With runners on first and second and none out in the O's second inning, Adam Jones hit a grounder to first. Mark Teixeira fielded the ball and threw to Derek Jeter covering the bag at second. Replays showed that the ball quickly popped out of Jeter's glove, but an out was ruled by second base ump Paul Nauert. I guess he was ruling that the ball was coming out of the glove as Jeter was reaching in to get it. Didn't look that way to me. The O's still had a chance with runners on first...

Alex Rodriguez has given the Yankees a 1-0 lead with a 412-foot shot into the Orioles' bullpen leading off the second inning. Rodriguez is 11-for-31 with three homers and five RBIs lifetime against Millwood. Millwood has surrendered a career-high 28 homers this year. He entered the night tied for the sixth-most in the majors. Robinson Cano followed with a single. You'll recall that he began the game hitting .441 against the Orioles this season, and .625 at Camden Yards. Millwood walked...

Left-hander Troy Patton is back with the Orioles, for the third time, but still waiting to get into his first game. He was with the club for just one day, on July 21st, then returned from August 1-8 and was recalled on September 7th. "I'm just waiting, they keep telling me to be ready. I've never been in this situation. But I'm here. So, that's the biggest thing, I'm here and I'll wait my turn." Patton is trying to stay game ready by throwing bullpen sessions, but doesn't want to...

He wasn't on Baseball America's list of the O's top 30 prospects in the pre-season, but he will be now. Joe Mahoney is at Camden Yards tonight to receive his Brooks Robinson O's Minor League Player of the Year award. "Great honor. To get the call was definitely a good day. It means a lot. The Orioles are a great organization and for them to give me this award speaks a lot about the year I've had. "I've come a long way and been working hard. Trying to be the future first baseman...

Brian Matusz threw his bullpen session today and said his left arm felt "real good." Matusz is still scheduled to start Monday night in Boston. "I'm good to go," he said. Arrieta played long toss today, but still has no idea whether he'll make another start for the Orioles. "I aired it out and I feel great. If it's up to me, I'll pitch," he said. "I know everybody wants to take precautions. I think some of the views are, what's another 14 innings going to do? But at the same...

Zach Britton is at Camden Yards tonight. But to get an award and not pitch in a game, like he had hoped. Britton was named the winner today of the O's Jim Palmer award, which goes to their Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Britton went 10-7, 2.70 between Bowie and Norfolk and was hoping he'd pitch for the Orioles this month as a September callup. "This experience of not coming up here in September is going to light a fire under my butt and push me to try and win a spot in spring...

Manager Buck Showalter's plans for the rotation should become more clear after today, and especially after left-hander Brian Matusz's bullpen session. Matusz is slated to start Monday in Boston. Jake Arrieta's turn falls on Tuesday, but he could be shut down. Arrieta still hadn't been told anything as he headed to the field to play catch this afternoon. Showalter, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail met earlier today to discuss the rotation,...

For the Orioles: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Ty Wigginton 1B Luke Scott DH Felix Pie LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Robert Andino 3B Cesar Izturis SS Kevin Millwood RHP

He eats peanut butter and honey as his pre-workout morning meal. He loves the Dallas Cowboys. And he once hit a baseball 570 feet. Today he finished his first workout as a professional baseball player with the Washington Nationals at the team's instructional league in Florida. The 17-year-old Bryce Harper says the first day wasn't too strenuous as he got to know his new teammates and coaches. "We just went over a few things in the beginning, bunt coverage, bunt defense," said Harper,...

The Orioles need to go 3-13 in their final 16 games to guarantee a winning record under Buck Showalter. Davey Johnson was the last Orioles manager to end the season with a winning record (98-64 in 1997). MASN's Kal Patel did a little digging and discovered that Earl Weaver is the only Orioles manager to post a winning record while starting midway through a season with a minimum of 30 games. He actually did it twice: going 48-34 in 1968 and 53-52 in 1985. With seven more victories, the...