I have to keep reminding myself that Monday is an off-day for the Orioles, but not the people who cover the team. The First-Year Player Draft begins that night, so I've been doing my homework in preparation for it. I'll still end up guessing wrong, but I wanted to chime in anyway. It's not an exact science, but everyone knows the Nationals will take catcher Bryce Harper with the first overall pick. I don't see how they'd pass on him unless Stephen Strasburg is named president of baseball...

We've been debating the merits of finding a new left-handed specialist or erasing the term. Perhaps the Orioles, as a few fans have suggested here, should just make David Hernandez the closer and return Will Ohman to his original role. I'm beginning to think the club is headed in that direction. Manager Dave Trembley likes using Hernandez in the late innings for short bursts, taking full advantage of that mid-90s fastball. "Power against power," as he called it after last night's...

He is 6'6" and 225 pounds and throws a fastball that has touched 99 miles per hour. He fanned 19 this season during a seven-inning no-hitter. He struck out 16 Cuban batters over seven innings last summer at the Pan American Junior Championships. He is just 18 years old. Oh yeah, and he could be the Orioles selection with the third pick in the First-Year Player Draft next Monday. He is Jameson Taillon, a right-handed pitcher from the Woodlands High School in Texas. Very few know the...

If it's possible, right-hander Jake Arrieta has kicked up his performance recently to an even higher level and continues to show that he looks ready to join the Major Leagues whenever the Orioles make the call. Arrieta, the O's fifth-round pick in 2007, is 6-2, 1.77 in 11 starts on the year. Over 71 innings, he has allowed just 45 hits. But over his last three starts, Arrieta is 3-0, 0.82. Over his last 22 innings, he has given up 16 hits and two earned runs with six walks and 23...

The Washington Nationals will offer Season Ticket Holders the exclusive opportunity to purchase up to four additional tickets to the June 8 contest vs. the Pirates - the expected debut of Nationals Pitcher Stephen Strasburg*. One of many exclusive offers for Season Ticket Holders throughout the season, this opportunity will begin at 10:00amon Wednesday, June 2. Tickets will be sold through Thursday, June 3 while supplies last. Earlier this week the Nationals also announced the addition of...

Cla Meredith entered tonight's Triple-A game in the eighth inning with Norfolk leading Rochester, 3-1, and proceeded to give up two runs on three hits. This might take a while. Meredith threw 30 pitches, 19 for strikes. Fortunately for the Tides, Matt Angle singled in the ninth to score Joey Gathright and give Norfolk a 4-3 lead. Left-hander Chris George limited Rochester to an unearned run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings. Is he a specialist in the making? Dennis Sarfate picked up his...

USA Baseball announced Tuesday the names of the 30 semifinalists for the 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award (GSA). This year will mark the 33rd consecutive year that the award has been presented to the nation's top amateur baseball player. College of Southern Nevada catcher Bryce Harper was the lone freshman semifinalist, joining 29 other Division I nominees. Harper has hit 29 homers and 89 RBI in his first season with the Coyotes, both school records. College of Southern Nevada...

Orioles manager Dave Trembley could have let Brian Matusz pitch to Alex Rodriguez with runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Trembley could have ordered an intentional walk with first base open and let Matusz pitch to Robinson Cano. Those are the choices that the Yankees' lineup gives you. It's like asking if you want to drink drain cleaner or gasoline. Trembley went with "C," which was bringing in David Hernandez to face Rodriguez. Rodriguez appeared...

If you're watching the game, you see Adam Jones flexing his left hand and grimacing after diving for Alex Rodriguez's liner in right-center field that reached the fence for a double in the sixth inning. Jones' glove hand slammed into the ground and it's clearly bothering him. He keeps removing the glove and making a fist. At one point, he was grabbing his pant leg as if testing the strength in his hand. Well, what's one more injury? Closers, outfielders. The Orioles don't discriminate....

Left-hander Brian Matusz surrendered a leadoff home run to Curtis Granderson in the bottom of the fifth inning. That's the only run for the Yankees tonight. It's fair to wonder if that's all they will need. Granderson's homer was his first against a lefty and his first at the new Yankee Stadium. It represented the third hit for New York tonight. Matusz was on a roll, but the Orioles' offense is on ice again. They've managed one hit against Javier Vazquez, who allowed five runs and...