Andino ready to step aside for Roberts

The news that Brian Roberts was headed to Double-A Bowie to begin a 20-day injury rehab assignment added some urgency to the questions about the impact of his eventual return to the active major league roster.

Peter Schmuck grades the Orioles

O, say can you lighten up?

    I read with great amusement the column by my friend Mike Wise this weekend in the Washington Post -- the one where he takes Orioles fans to task for shouting "O!" during the National Anthem.

The Grand Slam: Analyzing the Orioles (Week 6)

document.write (""); Peter Schmuck looks at four things (plus one) that we learned about the Orioles over the past week.

The Yankee clippers

It was back during the second series of the year against the Yankees that I postulated that the Orioles would not be truly competitive in the AL East until they put a crack in the Yankee mystique.

Peter Schmuck grades the Orioles

Joe Maddon says competitive Orioles may be here to stay

     Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon complimented the Orioles at the end of last year for how hard they played and the way they opened the door for the Rays to get back to the playoffs. He was equally complimentary of the way the Orioles have opened this season and brought more balance to the American League East.

Orioles: The weirdness continues

    If you have any remaining doubt that something strange is going on around the Orioles, take note of the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, which featured another handful of historically rare events.

The Grand Slam: Analyzing the Orioles (Week 5)

Peter Schmuck looks at four things (plus one) that we learned about the Orioles over the past week.

Why Orioles kept pitching to Josh Hamilton

When the dust had settled after Josh Hamilton's historic four-homer performance against the Orioles at Camden Yards, some inquiring minds wanted to know why the Orioles pitchers kept throwing him strikes.

Suddenly, Orioles rotation needs some crisis management

For the Orioles, the best thing about Josh Hamilton's amazing four-homer performance on Tuesday night was the way it let everyone focus on something other than the sudden deterioration of the starting rotation.

Orioles rotation springs another leak

     It seems like only yesterday that we were extolling the virtues of the Orioles' rejuvenated starting rotation.

Adam Jones: Orioles not getting ahead of themselves

Center fielder Adam Jones, who propelled the Orioles to their surreal victory on Sunday with a three-run home run in the 17th inning, isn't ready to project his team's terrific early-season performance beyond the current four-game series against the Texas Rangers.

Peter Schmuck grades the Orioles

Don't discount the importance of this road trip

Nobody has spent more time over the past few weeks telling you not to read too much into the Orioles' early spurt. We've seen this kind of thing before and then watched as the club tumbled back to the bottom of the standings.

Orioles bullpen comes through again, but...

   The Orioles had every right to strut out of Fenway Park on Friday night after the bullpen pitched eight scoreless innings in a 6-4 extra-inning victory over the banged-up Boston Red Sox, but there's a cloud inside that silver lining.

The night the lights went out in Boston

The Orioles open a three-game series tonight at Fenway Park, so it's only natural to reflect on the wild night of Sept. 28, when they eliminated the Red Sox from the playoff picture and started a chain reaction that brought an end to the Terry Francona era.

Note to Orioles fans: Don't celebrate Rivera injury

All-time saves leader Mariano Rivera didn't deserve what happened to him yesterday, and classy Orioles fans will not celebrate the ACL injury that likely will bring a slightly early end to his terrific career.

The Grand Slam: Analyzing the Orioles (Week 4)

Peter Schmuck looks at four things (plus one) that we learned about the Orioles over the past week.

Suggs' Achilles injury could be devastating twist for Ravens

If there was ever an injury that could sorely test the Ravens' stoic "Next Man Up" philosophy, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs may have suffered it when he damaged his Achilles tendon over the weekend -- reportedly in a pickup basketball game.

Matusz shows his mettle

Guess we'll have to wait awhile to find out just how important Tuesday night's game was to the future of left-hander Brian Matusz, but I'm guessing everyone will look back on it as a huge turning point in his young career.

Orioles must overcome Yankee mystique

The Orioles have been one big hit away from beating the Yankees in each of their last three meetings, but you can't curse the fates when you have made a habit of losing to them for so many years.

Peter Schmuck grades the Orioles

Columnist Peter Schmuck runs through his weekly grades for the Orioles.

The Grand Slam: Analyzing the Orioles (Week 3)

Peter Schmuck looks at four things (plus one) that we learned about the Orioles over the past week.

Time to move Dylan Bundy to a new level?

There probably isn't anybody left who doubts that Orioles pitching phenom Dylan Bundy can take his 99-mph fastball and compete at the higher levels of the club's minor league system. The only question is how long Dan Duquette, Rick Peterson and Buck Showalter think he needs to build his self-esteem against totally overmatched Class-A competition.

Matt Wieters takes a big left turn

When switch-hitting catcher Matt Wieters homered in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night, it was his sixth home run of the season and all of them have come from the left side of the plate. That's not a tremendous statistical anomaly, since a decided majority of his at-bats are going to come against right-handed pitchers, but it stands out because he has a history of displaying more power batting right-handed.

Francona says Orioles, not 'Snack' Sox, got him fired

Finally, former Red Sox manager Terry Francona is giving credit where credit is due. He said on ESPN last night that the Orioles are the reason he's now a baseball analyst instead of the current manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Peter Schmuck grades the Orioles

Why the Orioles must win today

Of course, there's no such thing as a must-win game in April, and -- for that matter -- there hasn't been a must-win game involving the Orioles in a long time, but today's series finale against the Los Angeles Angels is one of those games that can make a difference in a team's self-esteem.

Jake Arrieta's inning from hell (UPDATED)

    If you're trying to figure out what happened to Jake Arrieta in the fifth inning on Saturday night, join the club. He was on absolute cruise control until the Orioles knocked a little of the wind out of Angels starter Jered Weaver.