The Orioles are expected to option third baseman Josh Bell to Triple-A Norfolk later today if infielder Cesar Izturis gets through pregame workouts without any issues. Izturis took the field with infield coach Willie Randolph while manager Buck Showalter met with the media. The Orioles will have to make room on the 40-man roster for Izturis, who will come off the 60-day disabled list. Team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens will examine shortstop J.J. Hardy's left ankle later today, but the club...

Robert Andino is starting at shortstop and batting first tonight against the Blue Jays. We can assume that Cesar Izturis has been activated, because he's starting at second base. For the Orioles: Robert Andino SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B Nolan Reimold LF Cesar Izturis 2B Tommy Hunter RHP

The Single-A Potomac Nationals have battled all season long to get their offense going. Throughout the ebb and flow of the season, four prospects have been able to maintain their consistency in the pitching-rich Carolina League. Destin Hood (.279), Jeff Kobernus (.275), Justin Bloxom (.272) and Eury Perez (.271) rank eight through 11 at the top of the league in hitting. Nationals director of player development, Doug Harris, has taken notice of their offensive consistency, and believes it is...

It may be a while before manager Buck Showalter posts his lineup for tonight's series-opener against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Showalter will need to check the availability of shortstop J.J. Hardy, who's having his sore left ankle examined by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens. We're also waiting for the Orioles to announce Cesar Izturis' activation from the disabled list and the corresponding roster move. Tommy Hunter makes his first start for the Orioles tonight, and his first...

The Orioles continue to flounder, but Adam Jones continues to flourish. His bat remains hot, and now he gets to hit at home for the next 10 games where he has been a very good hitter this year. Jones has hit safely in 11 of the last 12 games, batting .375 (18-for-48) in that stretch with four doubles, two homers and seven RBIs. He has seven multi-hit games over that dozen-game run, increasing his average from .283 to .294. In 54 home games in 2011, Jones is batting .300 with 15 homers, 43...

The non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone and I think it's fair to say the most drama centered around whether Nationals' closer Drew Storen would stay with the team or be traded with who knows who else to the Minnesota Twins for center fielder Denard Span. Oversimplifying a bit, the debate in NatsTown about this potential transaction boiled down to: "Of course you should trade Storen for the right return"; versus "Oh no! Don't trade Drew. He's a talented, homegrown closer and a...

The Orioles return home tonight to host Toronto after ending another losing and frustrating road trip. The Orioles won the first game of the three different series on the trip, then lost the other seven games to go 3-7 in Toronto, New York and Kansas City. Some other notes on the trip: *The Orioles scored 12 runs in the first game of the series at Toronto, then just five runs total over the next two games. They scored four in the first game at New York, then just eight over the next three...

The hits just kept coming against Zach Britton tonight. Twelve, to be exact. Britton left the game in the sixth inning with the score tied, 4-4, and two runners on base. Billy Butler grounded a single into left field off reliever Jim Johnson, and Alex Gordon raced home with the go-ahead run. It got worse. Buck Showalter speaks with Jim Hunter about Britton's second outing back from the minors Another run scored that was charged to Britton, completing his line, and Johnson surrendered three...

The Orioles will recall Chris Tillman from Triple-A Norfolk to make tomorrow night's start against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. A shortage of candidates for the rotation requires the Orioles to have short memories. Tillman was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after Game 1 of last Saturday's doubleheader in New York, part of the weekend craziness that included two trades and the Yankees' 12-run first inning in Game 2. He'll be replacing an injured player, right-hander Jake Arrieta, so he...

J.J. Hardy hit the 100th home run of his career tonight, and it enabled the Orioles to tie the Royals, 3-3, in the fifth inning. Hardy led off the inning with his 19th homer of the season, a drive to left field off Kansas City southpaw Jeff Francis. Francis had retired Hardy twice before that at-bat, leaving the Orioles' shortstop in a 2-for-26 slump. The Orioles have battled all the way back after falling behind, 3-0, in the first. Left-hander Zach Britton has allowed one earned run and...