J.J. Hardy is batting leadoff tonight for the second time. We'll see if he hits another home run in his first at-bat. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Luke Scott 1B Mark Reynolds 3B Felix Pie LF Robert Andino 2B Jake Arrieta RHP

Utility infielder Jake Fox cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk later today. The Orioles couldn't work out a trade for Fox, who hit .188 with two homers in 19 games. Fox was the talk of spring training after belting 10 home runs - 11 if you count the intrasquad game - and he beat out Craig Tatum for the backup catching job. The Orioles weren't satisfied with his work behind the plate and recalled Tatum, and Derrek Lee's return from the disabled list further cut into...

This stat snuck up on me, but the Orioles are 9-2 over their last 11 home games. They are 4-2 on the current nine-game homestand which continues this weekend against Tampa Bay. The Orioles are 19-16 at home on the season. The O's are coming off a three-game sweep of Oakland where the pitching led the way. The Orioles' staff allowed just three earned runs, five walks and 17 hits in that series. The O's bullpen has now pitched to an ERA of 0.55 over the last 10 games and the 'pen pitched 10...

Only once in a career that spanned nine seasons and nine different organizations did Jeff Manto have four or more home runs in a single year. But as Orioles fans should well remember, the 1995 season was a special one for Manto, who completed a run of homers in four consecutive at-bats on this day 16 years ago. His power surge tied a record he shared at the time with 23 other players. "When you look at me you don't think I've got a chance to set any kind of record, but when you're having...

If you're a baseball fan on Twitter these days, it's likely that you've encountered an account for a ball player's facial hair. Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth's beard has a Twitter handle, as does San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson's jet-black growth. Nationals farmhands Bryce Harper (and his attempt at upper-lip fuzz) and Collin Balestar's mustache have also gotten into the Twitter game. All this talk over facial hair got me wondering - does Major League Baseball care about...

After two starts since returning from the disabled list, Brian Matusz is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. Matusz gave up one run in 5 2/3 at Seattle and two runs over 5 1/3 Monday against Oakland. Matusz said he is certainly not yet in midseason form, but is generally pleased with his progress to this point. Reporters have noted his fastball velocity seems a bit down from where it was last year, but Matusz said he is not concerned about that. "A lot of people are talking about the fastball velocity,...

The Orioles' homestand continues tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who's 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA. Hellickson hasn't allowed a run against the Orioles in two starts this season covering 14 innings. He turned in five scoreless innings May 7 at Camden Yards, though he walked five batters, and tossed a four-hit shutout six nights later at Tropicana Field. Overall, Hellickson is 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in 21 2/3 career innings against the Orioles. They're batting...

When I first met Kevin Gregg in spring training in Sarasota, Fla., I was immediately impressed with his demeanor. He was polite, engaging, confident and eager to help the Orioles move up in the standings. As the season has progressed, Gregg has proven to be effective as the Orioles closer despite "living on the edge" in several save opportunities. Gregg has his style and he refuses to change his way and give in to hitters. He has tremendous confidence in his ability to get out of a jam,...

The Orioles announced today that they have placed first baseman Derrek Lee on the bereavement list. Lee will be eligible to be activated on June 12. Lee was batting .229 (40-175) with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 45 games for the Orioles. A corresponding roster move will be announced at a later time.

Right-hander Dan Klein, one of the Orioles' top pitching prospects, feels his current right shoulder soreness will not turn into a more serious problem. Klein is on the disabled list at Double-A Bowie and will have a precautionary MRI Monday in Baltimore so doctors can get a better look at his shoulder. Klein took a red-shirt season in 2009 while at UCLA and had an arthroscopic procedure on that shoulder, but he said the current soreness is not related to that at all. "No, it's not a...