Josh Land

Zach Wilt: Jones' return a positive development for Orioles

June 02, 2017, 12:22pm

Orioles

For four long days, the Orioles were without their captain in center field and his absence was felt for all 96 hours. Adam Jones rested a sore ankle and hip for three games, then was scratched from Tuesday's lineup when rain was in the forecast. The O's went 1-3 in those contests and then welcomed back No. 10 with open arms on Thursday. It's hard to imagine the Orioles without Jones. It just doesn't feel natural. For the last decade, he's been the guy out there consistently day after day....

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Yard Work: Episode 7

June 01, 2017, 6:51am

Orioles

Hey, Orioles fans. Welcome to another installment of Yard Work. In this week's episode ... It seems obvious that the key to the Orioles' success this season lies in the hands of the Yard Work podcast. After all, scheduling conflicts forced us to miss an episode last week and since then, the Birds have taken a turn for the worse. In all seriousness, it was a rough end of May for the O's as they find themselves in third place heading into tonight's series opener against the Red Sox. Both the...

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Hang ten at Social Media Weekend, presented by Ocean City, Maryland

May 31, 2017, 4:58pm

Orioles

Hang ten at Social Media Weekend, presented by Ocean City, Maryland

Ride the wave to Social Media Weekend on Eutaw Street! Ocean City, Maryland is hosting Social Media Weekend at the MASN tent on Eutaw Street on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4. We're bringing the beach to you all weekend long with exclusive prizes and photos. Ocean City is hooking up fans with some great beach-themed gifts, including koozies and sunglasses. But don't forget the baseball prizes! (We are holding Social Media Weekend during a huge series against the Red Sox, of course!) Come...

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Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Curtain and The Mysterious Affair at Styles"

May 31, 2017, 2:12pm

Orioles

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "Curtain and The Mysterious Affair at Styles"

Sometimes one needs to read just for the joy of it all. Such is the love for Agatha Christie's works that have survived multitudinous changes in societies worldwide. The 1975 publication of Christie's "Curtain and The Mysterious Affair at Styles" is a combination of a beginning and an end. "Styles" was the first book she published and "Curtain" was the last of her works involving the investigating hero of so many of her fiction: Hercule Poirot. The story goes that her first work was the...

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Dillon Atkinson: Orioles need to be extremely active on summer trade market

May 31, 2017, 5:26am

Orioles

The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is two months away, and it will be the time of year where every baseball fan is refreshing his or her social media feed, waiting to see what blockbusters are going down around the league. The Orioles have made a few noteworthy moves prior to the non-waiver trade deadline in years past: They traded Eduardo Rodriguez to the Red Sox for Andrew Miller in 2014, sent Zach Davies to the Brewers for Gerado Parra in 2015, and dealt Jonah Heim to the Rays for Steve...

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Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

May 30, 2017, 4:24pm

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

Now is the time when the Nationals' minor league system starts to expand to its full complement of seven affiliates. It begins with the launch of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and the DSL Nationals this weekend. They'll be joined by the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League on June 19 and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and GCL Nationals a week later. Coverage in the DSL and GCL is nearly non-existent because of the timing (late-morning to noon...

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Marty Niland: Wounded warriors were part of 1945 contenders

May 29, 2017, 5:38am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Wounded warriors were part of 1945 contenders

During every game at Nationals Park, the Nationals and their fans pay tribute to members of the United States military who have recently returned from combat, some who were wounded in the line of duty. The fans seemed especially appreciative of World War II veterans in Sunday's pregame Memorial Day Tribute, giving them a rousing welcome. Imagine then, a Washington team where wounded service members were not only honored, but were an actual part of a ballclub that contended for a pennant....

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Opposite dugout: Yankees surging since last meeting with Orioles

May 28, 2017, 5:32pm

Orioles

Manager: Joe Girardi (10th season)Record: 29-18 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: RF Aaron Judge (.321 with 16 HR, 34 RBIs); 2B Starlin Castro (.325 with 10 2B, 62 hits); SS Didi Gregorius (.311 with 18 RBIs); RHP Luis Severino (3-2, 3.11 ERA); RHP Dellin Betances (3-1, 0.52 ERA). Season series vs. Orioles: 3-3 Pitching probables: Monday, May 29: LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. RHP Dylan Bundy, 1:05 p.m., MASNTuesday, May 30: RHP Luis Severino vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 7:05 p.m., MASNWednesday, May 31:...

