Here's the Orioles' lineup for today's game against the Blue Jays: LF Felix Pie CF Adam Jones RF Nick Markakis DH Vladimir Guerrero C Matt Wieters SS J.J. Hardy 1B Luke Scott 3B Mark Reynolds 2B Robert Andino P Zach Britton

The Nationals could very well have their shot at not one, but two front-line UCLA right-handed starters Monday in the draft. The hard-throwing Gerrit Cole that we previewed Thursday, and right-hander Trevor Bauer. What is the difference between the two? Cole may throw a little harder, but Bauer makes more hitters miss, according to Jim Callis, executive editor for Baseball America. He sees good things from both choices, but thinks Bauer might be the better long-term choice. "(Bauer's...

Orioles first baseman Derrek Lee will begin his injury rehab assignment tonight at Double-A Bowie. Lee was supposed to report to the Baysox last night, but took some time to attend to his family after his grandfather passed away. Lee has been on the disabled list since May 17 with a strained left oblique. The veteran first baseman is hitting .231 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 40 games this season.

The Washington Nationals' 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks kicks off an 11-game West Coast road trip that will see them visit San Francisco and San Diego as well. It's a brutal trip, not as much for the quality of competition - though that's tough enough - but just for the nature of the trip. Imagine how you'd feel waking up in a different city every third day for almost two weeks, four time zones from home. History hasn't been all that kind to the Nats on these extended west coast...

The debate will rage on at least for a few more days. Should the Orioles shy away from drafting a high school pitcher with the fourth pick in round one of Monday's First-Year Player Draft? Should they take a college player or pitcher that is likely closer to getting to the majors? The last three times the Orioles drafted a high school pitcher in Round 1, they took Matt Hobgood in 2009, Adam Loewen in 2002 and Richard Stahl in 1999. Only Loewen ever made the majors and Hobgood is rehabbing...

The Orioles are back home tonight to begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, and left-hander Zach Britton will make his 12th major league start. Remember when Britton was supposed to spend at least 20 days in the minors? Britton has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts, but he gave up a career-high six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in his most recent outing in Oakland. He might want to pitch around a former Oriole. Jose Bautista was named the American...

Though the Nationals are out of town, fans can still enjoy the national pastime at Nationals Park this Sunday. The annual Congressional Bank Baseball Classic begins at 9 a.m. and lasts throughout the entire day. The event showcases the Districts' best high school teams and players as they compete at Nationals Park. Schools set to participate in the tournament include the Maret School, Sidwell Friends, Cardozo High School and Woodrow Wilson High School. Additionally, at 2 p.m., Washington,...

The Nationals have picks No.6, No. 23 and No. 34 to begin Monday's First-Year Player Draft and, according to Baseball America's updated mock draft, could get the most highly touted pitcher in college baseball in 2011. This year's draft appears to be top heavy, strewn with power pitchers with collegiate experience in big time programs, such as Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen, who will most likely be taken at No. 3 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. A pair of UCLA right-handers could be...

For right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson, the start of the season this year has been quite different than last season. The kid from Baltimore was 3-6 with an ERA of 6.14 in his first 17 starts for Double-A Bowie last year as he battled issues with control and his pitching mechanics. But he had a solid second half last summer and then further retooled his mechanics this winter and it looks like it is all paying off for him now. He is 4-1 with an ERA of 2.02 in eight Bowie starts after pitching...

The amateur baseball draft - and we're required here at MASNsports.com to refer to it strictly as the First-Year Player Draft because it's that important - will begin on Monday. The Orioles will make their selections in Sarasota instead of Baltimore. I guess they were seeking a cooler climate. Our own Steve Melewski has been doing the heavy lifting in the days leading up to the draft, but since everyone else is chiming in, I'll take a few seconds to do the same. It's either that or try...