The Orioles are leaning heavily to the right for today's game against Kansas City left-hander Jeff Francis. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Mark Reynolds 3B Nolan Reimold LF J.J. Hardy SS Jake Fox 1B Craig Tatum C Jeremy Guthrie RHP

If you all have been watching the Orioles as of late, you know that Adam Jones has really been heating it up at plate. Right now, Jones is one of the more prominent faces of the franchise and so far in 2011, his profile seems to be rising even more in the sport thanks to an outstanding May at the plate. Before this season began, I was not sure what to think of Jones at times. Well, there a few situations last year while watching the action live from my seat, when I could recall myself...

The Orioles announced after tonight's game that they have optioned infielder Brandon Snyder to Triple-A Norfolk. Snyder, 24, batted .222 (2-9) in five games for the Orioles.

The Orioles have now followed a four-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak. They were outscored 42-15 in the four losses and have outscored their opponents 24-9 in the four wins. The O's lost last Thursday by a 13-2 score to the Yankees and last Friday by a 17-5 score to Washington. At that point, the pitching staff was a bit of a mess. But during these last four games and wins, the team ERA is 1.75. O's starters have pitched to an ERA of 2.25 in this stretch and the much...

One of the Orioles filled his breakfast plate this morning and Luke Hochevar's ERA went up another point. Speaking of breakfast, you'll barely have time to digest it before the first pitch today. We've got a 12:35 p.m. starting time before the Orioles fly to Oakland to begin their first West Coast trip of the season. The Orioles will try to extend their winning streak to five games for the first time this season. The rotation is rolling again. Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, Zach Britton...

Adam Jones talks about: Being in a groove: "I feel good up there at the plate. The team is swinging it better of late and I just feed off the person in front of me. Everybody needs to just feed off each other." On the fourth-inning outburst: "It was about time. It was about time when we get one of those instances where you bat twice in an inning." On Luke Hochevar returning for the fifth inning: "He had what? I think I looked up and he had in the seventh 88 pitches or something like...

The Orioles optioned first baseman Brandon Snyder to Triple-A Norfolk after tonight's game. Snyder, 24, batted .222 (2-for-9) in five games. Catcher Craig Tatum is here and will officially be recalled tomorrow. Look for him to be behind the plate for Jeremy Guthrie's start against the Royals. With Nolan Reimold on the roster, Luke Scott is freed up to play more first base. Jake Fox can be used in more of a utility role, which means backing up at first base and serving as a third catcher.

The Orioles tied their season high with their fourth straight victory. Jake Arrieta improved to 6-2 with a 4.57 ERA. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but he got the job done. Buck Showalter meets with the media to recap the Orioles' 9-2 win "Stuff-wise, he was good," manager Buck Showalter said. "He just gets out of sorts some and loses command for a while. He's fortunate to get through six innings. He worked himself into some trouble. Would you take six innings and two runs every...

The Orioles didn't score in six of their eight innings at the plate tonight, but they got more than enough runs in one inning to beat Kansas City 9-2 this evening. They have taken the first two games of the series and will go for a sweep Thursday at 12:35 p.m. After being shut out on just 28 pitches by Luke Hochevar through three innings tonight, the Orioles scored eight runs in the fourth inning, by far their biggest inning of the year. They had six hits in the inning and sent 13 men to the...

After the Nationals got absolutely brutalized in Milwaukee, it was hard to sit down and write something about them. I mean, they savaged themselves. One game they got blown out, the other two were like they were trying to end it all by leaping up on a moose head attached to the wall to try and impale themselves on its horns. Comedic and pathetic. The feelings of anger and disgust were over whelming so I took some time and meditated in the Zen Room (all Nats blogs are equipped with one). If I...