Jim Johnson

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez said there really is no time when it is not on his mind - even when he is on the mound, even when he is turning in what was arguably his best performance of the year in a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night. Sometime in the next week or so, the 29-year-old Gonzalez will become a father for the first time. Limiting Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and company to four hits, one walk and one run in eight standout innings pales comparatively.

Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman might not be the biggest name in pitching in the major leagues right now, but his performance over the past two seasons ranks among the best. Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Tillman is 16-5 for a .762 winning percentage. That winning percentage is the fourth-best in all of baseball for players with at least 20 decisions. Tillman ranks behind only Cincinnati's Mat Latos (.833), Detroit's Max Scherzer (.781) and St. Louis's Lance Lynn (.765)

If you believe that the Orioles' unexpected run to the postseason in 2012 was something of magic, then the most dazzling trick the organization pulled off was consistently pulling productive starters out of their sleeves. Executive vice president Dan Duquette, who had been out of baseball for a decade, stockpiled pitchers in his first offseason with the Orioles, adding to the group of now-not-so-young arms compiled by his processor, Andy MacPhail, then practically running a shuttle that shuffled players from Norfolk and Bowie to Camden Yards.

Twice in two nights, Orioles closer Jim Johnson faced off against one of the most intimidating lineups in the major leagues, and twice in two nights, Johnson notched the save. In shutting the door in the Orioles' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday , Johnson converted his 23rd save of the year - which tied him for first in the majors with Pittsburgh's Jason Grilli and the New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera at the moment. He also extended his season-high streak of eight successful save opportunities.

Jim Johnson's impressive regular season saves streak came to an end at 35 on Tuesday night when he allowed four singles and two runs in the ninth in the Orioles' 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres . Johnson hadn't blown a regular season save since he gave up six runs in one third of an inning to the Oakland A's on July 27, 2012. He did blow one in the postseason - Game 3 of the ALDS in New York on Oct. 10 - but that didn't count toward the streak. Point is Johnson has been unbelievably good for the last year-plus, and so when he blows one it is newsworthy.

Closer Jim Johnson has been named the Orioles' nominee for the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes a player "who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. " Beginning today, fans can vote for the national Clemente award recipient at MLB.com/ClementeAward and register for a chance to win a trip to the World Series. The award is named for the Hall of Famer who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.  “I don't really do things for name recognition,” said Johnson, who will be recognized as the club's award recipient at a ceremony Monday at Camden Yards.

Orioles fans have been spoiled by just how good closer Jim Johnson has been in 2012. He had blown two of his 32 save chances heading into Friday night. He has been nearly as automatic as a closer can be. But on Friday he simply didn't have sharp command, and the Oakland A's singled him to death - five singles and a walk after getting the first out on an excellent play by first baseman Mark Reynolds. “I fell behind and a couple balls got through,” Johnson said. “It just kind of happened.

Not a lot of news coming out of pre-game interviews with the team and Orioles manager Buck Showalter. Some highlights: ** Tommy Hunter says he has an “itty, bitty bruise” on his pitching hand after barehanding a sharp comebacker yesterday. He's beating himself up for being “stupid,” but says his right hand feels OK. It wasn't really swollen, so the plan was for him to play catch today. Showalter said Hunter would get an X-Ray on the hand, but it seems like the Orioles dodged a bullet.

If you are looking for a little good Orioles' news, here you go. Closer Jim Johnson, who had been dealing with back issues, pitched in consecutive games for the first time this spring and looked pretty good. In fact, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it is the best he has looked this month. Johnson walked a batter, struck out one and got two groundouts. He threw 19 pitches, 10 for strikes, and his fastball was clocked at 94, 95 mph. “There was some unknown, he went through a little bit of an offseason that he has never done before,” Showalter said.

Closer Jim Johnson set another Orioles franchise record Friday, converting his 35th consecutive save in the regular season (14 this year, most in the American League). That dates back to July 27th last year against Oakland. That's a pretty impressive streak, eclipsing Randy Myers one of 34 straight saves in 1997. Johnson kicked Myers out of the club record book last year as well when he set a single-season franchise record with 51 saves in 2012. You can make the argument that Johnson's stability at the back of the bullpen may be the biggest key to the Orioles' run the past year-plus.

