Reynolds activated from DL, Pomeranz placed on DL

Reynolds activated from DL, Pomeranz placed on DL
The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated infielder Mark Reynolds from the disabled list and placed right-hander Stu Pomeranz on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 26, with a left oblique injury. Reynolds was placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 11 with a strained left oblique. He is batting .191/.324/.337 with two home runs and nine RBI in 27 games for the Orioles this season. He has hit safely in five of his last seven games before going on the DL, batting...
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Who says pitchers can't hit? (Nats trail 5-3 after seven)

Who says pitchers can't hit? (Nats trail 5-3 after seven)
What is it with Nationals starting pitchers with a bat in their hands? Jordan Zimmermann became the latest starting hurler to homer, crushing a Carlos Zambrano pitch to left-center for a 1-0 lead over the Marlins in the third inning. It was his first career homer. Last night, you'll recall, Gio Gonzalez - who only had to wield a bat in anger in a rare interleague start as an Oakland A before this year - ripped a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2-2. It was his first career RBI. Last...
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Nationals select Brown from Triple-A, place Tracy on DL

Nationals select Brown from Triple-A, place Tracy on DL
The Washington Nationals today selected outfielder Corey Brown from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and placed infielder Chad Tracy on the 15-Day Disabled List, retroactive to May 27, with a right adductor strain. Additionally, Washington transferred outfielder Jayson Werth to the 60-Day DL. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Brown batted .297 with nine doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 30 RBI and...
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Maldonado in for Flores as Nats open series in Miami (updated)

Maldonado in for Flores as Nats open series in Miami (updated)
The Nationals get their first look at brand-new Marlins Park in Miami today, after playing an ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball" game in Atlanta last night. It's a quick turnaround made easier by the fact that Memorial Day dawns with the Nats in first place in the NL East. The only change in today's lineup is the presence of catcher Carlos Maldonado instead of Jesus Flores behind the plate. Flores sustained a mild right hamstring strain in the finale of the Braves series, and gets today off,...
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Another crack at Komatsu?

Another crack at Komatsu?
The Nationals lamented losing outfielder Erik Komatsu to the Cardinals in the Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, posturing that he was an important piece of organizational depth. Now, they might have another crack at reacquiring the 24-year-old, who came to Washington from the Brewers in exchange for utility man Jerry Hairston Jr., last July 30. This morning, the Twins designated Komatsu for assignment to open up a roster spot, meaning he will have to pass through waivers in order...
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Valentine's days in Baltimore are cherished memories for ex-Oriole

Valentine's days in Baltimore are cherished memories for ex-Oriole
As "Oops" moments go, the one committed by Fred Valentine in his rookie season with the Orioles in 1959 was a whopper. But the affable 77-year-old now laughs off his error of aggression as a youthful indiscretion. "Paul Richards was the manager when they brought me up in '59," Valentine said. "Gus Triandos was catching, and they put me in the lineup, hitting behind Triandos. Sure enough, he hit a ball off the right-field wall - and Gus was slow, really slow - and stopped at first base....
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For Oriole Advocates, Challenger Baseball is a rewarding endeavor

For Oriole Advocates, Challenger Baseball is a rewarding endeavor
The 16 teams that gathered on baseball diamonds in Thurmont, Md., last weekend for a baseball jamboree didn't focus on wins and losses, batting averages and ERAs. They were more attuned to the game's basic tenets - hitting a pitched ball, fielding and throwing, running the bases. When a physical or developmental disability makes it more difficult to play the game you love, you tend to focus on the little things - and like the saying goes, the little things often mean the most. Since 1991,...
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Over capacity with room to spare

Over capacity with room to spare
When is a sellout not a sellout? How about Saturday night, when the nationally televised Orioles-Nationals game drew 42,331 to Nationals Park? Despite exceeding the stadium's listed capacity of 41,487 (see page 122 of the team's 2012 media guide), the throng that saw the middle game of the first "Battle of the Beltways" inteleague series this season won't go down in the record books as a sellout. No, your grasp of basic mathematics hasn't failed you. I can assure you that 42,331 is...
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Desmond's suggestion sparked Johnson's reworked batting order

Desmond's suggestion sparked Johnson's reworked batting order
So how did Nationals manager Davey Johnson arrive at the notion of moving leadoff hitter Ian Desmond to the No. 5 spot in Saturday's lineup, while bumping Bryce Harper, who had been hitting fifth, into the two-hole? Partly out of need to inject some life into a batting order that's been struggling to produce offense and partly because the change was suggested to him by one of the parties involved. "Just needs shaking up a little bit, you know?" Johnson said during his pregame session...
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Maldonado gets start, Desmond hitting fifth, day off for Espinosa

Maldonado gets start, Desmond hitting fifth, day off for Espinosa
Carlos Maldonado gets his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to replace the injured Sandy Leon, but tonight's Nationals lineup against the Orioles also includes some other surprising shuffling. Shortstop Ian Desmond gets his first shot at the five-hole this season, with Steve Lombardozzi hitting leadoff and playing second base. This isn't the first time Desmond has hit fifth - he did so once in 2010 and three times in 2011, and is a career .353 (6-for-17) in that spot in...
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April 22 postonement to be made up as part of Aug. 3 single-admission doubleheader

