Here's a quick, but not necessarily verified list of athletes drafted by the Nationals during the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Make sure to welcome them to NatsTown. Alex Meyer: @AlexMeyer17 Meyer tweeted: "Just got drafted by the Washington Nationals!!!" on June 6. Greg Holt: @reggieholt14 Caleb Ramsey: @CRamsey28 Blake Monar: @BlakeMonar Hawtin Buchanan: @Hawtin_Buchanan Buchanan tweeted: "Just got drafted by the Washington Nationals. Thanks everyone for the support, but still...

First baseman Derrek Lee will leave the team tomorrow to attend his grandfather's funeral. Lee expects to be gone through Sunday, which means he'll miss three games. The Orioles will place Lee on the bereavement list that covers three days, including tomorrow's open date on the schedule. Technically, Lee could return Sunday, but he's informed the team that he'll be gone through the weekend. Right now, the Orioles are leaning toward bringing up a position player, with Triple-A Norfolk...

Robert Andino is leading off tonight, with J.J. Hardy moving down to seventh. Nolan Reimold returns to left field after being unavailable last night because of neck spasms. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Derrek Lee 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Mark Reynolds 3B Nolan Reimold LF Zach Britton LHP Here are the Orioles' draft picks today through the 46th round: 31st round: John Costa, RHP, Summit Christian (Fla.) School 32nd...

Single-A Potomac Nationals shortstop Rick Hague is done for the season with a shoulder injury suffered in early April. Hague has been attempting to rehabilitate the shoulder for two months in extended spring training. Hague told Will Flemming on P-Nats' radio that the shoulder "keeps popping out," so he will have surgery today. The former Rice University standout played two seasons alongside Nationals first-round selection Anthony Rendon. Hague batted .357 in four games, going 5-for-14...

George Washington University redshirt senior left-hander Bobby Lucas Jr. lost his breath for a moment when the Washington Nationals called to tell him he had been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Nationals selected the talented southpaw from Baltimore's Calvert Hall College High School, in the 27th round. Lucas concluded his GW career with 12 victories and 233 strikeouts in 193.2 innings. He appeared in 81 games with 25 starts. "It was something unreal,...

Tim Nordbrook's "Aha!" moment came a few games into his rookie season, part of a commonplace baseball activity that's often taken for granted. The 25-year-old shortstop had just ranged into the hole to grab a ground ball, then thrown the batter out at first base. Orioles infielders were whipping the ball around the horn when the native Baltimorean got an attaboy from third baseman Brooks Robinson, his childhood idol. "I turn to throw it to Brooksie and Brooksie says, 'Great play,...

The Frederick Keys are one of the hottest teams in minor league baseball right now. The Keys beat Potomac 7-2 last night and that extended the club's win streak to seven games, the Keys' longest since August of 2005. The Keys have won 12 of their past 13 games and have the Carolina League's best record at 36-22, a .621 winning percentage. They are closing in on the first-half title in their division with a lead of 5 1/2 games with 12 contests to play. After finishing April a game under...

Rhyne Hughes tied a Triple-A Norfolk record last night by striking out five times. Then he hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Tides a 4-3 win over Pawtucket. Left-hander Troy Patton improved to 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA by allowing one hit over four scoreless innings. He retired nine straight batters and 10 of the last 11 that he faced. Then he flew to Baltimore, sat at one of the lockers for a few hours and flew back to Norfolk. Pedro Viola threw two scoreless...

I want to begin by congratulating the Orioles on their fine selection of Matt Taylor in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft with the 155th pick. I don't know a thing about Taylor other than the fact that we share the same name, so I fully support the move and look forward to his first T-Shirt Tuesday at Camden Yards. And while I'm handing out plaudits, here's to Luke Scott for taking over sole possession as the career leader in Eutaw Street home runs....

It isn't often hype matches and then surpasses expectation, but last year on this very date, that's what Washington watched live at Nationals Park. Pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg became a part of Nationals folklore when he made his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The start was by no means shaky, but there were a few moments where the victory almost slipped away. Thanks to a few offensive heroics from Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, combined with a nasty fastball and a...