Josh Land

Marty Niland: Homestand for the ages shows Nats have character

August 25, 2014, 5:08am

Has there ever been a better time to be a Nationals fan? A team that some baseball experts called the biggest disappointment of the season just a few weeks ago now sits atop the National League after a 9-1 homestand for the ages - the most remarkable this team has seen since moving to town. This one wasn't quite as successful as the 12-1 run in 2005 that included the team's last 10-game winning streak. But it will take some doing to match the drama at Nationals Park in the past 10 days: five...

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Opposite dugout: Rotation has been key to Rays' renaissance

August 25, 2014, 4:10am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Rotation has been key to Rays' renaissance

Manager: Joe Maddon, ninth year Record: 64-66 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 3B Evan Longoria (.252/.323/.391, 21 doubles, 16 HR, 72 RBIs); RF Kevin Kiermaier (.275/.327/.482, 28 extra-base hits, 30 RBIs); RHP Alex Cobb (9-6, 3.01 ERA, 1.15 WHIP); RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 2.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) Season series vs. O's: 4-8, 41 runs scored, 52 runs against Pitching probables Aug. 25: Jake Odorizzi vs. Chris Tillman, 7 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 26: Alex Cobb vs. Wei-Yin Chen, 7 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug....

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Williams breaks down Nats' 14-6 win over Giants

August 24, 2014, 2:45pm

Nationals

Williams breaks down Nats' 14-6 win over Giants

In the fourth inning of the Nationals' finale against the Giants, the team was down 5-0 and held hitless. At that moment it was hard to predict what would happen. The Nats' bats broke out for 18 hits and scored 14 to runs to earn a series win over the Giants and finish their homestand 9-1. Stephen Strasburg was out after four innings and manager Matt Williams relied on his bullpen to complete the game. Here is what Williams told reporters following the Nats' win. On what comeback says...

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Nationals select contract of outfielder Nate Schierholtz, option Michael A. Taylor to Triple-A

August 23, 2014, 8:26am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today selected the contract of outfielder Nate Schierholtz, optioned outfielder Michael A. Taylor to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and placed outfielder Nate McLouth (right shoulder inflammation) on the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Schierholtz, a .254 career hitter (520-for-2050) with 117 doubles, 51 home runs and 224 RBI in 776 career games with the Cubs (2013 -...

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Opposite dugout: Up-and-down Giants heating up after latest slump

August 22, 2014, 7:18am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Up-and-down Giants heating up after latest slump

Manager: Bruce Bochy, eighth year Record: 67-59 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Michael Morse (.283/.339/.482, 29 doubles, 16 HR, 57 RBIs); RF Hunter Pence (.283/.335/.465, 26 doubles, 9 triples, 17 HR, 54 RBIs, 85 R); RHP Tim Hudson (8-9, 3.03 ERA, 1.18 WHIP); RHP Ryan Vogelsong (7-9, 3.73 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 1-3, 12 runs scored, 18 runs allowed Pitching probables Aug. 22: Tim Hudson vs. Doug Fister, 7 p.m., MASN HD Aug. 23: Tim Lincecum vs. Jordan Zimmermann, 4 p.m.,...

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Opposite dugout: Cubs throw familiar faces at O's in rare meeting at Wrigley

August 22, 2014, 5:04am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Cubs throw familiar faces at O's in rare meeting at Wrigley

Manager: Rick Renteria, first year Record: 55-72 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B Anthony Rizzo (.278/.377/.512, 21 doubles, 29 HR, 69 RBIs, 80 R); LF Chris Coghlan (.273/.345/.446, 29 extra-base hits, 23 RBIs); RHP Jake Arrieta (6-4, 2.61 ERA, 1.02 WHIP); RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-1, 1.48 ERA, 0.95 WHIP) Season series vs. O's (2013): Did not play Pitching probables Aug. 22: Jake Arrieta vs. Kevin Gausman, 2 p.m., MASN HD Aug. 23: Kyle Hendricks vs. Bud Norris, 2 p.m., MASN HD Aug. 24:...

