Josh Land

Dillon Atkinson: Who could return to next year's starting rotation?

September 20, 2017, 4:43am

Orioles

Dillon Atkinson: Who could return to next year's starting rotation?

As the 2017 season is winding down, what looked to be a fun race for the postseason is now a disappointing finish that came up short. This team has flaws. The offense is inconsistent, at times the defense is shaky and the bullpen, while being good overall, has let us down here and there. But you know exactly what I left out because it's the most obvious: the Orioles need better starting pitching. I know I don't even need to bring up any league-wide statistics to prove my point here. It's...

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Opposite dugout: Braves hoping to finish season on a high note

September 18, 2017, 3:49pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Braves hoping to finish season on a high note

Manager: Brian Snitker (2nd season) Record: 67-81 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.318 with 27 HR, 69 RBIs), CF Ender Inciarte (.305 with 190 hits, 23 2B), RF Nick Markakis (.276 with 150 hits, 36 2B), LHP Sean Newcomb (3-8, 2.73 ERA), RHP Arodys VizcaÃno (5-3, 11 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 8-8 Pitching probables: Sep. 19: RHP Max Scherzer vs. LHP Luiz Gohara, 7:35 p.m., MASN2Sep. 20: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Lucas Sims, 7:35 p.m., MASN2Sep. 21: RHP Tanner Roark...

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Andrew Stetka: O's gave it a run, but never had horses for postseason

September 18, 2017, 4:56am

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: O's gave it a run, but never had horses for postseason

For all intents and purposes, the 2017 Orioles season is over. We're probably a week or two late on declaring this. Some would say we are a month or two late. Sure, there are still games left on the schedule and baseball will be played over the final few weeks, but the Orioles as a team for this year are done. They were "done" multiple times since early July, when fans and media alike started to proclaim that it wasn't in the cards. This time, they finally are done. And if by some miracle,...

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Marty Niland: Let's keep Baker, the best Washington manager ever

September 18, 2017, 4:43am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Let's keep Baker, the best Washington manager ever

As the Nationals close out the regular season and prepare for the National League Division Series, the focus of fans' attention turns away from the players on the field and into the dugout and manager Dusty Baker. The 68-year-old skipper has already taken an injury-riddled squad through the gauntlet of a major league regular season to an unprecedented second straight division title, and now must keep his players sharp, yet healthy, as he guides them through the next two weeks. But he accepts...

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Gary Thorne hosting "Hide a Book Day" at Oriole Park on Sept. 18

September 16, 2017, 1:12pm

Orioles

Gary Thorne hosting "Hide a Book Day" at Oriole Park on Sept. 18

MASN broadcaster Gary Thorne may just be one of the most interesting men in the world. The longtime play-by-play man, who was recently inducted into the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame, is known for his illustrious sports broadcasting career. But beyond the box, there are so many other interesting facts about Thorne. Sit down and chat with him for a few minutes, and you'll learn so much about him, from the fact that he wanted to be an FBI agent to his journey in law school. However, his greatest...

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David Huzzard: Nats need not concern themselves with playoff matchups

September 15, 2017, 5:48am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Nats need not concern themselves with playoff matchups

There is going to be a side story to the Dodgers-Nationals series this weekend, and like many side stories, it is flat and pointless, a time-filler to help get to the end of the season. Kind of like my run on sentences. This story is not a tale as old as time but it is one that is asked all the time of fans, players, media and front office staff: Who would you rather play in the first round? The Cubs have suffered a World Series hangover and limped through the season, but still have Anthony...

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Zach Wilt: A look at the Orioles' home and road splits

September 14, 2017, 6:49pm

Orioles

It's almost time to put the 2017 major league regular season to rest. How does summer always go by so fast? Our Baltimore Orioles have just 15 games remaining and are sitting three games below .500 at 72-75 and 5 1/2 games back of a wild card spot. The O's have seen it all over the last six months. They dominated April with a 15-8 record and held on to first place in the American League East until May 20. They had losing months in May, June and July, then rejuvenated their playoff hopes by...

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Orioles announce fan appreciation weekend schedule

September 14, 2017, 11:42am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced plans for Fan Appreciation Weekend, which will be held Friday, September 22, through Sunday, September 24, when the Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays for the final four-game series of the 2017 regular season. The weekend will feature exclusive giveaways, fireworks, and other opportunities for fans to enjoy unforgettable experiences at Oriole Park. As a "thank you" to fans for their support throughout the season, the Orioles will surprise the most-spirited fans at...

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Opposite dugout: Division crown still within Yankees' grasp

September 13, 2017, 4:52pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Division crown still within Yankees' grasp

Manager: Joe Girardi (10th season) Record: 79-66 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: RF Aaron Judge (.273 with 41 HR, 90 RBIs), SS Didi Gregorius (.290 with 73 RBIs, 138 hits), LF Brett Gardner (.260 with 20 HR, 141 hits), LHP CC Sabathia (11-5, 3.85 ERA), LHP Aroldis Chapman (4-3, 18 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 9-6 Pitching probables: Sep. 14: LHP Wade Miley vs. RHP Masahiro Tanaka, 7:05 p.m., MASNSep. 15: RHP Jeremy Hellickson vs. RHP Luis Severino, 7:05 p.m., MASNSep. 16: RHP Ubaldo...

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Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Far and Away"

September 13, 2017, 1:02pm

Orioles

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Far and Away"

"Far and Away" by Andrew Solomon is a travelogue covering some 83 countries from every corner of the globe. It is not a travel guide. Each stop is its own story. Each stop is a moment to ponder. Solomon, an art historian and psychologist, seeks to find the world in the place where he currently stands. Trying to understand that place on this small planet may help explain a bigger world. Or the spot may just define that place. The book was written in 2016 of travels that covered two or three...

