The Orioles made room for second baseman Robert Andino on their 25-man roster today by optioning pitcher Jason Berken to Triple-A Norfolk. Andino rejoined the team today after spending two days in Miami for the birth of his third child and first daughter. He's starting at second base tonight. Manager Buck Showalter wanted to make sure there wouldn't be a corresponding move involving the disabled list before Berken came off the roster. Jim Johnson was discharged from Saint Agnes Hospital...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated infielder Robert Andino from the Paternity List and optioned right-handed pitcher Jason Berken to Triple-A Norfolk. Andino, 28, started the first 17 games of the season (16 at 2B, one at SS) and batted .300/.333/.433 in 60 at-bats. He missed two games for the birth of his daughter, Amarise Hazel Andino. Berken, 28, has pitched to a 0.60 ERA (15.0IP, ER) with four walks and 10 strikeouts in three starts for the Tides this season.

Jake Arrieta takes the mound for the Orioles tonight in the first game of this three-game weekend series with Oakland. He is 1-1 with an ERA of 4.01 over his first four starts. Arrieta has looked strong this year and fully recovered from having bone spurs removed from his right elbow last August. He has said that procedure will benefit him in many ways and catcher Matt Wieters came up with one of those ways today that I had not heard mentioned before. "I think it helps now that he can get...

The star of tomorrow will make his debut tomorrow. The Nationals have announced that Bryce Harper will be activated from Triple-A Syracuse and will replace third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 25-man roster. Zimmerman will be placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. Harper, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, will make his major league debut at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Speaking on a conference call with reporters late this afternoon, general manager Mike Rizzo said that this wasn't...

After spending a few nights at Baltimore's St. Agnes hospital with food poisoning, pitcher Jim Johnson was back in the Orioles clubhouse today. He may have lost a few pounds, but not his sense of humor. "At different points of time, it was pretty bad. You're going to have to wash your mics after this," he told reporters at his locker. Johnson was clearly in good spirits, but it sounds like there is a decent chance that we will not see him get in the game tonight. "Yeah, it might be a...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter will wait until after batting practice to announce today's roster move. Showalter is playing it safe, saying he's been burned in the past by revealing the move and having a player injured in batting practice. He'll make sure everyone is off the field safely. Look for an announcement around 5:30 p.m. Kevin Gregg and pitching coach Rick Adair met with Showalter behind closed doors this afternoon, but the reliever isn't headed to the disabled list. Gregg had...

Of all the current Nationals who have faced Clayton Kershaw in their careers, guess who has recorded the highest batting average against the Dodgers left-hander? If you went with Craig Stammen, you are either a genius or your sarcastic sense of humor really backfired this time. Not surprisingly, most of the Nats who have faced Kershaw have struggled against him, but Stammen has actually gone 2-for-3 with a double in his career against the 2011 National League Cy Young Award winner. Kershaw...

There's no way around it: Frank Robinson's arrival via trade in December 1965 transformed the Orioles, pushing a club on the precipice of contention into the postseason - immediately. Considered an old 30 and expendable by the Reds, Robinson flourished in Baltimore. He won the Triple Crown in 1966 - leading the American League with a .316 average, 49 homers and 122 RBIs - and sent the Orioles into the World Series, where they shockingly swept the vaunted Dodgers. More accolades followed, as...

Robert Andino is starting at second base tonight after missing the last two games while being on paternity leave. The Orioles haven't announced a corresponding roster move, but reliever Jason Berken is expected to return to Triple-A Norfolk if no one goes on the disabled list. Berken is at the ballpark, probably in a holding pattern. Also, Rule 5 pick Ryan Flaherty, who started at second base in Andino's absence, moves to third base tonight. For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold LF J.J. Hardy...

With the status of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman up in the air, the Nationals have been essentially playing on the penalty kill (using the NHL analogy) for almost a week. Zimmerman has not played since Saturday, out with right shoulder inflammation. It has to be testing general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Johnson as to what they should do for next week when Arizona and Philadelphia arrive at Nationals Park. You would expect the team to continue with just 24-man roster through the...