billy butler

The Orioles are back in the playoffs.

How important is the 14th overall pick? And how much should the Orioles be committed to keeping that selection in the upcoming draft?

Two nights, two walk-off homers for the Orioles. It¿s mid-August and this enigmatic club isn¿t dead yet. One night after Manny Machado hit a two-run homer to give the Orioles a win in 13 innings Friday, Chris Davis provided the heroics on Saturday, a solo homer to right in the bottom of the ninth to give the Orioles a 4-3 victory.

Wei-Yin Chen will pitch Wednesday afternoon as the Orioles try to win the series in Oakland.

The recent numbers aren¿t encouraging, but the Orioles believe right-hander Miguel Gonzalez¿s uneven performances recently are not a concern despite another abbreviated outing in Tuesday¿s 5-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics.

On the night he won the American League Manager of the Year award for the third time, Orioles manager Buck Showalter was quick to make sure he didn't relish the honor too much.

The Baltimore Orioles built a contender by patchwork, but the Royals built their American League champion through the farm

The Royals haven't lost in the postseason, and they take a 3-0 ALCS lead by doing everying right

It was windy and cool Tuesday night for Game 3 as the Kansas City Royals handed the Orioles a devastating 2-1 loss to take a 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

With the Orioles' playoff future hanging in the balance, the club could have used just a little more out of the Taiwanese left-hander. And Wei-Yin Chen couldn't deliver in the sixth inning, handing a precarious situation over to rookie Kevin Gausman.

Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck shares several key moments from Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

With two passionate fist pumps Saturday evening, Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain punctuated an evening when he swung nearly every big moment in a tense 4-hour, 17-minute game in his team's direction.

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was making good pitches, and drawing weak contact, but the Royals still were rounding the bases.

Darren O¿Day had not only been one of the most instrumental parts of the Orioles' stellar bullpen, but he¿s also the unquestioned leader of the Orioles relief corps.

Darren O'Day gave up a back-breaking home run in the 10th Friday.

With three home runs, including two in the 10th inning, the Kansas City Royals handed the Orioles a devastating 8-6 loss to take a 1-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Having spent their entire careers in cavernous Kauffman Stadium and the spacious ballparks of the American League Central, longtime Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon and Billy Butler always have welcomed trips to the comparatively cozy Camden Yards.

Neither No. 1 starter factored into the decision. Chris Tillman didn't even get through the fifth inning.

It all happened in about a week. Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz experienced a gut-punching low of the postseason and then an exhilarating high -- all without throwing a pitch.

Former Mets pitcher Ron Darling will be part of a three-man broadcast booth anchored by play-by-play man Ernie Johnson and former Oriole great Cal Ripken Jr. during the American League Championship Series.

The Orioles offense continues to struggle.

Top offseason acquisition again Ubaldo Jimenez again failed to pick up his first win as an Oriole, but the club had a much bigger concern following Friday¿s 5-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

As promising as the Orioles¿ seven-game road trip to Texas and Kansas City was through their first four games, this was not the way they wanted it to end.

As well as Wei-Yin Chen pitched through his first seven innings in a 4-3 loss to the Royals on Wednesday night, one of the main storylines of the night ended up being how the Orioles couldn't score more runs off Kansas City starter Ervin Santana.

Just five outs away from gaining a game on the Boston Red Sox and pulling within 2 ½ games of the American League East lead, the Orioles saw their lead quickly disappear into the Kansas City night.

Henry Urrutia will make his second major league start tonight, hitting eighth as the Orioles' designated hitter against the Kansas City Royals.

Jeremy Guthrie received a warm reception from the crowd at Camden Yards when he took the mound Thursday, then the Kansas City Royals right-hander did his part to beat his former team.

The Orioles are hoping to make a deal adding a power bat. They've been saying it for a while. Some targets include Kansas City's Billy Butler, Washington's Michael Morse and Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones.

I believe the Orioles will make a trade ¿ either here or within a few days of the meetings.

What I want from you is one name -- the one player you think the Orioles will end up with when all of the offseason dust settles. I can¿t imagine they land a Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke, but if you disagree, then go ahead and make that your choice.

If you had to trade one of the previously hyped Baltimore Orioles cavalry (Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman), which would it be?

Chris Tillman was forced to wait more than three extra hours before he could take the mound Saturday night at Camden Yards, a victim to the weather as the skies opened and relented several times before the Orioles' game against the Kansas City Royals could begin.

There¿s nothing particularly inspiring about the box score of the Orioles¿ 8-2 loss to Kansas City on Thursday night.

Kansas City Royals designated hitter Billy Butler has been an absolute monster against the Orioles the past five years.

Sitting here Monday, I discovered my office mate Allan Vought's column, taking a look back on Major League Baseball's All-Star Game from 20 years ago in 1962. The fact is, I wasn't alive 50 years ago, so I obviously have no memory of that game, nor have I been fortunate enough to attend one.

After dropping the rubber match, 4-2, to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon before an announced crowd of 33,919, the Orioles (29-19) have now lost five of seven games as they embark on a tough road trip to Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston.

Royals squeeze out runs late to beat the Orioles

As the Orioles opened their three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Camden Yards, right-hander Jason Hammel recaptured his stellar form of earlier this season and the O's big inning was fueled by two Baltimore base-running blunders.

Dan Connolly has news and observations on the Baltimore Orioles.