When looking at how the Orioles are playing these days, it is hard to imagine that they were doing so well a year ago after Buck Showalter took over. They went 34-23 in the last 57 games under Buck last year. What's the difference? Easy, pitching. Orioles' starting pitchers worked to an ERA of 3.16 with 36 quality starts in those final 57 games of 2010. Contrast that with the mess the rotation has become now. Over the last 20 games, O's starters have just four quality starts and an ERA of...

Four Orioles currently have hitting streaks of at least five games. Vladimir Guerrero (.379, 11-for-29) and Adam Jones (.417, 10-for-24) have hit safely in seven straight games. Robert Andino (.381, 8-for-21) and Nick Markakis (.429, 9-for-21) have hit in five straight games. The Orioles are batting .281 on this road trip and .387 (12-for-31) with runners in scoring position. Brad Bergesen tossed another scoreless inning last night. He's allowed just one earned run in his last five...

Nationals right-hander Todd Coffey notched the win Friday, firing a scoreless 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning. It was a quiet inning that might not have received much attention if he did not grab the victory. Washington scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth, highlighted by Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off grand slam. Coffey improved to 4-1. After he allowed three runs in Colorado August 6, Coffey has thrown four straight games without allowing a run and just one hit with no walks and three...

At a time when the Orioles minor leagues and player development system is getting criticism from the media and fans, three of the seven Orioles farm clubs have already qualified for the playoffs and a fourth may join the list. Friday, the O's teams in the Dominican Summer League and Gulf Coast League clinched playoff berths and Frederick had already clinched the first-half division title in the Carolina League and leads in the second half also. Bowie would have an Eastern League playoff spot...

The Nationals trailed the first-place Phillies 4-2 heading into their last at-bats with Ryan Madson and his zero blown saves staring them down from the pitcher's mound. Eight batters later, Ryan Zimmerman crushed a grand slam to complete the stunning turnaround for a 8-4 victory over Philadelphia. So how did the Nationals come back in the ninth against a pitcher as good as Madson? Patience. Former Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth set the tone for the big ninth inning by fighting back from...

Jo-Jo Reyes almost gave up another run with two outs in the fifth inning, but Nick Markakis fielded Erick Aybar's single and threw out Torii Hunter at the plate for his 12th outfield assist. Brad Bergesen was warming in the bullpen and Reyes was probably facing his last batter. The left-hander has allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings, with three walks and six strikeouts. He's thrown 97 pitches, 65 for strikes. Four of those runs scored in the first inning. Jo-Jo Reyes talks to...

When I grow up, I want to be Dr. Lewis Yocum. He's a renowned orthopedist, in case you didn't know. Yocum also has become the personal physician of the Baltimore Orioles. He's the doctor to the scars - elbow, shoulders, etc. In case you're scoring at home, Yocum has removed a bone spur from Jake Arrieta's elbow, inserted an anchor in Dan Klein's shoulder and examined Chris Davis' shoulder within the span of a week. He'll examine Jason Berken's sore right elbow this weekend. Did he...

Jo-Jo Reyes held the Tigers to one run over six innings in his last start. He gave up a run tonight after three batters, and four runs after four batters. The Angels worked Reyes for 34 pitches while taking a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Reyes surrendered a double, single, Howie Kendrick's RBI single and Torii Hunter's three-run homer. Vernon Wells singled with one out for the Angels' fifth hit of the inning. Hunter is 3-for-7 with two homers lifetime against...

Checking in with plenty of stats and notes as the Orioles begin a weekend series in Anaheim tonight against the Angels: *The Orioles have lost two in a row, five of seven, eight of 11 and 14 of their last 19 games. Since they were 30-31 on June 10, the Orioles are 17-43 over the last 60 games, a winning percentage of just .283 in that time. *The Orioles have won seven of their last nine games vs. the Angels. They went 6-0 last year against Los Angeles, sweeping the season series for the first...

J.J. Hardy is batting leadoff tonight and Vladimir Guerrero has returned to cleanup. Robert Andino is batting seventh. His name has appeared in the seventh spot once this season, but he doesn't have an official at-bat. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Robert Andino 2B Nolan Reimold LF Josh Bell 3B Jo-Jo Reyes LHP Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Oakland that reliever Jason Berken has a sore...