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Matthew Taylor: Orioles' road attendance and why it matters

August 22, 2014, 4:54am

Orioles

I'm jealous of Orioles fans who are visiting Wrigley Field this weekend. I love Wrigley and wish that I had been able to make the trip out there. If the Baltimore chatter amounts to anything, there will be a lot of orange in them thar stands as fans take advantage of a golden opportunity to experience one of baseball's historic gems. The draw of Wrigley Field is obvious; you can understand why fans would make a weekend of it. Perhaps it's not only about the ballpark, though. O's fans seem...

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David Huzzard: Remembering the Nationals' 10-game winning streak in 2005

August 21, 2014, 5:56am

Nationals

With their 3-2 defeat of the Arizona Diamondbacks last evening, the Nationals became the second Nationals team to win nine games in a row. The 2009, 2011 and 2012 Nationals all won eight in a row, but only the 2005 team won as many as nine in a row when they won 10 in a row from June 2 to June 12. That Nationals team sat 2 1/2 games out of first place on June 2 and by the end of the streak had a 1 1/2-game lead in the division. The 2005 Nationals would hold onto first place all the way until...

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Zach Wilt: O's have ignored adversity and still thrived

August 20, 2014, 8:12pm

Orioles

Zach Wilt: O's have ignored adversity and still thrived

Let's be honest, the Orioles are running away with the American League East. A few years ago, I never thought I would get to say those words, but here in 2014, it's totally true. The O's are 21 games over .500 and have a nine-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays. Their postseason odds have now soared as high at 97.1 percent, according to Baseball Prospectus, with a 96 percent chance of winning the division. Baseball in October is almost a certainty in Baltimore this year. There's even a...

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Rachel Levitin: Nats handling Zimmerman's absence well

August 20, 2014, 4:38am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Nats handling Zimmerman's absence well

The Nationals are riding an eight-game winning streak with last night's 8-1 victory over the Diamondbacks in D.C. And while I wasn't going to bring it up until closer to the end of the season, I find it interesting to take a look at what's happened due to Ryan Zimmerman being sidelined for most of 2014. After breaking his thumb early in the season, Zimmerman missed 44 games. This allowed Anthony Rendon to move from starting at second base to his native third base, creating opportunities for...

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Daniel Clark: What stands between the Orioles and playoff success?

August 20, 2014, 4:30am

Orioles

Barring a complete meltdown in the remaining six weeks of the season, the Orioles look certain to make a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and will hope to do so by winning the American League East title for the first time since 1997. With just 38 games now remaining in the regular season, the O's hold an 8 1/2 game division lead and look forward to a favorable schedule over the next few weeks, which includes the completion of the current series against the White Sox, a...

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Dave Nichols: Walk-off wins spur talks of destiny, but Nats are plain old good

August 19, 2014, 5:06am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Walk-off wins spur talks of destiny, but Nats are plain old good

The Nationals have been involved in some crazy games the past few days. Like, nuts. Three walk-off wins in a row, back-to-back sweeps and a seven-game winning streak in total. It's enough for some to start believing in destiny. But don't let the gauzy, misty-eyed baseball romantics sucker you in though. This team is good. How good? Well for starters, let's look at the won-loss record. It doesn't get much simpler than that. The Nats currently have the highest winning percentage in the...

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Jon Shepherd: On horses, zebras and why projections matter (unless they don't)

August 18, 2014, 6:23am

Orioles

Jon Shepherd: On horses, zebras and why projections matter (unless they don't)

When I was earning my doctorate, a professor wished to explain the difference between us research-based toxicologists and the resident physicians who were sitting in on our lectures. She told us the difference between our groups is that physicians look for horses while researchers go on safari for zebras. What she meant was that for physicians to do the job they do, they need to diagnose based on what is most probable. For researchers, our own nature is to press the boundary and to find the...

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Opposite dugout: D-backs hope to turn rough August around in Washington

August 18, 2014, 5:53am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: D-backs hope to turn rough August around in Washington

Manager: Kirk Gibson, fifth year Record: 53-71 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: C Miguel Montero (.256/.339/.401, 20 doubles, 12 HR, 63 RBIs); 2B Aaron Hill (.245/.284/.376, 22 doubles, 10 HR, 55 RBIs); RHP Chase Anderson (7-4, 3.16 ERA, 1.30 WHIP); LHP Vidal Nuno (0-3, 3.92 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 1-2, 9 runs scored, 12 runs allowed Pitching probables Aug. 18: Vidal Nuno vs. Jordan Zimmermann, 7 p.m., MASN HD Aug. 19: Chase Anderson vs. Stephen Strasburg, 7 p.m., MASN HD Aug....