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Dillon Atkinson: With 17 games left, it's time to look to the future

September 13, 2017, 5:29am

Orioles

Dillon Atkinson: With 17 games left, it's time to look to the future

After losing their sixth consecutive game on Tuesday night, the Orioles are currently 71-74, in fourth place in the American League East and 4 1/2 games out of a wild card spot. If a 4 1/2-game deficit wasn't already enough to battle, it's worth noting the Orioles have six teams that they would have to hop over to get into the postseason. Playoff hopes are diminishing more and more each day. As we look ahead to the last 17 games of the 2017 season, it's time to start wondering when the...

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Marty Niland: Nats and their fans get the celebration they deserve

September 11, 2017, 6:33am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Nats and their fans get the celebration they deserve

We partied like it was 1933. For the first time in several generations, Washington baseball fans celebrated a championship the right way: on their home field after a win. It hadn't happened in Washington since Sept. 21, 1933, when the original Nats beat the St. Louis Browns 2-1 at Griffith Stadium. After Lefty Stewart tossed a complete game for his 15th win of the season, a team that included future Hall of Famers Joe Cronin, Goose Goslin, Heinie Manush and Sam Rice popped champagne to...

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Andrew Stetka: A nod to ESPN, and national coverage for O's

September 11, 2017, 6:17am

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: A nod to ESPN, and national coverage for O's

Many Orioles fans groan whenever the team plays a game on national television. It happens sparingly, but when the Birds get placed on a Saturday afternoon FOX telecast or ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" as they were this weekend, the performance isn't usually up to par. There's something about the bright lights of the national stage that seems to make the O's shrivel. This is, of course, just coincidence. There's not actually anything about the team's performance or lack thereof on...

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David Huzzard: Top three in rotation are undisputed advantage for Nats

September 08, 2017, 5:45am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Top three in rotation are undisputed advantage for Nats

2.19, 2.50, 2.78 - that isn't just a random collection of numbers, those are the ERAa of the Nationals' top three starting pitchers, Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg. Those three rank second, third and fourth in ERA and first and 11th in FIP (Strasburg and Scherzer are tied). Scherzer is the current front-runner for NL Cy Young with a healthy lead in all the categories the voters are going to look at. He has the second-best ERA in the league, the best FIP and WAR, leads in...

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Zach Wilt: Debating the Orioles' MVP

September 08, 2017, 5:33am

Orioles

Since Aug. 1, the Orioles are 20-15 and have outscored their opponents by 38 runs. This turnaround was not forecasted by many, as the Birds were a season-high seven games under .500 on July 16 and had slipped to 4 1/2 games back of a wild card at the end of the month. Their August turnaround came at the perfect time and would not have been possible without an incredible breakout performance by Manny Machado. Up to that point, it had been a hard-luck season for Machado. Entering July, Machado...

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Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Pictures at an Exhibition"

September 06, 2017, 2:05pm

Orioles

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Pictures at an Exhibition"

When the Germans invaded Paris during World War II, one of Hitler's objectives was to loot as much of the world's great art from museums and private collections as possible. Parisians stripped thousands of art works from their private and public places and hid them wherever they thought the Nazis might not find them. However, there were plenty of priceless pieces that were stolen, and some were never recovered. The basis of "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Sara Houghteling is the art dealer...

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Luke Erickson: Looking ahead to 2018

September 06, 2017, 5:23am

Nationals

While the parent Nationals have a little more than a month to go - six or seven weeks if they can advance to the National League Championship Series for the first time in franchise history - the season in the minors ends tomorrow. On a won-loss basis, 2017 was a disaster, nestled somewhere on the spectrum between "Ishtar" and Dan Snyder's tenure as an owner. Just two of the seven affiliates finished above .500, the rest finished (or will finish) in last place, lowlighted by the Syracuse...

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Opposite dugout: Marlins need a strong finish for chance at postseason

September 03, 2017, 9:13pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Marlins need a strong finish for chance at postseason

Manager: Don Mattingly (2nd season) Record: 67-69 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: RF Giancarlo Stanton (.285 average with 52 HR, 111 RBIs); LF Marcell Ozuna (.307 average with 32 HR, 107 RBIs); CF Christian Yelich (.288 average with 70 RBIs; 145 hits); LHP Adam Conley (6-6, 5.02 ERA); RHP AJ Ramos (3.63 ERA, 20 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 6-10 Pitching probables: Sep. 4: TBA vs. LHP Adam Conley; 7:10 p.m., MASNSep. 5: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Odrisamer Despaigne; 7:10 p.m.,...

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David Huzzard: Does Harper's absence create an opportunity?

September 01, 2017, 5:36am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Does Harper's absence create an opportunity?

Bryce Harper is the most important player to the Nationals' success, yet his absence creates an opportunity for the Nationals to find out if they really need him. Ask yourself: How good does a player have to be to be worth what Harper is going to command in free agency, and will Harper really command that much. The second part of that question is important because if the Nationals decide to offer Harper an extension this offseason, they need to be close to what he and his agent believe he is...

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Zach Wilt: Welcome to September baseball

August 31, 2017, 7:19pm

Orioles

Zach Wilt: Welcome to September baseball

Welcome to baseball season in September. Our Orioles had their season-high seven-game winning streak snapped last night and are currently sitting three games above .500. They wrapped up August as one of the hottest teams in baseball after having won three consecutive series, clicking on all cylinders. The playoff race is officially on, but where did this sudden surge come from? From June 11-Aug. 28, the the Orioles were unable to get over that pesky .500 threshold. They played 70 games of...