Ichiro Suzuki

UP Ryan Howard, first baseman, Phillies -- The slugger is 13-for-32 (.406) with four homers and 14 RBIs in his past eight games. Garret Anderson, outfielder, Angels -- He's 10-for-27 (.370) with three home runs and nine RBIs in his past seven games. Anderson has hit .300 or better in three straight seasons, but he is at .283 this year. Brad Radke, starter, Twins -- With Francisco Liriano injured, Minnesota needs the veteran hurler to pitch well during its playoff push. So far Radke has delivered.

Giving back is great Mike DiGiovanna Los Angeles Times The pluses of playing regular-season games overseas far outweigh the minuses, especially as they pertain to Japan. Considering how much that country has contributed to Major League Baseball over the past two decades — Hideo Nomo, Hideki Matsui, Ichiro Suzuki, now Yu Darvish, extensive media coverage of the game and fertile marketing terrain — it's important that the game give something back. It's good for younger, less-traveled players and those living more of a sheltered existence, to gain the cultural experience of going to another country, of visiting areas hit by the 2011 tsunami and connecting with families of storm victims.

Orioles (59-76) @ Devil Rays (56-81) Day ............... Time ................... TV ....................................... Starters . Tonight ......... 7:10 ............... MASN ............................... Kurt Birkins (1-1, 8.00) ........................................ ............................................. vs. James Shields (10-8, 4.10) Tomorrow .... 7:10 .............. MASN ............................ Jeremy Guthrie (7-5, 3.62) .....................................

May was the worst month in Ichiro Suzuki's career, as he hit .210 with a .270 on-base percentage. Oddly the Mariners played great, seemingly proving the theory that for a future Hall of Famer he has very little impact on winning. … What does Jair Jurrjens have in common with Lefty Gomez, Randy Johnson and Ubaldo Jimenez? According to Elias Sports, those are the only big-leaguers ever to begin a season with nine straight starts of six-plus innings allowing two or fewer runs in each game.

SEATTLE - The Seattle Mariners had reason to like their chances in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. They had roughed up New York starter Andy Pettitte twice this year and handled the Yankees during the regular season with relative ease. There was only one problem. This isn't the regular season. Pettitte is a different pitcher in October and the Yankees are a different team, two facts that quickly became apparent in their 4-2 victory over the Mariners yesterday at sold-out Safeco Field.

SEATTLE - One team gave away an unearned run and committed two errors, heaved an ill-time wild pitch and walked twice as many hitters as it struck out. The other team received a complete game from its starting pitcher, pressured its opponent throughout latter innings and committed no errors. But last night, the Orioles were unrewarded for playing the tighter game against the Seattle Mariners. Willis Roberts (5-4) finished what he started only to absorb a 3-2 loss before 30,413 at Safeco Field.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Orioles right fielder Jay Gibbons lost six pounds while fighting a viral infection over the past week, so it's no coincidence his offensive production suffered, too. Gibbons came down with the virus in Tampa Bay two weekends ago and had a difficult time eating. He was batting .317 with seven home runs and 12 RBIs through the first 17 games, but came into yesterday riding a 2-for-19 slump. Losing six pounds is a bigger deal to Gibbons these days because he dropped 20 pounds over the off-season on a vegetarian diet, slimming down his muscle mass to produce more bat speed.

You don't need to see Ichiro Suzuki more than once to be amazed at how he handles a bat. See him repeatedly, though, and you'll realize his bloops, pings and sinking liners are all purposeful - little chance is involved. "You can watch him in one game, see him do what he does and say, `That lucky sucker,'" said Mike Hargrove, Suzuki's new manager with the Seattle Mariners. "Then if you watch him the way I have, since spring training, it's an everyday occurrence. ... It is not a lucky swing here, a lucky swing there.

When Miguel Tejada takes his rightful spot as the American League's starting shortstop in tonight's 76th All-Star game in Detroit, he'll look to his left and see his buddy and Orioles teammate, Brian Roberts, probably baseball's most surprising new star. To Tejada's right will be New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the game's highest-paid player and perennial Most Valuable Player candidate. If Tejada is searching for the absolute best player in baseball, however, the argument can be made that he should simply look inward.

The All-Star Game is one month from today, and the rosters will be announced in three weeks, so here's the question: Now that Cal Ripken has retired with his 19 consecutive All-Star appearances, who will represent the Orioles this season? With Ripken around, the answer used to be so easy. Now, the Orioles have become a collection of non-stars, at least in the national baseball landscape. Or, as their decision-makers hope, a collection of stars waiting to be discovered. The American League and National League rosters each have 30 players.