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Marty Niland: Exacting some revenge on Tigers, 34 years later

August 18, 2014, 5:49am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Exacting some revenge on Tigers, 34 years later

If Washington baseball fans know the value of anything, it's patience. Fans who were abandoned by two big league franchises and endured 34 years without a team of their own, then witnessed and seven seasons of futility, must feel thrilled to have the Nationals making a run for their second division title in three years. If that's not enough, the leader of this year's pitching staff, Doug Fister, who came in a trade from Detroit, is helping D.C. baseball lovers feel a measure of revenge for...

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Andrew Stetka: Who is the Least Valuable Oriole?

August 18, 2014, 5:36am

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: Who is the Least Valuable Oriole?

At the end of each season, members of the media who cover the Orioles on a regular basis will reflect on the campaign and turn in votes for the Most Valuable Oriole of the year. It's typically a pretty clear-cut race, but can provide some good debate among the masses. What normally isn't discussed is the opposite end of the spectrum. I can't for the life of me remember more discussion or chatter about who the "Least Valuable Oriole" would be than I've seen this season, and that's for a...

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Opposite dugout: Abreu, Sale give inconsistent White Sox two of AL's top players

August 18, 2014, 4:17am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Abreu, Sale give inconsistent White Sox two of AL's top players

Manager: Robin Ventura, third year Record: 59-65 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Jose Abreu (.305/.362/.596, 29 doubles, 31 HR, 89 RBIs); 3B Conor Gillaspie (.311/.363/.456, 29 doubles, 5 HR, 46 RBIs); LHP Chris Sale (10-2, 2.01 ERA, 0.89 WHIP); LHP Jose Quintana (6-9, 3.14 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) Season series vs. O's: 1-2, 12 runs scored, 13 runs against Pitching probables Aug. 18: Chris Sale vs. Bud Norris, 8 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 19: Jose Quintana vs. Chris Tillman, 8 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 20:...

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Ramos speaks about his walk-off on "amazing night" (plus Harper, Gonzalez quotes)

August 16, 2014, 7:30pm

Nationals

Ramos speaks about his walk-off on "amazing night" (plus Harper, Gonzalez quotes)

Held to no runs over the first seven frames and down 3-0, the Nationals were faced with the tough task of trying to mount a comeback against the Pirates. They delivered. In the eighth inning, the Nats pushed across three runs thanks to Kevin Frandsen's RBI single and Adam LaRoche's two-run homer. But the real fun came in the form of a walk-off victory an inning later when Wilson Ramos roped a ground-rule double that plated Bryce Harper and gave the Nats a 4-3 win. "The most important...

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Pirates take 3-0 lead in third (Nats walk off in ninth)

August 16, 2014, 4:04pm

Nationals

Pirates take 3-0 lead in third (Nats walk off in ninth)

The Nationals and Pirates starters were cruising though the first few innings before the Bucs opened things up in the third. Gio Gonzalez allowed two hits in the first two frames, but struggled in the third. After retiring pitcher Jeff Locke on strikes, Gonzalez allowed a single to Josh Harrison, and after retiring Gregory Polanco, a walk to Russell Martin. Starling Marte then doubled to plate the first run, and Gaby Sanchez followed with a two-run single. Pirates 3, Nats 0 Through three,...

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Williams addresses Werth's availability, Gonzalez's key to consistency

August 16, 2014, 2:31pm

Nationals

Williams addresses Werth's availability, Gonzalez's key to consistency

The Nationals are going for their fifth straight win, but once again, they'll take the field without July's National League Player of the Month, Jayson Werth. Werth, who has been out of the lineup since Aug. 10 with an AC joint sprain, could be available off the bench as early as tonight, depending on how his workout goes this afternoon at Nats Park. "He's going to do kind of a full load of activity today, so should take some BP, may not be on the field, probably in the cage," manager...