Each Wednesday, blogger Matt Vensel will highlight five statistics that really mean something for the Orioles. 2.41 -- Chris Tillman's ERA in his six road starts this season. Tillman picked up his sixth win of the season Sunday, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. It was yet another quality start for Tillman on the road. Tillman is 5-0 on the road this season with a 2.41 ERA. He has pitched at least five innings in each of those games, all Orioles victories.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez said there really is no time when it is not on his mind - even when he is on the mound, even when he is turning in what was arguably his best performance of the year in a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night. Sometime in the next week or so, the 29-year-old Gonzalez will become a father for the first time. Limiting Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and company to four hits, one walk and one run in eight standout innings pales comparatively.

The Orioles announced Thursday that first baseman Chris Davis has been selected as the AT&T Fans' Choice Bobblehead. The giveaway is scheduled for the Orioles' game against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, Sept. 29 during Fan Appreciation Weekend. The first 20,000 fans age 15 and older will receive a Davis bobblehead. For the second consecutive year, fans were able to vote for the player who they wanted to see as the bobblehead, and Davis was chosen over pitchers Wei-Yin Chen, Jason Hammel and Jim Johnson, and outfielder Nate McLouth.

HOUSTON -- An ESPN report Tuesday that roughly 20 major league players will be suspended for their involvement with performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Miami-based Biogenesis clinic scandal has been met with caution by Orioles officials. The suspensions could come within the next few weeks, according to ESPN, and executive vice president Dan Duquette said he'd be waiting to comment until all the information is out. “I think the commissioner's office worries about the larger issue of what's good for baseball, and they have spent a lot of time and resources investigating this particular situation,” Duquette said.

The clinic that Orioles right-hander Freddy Garcia put on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals wasn't one in power pitching, but it was effective nonetheless. After the Orioles and Nationals combined for 14 homers the previous two nights, the 36-year-old Garcia dominated Thursday's final meeting between the teams, a game that became an unlikely pitcher's duel. Anchored by Garcia's eight scoreless innings, the Orioles beat the Nationals, 2-0, in front of an announced 30,655 at Camden Yards.

The last time Orioles closer Jim Johnson had walked off the mound, it was after his fourth blown save in five opportunities Sunday, when was unable to preserve a three-run ninth-inning lead in a 6-5 walk-off loss to Toronto at Rogers Centre . But when Johnson took the mound in the ninth inning Wednesday night, he was greeted by a chorus of cheers and a loud ovation from the Camden Yards crowd. Minutes later, the right-hander shut the door on a 9-6 victory over the Washington Nationals with a quick, 11-pitch inning that ended with a three-pitch strikeout of second baseman Danny Espinosa for his 16th save of the season.

ARLINGTON, Texas - Jim Johnson is on the move. The new owner of the Orioles' record for saves in a season passes through the clubhouse with obvious intent, his eyes finding no others as he heads from one room to the next and - no doubt - some team-oriented task. Apparently, a closer's work is never done. It might be studying hitters on video or discussing some internal matter with manager Buck Showalter or maybe just doling out some fantasy football advice to one of his teammates.

The knee-jerk reaction to Jim Johnson's third straight blown save is to pull him from the closer's spot for now. I'm probably in the minority here. But I don't do it. And I know Orioles manager Buck Showalter won't do it. He said as much last night when we asked whether there he was absolutely going with Johnson in a save situation on Monday. “Yeah,” he said. “Come back tomorrow and watch it again.” Johnson saved 35 regular season games in a row before these three disasters.

At least for one night, all was right again in Birdland after Wednesday night's 9-6 comeback win over the Washington Nationals . No questions about whether the 22-year-old wunderkind right-hander is ready for the majors. No more piling on a struggling closer. No more concerns about the second base position. Not on Wednesday night. Instead, Orioles fans just sat back and enjoyed the fireworks. It's easy to do when you currently have the best power hitter in the game in Chris Davis, who recorded his fourth career multihomer game with four hits, two home runs and three RBIs.

Davey Johnson says he won't shave until his team's bats heat up. This promises not to be a good look. He may want to re-think that decision. The Washington manager is 70 years old and the Nationals show no signs of coming out of their hitting slump after their 6-2 loss to the Orioles Monday. And old guys with heavy whiskers can end up looking like derelicts or nutty-professor types, which is not exactly what you want to see from the guy who...