Ty Wigginton is headed to the All-Star game and I have absolutely no problem with that. To me, it came to three or four O's with a chance to make it. Jason Berken, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Wigginton. Berken may have been most deserving of all, but they just don't pick relievers that are not closers, so that just about eliminated him. For all the good stats Markakis has, the four homers and 27 RBI at the halfway point was just not enough production for him to make it. I know he is...

The Nationals have six games remaining before the All-Star break against the N.L. West's first-place San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants. The Padres roll into town with the best ERA in the National League (3.05) and yet do not have a single pitcher on the N.L. roster for the All-Star game in Anaheim. They also lead the league in shutouts (12), innings pitched (750.1) and are a close second to San Francisco in strikeouts (655 to 650). The Nationals, by contrast, have just 496...

Single-A Delmarva pitcher Matt Hobgood, making his first start since June 11, allowed one run and three hits in three innings against Hickory. Hobgood, last year's first-round draft pick who had been shut down with a sore right shoulder, recorded seven of his outs on ground balls. Nathan Moreau, who threw a no-hitter in his Carolina League debut with Single-A Frederick, has allowed one hit in three scoreless innings against Kinston. He's also struck out two. We'll find out tomorrow...

Interim manager Juan Samuel expressed concern for starting pitcher Kevin Millwood during his post-game interview on MASN. Millwood lasted only one inning, allowing five runs and throwing 45 pitches before Samuel began parading relievers to the mound. He's posted a 9.89 ERA in his last seven starts, raising his season ERA to 5.77. "We're starting to be concerned," Samuel said. "We don't know if something's there, his elbow or something. We just know today that Kranny (pitching coach...

Chris Tillman didn't throw another no-hitter today, but he came awfully close. Tillman tossed a one-hit shutout in Triple-A Norfolk's 2-0 victory over Charlotte. He walked one batter and struck out five, and threw 64 of his 99 pitches for strikes. Tillman, who improved to 8-4 with a 2.72 ERA with the Tides, gave up a one-out single to Jordan Danks in the third inning. The next batter, Robert Hudson, grounded into a double play. Danks walked in the sixth inning, but Tillman retired the last...

When Kevin Millwood got off to a solid start this year pitching for the Orioles, that was good to see. It meant he was helping the club, but also boosting his trade value for the trade deadline. A lot has changed since then. Millwood is now struggling badly in the first inning of his starts and that's not the only inning that has been an issue for him. All the key numbers for him are very poor over his last seven starts, capped by his outing today when he gave up five runs in the first...

Making his third appearance since coming off the disabled list, Koji Uehara surrendered two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to increase Detroit's lead to 10-7. Yes, they're only through the fifth inning at Comerica Park. And the pace actually increased for a short time. Uehara gave up three hits, including Ramon Santiago's bunt single to open the inning. Austin Jackson followed with a triple, and he later scored on Magglio Ordonez's single. Uehara also issued a walk before...

That's just a prediction. The Orioles and Tigers are entering the bottom of the second inning. That's it. More than an hour since the first pitch, and it's the bottom of the second. Kevin Millwood is out of the game after one inning and five runs, but he won't be tagged with the loss. The Orioles rallied to take a 6-5 lead and knock out Tigers rookie left-hander Andy Oliver by scoring five times in the top of the second. Oliver is charged with all six runs (five earned), though two...

I sat in the interview room at Camden Yards and listened to interim manager Juan Samuel say that Felix Pie would return to left field and the leadoff spot once the Orioles activated him from the disabled list. Samuel told reporters in Boston over the weekend that Pie would hit lower in the order while Corey Patterson continued to occupy the top spot. Samuel now wants to ease Pie back into the leadoff role. The last time I checked, the Orioles had room for Pie on their 40-man roster after...

One of the hottest bats right now in the O's minors belongs to Frederick Keys right fielder Ronnie Welty. He is batting .429-0-10 during an 11-game batting streak which has featured nine games of two hits or more. Welty has raised his average on the year from .247 to .279 with the hot streak. On the season, the O's 20th-round pick from 2008 is batting .279-9-46. The one stat that is glaring on his record is a whopping 95 strikeouts in 73 games and he leads the Carolina League in that...