The Orioles intended to use Nolan Reimold's demotion to Triple-A Norfolk as an opportunity for him to grow comfortable at first base. They wanted him to get hot at the plate and acclimated to a new position - baseball's version of multi-tasking - so they could occasionally quiet his barking Achilles by removing him from the outfield. Reimold has made three starts at first base, none since May 30 against Pawtucket. He's been playing left field (including the last five games) or serving as...

Don't look now, but lefty Zach Britton, last year's Carolina League Pitcher of the Year, is really starting to pitch well for Double-A Bowie. Britton is the starter tonight when the Baysox (30-30) open a series at Harrisburg. Britton is now 5-3, 2.96 on the year and leads the Eastern League in groundball ratio at 3.19. He is 7th in the league in ERA. Over his last five starts, Britton is 3-0, 1.41, allowing just 5 ER over 32 innings. He also has 60 percent of his wins this year vs....

Don't forget, the Nats will host a blood drive on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Nationals Park. All blood donors will receive two tickets to a future Nationals game, a limited edition Build-A-Bear Workshop bloodhound and the opportunity to take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Nationals Park. Inova Blood Donor Services supplies lifesaving blood and blood products to 15 different hospitals in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Donations help cancer and trauma patients, newborns...

On this day in 1999, Cal Ripken Jr. became the first Oriole to go 6-for-6 in a game, as the O's scored the most runs in franchise history (at that time) on their way to a 22-1 win over the Braves. Cal's six-hit game is still an Orioles single-game record, as are the five runs he scored off of his six hits in that game as well. Miguel Tejada was the last Oriole to come close with a five-hit game on July 9, 2005 versus the Boston Red Sox at OPACY. The O's topped their single-game run...

The Orioles have agreed to terms with these picks from this week's First-Year Player Draft: The round they were drafted in follows the player's name. Jeremy Nowak (13), Michael Mosby (14), Joseph Oliveira (15), Vincent Zazueta (25), Austin Goolsby (26), Michael Rooney (30), Adam Gaylord (31), Steven Mazur (33), Samuel Starr (34), Joseph Donaldson (35), Brad Decater (36), Jeremy Shelby (38), Jacob Petit (42), Preston Hale (44) and Cody Young (47). Scouting director Joe Jordan said earlier...

It wasn't too long ago that we were fretting over David Hernandez's tendency to walk batters and give up home runs. Now he's looking like a potential closer. I see no reason to hang that label on him, or anyone else, as I've pointed out. Hernandez doesn't have to be the automatic choice in the ninth inning. Alfredo Simon doesn't have to be the automatic choice in the ninth inning. Go with the hot hand - or the more rested arm. Interim manager Juan Samuel has indicated that Simon will...

Nats pitcher Sean Burnett was thrilled to get a shot at his former team and help the Nats sweep the Bucs 4-2. Burnett allowed a couple of hits, but struck out Jason Jamarillo and bridged the gap from the sixth to the ninth inning, allowing Tyler Clippard to come on in the ninth for his first save of his major league career. "Yeah, its always good to beat your buddies. I guess you have bragging rights until the next time that you face them. I still have a a lot of good friends over there. ...

OK, since I cautioned fans not to read too much on the plus or negative side of Jake Arrieta's first Major League start, I won't either. I won't gush about his solid performance vs. the Yankees or say I told you so about him making his first big league start vs. New York. But it was a good night to see an O's fifth-round pick get the win throwing heaters at the start and an O's 16th-round pick doing the same at the end. David Hernandez recorded his first Major League save, needing 13...

Charlie Beamon, Koji Uehara and Jake Arrieta. Those are the three Orioles starting pitchers that beat the Yankees in a start in their Major League debuts. After the game, Arrieta had to deal with inquiring reporters and answering questions with shaving cream still an issue. "I got a little build up in my ears, so I'll do my best to hear you guys." Jake Arrieta talks with the media about his first Major League win He handled that well, too. "It's real satisfying to throw well in my...

Interim manager Juan Samuel let Jake Arrieta pitch out of a sixth-inning jam, in part because he was responsible for putting the rookie in it by ordering two intentional walks. "It never crossed my mind, getting him out of there," Samuel said. "I'm like, he's going to work his way out of this, so it never crossed my mind taking him out. "I think you saw him pump his fist after getting that third out. He was pretty excited. I know it was a tough situation. We walked some hitters for him,...