It's Friday, the Nationals had had a bit of a tough week, and I've brought enough gloom and doom in my first four posts this week to last for a while. If you've read all of my previous posts here, or follow my blog or my Twitter account, some of you may even wonder if there's anything about this team I actually do like. Well, with apologies to Oprah and Julie Andrews (how's that for obscure references in a baseball blog)?, let me share with you some of my favorite things about the 2011...

Did you know that the Orioles, not counting this year, have started the season 5-1 10 times (11 if you count the 1889 Orioles; I don't)? It seems like it's been forever since they started off a season this well, right? Wrong. The 2008 Orioles also started the season 5-1. They ended the season 68-93. They also started 5-1 in 2000 and ended with 74 wins, and in 1998 when they ended with 79 wins. In 1987 they started 5-1 and ended up with just 67 wins. Ouch. They also started 5-1 in 1966,...

What is it about a hard early-morning rain that makes you want to pull the covers over your head and stay in bed? It also makes teams play doubleheaders, which could happen tomorrow unless we end up with that proverbial "window" tonight that allows the Orioles to begin their three-game series with the undefeated Rangers. The Rangers are 6-0, the Orioles are 5-1. Let's take an early peek at that ALCS. J.J. Hardy might not be in the lineup after complaining of soreness in his lower left...

As Zach Britton made his way up through the Orioles' minor league system and started to make real progress as a pitcher, there always seemed to be one guy there to help him. Britton worked with several pitching coaches on the O's farm that helped him along the way, but the person that was there for most of it was current Bowie Baysox pitching coach Kennie Steenstra. As Britton moved from Delmarva in 2008 to Frederick in 2009 and began last year at Double-A Bowie, Steenstra moved as well....

Nothing like a comeback win over a good team to add to the excitement around Baltimore with this Orioles start. This was probably the best win of the year, as the Birds came back three different times to beat the Tigers, 9-5. At 5-1, they lead the American League East by a game over Toronto and New York as the team with the best record in the AL, Texas at 6-0, now heads to town. Let's not bubble over with too much enthusiasm, but Friday's game features the teams with the two best records in...

Is it just me, or does it seem like every Orioles win is accompanied by a health crisis? The latest one came tonight. The Orioles rally to defeat the Tigers, 9-5, but shortstop J.J. Hardy is day-to-day after experiencing tightness in his lower left ribcage. "I was going to play through it - playing catch, doing everything, getting ready for the game," he said. "I wanted to put a little bit of Icy Hot on it, just to keep it warm. At that point, it got back to Buck (Showalter) that it was...

Shortstop J.J. Hardy was scratched from the lineup because of tightness in his lower ribcage area. Hardy felt it while taking batting practice, and again while trying to hit in the indoor cage. Manager Buck Showalter found out at 6:50 p.m. and inserted Cesar Izturis into the lineup. "I didn't feel like it was worth the risk," Showalter said, adding that Hardy could have played later if needed. Showalter's initial concern was that Hardy injured his intercostal or oblique. Also, the...

2010 No. 1 pick Bryce Harper posted a solid professional debut Thursday night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout. Harper's Hagerstown Suns held off Rome, 3-2, in Rome, Ga. in Harper's first regular season game as a pro. Harper, playing right field and batting third in the order, had an RBI single and stole a base in the top of the first inning. In the top of the third, Harper singled on a bunt. He was later caught off first base and was tagged out in a rundown, pitcher to first base...

Vladimir Guerrero tied the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the seventh with a single into right field off Tigers reliever Enrique Gonzalez that scored Brian Roberts and gave the Orioles' designated hitter two RBIs tonight. Third base coach John Russell sent Roberts, and right fielder Brennan Boesch's throw almost went into the Orioles dugout, allowing Guerrero to take second. Gonzalez walked Luke Scott intentionally to load the bases with one out, and Adam Jones hit a long sacrifice fly to...

The Orioles had a chance to pull within one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but they left runners on second and third. Third base coach John Russell held Cesar Izturis on Brian Roberts' one-out double into the right-field corner. Russell was more than halfway down the line before raising his arms and bringing Izturis to a halt. Fans booed the decision - and I thought Russell should have sent him - but replays showed that Izturis didn't run full speed until he rounded second base. It...