Josh Land

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die"

April 11, 2015, 7:09pm

Orioles

Quite simply, "100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die" is a must-read for Orioles fans and for those who just love good baseball stories. This is part of a series of books on sports teams by writers from various major league cities. Connolly, the national baseball writer and Orioles reporter for The Baltimore Sun, seeks to recap the history of the franchise, highlight major and minor figures in Orioles history, and recite some of the best Orioles stories. He does so with...

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Phillies walk off Nationals for 3-2 win in 10 innings

April 11, 2015, 4:18pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals put back-to-back runners on base in the first inning when third baseman Yunel Escobar singled and right fielder Bryce Harper walked with one out. But Phillies starter Cole Hamels was able to get first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Wilson Ramos Ramos to ground out, leaving the Nats with yet another scoring opportunity squandered. The Nats have had runners on base in the first inning of each of the first five games and have left seven of them on base. They have...

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Williams says Werth could return Monday

April 11, 2015, 2:08pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth played both games of a doubleheader for Single-A Potomac this afternoon. The 35-year-old was 1-for-4 with a home run, a strikeout and two walks over the two seven-inning contests. He played left in the first game and served as the designated hitter in the second. Werth is eligible to come off the disabled list today and has maintained since his January right shoulder surgery that it was his goal to return by the Nationals' third series of the...

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Williams gives Espinosa, Johnson first starts (with lineups)

April 11, 2015, 11:38am

Nationals

Williams gives Espinosa, Johnson first starts (with lineups)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals send tall righty Doug Fister to the mound tonight to try to stop a two-game losing streak. Fister is coming off a questionable spring training, where he allowed an uncharacteristic seven homers en route to a 5.96 ERA in 22 2/3 innings. The Phillies will counter with three-time All-Star Cole Hamels. He took the loss on opening day allowing four runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks against the Red Sox. Nationals manager Matt Williams will give second...

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Matt Williams on Danny Espinosa, Nats bench

April 10, 2015, 11:22pm

Nationals

Matt Williams on Danny Espinosa, Nats bench

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals are just four games into the season and already there are concerns about the team's inability to score runs. They've only managed to cross the plate seven times in the first four contests after scoring just nine runs in the 45 innings played in last October's National League Division Series. Nationals manager Matt Williams has undoubtedly been forced to experiment with unfamiliar lineups as well as shifting infielders around. The question is whether those on the...

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Struggling offense to blame for early-season woes

April 10, 2015, 7:46pm

Nationals

Struggling offense to blame for early-season woes

PHILADELPHIA - Nats starter Gio Gonzalez was cruising through six scoreless innings when he suddenly lost his command with one out in the seventh. Back-to-back walks and a hit batter loaded the bases and forced Nationals manager Matt Williams to the mound to end Gonzalez's night. Williams seemed baffled after the game at how quickly the storyline changed for Gonzalez. "I don't know," said Williams. "He lost the strike zone. He still hadn't given up a run. He walked two guys and hit a guy...

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Walks, hit batters create problems for Gonzalez, Nats (Phillies win 4-1)

April 10, 2015, 3:34pm

Nationals

Walks, hit batters create problems for Gonzalez, Nats (Phillies win 4-1)

PHILADELPHIA - Center fielder Michael A. Taylor wasted no time putting the Nationals on the scoreboard with a leadoff homer against Phillies starter Jerome Williams. It's Taylor's first bomb of the year, coming off a spring where he led the Nats in home runs with four, two of which came to start games. Taylor's homer lifts his early average to .357 with a double and three RBIs. Right fielder Bryce Harper and catcher Wilson Ramos also singled in the first leaving the Nats with runners at the...

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Williams on Werth's potential return with updates on Span and Rendon

April 10, 2015, 2:09pm

Nationals

Williams on Werth's potential return with updates on Span and Rendon

PHILADELPHIA - Left fielder Jayson Werth was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a walk in his first minor league rehab assignment. He played seven innings for Single-A Potomac last night and is planning to ramp it up to nine tonight, weather permitting. Nationals manager Matt Williams said Potomac will play a doubleheader tomorrow if rain cancels tonight's contest and Werth would play the first game and potentially take a couple of at-bats in the second. Werth is eligible to come off the disabled...

