I'm not a big fan of incremental updates that don't really advance a story, but it's been a slow day and I feel guilty for posting only one entry, so here's a little something for you. Try to control your breathing and not be overcome by the excitement. Second baseman Brian Roberts made another visit yesterday to Dr. Michael Collins, who's billed as a sports-concussion specialist. I've never read his business card, but I assume that title appears on it. I'm told by a team official that...

Here is a question I get a lot from fans about the baseball draft. What makes a good draft? How many of the Orioles' draft picks can be expected to make the major leagues? My experience has been that very few players make it and very, very few become stars. But I went to a great source with that question the other night on my radio show on 105.7 FM the Fan in Baltimore when I asked Jim Callis of Baseball America that question. What makes a good draft? "If you look at the percentages of the...

Hagerstown Suns outfielder

It was during the third round of the First-Year Player Draft in June and East Carolina pitcher

Jayson Werth is suffering through arguably one of the most disappointing seasons for any player in Major League Baseball right now, as Dan Uggla seemed to turn his around, stringing together a 33-game hit streak. Werth cashed in this past winter, literally jumping from the best to the worst team in the National League East. It's hard to blame him - I mean, what would you do in that situation? Lots of people have been ragging on him because of his dismal performance so far in 2011, where in...

HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg left his fastball up a bit and struggled with his breaking stuff in his third rehab assignment Wednesday night for the Hagerstown Suns against the Lexington Legends at Municipal Stadium. Strasburg finished up with 1 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, five runs, all earned, two walks, three strikeouts and one wild pitch on 49 pitches, 29 for strikes. Despite getting roughed up early, Strasburg was able to get his velocity in the 96-99...

HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg said last week in Potomac that there would be times where he would get knocked around, that it was all a part of the rehab process. Wednesday night in Hagerstown, in his third rehab start, Strasburg got knocked around, allowing five runs, all earned, with two walks, three strikeouts, one wild pitch in 1 2/3 innings. He threw 49 pitches, 29 for strikes, and was relieved in the second inning after recording the second out. The...

Everywhere I turn, it seems the Orioles are setting some new standard for futility. Today, it is on the offensive side and a spot in the order that a couple of offseason signings were supposed to upgrade: cleanup hitter. Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero was signed because he was a proven cleanup hitter, a run producer with a long track record. Guerrero, along with first baseman Derrek Lee, were to provide lineup protection, protection that was (at least according to many fans) to allow...

It's one to thing to lose a game, but yet another to look bad and greatly contribute to your own demise. The Orioles did that today at Oakland. Buck Showalter talks to Jim Hunter about the Orioles' loss in Oakland A few things went wrong in their 6-5 loss at Oakland: * After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Alfredo Simon and his defense gave it right back as Oakland scored three in the last of the first. That rally included Nolan Reimold misplaying the ball on a line to drive...

In his last three starts, Alfredo Simon has gone 4 2/3, 5 2/3 and 5 1/3 innings. He's allowed four earned runs, four earned runs (six total) and five earned runs (six total). He's also served up four home runs in those three games. Simon will get another loss today unless the Orioles rally from a 6-4 deficit in the eighth inning. He didn't bring his best stuff, as evidenced by the two homers he surrendered to Kurt Suzuki, the eight hits, two walks, hit batter and pitch count that...