April 22 postonement to be made up as part of Aug. 3 single-admission doubleheader
The April 22 Nationals-Marlins game at Nationals Park has been rescheduled as part of a traditional, single-admission doubleheader on Friday, August 3, with the first game beginning at 4:05 p.m. The second game will follow at 7:05 p.m. or later, depending on when the first game is completed. All tickets for the postponed April 22 game can be exchanged at the Nationals Park Box Office for seats of equal or lesser value for the August 3 doubleheader or any remaining regular or value home game...
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Nats select Maldonado from Triple-A, DL Leon, move Ramos to 60-day disabled list

Nats select Maldonado from Triple-A, DL Leon, move Ramos to 60-day disabled list
The Washington Nationals today selected catcher Carlos Maldonado from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and placed catcher Sandy Leon on the 15-Day Disabled List with a high ankle sprain (right ankle). The Nationals also transferred catcher Wilson Ramos from the 15- to the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The 33 year-old Maldonado, who will wear No. 49 when he joins the Nationals...
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Flashback: Trumpet-tooting fans, Camden Yards mojitos and a body-slamming umpire

Flashback: Trumpet-tooting fans, Camden Yards mojitos and a body-slamming umpire
Did you know there were different species of orioles? We all know that there's a Baltimore Oriole - of the winged and baseball-playing varieties. There are also Puerto Rican, Hispaniolan and Bahama birds. And, believe it or not, a Cuban Oriole. They all used to be lumped into the same species, until elevated into individual statuses in 2010. The Cuban Oriole is endemic to the Caribbean island nation, and its habitats are tropical and subtropical forests, particularly those boasting mangrove...
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O's select contract of Avery, option Pomeranz; Antonelli designated for assignment

O's select contract of Avery, option Pomeranz; Antonelli designated for assignment
The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Xavier Avery and optioned right-hander Stu Pomeranz to Triple-A Norfolk. Avery, 22, batted .273/.373/.469 with five home runs and 16 RBI in 33 games for the Tides. He hit safely in eight of his last nine games, including multi-hit games in each of his last four. Avery will wear uniform number 13. Pomeranz has made two scoreless appearances (4.0IP, 4H, BB, 3K) for the Orioles since having his contract selected on...
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Nationals place Ramos on DL, select Leon from Double-A Harrisburg

Nationals place Ramos on DL, select Leon from Double-A Harrisburg
The Washington Nationals today selected catcher Sandy Leon from Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League and placed catcher Wilson Ramos on the 15-Day Disabled List with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (right knee). Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Leon, who will wear No. 41 when he joins the Nationals for their series finale today at Cincinnati, batted .319 with 10 doubles, one home run and 12 RBI in 27 games...
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Orioles select Hall's contract, place Reynolds on disabled list

Orioles select Hall's contract, place Reynolds on disabled list
The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Bill Hall from Triple-A Norfolk and placed infielder Mark Reynolds on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique, retroactive to May 11. Hall, 32, is batting .222/.269/.381 with two home runs and seven RBI in 15 games with the Tides after signing as a minor league free agent on April 25. He had a nine-game hitting streak, April 28-May 6. Hall set career-highs with 35 home runs and 85 RBI in 2006 with...
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O's acquire Belfiore from D-backs to complete Bell trade

O's acquire Belfiore from D-backs to complete Bell trade
The Orioles today announced that they have acquired minor league left-hander Mike Belfiore from the Arizona Diamondbacks and assigned him to Double-A Bowie to complete the trade that saw infielder Josh Bell go to Arizona. Belfiore, 23, was a first round sandwich selection (45th overall) in the 2009 First Year Player Draft. He pitched to a 2.37 ERA (19.0IP, 5ER), recording one save, striking out 28 and walking five for Class-A Visalia this season.
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Orioles introduce "Birdland Passport" program

Orioles introduce "Birdland Passport" program
The Orioles today unveiled the Birdland Passport program, which will reward fans who visit Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the Orioles' local minor league affiliates. All five minor league affiliates - the Norfolk Tides, Bowie Baysox, Frederick Keys, Delmarva Shorebirds and Aberdeen IronBirds - are participating in the program. "The program is designed to encourage our fans to frequent not only Oriole Park at Camden Yards, but also all of our minor league affiliates' ballparks, which are...
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O's unveil Birdland Passport Program

O's unveil Birdland Passport Program
If you're one of those fans who enjoys seeing the Orioles of the future as much as you do heading to Camden Yards for the O's of the present, you'll be interested in the new Birdland Passport Program. The program, unveiled today, rewards fans who visit Camden Yards and the O's minor league affiliates - Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Bowie, Single-A Frederick, Single-A Delmarva and short-season Single-A Aberdeen. "The program is designed to encourage our fans to frequent not only Oriole Park...
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Reliever Hall was a constant of early O's World Series squads

Reliever Hall was a constant of early O's World Series squads
Think about the core group of players that helped the Orioles to four World Series between 1966-71, and you'll likely focus on the powerful bats and slick fielders that made the offense/defense combination of winning baseball in Baltimore - names like Andy Etchebarren, Boog Powell, Davey Johnson, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Paul Blair. However, there were Orioles pitchers who appeared in the 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971 Fall Classics, too. Left-hander Dave McNally and right-hander Jim...
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