It's way too soon to christen Zach Britton the ace of a pitching staff. However, based on his starts for the Orioles so far, he may be it. As of right now, it is accurate to say that he is exceeding expectations. Most thought that Britton would be solid, perhaps go through the school of hard knocks at the major league level. Rather than coming off as a fresh-faced rookie - which Britton basically still is - he's pitching like a tenured, proven major league veteran at the moment. To win...

I sometimes have people come up to me and ask what I am going to do when this all ends. What happens when the blog and the revolution are all over? I tell them the truth: I will retire and disappear into the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where I will live near one of the Great Lakes and simply watch the large freighter ships go by and record all their names, dates and times that I see them in a notebook while listening to Gordon Lightfoot all day. This is "it" for me. This...

A caller to my radio show last night on the 105.7 FM The Fan in Baltimore asked me a question: Which ending was more exciting - Matt Wieters' caught stealing double play that ended Sunday's game or Adam Jones' walk-off homer last night in the ninth against Kansas City? Both were exciting finishes, but that was an easy one for me. I went with the walk-off homer. As this season marches on and the Orioles are past the quarter-pole and approaching the one-third point into this season, the...

Almost lost in the euphoria of Adam Jones' walk-off home run was reliever Alfredo Simon being credited with the win after retiring the Royals in order in the top of the ninth inning. "It feels really good," Simon said after pitching in his first major league game since Sept. 26. "That was my first outing and we got the win. I said, 'Thank you,' to Jonesy, who hit the home run. I am really happy right now." Alfredo Simon talks about getting a win in his first outing of the season How...

The Orioles hadn't scored against Royals closer Joakim Soria in 12 career games against him covering 11 1/3 innings. Until tonight, that is. They tied the game on a Felix Pie pinch-hit double and won it on Adam Jones' sixth home run of the season, a 418-foot shot to center field with two outs. Pie is 2-for-2 lifetime against Soria. Jones is 1-for-5 with three strikeouts - and one very big home run. Buck Showalter meets with the media after the O's come back to beat the Royals...

Alfredo Simon pitched the ninth inning tonight, the third reliever used by manager Buck Showalter. And he was the most interesting of the group. Simon retired the side in order, getting two fly balls and a strikeout. He hadn't pitched in a major league game since Sept. 26, 2010, when he was ejected after hitting Toronto's Jose Bautista. You know the rest of Simon's story, though separating fact from fiction is exhausting and can produce a migraine. Simon wants to focus on baseball, so...

Mark Reynolds hits the longest foul balls in the world. Some people might describe them as majestic. That doesn't help your fantasy team, but I wanted to mention it anyway. I think one ball traveled an estimated three miles last night, but it landed on the wrong side of the left field foul pole. Straighten 'em out, Mark, and you're in business. I'll hit you with a quick question, which we debated in the press box last night before heading to our cars: Which ending was more exciting...

Tonight's attendance: 14,077 Apologies for the technical difficulties, but I'm back. The Orioles had gone 27 1/3 innings without scoring while Zach Britton was on the mound until Matt Wieters doubled off the out-of-town scoreboard in right field with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Nick Markakis raced home, and the Orioles cut the Royals' lead to 3-1. Confetti didn't fall from the sky, but I watched for it. The Orioles put the leadoff hitter on base in five of the first six innings....

Zach Britton hadn't allowed an earned run in his last 19 2/3 innings until Kansas City's Jeff Francoeur lined an RBI single into left field with one out in the top of the first inning. Alex Gordon reached on a bunt single and Melky Cabrera lined a single up the middle to put Britton in immediate trouble. Eric Hosmer ran the count full before striking out on a changeup - yes, a 3-2 changeup from Britton - but Francoeur singled on the next pitch. Billy Butler grounded into a 5-4-3 double play...

A concussion specialist in Pittsburgh recommended no physical activity for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts for two more weeks. Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail passed along the news to reporters a few minutes ago. MacPhail said in an ideal scenario, Roberts would return to the lineup a week after he's cleared to begin baseball-related activities, "but it could be longer." Roberts hasn't played in the last eight days after diving into first base during a May 16...