It's always difficult to gauge how active the Orioles will be at the non-waiver trade deadline that arrives at the end of this month. I brace for a repeat of the 2000 roster purge, and it doesn't come. Maybe one guy gets moved, like closer George Sherrill last summer, or maybe none until the end of August. The Orioles have another batch of candidates who are in the final year of their contracts - including Ty Wigginton, Kevin Millwood, Miguel Tejada, Cesar Izturis and Mark Hendrickson - or...

Some fans were critical when I wrote last week that Brian Matusz was doing just fine this year and that he was making progress. I wrote that he was holding up well as a young pitcher on the team with the worst record in baseball, especially given his lack of run support and his winless streak dating to April. Don't worry, I won't gloat after Matusz's outing on Sunday at Boston, but I do think I was correct in what I wrote after his last start before Sunday's game. The seven-inning outing...

Left-hander Michael Gonzalez threw a scoreless inning tonight at Double-A Bowie, striking out two batters in the process. The other out came on a ground ball. Gonzalez's fastball registered at 92 mph on the Prince George's Stadium radar gun. You'll recall that Gonzalez gave up home runs in two of his rehab appearances before tonight. The Orioles want Gonzalez to pitch Tuesday at short-season Single-A Aberdeen and go twice more at Bowie. Brandon Waring hit his 13th home run tonight for...

Brian Matusz continued his stellar pitching vs. the AL East today and provided the Orioles with a big lift as he pitched the Birds past Boston 6-1 in the series finale at Fenway Park. Matusz also ended a 13-start winless drought and won for the first time since April 18 vs. Oakland. Matusz allowed just two hits over seven innings. He walked three and tied his career-high with eight strikeouts as he threw 111 pitches. Matusz stranded two runners on base in the third and fourth innings. John...

Watching Brian Matusz pitch out of that second and third, one-out jam in the fourth reminded me that Matusz has held his own this year when pitching versus AL East opponents. He has better numbers within the division than he has overall. Those are the teams he will need to pitch well against moving forward - those Beasts of the East. Coming into this start, Matusz is 1-3, 3.38 in seven starts in 2010 versus the East. He has an ERA of 3.86 in two earlier starts versus Boston. That's a...

Nick Markakis has taken over the AL lead in doubles with 25. His two-bagger in the fourth inning eventually led to the game's first run. Markakis moved to third base and scored on John Lackey's wild pitch. Markakis has plenty of supporters who believe he should represent the Orioles in the All-Star Game. He's probably a victim of his position. AL manager Joe Girardi needs another second baseman, and Ty Wigginton qualifies. Those 14 home runs didn't hurt Wigginton's cause, either. And...

Ty Wigginton has been chosen as a reserve and will represent the Orioles in the All-Star Game. Wigginton is batting .251 with 12 doubles, 14 homers and 42 RBIs. I'm taken back to FanFest and all the questions Wigginton fielded about the club's decision to sign Garrett Atkins for first base and Miguel Tejada for third. Wigginton was disappointed, but he never publicly ripped the club or demanded a trade. Brian Roberts showed up at spring training with a herniated disk in his back, Atkins...

If there is one thing the O's fans like to see out of their team, manager, and players - besides say, wins - it's fire and passion. They got it last night from manager Juan Samuel, during and after the game. Samuel was ejected by home plate ump Mike Everitt in the last of the eighth of Boston's 9-3 win on Saturday. He seemed to tire of his pitchers not getting some strikes called, while Jon Lester was the benefactor of several close strikes. To me, it's part of a bigger picture where...

This Sunday, Independence Day, the Nationals will honor their unique role in Washington by partnering with the USO on a special campaign for military families. Through the "Me and a Friend" campaign, the Nationals will invite the children of servicemen and women to the ballpark every Sunday afternoon. "It's one more part of our responsibility that we take very seriously," said Nationals president Stan Kasten. We represent the national pastime in the nation's capital. Part of that...

For the Orioles: LF Corey Patterson DH Miguel Tejada RF Nick Markakis 1B Ty Wigginton CF Adam Jones 3B Josh Bell 2B Scott Moore C Craig Tatum SS Cesar Izturis LHP Brian Matusz For the Red Sox: SS Marco Scutaro CF Darnell McDonald DH David Ortiz 1B Kevin Youkilis 3B Adrian Beltre RF J.D. Drew 2B Bill Hall LF Daniel Nava C Gustavo Molina RHP John Lackey Nolan Reimold's two-out double in the ninth inning scored Jeff Salazar last night and gave Triple-A Norfolk a 7-6 win over...