FREDERICK, Md. - Jonathan Schoop, the 19-year-old infielder from Curacao, was playing to rave reviews earlier this season when he was with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. That hasn't changed in the short time he has been here with the Single-A Frederick Keys, even though he has played in just six Frederick games. Schoop is batting .324 between both teams, the second-best batting average this year in the O's minors behind Kipp Schutz at .343. Schoop is tied for third in the organization...

FREDERICK, Md. - The Keys have the best record in the Carolina League, but for now they are playing without two of their best players. Within about five minutes of each other Wednesday night, the Keys' Tyler Townsend and Trent Mummey suffered hamstring injuries at Potomac that sent both to the disabled list. It's still too early to know exactly when either will return to the Keys' lineup. "It is one of those things we are being cautious with right now," Townsend told me a few minutes...

Justin Duchscherer will make another attempt next week to go five innings in an extended spring training game. Manager Buck Showalter said Duchscherer will pitch Tuesday or Wednesday. According to the Orioles, Duchscherer left Tuesday's game in the third inning with spasms in his gluteus. He had completed four innings in his previous start despite being hit in the stomach by a line drive in the first, and he was scheduled to go five in his next outing. The spasms apparently began after...

The Orioles announced today that they have recalled first baseman Brandon Snyder from Triple-A Norfolk. Snyder, 24, batted .222 (2-9) in five games for the Orioles earlier this season. In 47 games for Norfolk, Snyder batted .253 (48-190) with eight homers and 26 RBI.

J.J. Hardy will make his third career start tonight as a leadoff hitter. Pretty much a no-brainer there. And Brandon Snyder will start at first base against Rays left-hander David Price. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Nolan Reimold LF Mark Reynolds 3B Robert Andino 2B Brandon Snyder 1B Jeremy Guthrie RHP

When the Short Season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds begin a new season of New York-Penn League play next Friday, there is a good chance that Mychal Givens will be their starting shortstop. The 21-year-old Givens, the Orioles' second-round pick in 2009, would move to Aberdeen from Single-A Delmarva for two main reasons. One, it would give him a chance to play short. He's been playing at second base for Delmarva this year with Manny Machado first and later Jonathan Schoop playing at short for...

Teams in the American League East haven't been bunched this tightly this late since 1994. Going into Friday night, the first-place Boston Red Sox and last-place Baltimore Orioles were six games a part. The division is not known for parity, but it has it this year. The Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays are better. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have struggled with pitching. The Tampa Bay Rays are pitching, but have trouble scoring. Here's a look: * A year ago, the Orioles were the...

Nationals top prospect Bryce Harper made news this week when he blew a kiss to an opposing pitcher after hitting a home run. The incident drew a lot of buzz around sports shows and the blogosphere. But the play of Harper at the plate and in the outfield continues to make headlines and begs the question of when he will make his next move up in the Nationals' farm system. Better yet, when will Harper be in D.C. hitting home runs out of Nationals Park? Jim Callis, executive editor for...

In the minutes after last night's game, in his postgame press conference, manager Buck Showalter was not ready to proclaim that Nick Markakis is out of his batting slump. Showalter knows that one game - even one as strong as a six-RBI game for Markakis - doesn't mean he has turned around his season. But it sure had to be a great sight for Orioles fans to see their right fielder have a night like that. Markakis hit his third career grand slam in the second and added a two-run double in the...

A win tonight would put the Orioles back at .500 for the first time since May 26, right before that horrific West Coast trip. David Price is quite a hurdle, but the Orioles weren't supposed to clear Jeremy Hellickson last night. They didn't fall on their faces. They didn't even skin a knee. Manager Buck Showalter can break out his right-handed lineup against Price, and that has to include J.J. Hardy atop the order. Right? Felix Pie and Robert Andino used to be the leadoff options, but Pie...