Am I the only one who thinks a Battle of the Beltways logo would look pretty cool? I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so I'm certainly not the one to design it, but I'm picturing the two highways tangled together, steel entrenched with gridlock traffic popping out all over. Hey, it's just an idea, but for anyone who has to travel along either the Baltimore Beltway or Capital Beltway on a regular basis, you know there's enough congestion and construction to make any decent driver...

Earlier this season I was talking to a writer of a struggling opposing team and I asked him why they were losing. He said it was because they were not being patient at the plate. They were going after the first pitch. They weren't taxing the pitcher. They were going for bad pitches and innings were short and uneventful. While watching the Nationals during this current win streak, you can see one of the reasons the team is playing well. They are waiting for their pitch and fighting through...

Mark Reynolds just got doubled off first base on a routine fly ball to right field. Reynolds singled to lead off the top of the fifth inning, his ground ball sneaking into left field, but he began trotting back to first on Ryan Adams' fly ball to former Oriole Jose Bautista. Then he sped up. Then it was too late. Bautista made the catch and gunned a throw to first. Reynolds made a late slide and was out. Manager Buck Showalter stood motionless in the dugout, his hand resting on his...

The Orioles initially were hopeful that when the Carolina League All-Star break ended and the second half began on June 23rd that Tyler Townsend and Trent Mummey might return to the Frederick Keys lineup. But it looks like neither will be able to be activated then as both players are rehabbing hamstring injuries and are on the disabled list. Both players got hurt in a June 8 game at Potomac. Townsend made the All-Star game but will not be able to play in next Tuesday's game. In 52 Keys...

I'm told that manager Buck Showalter relayed more bad news regarding pitcher Justin Duchscherer. Duchscherer was supposed to go four or five innings in an extended spring training game today, but he didn't make it past the first. He felt more discomfort in his hip while fielding a bunt and came out of the game. Who the heck was bunting on this guy? Apparently, the first batter of the game. Duchscherer's last start at extended ended in the third inning because of spasms. He threw a side...

When the Orioles try to break their 16-game losing streak in Toronto this afternoon, they will face a pitcher making his major league debut. Who knows if 24-year-old, right-hander Zach Stewart will be nervous and struggle or pumped up and blow the Orioles away. Stewart has had decent, but far from great numbers pitching for Double-A New Hampshire this season. He is 4-3 with an ERA of 4.39 in 12 starts. He worked to an ERA of 2.92 over his first four starts, but he has an ERA of 5.20 in the...

Manager Buck Showalter has posted his lineup in Toronto, and Ryan Adams is batting eighth and playing second base. Catcher Matt Wieters sits in a day game following a night game. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Derrek Lee 1B Mark Reynolds 3B Ryan Adams 2B Craig Tatum C Jeremy Guthrie RHP

Maybe the Orioles can reverse this Rogers Centre curse with today's unusual 12:37 p.m. starting time. Maybe they can finally win a game in Toronto against a pitcher, Zach Stewart, who will be making his major league debut. No excuses if they lose their 17th straight game on the Blue Jays' home synthetic turf. They need to get it done today. It doesn't matter if the video vault is missing a "Zach Stewart" section. I'm sure they've got scouting reports on him. He was 4-3 with a...

The Washington Nationals optioned starting pitcher Yunesky Maya to Triple-A Syracuse yesterday in order to add another bullpen option for Jim Riggleman until Tom Gorzelanny makes his next expected start Sunday. While the demotion was expected, Maya didn't exactly do much to inspire the Nationals to make room on the roster to keep the 29-year-old Cuban. In four starts, Maya went 0-1 and posted a 6.88 ERA and a .325 batting average against. While some viewed his call-up as a chance for him to...

As the Orioles' ninth-inning rally fizzled out last night to extend their losing streak in Toronto to 16 games, it made me wonder how the team has fared late in games this season. I didn't remember a lot of come-from-behind victories for Baltimore this season and the numbers for the offense kind of show you why. OPS for Baltimore broken down by inning for 2011: Inning OPS 1st .592 2nd .688 3rd .683 4th .663 5th .814 6th .702 7th .798 8th .723 9th ...