The Orioles are making room for reliever Jason Berken by optioning starter Tommy Hunter to Triple-A Norfolk. Hunter is 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA. He lasted only 4 1/3 innings yesterday in Boston, allowing five runs and eight hits, walking one and striking out two. He's allowed nine home runs in 36 innings. Hunter said his toe and back are fine. His issues aren't related to his health. He just needs to pitch better. Catcher Luis Exposito is in tonight's lineup, so he hasn't been optioned. It...

The Orioles apparently will make two roster moves today. Jason Berken is running sprints in the outfield with Stu Pomeranz before batting practice at Camden Yards. It looks like he's being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, though we're still waiting for the Orioles to send out a news release. They're most likely going to wait until closer to the first pitch to make sure the weather doesn't interrupt their plans. I think they're safe, but they're usually cautious when it comes to...

I swear, this is my last entry on the Cole Hamels/Bryce Harper plunking and subsequent stealing of home. Well, that is until someone else steps in and tosses more fuel on the fire and makes this an even bigger deal. Hey, it could happen. This story has taken on a life of its own over the last 14 hours or so, after Hamels admitted that he hit Harper on purpose because he wanted to carry on the "old school" way of handling things and then Nationals GM Mike Rizzo called out Hamels, telling the...

A week ago, before the awakening of his bat this weekend in Boston, I was despairing about Mark Reynolds, his lack of hitting and his woeful glove. I wondered how bad he really was and hypothesized that he must be the worst player in baseball based on his simultaneous poor performances in the field and at the plate. I went to Fangraphs.com and sorted all batters in terms of WAR (Wins Above Replacement) which puts value on players while incorporating thier offense and defense. I was pleasantly...

Have the Orioles found a diamond in the rough with Stu Pomeranz? Not only does it appear that they may have, but his fast rise from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk now is taking him to the major leagues as Pomeranz is expected to be in Baltimore later today and is quite likely to be added to the Orioles roster to help its taxed bullpen starting tonight against Texas. The 27-year-old, right-handed pitcher, a second-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003 whose career was...

Last night's "Sunday Night Baseball" game was not good to the Nationals, despite the overall success of the "Our Park" campaign. When Bryce Harper stole home in the first inning, he stole Nationals Park back from the Philly faithful, but the loss of Jayson Werth to a broken wrist undermines any sense of triumph. It is a blow that will hurt Washington for the remainder of the season and a tragedy for Werth, who was playing so well and assuming such a large role in mentoring Harper....

In case missed the game from 1:35 p.m. to 7:42 p.m. Sunday, let me tell you that you missed history. If you did watch, thank you for viewing one of the most exciting Orioles games that I have ever witnessed. Keeping my attention most of Sunday, the game featured a five-run catch-up by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth and fifth innings and terrible outings by the Orioles starter and designated hitter, who looked a like National League pitcher trying to hit. Certainly one of the most bizarre...

Instead of doing another "Clubhouse Cliff Notes" entry, which I plan on posting Monday mornings when the team is coming off a homestand, I decided to put that aside for now. There's just too much to discuss coming out of the Nationals' exciting three-game series with the Phillies this weekend. I'll start with Jayson Werth's wrist injury, which unfortunately will in some ways overshadow all the fantastic baseball we saw over the past three days. Even a good hour after the game last...

BOSTON - I made it to my Southwest gate, proving once again that sleep is vastly overrated. However, a belt is not, and my jeans almost hit the floor in the security line. No need to thank me for the early-morning visual. I'd like to point out that my road record improved to 8-2. I won't take full credit for the Orioles' surge into first place in the American League East, but I'd like to think that I had a little something to do with it. Just pitching in, of course. And it all starts...

These days, you rarely see a pitcher admit that he hit a player on purpose. Fans and media members get all over pitchers when they deny intentionally plunking a hitter, but in reality, there's no reason to come clean about it. All it will get you is a fine and possible suspension. That's why the postgame comments made by Phillies starter Cole Hamels are so surprising. Hamels drilled Bryce Harper in the back with a first-pitch 93 mph fastball in the first inning of today's game. It surely...