be so proud of: leading the league in errors...

WASHINGTON - Robert Andino moves up to the leadoff spot tonight, with rookie Xavier Avery dropping down to eighth. Steve Tolleson gets the start at third base, and Wilson Betemit starts at first. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit 1B Steve Tolleson 3B Xavier Avery LF Jason Hammel RHP For the Nationals: Steve Lombardozzi 2B Bryce Harper RF Ryan Zimmerman 3B Adam LaRoche 1B Ian Desmond SS Rick Ankiel CF Carlos Maldonado...

The Orioles just tweeted that Miguel Tejada is reporting to Triple-A Norfolk tonight and will be available to play for the Tides tomorrow. Tejada has been working out and playing in games at extended spring training. It's been two weeks since the Orioles reached agreement with Tejada on a minor league deal. Executive vice president Dan Duquette told me Thursday that the club was nearing a decision on whether to keep Tejada. The Orioles signed Tejada because of concerns over their defense...

At times during the Nationals' 2-1 loss to the O's last night, it almost seemed like there was a hint of desperation coming from Washington's offense. After getting nothing done offensively through the first four innings, Davey Johnson called for a hit-and-run with one out in the fifth. Nothing wrong with that, except the hit-and-run came with the pitcher - Edwin Jackson - at the plate and perhaps the Nats' slowest baserunner - catcher Jesus Flores - on first. With Bryce Harper on first...

The 2011 season was sure a good one for Orioles minor league catcher

Because the hour-long drive home from Washington D.C. seemed too short for me late last night, I decided to miss my exit for the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and stay on Suitland Parkway for a good 15-20 minutes before turning around and heading back toward Nationals Park. If there's a more directionally challenged person on this planet than me, I'd like to meet you. Of course, I'd never be able to find you. I had to turn on my GPS when I woke up just to locate the bathroom. And yes, I...