The Orioles fourth-round draft pick, Auburn outfielder Trent Mummey, has gotten off to a solid start in his pro career. The 21-year lefty hitter and Aberdeen center fielder is the IronBirds' leadoff batter. He is hitting .306-1-4 in his first 11 pro games with four doubles, four walks and five strikeouts in 49 at bats. He has eight hits over his last four games. "It's been really fun, I've enjoyed every bit of it. When you sign, you don't really know what to expect so you open up your...

With home run after home run by Adam Dunn splashing down over the outfield walls of Nationals Park, the joke on the chat line was a pretend phone call placed to Mike Rizzo that said "Kenny Williams is on line One!" A reference to a rumor that the Chicago White Sox general manager has a strong interest in acquiring Dunn. The Nationals' home run display in the first two games of the series with the San Diego Padres is certainly getting the attention of several general managers around the...

Brad Bergesen gave up 11 hits in six-plus innings tonight. If you win, you scatter 11 hits. When you lose, you give them up. The Orioles have won twice since sweeping the Nationals at Camden Yards. So much for turning around their season, or at least getting it a little more straight. Three moments really stood out for me tonight: 1. Johnny Damon laying down a sacrifice bunt in the first inning after Austin Jackson's leadoff double. That's pretty early to be playing for one run, which the...

Right-hander Max Scherzer, who had allowed just 2 ER over his previous three starts, continued his recent stellar pitching vs. the Orioles on Wednesday night. Scherzer improved to 6-6, 4.61, as he gave up just six hits and one run over seven innings as the Tigers beat the Orioles, 4-2. Detroit completed a three-game sweep as the O's fell to 1-5 on their current road trip and 25-59 on the year. Jim and Mike talk with Juan Samuel about the O's 4-2 loss to Detroit Scherzer, who struck out...

Syracuse Chiefs and former University of Maryland center fielder Justin Maxwell has been on a tear hitting the ball well at the Triple-A level. Last week, during a 7-game span, Maxwell went 8 for 27 (.296) with two doubles, two homers, three RBI and five runs scored. With 53 hits, he is averaging a hit per game for Syracuse. He is batting .282 with 5 homers and 16 RBI in 53 minor league games this season and is benefiting from playing every day in center field. I asked Maxwell if he had...

The Orioles have tripled in four straight games, with Felix Pie producing the latest one tonight. Pie collected the Orioles' second hit, and we just completed the top of the fifth. Tigers starter Max Scherzer has been tying them in knots. Pie lined the ball into the right field corner with two outs in the fifth and motored into third base. He dived into the bag, stood up and pointed to the heavens. No injury. That's about as good as it gets for the Orioles, who are losing, 2-0, Josh...

Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer has thrown some overpowering fastballs in the mid to high 90's early in tonight's game with the Orioles. He fanned four of the first six batters tonight and six of the first ten he faced. He has thrown just 50 pitches through four innings and has given up just one hit, a Nick Markakis infield single in the fourth. How can a pitcher with an ERA of 4.88 be so strong? Well, he was a first-round draft pick of the Diamondbacks from 2006, the 11th overall pick. ...

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann gets his second rehab start of the summer for the Potomac Nationals at the Frederick Keys Thursday afternoon at 12 noon from Harry Grove Stadium. Zimmermann is expecting to pitch three innings as he makes gradual steps to returning to the majors since Tommy John surgery repaired his right elbow in August of last season. He hurled two scoreless innings Saturday for Potomac in their victory over Wilmington, allowing two hits, no runs and no walks. He...

The Orioles' bullpen has fallen into a collective slump. The club's relievers have worked 10 2/3 innings in the last two games and allowed 13 earned runs and 19 hits, with seven walks and 13 strikeouts. In the 10 previous games, the bullpen had surrendered nine earned runs in 32 2/3 innings for a 2.48 ERA. Brad Bergesen could do the Orioles a huge favor and pitch deep into tonight's game. Julio Lugo has recorded consecutive three-hit games for the second time this season. The last Oriole...

Brian Roberts has certainly not given up hope that he will be on the field for the Orioles before this season ends. In fact he hopes to return to the club long before the season is over. "I'll definitely be back before the end of the year, if we don't have any setbacks. Well way before the end of the year," Roberts said today on the Scott Garceau show on MASN and O's flagship station, 105.7 the Fan during his MASN Brian Roberts segment. "My goal would be to be back before August 1st...