Jeff Niemann

Before they became the best organization in baseball, the Giants were Barry Bonds' team. They seemed unable to break free from the flawed slugger for a long time, sticking with the disgraced star for six years after his record-setting 2001 season....

|TV SPORTS| |SATURDAY| Soccer--Premier League, Southampton at Reading, 6:30 a.m. (ESPN2); MLS, Real Salt Lake at Colorado, 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN) High School Basketball--National Invitational girls’ championship, 10 a.m. (ESPN2), National...

The Orioles' top position prospect, Jonathan Schoop, had been away for most of the spring while representing the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. He finally returned Wednesday and, on Friday, he led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay...

Having been cleared to resume baseball activities Thursday, Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis said he's confident he will have enough time -- and at-bats -- to be ready for the regular season. Markakis hasn’t played since March 1, when he was...

For three of the four innings he pitched Friday, right-hander Steve Johnson showed why he remains in consideration to be the Orioles' fifth starter. The other inning, though, the 25-year-old St. Paul's alum would like to forget. In the Orioles' 6-3...

Talking baseball while the Blackhawks keep rolling: 1. Rumors will continue but here’s the reality about both Carlos Marmol and Alfonso Soriano: As with Matt Garza, the best time to trade them will be in the middle of the season, not now. Marmol...

GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE Mets 5, Nationals 3: Stephen Strasburg surrendered three hits over two innings - including a single and home run to the first two batters he faced - in his first action since Sept. 7. David Wright was hitless in three at-bats for New...

The American League East has long been considered one of baseball’s toughest divisions, and that should hold true again in 2013. But it’s no longer a division dominated by a couple high-spending teams and the occasional upstart. Suddenly,...

[Editor's note: Down the stretch is a new 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 intensifies.]   About last night Saunders pitches O’s to 4-0...

|TV SPORTS| |SUNDAY| Tennis--U.S. Open, 10 a.m. (CBS) College Football--Alabama State vs. Bethune-Cookman, 11 a.m. (ESPN); Kentucky at Louisville, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN); Southern Methodist at Baylor, 5:30 p.m. (FXSP) Auto Racing--Indy Racing League, Indy...

MINNEAPOLIS — Evan Longoria is back on the field, and the Tampa Bay Rays are back in the AL East race. Jeff Keppinger hit tiebreaking grounder after the All-Star third baseman was intentionally walked in a four-run, 10th inning, and the Rays beat...

As surprises go, Philip Humber's not-so-perfect game against the Red Sox on Thursday wasn't exactly Chrysler making a comeback. Really, if you didn't see the bad start coming, you weren't looking at him. It's not his perfect game against the Mariners on...