matt moore

After going through an early-season 1-for-18 slump, third baseman Manny Machado is starting to find his comfort zone in the No. 2 spot in the Orioles batting order.

Down the stretch is a daily Orioles Insider blog that will set up the coming night for the O's and their American League competition as the push for the postseason continues.

For years, any big-picture assessment of the Baltimore Orioles has included a reminder of its growing streak of losing seasons. The number was 14 going into this year, a run of futility stretching all the way back to 1997. It won't hit 15.

Right-hander Jason Hammel limped off the mound in the fourth inning of the Orioles' 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and left the game with what the team announced was a right knee injury.

Down the stretch is a daily Orioles Insider blog that will set up the coming night for the O's and their American League competition as the push for the postseason continues.

The Orioles' six-game trip to New York and Tampa Bay concluded with two road series wins. The Orioles took the first two games in the Bronx, overcoming some starting pitching struggles. But once the O¿s arrived in Tampa Bay, their pitching carried them against a Rays team that boasts the best team ERA in baseball since the all-star break (2.34).

Orioles pitcher Tommy Hunter pitched well against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, falling just one out short of a quality start. But he made two fatal mistakes, a pair of solo home runs that proved to be the difference in a 2-0 Orioles¿ in front of an announced crowd of 18,410 at Tropicana Field.

Orioles infielder Robert Andino made his first start Friday since being activated from the disabled list before Tuesday's game, playing third base in the team's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.

This weekend's series is important for both teams. The Orioles and Rays share identical 55-50 records and are both 1 1/2 games out of the AL Wild Card.

Orioles third baseman Wilson Betemit has been on of the streakiest hitters in the Orioles lineup, but he's currently one of the hottest.

In his new Top 50 Prospects rankings published Thursday, ESPN's Keith Law ranks Dylan Bundy the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball and Manny Machado No. 3.

We recently chatted with Aaron Schatz, the editor-in-chief of Football Outsiders, for an upcoming story that has little, if anything, to do with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. But after we were done chatting about whatever it was that we were talking about -- you'll find out in a few days -- Schatz wanted to get a point in about Flacco.

The Orioles' 8-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field sent Baltimore back into second place in the American League East standings by one game

Steve Pearce, acquired from the Yankees on Saturday in exchange for cash considerations, started in Sunday's series finale against the Rays at Tropicana Field, starting in rightfield and hitting eighth.

The first-place Orioles used a catcher¿s interference call to ignite a fifth-inning rally and took advantage of an overall abysmal defensive showing to slip by Tampa Bay, 5-3.

We'll have a late start today because the Orioles first full squad workout doesn't begin until noon. That's because most of the position player have to take their physicals beforehand.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco tried to get the media to lobby for the coaching staff to open up the offense. Flacco thought the Ravens became too conservative in the second half against Cleveland on Saturday.

In the eyes of Sports Illustrated columnist Jim Trotter, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has been playing at a level somewhere between Texans rookie QB T.J. Yates and Colts signal-caller Dan Orlovsky during the 2011 season.

Because doing a full, 32-team list of power rankings is too much work for a Monday afternoon, I will rank the top 11 teams in the NFL after each exciting football Sunday (that's where the "first and 10" comes in).

The timing is a little peculiar, but the Denver Broncos said adieu to former starting quarterback Kyle Orton on Tuesday. He had a good fantasy run under Josh McDaniels, but turnovers did him in with new coach John Fox. Is he worth a waiver claim? You have to read on to find out.

Philadelphia Phillies expect the Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer to generate much interest on the major league level