If you live or work near Camden Yards, you now have a new dining option for days when the Orioles aren't playing at home. Beginning today, Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant is now open for both lunch and dinner. You can eat, drink and be merry on the first floor of the B&O Warehouse beginning at 11 a.m. Slide into Dempsey's - the namesake of former O's catcher, 1983 World Series MVP and current MASN broadcaster Rick Dempsey - for a midday meal, then stop back after work for another of the...

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa wants to get going at the plate. Manager Davey Johnson wants his young infielder to do so as well, and sees Espinosa making progress. Shortstop Ian Desmond said it earlier this season when asked why he likes Johnson as a manager. One of the reasons he spotlighted was how Johnson sticks with you, even when you go through a rough spell. "I could go 0-for-5 and he wouldn't pull me. I knew I was going to be in the lineup the next day," Desmond...

After Bryce Harper went 3-for-4 with two doubles last night, manager Davey Johnson suggested that Harper might be deserving of a bump in the order. Harper got quite a bump, alright. The 19-year-old will hit third tonight against the Diamondbacks, this after hitting seventh in each of the first four games of his major league career. Harper is batting .385 with five hits in 13 at-bats thus far in his big league tenure. Three of his five hits have been for extra bases. Here are the Nationals'...

BOSTON - You can point the finger in a lot of different directions when figuring all the ways that the Orioles have bolted to a 16-9 start. The club's bullpen deserves a big hand. Orioles relievers have combined to post a 1.73 ERA heading into Friday night's game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the lowest figure in the majors. They've permitted only seven earned runs in their last 53 innings, including a perfect ninth last night from closer Jim Johnson, which largely went unnoticed in...

During the offseason and into spring training, if you asked 100 Nationals fans which middle infielder they would be concerned with having to replace at some point in the 2012 season, I'd venture to guess 98 of them would have replied, "Ian Desmond." Their answer is not without basis. Desmond has had challenges both offensively and defensively as he continues to try to establish himself as a starting shortstop in the major leagues. This season, Desmond, 26, isn't really burning things...

The Orioles began a grueling part of their schedule Monday. It began with the three games they just played in New York to be followed by three games this weekend in Boston. They then return home for four with Texas, three with Tampa Bay and two more with New York. That is a stretch of 15 games against four teams that all could win 90 or more games this year and be playoff teams. Counting the Yankees' record of 12-9 at the start of the series with the Orioles, those four teams have a combined...

Well, for fans of the Orioles, the calendar has flipped from April to May and it has been a surprising season so far. As of this morning, the Orioles are flying high with a 16-9 record, and sit one game behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East standings. There are some very compelling and unexpected storylines in the game today, and the Orioles definitely qualify as of one them. Seriously, I do not think many fans, media or so-called experts thought that this team...

If you're an Orioles fan, you can pinch yourself this morning -but it might hurt, because the Orioles really did win a series in the Bronx by outscoring the Yankees 12-1 the last two nights. They left New York with a record of 16-9, going seven games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2005. They continued their season-opening run of good baseball and amazing pitching in New York. There are plenty of other stats worth noting after last night's game: * The Yankees entered this...

As Davey Johnson recapped last night's thrilling 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks during his postgame press conference, he started rattling off names of guys who had contributed to the walk-off victory. Johnson touched on starter Edwin Jackson, who didn't have his best stuff but still kept his team in the game. He mentioned Ian Desmond, the hero, whose two-out homer in the ninth set off a wild celebration at home plate. Then, Johnson paused. "And what about the kid?" he said, a smile...

NEW YORK - I'd just like to point out that I've got a 5-2 road record this season. Chicago couldn't take me. Neither could New York. So what have you got, Boston? I'm getting ready to board another train, where I'll spend about four hours blogging, tweeting, reading or sleeping. I may do all four and shoot for the Mount Rushmore of rail travel. The Orioles are off today, but you can bet that Robert Andino will be in Friday's lineup, and he'll be batting ninth again. Manager Buck...