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A healthy Gio Gonzalez gets his first shot (with lineups)

April 10, 2015, 12:01pm

Nationals

A healthy Gio Gonzalez gets his first shot (with lineups)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals send lefty Gio Gonzalez to the hill in tonight's series opener against the Phillies. Gonzalez was sharp throughout the spring, allowing just six runs in 19 1/3 innings, with 19 strikeouts. He appears to be fully recovered from the left shoulder soreness which bothered him for much of last year. For the Nationals: CF Michael A. Taylor 3B Yunel Escobar RF Bryce Harper 1B Ryan Zimmerman C Wilson Ramos SS Ian Desmond 2B Dan Uggla LF Tyler Moore LHP Gio Gonzalez For...

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Opposite dugout: Phillies in rebuilding mode as they meet Nats for first time in '15

April 10, 2015, 7:30am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Phillies in rebuilding mode as they meet Nats for first time in '15

Manager: Ryne Sandberg, third year Record: 1-2 Last 10 games: 1-2 Who to watch: C Carlos Ruiz (.375/.583/.375, 0 XBH, 0 RBIs); RF Jeff Francoeur (.222/.222/.556, 1 HR, 3 RBIs); LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP); RHP Jerome Williams (4-2, 2.83 ERA, 1.134 WHIP in 2014) Season series vs. Nats (2014): 10-9, 70 runs scored, 84 runs allowed Pitching probables April 10: RHP Jerome Williams vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7 p.m., MASN2 April 11: LHP Cole Hamels vs. RHP Doug Fister, 7 p.m., MASN2 April...

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Patrick Reddington: Bryce Harper is still learning, and that should scare opponents

April 10, 2015, 5:33am

Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Bryce Harper is still learning, and that should scare opponents

As Mike Rizzo explained this winter, the decision to move Bryce Harper to right field and Jayson Werth to left field served two purposes. One, Werth could "save his legs" with less ground to cover in left, which Rizzo explained would lead to less wear in the short and long-term for the 35-year-old outfielder. With Harper in right, the Nationals general manager said the team has younger legs capable of covering more ground, and a cannon of an arm that could seriously dissuade opposing teams...

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Opposite dugout: Blue Jays bring mix of potent bats, solid pitching to first meeting with O's

April 10, 2015, 5:06am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Blue Jays bring mix of potent bats, solid pitching to first meeting with O's

Manager: John Gibbons, third year Record: 2-1 Last 10 games: 2-1 Who to watch: DH Edwin Encarnacion (.417/.417/.917, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 R); 3B Josh Donaldson (.182/.250/.182, 0 HR, 0 RBIs); LHP Mark Buehrle (13-10, 3.39 ERA, 1.356 WHIP in 2014); RHP Drew Hutchison (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.833 WHIP in 2014) Season series vs. O's (2014): 8-11, 70 runs scored, 74 runs allowed Pitching probables April 10: LHP Mark Buehrle vs. RHP Bud Norris, 3 p.m., MASN April 11: RHP Aaron Sanchez vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, 7...

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More on Bryce Harper, Ian Desmond and Tanner Roark's role

April 10, 2015, 5:03am

Nationals

More on Bryce Harper, Ian Desmond and Tanner Roark's role

It was a tough matinee for right fielder Bryce Harper in the series finale yesterday. A day after being praised for his patience at the plate, Harper fanned three straight times with wild cuts at Mets starter Matt Harvey's high heat. "He swung at some balls out of the strike zone," said Nationals manager Matt Williams. "The strikeouts were balls up in the zone. With Matt, that ball comes in there pretty quickly. One of the keys against him is to make sure we swing at strikes. He got Harp a...

