I'm savoring my last morning before my daughter starts school. That means staying in bed past 6:30 a.m. and not trying to pack a lunch while half asleep. Tomorrow starts a whole new routine for me, so you'll see blog comments approved and entries filed a lot earlier. I suppose that's a good thing. How nasty was Michael Gonzalez's slider yesterday? Bobby Abreu had no chance at the last one. I just wish Gonzalez could avoid falling into the third base dugout on every pitch. If I'm a...

It probably doesn't happen very often, but last week the Orioles agreed to terms with a player that did not get taken in the June draft, but one they feel has a lot of talent. They came to terms with 18-year-old Glynn Davis of Catonsville Community College, a player with great speed that played shortstop in junior college but will move to center field in the O's minors. The right-handed hitting Davis hit .430 with ten homers and 35 steals, but went almost totally un-scouted at Catonsville. ...

The Washington Nationals today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez through the 2011 season. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Including this season's 9-9 mark with a 3.49 ERA in 27 starts, Hernandez is 11-13 with a 3.90 ERA (97 ER/224.0 IP) in 35 starts, 24 of which have been quality starts, since rejoining the Nationals as a free agent on August 25, 2009. In little more than a year with Washington, Hernandez owns...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated RHP Jim Johnson from the 60-day disabled list, where he had been since May 28 with right elbow inflammation. Johnson is 1-1 with one save and a 6.52 ERA (9.2IP, 7ER) in 10 games for the Orioles this season. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles transferred RHP Jason Berken to the 60-day DL.

In an amazing pitchers duel on Sunday afternoon, Jeremy Guthrie out-dueled Jared Weaver as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 to complete a three-game sweep. O's pitching allowed just one run on 16 hits in this series as LA went scoreless over the last 26 innings. Guthrie, who improved to 8-13, 3.94, gave up just four hits over 8 1/3. He walked one, fanned five and threw 107 pitches, 73 for strikes. Jim Hunter asks Buck Showalter about the O's 1-0 win over the Angels O's...

Don't tell me that Koji Uehara isn't the closer on this team. Uehara has four saves since Aug. 21. He retired Torii Hunter on one pitch for the final out today to preserve a 1-0 victory and give the Orioles back-to-back shutouts for the first time since July 22 and 24, 2007 (Jeremy Guthrie and, yes, Daniel Cabrera.) Koji's the closer. I'll say it again: Koji's the closer. Wash my mouth out with soap, but Koji's the closer. Then again, Michael Gonzalez was called upon to strike out...

According to plate umpire Brian Gorman, you can tag a runner with your hamstrings instead of the ball. Who knew? Gorman called out Josh Bell at the plate in the sixth inning after the Orioles rookie slid hard into Jeff Mathis, knocking the Angels' catcher on his backside. Bell touched the plate as Mathis tried to swipe at him with his mitt. He was clearly safe, except in the closed eyes of Brian Gorman. Nick Markakis lost an RBI. The Orioles will try not to lose a game. Matt Wieters'...

Nice bench the Orioles are sporting these days. Can tomorrow's off-day, and roster expansion, come soon enough? Julio Lugo left today's game in the first inning after being drilled on the helmet by Jered Weaver's pickoff throw. As soon as Lugo hit the dirt, and stayed there, I began reworking the lineup in my head. Ty Wigginton to second base, Jake Fox to first. It didn't take long to break that code. What other choice did manager Buck Showalter have with Brian Roberts unavailable again...

O's scouting director Joe Jordan said he will not put too much importance into the stats for Manny Machado in his first few games with the Orioles. The O's top draft pick went 1 for 7 the last two days for the Gulf Coast League O's with a two-run homer there on Saturday. "I just think it's important to get on the field. Be a part of our practice routine, our hitting routine and progression. Being around the instructors and coordinaters. There is an orientation that needs to take place...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter believes Adam Jones could return to the lineup on Tuesday. Having tomorrow off gives Jones another day to recover after being hit behind the left shoulder by a Gavin Floyd fastball last Tuesday. Showalter told reporters that Jones is "more available" today than yesterday. Jones and Brian Roberts will report to Camden Yards tomorrow for treatment. Also, Showalter didn't dismiss the possibility that Jim Johnson could close some games before the season ends,...