I have a new favorite player and his name is Ty Wigginton. I'm also pretty fond of a certain interim manager. Wigginton just unleashed every ounce of anger and frustration that his body could muster at first base umpire Gary Darling, earning an ejection and my undying admiration. Darling blew a call, ruling that J.J. Hardy got back safely after breaking for second and dashing back to first. Cesar Izturis took the throw from catcher Craig Tatum and fired to first, where Wigginton appeared...

If fans were looking for someone to show fire and passion on this team, they just saw it. Ty Wigginton was ejected by first base umpire Gary Darling for arguing a play in the top of the seventh. J.J. Hardy broke for second on a steal then turned around and retreated to first. When Wigginton took the throw and applied the tag on Hardy he was expecting an out call that didn't come. He immediately charged toward Darling, but did not make contact with him as Darling put up his hand to throw...

Too bad he gave up three runs in the first inning tonight. Since then, Kevin Millwood has had a strong outing that should be somewhat encouraging for fans and O's brass alike. Millwood has allowed just one run and three hits from innings two through six. He gave up a bomb to Michael Cuddyer for a solo homer in the fourth. It went 434 feet and was one of those blasts that Jamie Walker used to refer to as a "rocket ship." But Millwood has been pretty solid since giving up that...

Left-hander Michael Gonzalez is warming in the bullpen, and we could see him pitch for the first time since the home opener. Be gentle. Kevin Millwood made it through the sixth after throwing 34 pitches in the first and surrendering that three-run double to Delmon Young. He also served up a 434-foot homer to Michael Cuddyer. I'm told they served a kosher meal on that flight. Millwood's pitch count stands at 93. The Orioles' hit count stands at three - a weak single by Craig Tatum in...

The O's hitters watched their 35-year-old right-hander Kevin Millwood throw 34 pitches in the top of the first tonight and then their hitters went down 1-2-3 in the last of the first on just five pitches. Three batters, five pitches. Minnesota's hitter leading off the top of the second, Nick Punto, saw as many pitches (five) as the three O's hitters did combined. I just don't get that. Why not see a few pitches at least and give the guy a break. After all he is coming off the DL to...

Has anyone eaten the crab cakes at G&M Restaurant in Linthicum Heights? I just had a few bites of one because MASN's Amber Theoharis was nice enough to share, and it...was...awesome. I used Amber's fork after she assured me that I couldn't get pregnant. I'm not exactly sure how that works. Kevin Millwood's return to the Orioles has hit a few bumps. They're roughly the size of Minneapolis. Millwood retired the first two batters in the opening inning, but Joe Mauer doubled, Jason Kubel...

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail walked out of interim manager Juan Samuel's office after batting practice without making a decision on whether to activate Brian Roberts. "He's campaigning," MacPhail said. Just a hunch, but I bet Roberts is activated tomorrow. The Twins lead the majors with a .289 average with runners in scoring position. The Orioles rank last at .226. Minnesota pitchers have issued the fewest walks with 202. A bizarre stat for runs scored: The Twins have...

Matt Wieters continues to make progress and today ran the bases earlier here at Camden Yards to test his right hamstring strain. "It went well. It was no (bad) feeling at all. The only difference is you've got to get used to getting the stride right to where you're not going to hit the base. But other than that, everything felt really good. "Yeah, barring any setbacks (I should be back Sunday). Right now I feel good and I was out there doing some catch and stuff, and everything feels...

CINCINNATI, Oh. --- The Nationals took their second straight over Cincinnati, 7-1, behind a complete game seven-hitter from workhorse Livan Hernandez (7-6) and a suddenly potent offense. After scoring just six runs in their first four games out of the break, the Nats have exploded for 22 runs in the last 27 innings. Hernandez allowed just a single run, an RBI groundout by Ramon Hernandez in the fourth, struck out five batters, walking none. Livan said he kept hydrated in the 83-degree...

After spending a few minutes behind closed doors today in the manager's office, Brian Roberts emerged and said he is taking today off and is still not sure when he will rejoin the Orioles roster. Some here are guessing it could come as early as tomorrow but no one is saying that just yet. Roberts said he was just joking around with Juan Samuel and John Shelby in the skipper's office and not politicking to get back on the team. "I don't know whose decision it is at this point, yet. ...