Second baseman Brian Roberts will undergo more tests on his back over the next few days before the club determines the next step to take with him. Interim manager Juan Samuel said he isn't sure whether surgery is becoming an option. That would seem to be the case, but the team hasn't confirmed it. Reliever Michael Gonzalez threw an inning today in extended spring training, allowing one hit. His fastball was clocked in the mid-80s. "His velocity is still down," Samuel said, "but just to...

Here are the rest of the Orioles' picks since I drove to Camden Yards: 178th pick: Dixon Anderson, RHP, California 208th: Matthew Bywater, LHP, Pepperdine 238th: Wynston Sawyer, C, Scripps Ranch (Ca.) High 268th: Parker Bridwell, RHP, Hereford (Tx.) High 298th: Clayton Schrader, RHP, San Jacinto (Tx.) College North Anderson was named to the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic District 8 Baseball Team. He has a 3.60 GPA in society and environment and was first-team Pac-10 All-Academic...

In a move that potentially could lead to Jake Arrieta joining the Orioles, right-hander Tim Bascom has joined the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Bascom has not yet been activated, but soon could be joining the Norfolk rotation. The 25-year-old right-hander is 3-4, 3.43 in 11 starts with Double-A Bowie. Over 63 innings, he gave up 71 hits with just ten walks to 41 strikeouts. He has allowed 2 ER or less in seven of his 11 Baysox starts. Bascom is a fourth-round pick from 2007. Bascom last started...

The Orioles used the 148th overall pick in the draft to select high school switch-hitting shortstop Connor Narron, the son of former major league catcher and manager Jerry Narron. Nice bloodlines. Narron, 6 foot 3 and 195 pounds, was named an AFLAC All-American last year at C.B. Aycock High School in North Carolina. He also was invited to participate in the East Coast Showcase as a sophomore and junior. Narron, who has committed to play at the University of North Carolina, batted .317 with...

The Orioles have selected Auburn left-handed hitting center fielder Trent Mummey in the fourth round. I'll try to dig up more on him later. Update: Mummey was named a 2009 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove Award winner after posting a .995 fielding percentage and finishing with seven outfield assists. He committed only one error. Mummey homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs Saturday in Auburn's 17-8 victory over Southern Mississippi. He's batting .366 with 17 homers, 54 RBIs...

The first-half of the Carolina League season is nearing completion and the Frederick Keys are in the drivers seat to clinch their first playoff berth since 2007. With 13 games left, the Keys lead the Northern Division by eight games over Wilmington. They have a magic number of five to win the division first-half title. Frederick is 35-23, the first time since the end of the 2005 season that the Keys are 12 games over .500. After beating Potomac 3-1 last night, the Keys now have a...

Draft update: The Orioles chose UCLA closer Daniel Klein with the third overall pick in the third round. He missed the 2009 season after undergoing shoulder surgery but made up for it this year. Baseball America notes that he can throw four pitches for strikes, leading some scouts to think he should be given the chance to start. Klein has recorded nine saves for UCLA, the most by a Bruins pitcher since 1993. He's 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 35 games, with 35 hits allowed, eight walks and 48...

The Washington Nationals today selected College of Southern Nevada outfielder Bryce Harper with the first-overall selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals Senior Vice President & General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Player Personnel Roy Clark and Nationals Director of Scouting Kris Kline made the joint announcement. Harper--who stands 6-foot-3, 205 lbs. and hails from Las Vegas--hit .443 (101-for-228) with 23 doubles, four...

The Orioles tonight selected SS Manny Machado of Brito Private High School (FL) with their first selection in the 2010 First Year Player Draft, the third overall pick of the draft. Machado, 17, is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop from Miami, FL. In his senior season he batted .639 (55-86) with 12 home runs and 56 RBI, adding 43 runs scored, 27 doubles and 17 stolen bases. In the summer of 2009, Machado helped lead USA Baseball's 18 & Under team to a gold medal in Venezuela in the Pan American...

So how will Stephen Strasburg do in his first major league start tonight at sold out Nats Park? Should we expect a win, 15 strikeouts and only one earned run? Will he struggle against major league hitters and lose? Jim Callis of Baseball America says let's not put too much pressure on the rookie, but he does give his prediction for what might happen with Strasburg this year and next season. "That is the thing with Strasburg that is going to be tough. I think everyone is expecting...