So this is what it took for some Orioles fans to get behind Kevin Gregg? Based on calls to my radio show last night and some posts on here since the benches-clearing incident that started between David Ortiz and Gregg last night, most fans are thrilled with Gregg's actions on the field. Some are just as pleased with his post-game comments. When Gregg said "we are not scared of them and their $180 million payroll" you could almost hear more O's fans cheering for him than at any point this...

Two more games before the All-Star break. Two more games before sweet relief. I'll remind all of the pessimists that the Orioles can't go 0-10 on this road trip. They won a game. Stop being so negative. Speaking of sweet relief, the Orioles could use it after Zach Britton lasted two-thirds of an inning last night and Brad Bergesen tried to shake hands with David Ortiz's line drive. The Orioles have allowed 10 runs or more in four of their last five games. Now their starters can't get...

It certainly was not the situation Nationals reliever Ryan Mattheus expected so early in Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies. His teammate, Nationals starter John Lannan, had gone down after getting hit in the face on a single up the middle by the Rockies' Ty Wigginton. Lannan left the game immediately with assistance from trainer Lee Kuntz. But as a reliever, you are expected to go in the game at any point when your team needs you. Lannan was out after 3 and 1/3 innings, diagnosed...

David Ortiz and Orioles reliever Kevin Gregg exchanged punches in the bottom of the eighth inning. Finally, a little excitement. Ortiz started it. Gregg wasn't going to let him end it. Ortiz took exception to an inside pitch from Gregg earlier in the at-bat and started walking toward the mound. Ortiz pointed at Gregg as both dugouts and bullpens emptied. Gregg moved toward Ortiz and jawed at him with each step. Once order was restored, Ortiz flied to center field on the next pitch and...

The Orioles scored three runs in the fifth inning off Boston starter Josh Beckett, the first on Derrek Lee's leadoff homer. Red Sox 8, Orioles 3. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones had RBI singles, but Vladimir Guerrero stranded two runners by striking out. Dagger. Brad Bergesen was diagnosed with a bruised right forearm. He also took a liner off his arm in an exhibition game this spring. And we'll never forget Billy Butler's shot off his shin on July 30, 2009. His days as a target need to...

Nationals right-handed relief pitcher Cole Kimball is scheduled to undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder Wednesday in New York, performed by Dr. David Altchek. Kimball said it will be a full year of rehabilitation and he hopes to be back to 100 percent during the All-Star break in 2012. Kimball was called up May 14 and pitched very well in 12 appearances, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He had 11 strikeouts and 11 walks with only three earned runs allowed. The 11 walks were...

I guess we learned one lesson from the first inning tonight at Fenway Park: Never think it can't get worse. The Orioles entered tonight as a team that had lost nine of the last 10 games and looked that bad and worse in an awful bottom of the first inning tonight. They pitched poorly and fielded worse as Boston batted 13 men, knocked Zach Britton out of the game after 2/3 of an inning and took an 8-0 lead. There was one error scored in the inning, but clearly was at least one more that...

The Orioles are already trailing the Red Sox, 7-0, with two outs in the first inning and Zach Britton is out of the game. Only the circumstances seem to change. Tonight, it was a sharp ground ball that eluded shortstop J.J. Hardy and opened to door for the outburst, and a mental cramp from second baseman Robert Andino that expanded the lead and again turned bad into embarrassment. It didn't take nearly as long tonight. Hardy had a chance to start a double play after back-to-back one-out...

Okay, I know how rough the last few weeks of Orioles baseball have been. But I have found a positive stat that may surprise you. The Orioles actually have a winning record in their last 21 games against Boston, going 11-10. They are 2-3 this year against the Sox and went 9-9 last year. They lost the first two games with Boston then but are 11-10 since. Before this 21-game stretch however, the Orioles lost 25 of the previous 28 games versus Boston. Here are a couple of other stats as the...

I swapped text messages a few minutes ago with outfielder Luke Scott, who was relieved that the MRA taken earlier today didn't reveal a more significant tear in his right shoulder. The Orioles think it's possible that Scott will be ready to come off the disabled list when he's eligible on July 19. The MRA is similar to an MRI, except dye is injected into the shoulder. Scott went on the disabled list retroactive to Monday when the Orioles needed to clear room on the 25-man roster for...