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Matthew Taylor: The Blue Jays weren't always a familiar opponent in Baltimore

April 10, 2015, 4:45am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: The Blue Jays weren't always a familiar opponent in Baltimore

The Orioles welcome a familiar opponent to Camden Yards for opening day. This will be the first of 19 games the O's play against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, who are looking to break the longest playoff drought in the majors at 21 seasons. Whether it's the Dan Duquette saga from this past offseason, the "Cito Sucks" memories from the 1993 All-Star Game in Baltimore, or the pain of the 1989 season when Toronto provided the unfortunate answer to the question, "Why Not?," O's fans...

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Miscues, lack of offense haunt Nats in season's first series

April 09, 2015, 1:47pm

Nationals

Miscues, lack of offense haunt Nats in season's first series

The Nationals were overwhelmed by Mets starter Matt Harvey in today's 6-3 loss. Pitching for the first time in a regular season game since Tommy John surgery in October 2013, Harvey struck out half the batters he faced. Nats right fielder Bryce Harper was a victim three times while violently hacking at 97 mph fastballs high and away in each at-bat for third strikes. "He's tough out there," said Harper. "I keep saying it, I've said it a million times, he's gonna be Cy Young (winner) one...

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Harvey steals spotlight in matchup with Strasburg (Mets win 6-3)

April 09, 2015, 10:33am

Nationals

Harvey steals spotlight in matchup with Strasburg (Mets win 6-3)

For the third time in this series, an error by Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond has led to runs for the Mets. With one out in the third and Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson on first base, third baseman David Wright hit a tailor-made double play grounder right at Desmond. He misplayed the hop and by the time he was able to gather and throw to first, it was too late and both runners were safe. Then the wheels fell off. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg missed on a curveball inside that struck...

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Strasburg vs. Harvey is league's marquee pitching matchup today (with lineups)

April 09, 2015, 7:37am

Nationals

Strasburg vs. Harvey is league's marquee pitching matchup today (with lineups)

Buckle up for the marquee pitching matchup today at Nationals Park between two power pitchers that can pump it in there in the mid-to-high 90s. Nationals manager Matt Williams sends right-hander Stephen Strasburg to the mound, while Mets manager Terry Collins trots fireballer Matt Harvey to the hill for his first start regular season start since Tommy John surgery. "High-powered arms that have come back successfully from a really serious surgery," said Williams. "It's good. Matt's one of...

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David Huzzard: Baseball is a simple game ...

April 09, 2015, 5:37am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Baseball is a simple game ...

I'm certain that you've heard the saying that baseball is a simple game a number of times in your life as a sports fan. But a startling number of people don't seem to understand how simple it is. Broadcasters and hot-take journalists are always talking about players knowing or not knowing how to win. The highest level of baseball I played was t-ball, and even as a wee lad, I knew how to win. Baseball is not complicated in this regard and it is, in fact, one of the things that make it the...

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Zach Wilt: Early returns on De Aza as leadoff hitter are promising

April 09, 2015, 5:18am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: Early returns on De Aza as leadoff hitter are promising

The 1972 Dolphins can breathe easy. The Orioles aren't going 162-0. A 161-1 record still is a possibility, however. In case you are curious, that would be a .994 winning percentage. After three games, the O's are on pace to finish 108-54 and, as you'd expect, that would win the American League East. Travis Snider is on pace for 216 hits, while Steve Pearce will lead the club (and likely the majors) with 108 home runs. Aren't small sample sizes fun? Our beloved Birds wrapped up the first...

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Bryce Harper's impact is felt early

April 09, 2015, 4:23am

Nationals

It's been an active beginning to the early season for Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper. The 22-year-old added two more hits last night, and is now 4-for-7 with a home run and an RBI through two games. "I feel good up there," said Harper. "I just want to stay in that same zone. Just in that same feeling, not get too quick, try to have good at-bats and see where it gets me." Harper has worked on a patient approach at the plate. On Monday, he admitted to being too amped up when he struck...