The news on Chien-Ming Wang continues to be positive. Wang, who is down at the Nationals' complex in Viera, Fla., rehabbing his strained left hamstring, will throw a simulated game tomorrow. This will be his first time throwing to hitters since suffering the hamstring injury March 15 in a spring training start against the Yankees. The Nationals will continue to take things very slow with the veteran right-hander, but if all goes well in Wang's simulated game, he could be ready to begin a...

Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard said his shoulder is not bothering him as much as manager Davey Johnson might have led on after Sunday's loss to the Reds. Clippard said he has the usual stiffness in his shoulder, but he feels that after any outing and says he is fine. Johnson said he will look to rest Clippard and closer Brad Lidge tonight against the Astros. The pitching staff had to endure three extra-inning affairs in the four game set against Cincinnati, and Johnson wants to rest some...

For the most part, Davey Johnson's lineups have been pretty consistent over the first 10 games of the season. Today, the Nationals lineup has a bit of a new look. Danny Espinosa will get the day off today, as Johnson wants to get his second baseman a "mental break" day. Steve Lombardozzi will start at second and hit second tonight against the Astros. Espinosa is hitting just .194 in 36 at-bats this season with 10 strikeouts. Lombardozzi, meanwhile, has gotten only seven at-bats through...

Low Single-A Hagerstown Jason Martinson SS Bryce Ortega 2B JP Ramirez LF Matt Skole 3B Adrian Nieto C Brett Newsome 1B Justin Miller RF Hendry Jimenez DH Billy Burns CF Starting pitcher - Brian Dupra High Single-A Potomac Michael Taylor CF Blake Kelso SS Sean Nicol 3B David Freitas C Justin Bloxom 1B Kevin Keyes LF Randolph Oduber RF Adrian Sanchez 2B Francisco Soriano DH Starting pitcher - RHP Matt Swynenberg (1-0, 6.43) Double-A Harrisburg Eury Perez CF Jeff Kobernus 2B Chris Rahl LF...

CHICAGO - J.J. Hardy and Mark Reynolds return to the lineup for tonight's game against the White Sox. For the Orioles: LF Endy Chavez SS J.J. Hardy RF Nick Markakis CF Adam Jones C Matt Wieters DH Nick Johnson 3B Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 2B Robert Andino P Jake Arrieta

Taking a look around the Orioles' minor leagues: Triple-A Norfolk picked up a walk-off win Sunday, 4-3 over Charlotte on Ryan Adams' two-out, bases-loaded single in the last of the ninth. The Tides are now 5-6. Outfielder Jai Miller went 0-for-2 Sunday to end his six-game batting streak. Miller is hitting .297 over ten games but has struck out a whopping 20 times in 37 at-bats so far for Norfolk. Brad Bergesen, who is 0-1 with an ERA of 8.68 in his first two starts, pitches tonight for the...

CHICAGO - There seems to be some concern and confusion among fans regarding manager Buck Showalter's decision to push back Wei-Yin Chen's scheduled start to Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Field. Chen isn't hurt. That's the most important point. Showalter indicated before the Orioles broke camp that the first off day could allow him to adjust the rotation, and that's exactly what he did by delaying Chen's next start. Jake Arrieta is working on normal rest tonight. Chen will have gone exactly...

OK, so Ryan Zimmerman is hitting just .179 (7-for-39) with two RBIs through the first 10 games of the season. But even though the Nationals third baseman isn't getting balls to fall in, he's still bringing his A-game on the defensive side. "If I'm not getting any hits, I'll just take hits away," Zimmerman said yesterday. "That's the plan." The plan was executed to perfection yesterday. Zimmerman made a couple spectacular defensive plays in Sunday's loss to the Reds, two of which...

No doubt about it, Orioles fans love their giveaways. From brandishing T-shirt Tuesday handouts to lining up bobbleheads as part of their office decor to loveable but goofy looking floppy hats on the beaches in Ocean City, Md., and Rehoboth Beach, Del., those premiums distributed at the Camden Yards gates become prized possessions. Over the years, the O's have scheduled some pretty interesting giveaways. Remember seat cushion night at Memorial Stadium, where a debatable umpire's call...

The flowers remain in full bloom, the weather as gorgeous as a quad full of coeds and the Nationals took three of four from a good Cincinnati team over the weekend to move their record to 7-3. There was a billboard near the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta for many years that read, "It's Always Springtime at Bulldog Bonding." Always springtime? I think I could learn to like that. Ross Detwiler pitched well Sunday. His fastball was sitting at 94 mph and there was plenty of life to all his...