MASNsports.com is your online home for the latest Orioles and Nationals news, features, and commentary. And now, you can connect with MASN on every digital level. From web and social media to our new mobile alert service, MASN has got all the bases covered.
Get the latest breaking news direct to your phone with our mobile texting service.
Phillies fans have certainly earned the right to gloat at least a little bit over the success of their ballclub. They've won the last five National League East crowns, winning no less than 89 games in any of those seasons. So, go ahead and gloat - just try and do it with some sense of decorum. I wonder how many Phils fans know exactly how
My daughter Carrie graduated from Towson University yesterday. I know it's not a game-changing event for most of you, but to me it's a pretty big deal. She made it through in just eight semesters with a sparkling GPA and was honored a couple of weeks ago as one of the outstanding seniors in her department. I'm incredibly proud. The downside of yesterday's event was
In 1997, the Milwaukee Brewers finished 78-83, third in the American League Central. In 1998, the Brewers finished 74-88, fifth in the National League Central. The Brewers switched leagues in 1998 when Major League Baseball expanded from 28 to 30 teams. The prospect of having two 15-team leagues was apparently never discussed, despite the fact that interleague play had been introduced the previous year. Interleague
Does interleague play still float your boat? I wasn't a big fan of it when it began in 1997, but I was open-minded about it. Now in its 15th season, I tend to think it's run its course. The original scheme of playing the other league during the regular season was supposed to rotate every year, so every three seasons you would've played every team
The criteria for what constitutes inclement weather in baseball obviously has changed. There was a time not long ago when the rainstorm that turned Citi Field in New York into a quagmire Wednesday night would have resulted in a postponement, no questions asked. For a situation that involved two teams in the same division, the decision by umpires crew chief Bill Miller to keep playing
Hanging a No. 3 Nationals jersey in the dugout with Harmon Killebrew's name on the back was a nice gesture by the Nationals. Though he never played for the current franchise, Killebrew never missed an opportunity over the years to boost Washington, D.C., as a baseball city. He also became involved with the Loudoun Hounds, the new Atlantic League independent franchise that begins play in
You may have seen a transaction this week where the Phillies released righthanded pitcher Adrian Alaniz from their Single-A Florida State League affiliate. If the name sounds familiar, it's because Alaniz, 27, is a former eighth-round pick of the Nationals in 2007. In four minor league seasons - mostly in Single-A ball - Alaniz went 30-15 with an ERA under 3.50. The Nats released him
It's mid-May, and Bryce Harper is giving those South Atlantic League pitchers what-fer on a seemingly daily basis. A long hitting streak - with genuine run production - has Nats Nation in a sweat. Barely a day goes by without an email or two from some entirely well-meaning fan asking if the young man might get to Southeast D.C. more sooner than later. I wouldn't
Gregor Blanco is the newest National, acquired from the Royals on Sunday for a player to be named. Blanco is 27, is predominantly a center fielder who has strong defensive skills and a propensity for getting on base. His career big league OBP is .358; in all or part of nine minor league seasons it's .369. A lefty swinger, Blanco has no power to speak
It's a start. Whether it's "the" start of something remains to be seen. Beating Florida two straight at their place is quite an accomplishment, given that the Marlins are top five in the National League in runs scored, and Washington has had more than its share of scoring woes. Comparing club ERAs is a virtual wash between the Nationals and Marlins this year, but the
Do you think maybe the time has come to give a little credit to Steve McCatty? The recent losses to Philadelphia notwithstanding, the Nationals' string of consecutive five-inning-or-greater efforts by their starting pitchers continues, and the club ERA is still in the top 10 of Major League Baseball. C'mon, you've got to give it up to McCatty, who's obviously played some role in the success
Will this mad whirl ever cease? Sure, the Giants are struggling, but taking three-of-four from the reigning World Champs feels pretty good, no? The seemingly never-ending stretch of five-plus-inning starts by members of the Nationals' rotation is worthy of a lot more attention than it's actually getting. This is 2011 for cryin' out loud! Things like this aren't supposed to happen anymore! The cynics out
Ah, yes. The rectus abdominis muscle. Always a favorite of mine. Ryan Zimmerman's surgery this week on that particular part of his anatomy will take place in Philadelphia. I wouldn't worry about some fanatic Phillies fan showing up in scrubs that day in the ER; the surgeon who will perform the procedure is considered the best of that ilk, so Ryan will be in capable
