Cue Vanessa Williams.... The Nats are teaming up with the Texas Rangers to promote an All-Star Final Man alliance. The two third basemen, Michael Young and Ryan Zimmerman, are asking you to send both of them to the All-Star Game. Young and Zimmerman also share the bottom spot on each ballot, which lists the candidates alphabetically. "Save the Best for Last" and vote Zimmerman/Young right now....and then vote over and over again. Voting ends Thursday at 4 p.m. Fans can also text N5 to...

Be sure to check out O's XTRA tonight at 6:30 on MASN before the O's-Tigers game. L.J. Hoes and Xavier Avery of the Frederick Keys will be interviewed live on set by Jim and Rick. These are two young and up and coming prospects in the O's system. Avery is batting .286-3-39 with 20 steals. Hoes, who missed some time with an illness, is back now and batting .255-1-23. Both are holding their own as first-year players in the Carolina League at the age of just 20 years old. I am in the...

The Orioles placed pitcher Kevin Millwood on the 15-day disabled list and activated Felix Pie for tonight's game in Detroit. Millwood's injury is described as a "strained right forearm (flexor mass)." Millwood is 2-8 with a 5.77 ERA in a team-leading 18 starts. Pie is 8-for-20 with two doubles and a home run for the Orioles, but he's been on the DL since April 16 with a torn muscle in his back. The 40-man roster is now at capacity with Pie's removal from the 60-day disabled list. For...

I am looking forward to a trip to Ripken Stadium tonight to check in on the IronBirds and also to watch Michael Gonzalez make his 7th injury rehab appearance. Gonzalez is expected to pitch in relief tonight vs. the Lowell Spinners, a Red Sox affiliate. Gonzalez has pitched to an ERA of 4.27 in six games with the GCL O's, Aberdeen and Bowie. Over 6 1/3 innings he has allowed seven hits and three runs with no walks, seven strikeouts and two homers. Meanwhile, the IronBirds are 8-10 and have...

The Orioles won't determine pitcher Kevin Millwood's status until he arrives at Comerica Park in a few hours, but the right-hander is expected to go on the disabled list unless the club's thinking undergoes a drastic change. Interim manager Juan Samuel and pitching coach Rick Kranitz expressed concern over Millwood's health - specifically, his right elbow - after yesterday's one-inning start. Millwood could probably use the break, no matter the reason. The Orioles will need a starter...

We just shipped off a Nats Buzz prize pack to NatsNut for winning the off-season version of Where at Nats Park. Next week, we'll send another prize pack to the person with the most correct guesses since the season started. This is your last week to try to win that prize -- there will even be some bonus point opportunities. So, here goes. Where is this: For 1 bonus point, mention something interesting about the subject of the picture in the comments below. For 5 bonus points, take a...

Through Thursday at 4 p.m., fans can vote to send Ryan Zimmerman to the All-Star Game as the "Final Man" on the N.L. team. Zimmerman is up against some pretty tough competition, including Reds first baseman Joey Votto. It's up to Nats fans to make it happen. Why does Zimmerman deserve to be an All-Star? Leave your reasons in the comment section below. In the meantime, make sure to vote early, vote often and tell your friends to join the campaign.

Happy Fourth of July weekend O's fans! Hope you all had a great Fourth, as the O's finished up in Boston and head to Detroit for a three-game set against the Tigers. You know the drill: Take a look at the photo below and let me know what the item is and where it's located in or around Camden Yards. We'll continue to keep track of your points and announce another winner at the end of July, so don't forget to be the first one here in the Orioles Buzz each week to guess the 'Where in the...

When I spoke to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail on Friday, he said that no other interviews with managerial candidates were scheduled in the near future. Multiple reports surfaced last night that the Orioles contacted Buck Showalter again. It doesn't sound like another formal interview, so I guess we've ventured into a gray area here, but it seems to confirm that Showalter remains the favorite to replace interim manager Juan Samuel. Like I've been saying, just make a hire...

Ty Wigginton is headed to the All-Star game and I have absolutely no problem with that. To me, it came to three or four O's with a chance to make it. Jason Berken, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Wigginton. Berken may have been most deserving of all, but they just don't pick relievers that are not closers, so that just about eliminated him. For all the good stats Markakis has, the four homers and 27 RBI at the halfway point was just not enough production for him to make it. I know he is...