When the All-Star game reserves are announced on Sunday, my guess is that Adam Jones will be selected to the American League team for the second time. He would be my pick and, in my opinion, has been the Orioles' best player this year. Until I looked it up, I almost forgot he hit just .218 in April. But in May and June, Jones hit .313 with an OPS around .850. On the year, in 78 games, he is batting .286 with 15 doubles, 13 homers, 46 RBIs and an .801 OPS. Sure he could still draw more...

Nationals manager Davey Johnson pinch hit for shortstop Ian Desmond in the ninth inning of Friday night's 2-1 victory in the home series opener versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Johnson said he told Desmond before the switch that he expected his young infielder "to get hot so this doesn't happen again." Pinch hitter Matt Stairs smacked an RBI single off the right field wall to plate the game winner. Saturday, Johnson said he believes Desmond has all the tools to be a great player on this...

Think the Orioles had problems at the plate last night? Now they have to deal with Braves right-hander Tim Hudson, who's 9-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 11 career starts against them. Hudson's allowed 64 hits in 74 2/3 innings, with 19 walks and 45 strikeouts. The Orioles are hitting .232 against him. This season, Hudson is 6-6 with a 3.51 ERA, 24 walks and 70 strikeouts. Hudson hasn't allowed an earned run in his last two starts covering 14 innings, with four walks and 16 strikeouts. He's...

Congratulations to one of the real good guys in the Orioles minor leagues. Single-A Frederick Keys manager Orlando Gomez posted his 900th career minor league managing victory this week. He got the milestone win Thursday night in a 4-0 win at Lynchburg as Nick Haughian pitched six scoreless innings. Gomez then picked up number 901 in last night's 6-1 win over Lynchburg as Bobby Bundy gave up just one run over seven innings to get to 8-5 and tie for the league wins lead. Gomez, a native of...

Jeremy Guthrie deserved better than a loss last night, but how many times have I written those words? Guthrie didn't get a single run of support. He took a one-hit shutout into the bottom of the sixth and still ended up with the loss. Just his luck that he'd pitch on the same night that Atlanta's Jair Jurrjens decided to take a one-hit shutout through nine innings and into a cab back to his apartment. I mean, what are the odds? With Guthrie, they're pretty good. I wonder if running the...

This game could have very easily gotten away from starter Tom Gorzelanny. But Gorzelanny beared down when it mattered most, notching eight strikeouts, most of them in the game's deciding moments. Because of his seven innings and only one unearned run allowed, the Nationals were in the game they eventually won in the bottom of the ninth, 2-1, over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. The best chance the Pirates had of a big inning occurred in the third when mistakes by Gorzelanny and...

It was getting pretty dicey there. Adam Jones bounced a single into center field with one out in the top of the seventh inning to break up Jair Jurrjens' no-hit bid. The ball took a few hops, but I swear that I counted 17. Maybe it just looked that way. Jurrjens still has his shutout intact, however. The Orioles are losing, 2-0. Jurrjens had a perfect game until Mark Reynolds walked in the sixth. Gary Thorne asks Buck Showalter for his thoughts on the Birds' 4-0 loss to Atlanta Say what...

Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche had shoulder surgery 10 days ago and reports the rehab process is off to a positive start, and that the shoulder is surprisingly mobile. "It feels really good, actually," LaRoche reported with a protective cast and sling around his left arm. LaRoche even took off the sling at one point to sign a baseball and then put the velcro protective sling back on. "I thought it would be a lot longer with not being able to move it much. We started rehabbing it...

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled left-handed pitcher Pedro Viola from Double-A Bowie. Viola is 3-1 with two saves and a 2.25 ERA (28.0IP, 7 ER) in 24 games for the Baysox, striking out 25 and walking nine. He appeared in one game for the Orioles this season, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings and striking out two on May 30 versus Seattle.

The Nationals' new field manager Davey Johnson conducted his first pregame news conference at Nationals Park Friday before their homestand opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Johnson officially replaced Jim Riggleman Monday in Los Angeles. Riggleman resigned eight days ago following a 2-1 home series finale over the Seattle Mariners. Johnson said he sees a lot of good things from the way the team is set up right now but also where he would like to adjust the roster. "I love the ball...