Left-hander Brian Matusz will make his first injury rehab start on May 16 at Single-A Frederick. Matusz threw two innings yesterday in an extended spring training game in Sarasota. He'll throw a 35-pitch bullpen session tomorrow and go three innings Wednesday in another extended game. Assuming there are no setbacks, he'll pitch for the Keys at Harry Grove Stadium in his first affiliated game. Also, manager Buck Showalter indicated that his starters will probably stay in turn after Monday's...

Cesar Izturis is starting at shortstop today. Derrek Lee continues to bat third. Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 3B Cesar Izturis SS Brad Bergesen RHP Alfredo Simon and Chris Tillman are throwing bullpen sessions this morning. Tillman expects to start Wednesday, rather than be skipped in the rotation, but he'll know more after his session.

It has been a very good start for former George Washington pitcher Pat Lehman with the Single-A Potomac Nationals. The 6-foot-3, 210 lb., right-hander from Fair Lawn, N.J., is transitioning well to the back end of the bullpen in the first month and a half of the season. "Things are going pretty well," Lehman said. "It is a new role for me. Back at GW, in the early years, I was a reliever or a spot starter so I have a little bit of experience (doing this). But this kind of a role as a closer...

Nationals utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. answers a lot questions about his father, Jerry Sr., and grandfather, Sam - a pinch hitter extraordinaire in the 1970s and Negro League player, respectively. One of four three-generation baseball families, the Hairstons are proud of their storied baseball history and multi-generational accomplishments. Certainly, Sam and Jerry Sr. taught their children about life and baseball - passing on their talent and advice. But that's not the whole story. At...

Playing in his second injury rehab game tonight, Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Triple-A Norfolk's 5-2 victory over Indianapolis. Hardy, on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored in Friday night's game. The Orioles are expected to activate Hardy before Tuesday's game against the Mariners at Camden Yards. Left-hander Chris George was credited with the win tonight after holding Indianapolis to...

Here is how different this series is for the Orioles against Tampa Bay as compared to their season-opening, three-game sweep versus the Rays. In the opening three games, the Orioles allowed 12 hits total in the three games. The last two days Tampa has 12 extra-base hits off Orioles' pitching. Tampa batters hit just .132 with three runs over three games earlier against the Orioles. In winning the first two in this series, the Rays have hit .321 as a team scoring 14 runs. The Orioles have had...

It was yet another Orioles game where the talk was about a lack of offense. Once again, Derrek Lee stood by his locker to answer similar questions after Saturday's 8-2 loss to Tampa Bay. "We didn't swing the bats. I don't know what else to say. We didn't score any runs," he said. "We are putting too much pressure on our pitching staff, scoring one and two runs every day. We're fighting hard, maybe too hard. We probably need to try and do a little less, play small ball or something like...

Today's game represented only the second time in franchise history that the Orioles drew 10 walks and scored two runs or fewer in a nine-inning game. They lost to the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on July 14, 1974. You can look it up. The Orioles were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position today and left 12 on base. "What did we draw, 10 walks today? And we just couldn't take advantage of it," manager Buck Showalter said after today's 8-2 loss. "It's a rare opportunity against any team,...

Maybe somebody could explain to me why proponents think it is a good idea to have more instant replay in baseball. Baseball already has replay for close calls on home runs and is thinking of adding replay to help umpires with trapped balls. Too much replay puts the sport on a slippery slope toward technological umpiring. Even after last season, when umpire Jim Joyce cost pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game in Detroit on a blown call at first base, I couldn't agree with those who think...

Jeremy Guthrie entered his start today at Camden Yards with a run of seven consecutive quality starts against Tampa Bay. He also had given up just three runs total in three home starts this season. But this afternoon, Guthrie allowed three-run homers to Evan Longoria and B.J Upton as Tampa routed the Birds 8-2 in front of 18,961. Prior to today, Guthrie was 9-8 with an ERA of 2.93 in 20 starts since last season's All-Star break. Plus, he pitched eight shutout innings versus Tampa on opening...