Manager Buck Showalter talked about the latest roster move while meeting with reporters this morning. Catcher Craig Tatum is in the lineup. First baseman Brandon Snyder is back with Triple-A Norfolk. "We want to make sure Brandon continues to have a pretty good year down there, but it gives us an opportunity to move Jake (Fox) around a little bit. This is beneficial for everybody," Showalter said. "Craig's been hurt down there, his shoulder, something similar to what was going on last...

Justin Duchscherer will throw a 35-pitch bullpen session today or tomorrow in Sarasota. That's the only update on him. The Orioles don't know when he'll start another extended spring training game. Duchscherer is eligible to come off the disabled list in four days, but that's obviously not going to happen. Brian Matusz is driving to Norfolk today and will start for the Tides tomorrow night. He requested a Columbus Clippers roster to see whether he recognized any names (he did). Matusz...

Catcher Craig Tatum returns to the Orioles today and will start the game, catching Jeremy Guthrie and batting ninth in the series finale against Kansas City. Not only is Tatum thrilled to be back in the major leagues, but he is very relieved he is not dealing with a major shoulder injury. In early May with Triple-A Norfolk, Tatum made a throw in a game and felt big-time time pain in that right shoulder that sent him to the disabled list. "When I threw a ball I thought I was dying, my...

Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche was sent to the disabled list this week with a shoulder injury, so the discussion regarding the future for the Nationals at that position is in the spotlight. That attention centers around the development of 22-year-old Chris Marrero. The 6-foot-3, 210 lb., Marrero has once again been handling the bat very well for Triple-A Syracuse, batting .275 with eight doubles, four homers and 19 RBIs in almost two months of play. The last 10 games, he has hit .350...

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...