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Zach Wilt: What's happened to the Orioles?

May 26, 2017, 5:39am

Orioles

It's been a tough stretch for the Orioles. They have lost 10 of their last 13 games and gone from a team that had a half-game lead in the American League East on May 14 to being 2 1/2 games back of the Yankees today. The way they have lost these games has been difficult to stomach. Seven of their last 10 losses have been by one run and they have seen some significant leads vanish throughout this span. They had a 5-0 lead against the Royals on May 14 and lost 9-8. The O's were up 5-0 and then...

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David Huzzard: A few thoughts on grit

May 26, 2017, 5:28am

Nationals

Grit is nothing that can be displayed on a baseball field. This is my belief; it is a debate we can have and it would probably be a long debate. Baseball is a game of skill, and in the course of a game of baseball, a player displays skills honed through years of practice. Grit is very much a part of the makeup of a baseball player, but it is never displayed on the baseball field. Girt manifests itself in the batting cage or weight room or on the practice field taking ground ball after ground...

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Dan Kolko takes over @masnNationals Instagram

May 25, 2017, 5:31pm

Nationals

Whether you know him as "MASN Dan" or "You go, Dan Kolko," you know that MASN on-field reporter Dan Kolko is always bringing you the latest Nats news and behind-the-scenes views. So, when we wanted to show our Instagram followers an insider look of the Nats at the brand-new SunTrust Park, we obviously knew where to turn! MASN Dan Takeover: @dankolko is taking over our Instagram today, live from SunTrust Park! Follow along in our stories and be sure to give him a follow: @dankolko...

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Dillon Atkinson: It's time to make a decision on Kim

May 24, 2017, 6:48am

Orioles

Dillon Atkinson: It's time to make a decision on Kim

If I told you that an Orioles left fielder slashed .302/.382/.420 with six home runs over 346 plate appearances in 2016, you would typically be wise to guess that the same player would not only be the starting left fielder for the Birds in 2017, but would also bat at or near the top of the order night in and night out. However, that hasn't been the case for Hyun Soo Kim. It hasn't really been Kim's fault that he hasn't gotten playing time. Right out of the gate, Orioles manager Buck...

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Luke Erickson: Mid-spring malaise in the minors

May 24, 2017, 6:05am

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Mid-spring malaise in the minors

While the parent club is in first place, albeit in the weakest division in the majors, things are not so good down on the farm. As noted last week, the bullpen woes in D.C. extend all the way down the ladder and three of the four affiliates are in last place in their divisions. In Syracuse, which finished with the second-worst record in Triple-A (61-82) last summer, the Chiefs are on pace to win less than 50 games this summer and are already 14 games behind before Memorial Day. Double-A...

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Andrew Stetka: Orioles may have to ride out Hardy's struggles

May 22, 2017, 7:44am

Orioles

We're nearly two months into the baseball season, at about the quarter-pole, and there is plenty to be thankful for as an Orioles fan. The Birds are right in the thick of things in the American League East, and despite some injury concerns, have performed above expectations thus far. But there's always something to complain about. There's always something that can be better. There's always someone who draws the ire of fans more than anyone else. This season, that person seems to be J.J....

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Marty Niland: Grind of next month will tell us a lot about Nats

May 22, 2017, 6:51am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Grind of next month will tell us a lot about Nats

The Nationals are most likely spending a good bit of quality time with their loved ones on Monday's off-day because they won't be seeing much of each other for the next month. Thanks to the rescheduling of the May 11 rainout against Baltimore, the Nats are scheduled to play every day from Tuesday through June 21. That's 29 straight days, easily their longest stretch of the season without an off-day, including the first of three West Coast road trips this season. This is also a time when fans...

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Opposite dugout: Despite curious stats, Twins atop AL Central

May 21, 2017, 6:30pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Despite curious stats, Twins atop AL Central

Manager: Paul Molitor (3rd season) Record: 22-18 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 3B Miguel SanÃ³ (.304 with 10 HR, 34 RBIs); 1B Joe Mauer (.262 with 18 runs, 34 RBIs); RF Max Kepler (.260 with 4 HR, 16 RBIs); RHP Ervin Santana (6-2, 2.07 ERA); RHP Brandon Kintzler (2-0, 1.89 ERA with 11 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (1-5 in 2016) Pitching probables: May 22: RHP Kyle Gibson vs. RHP Ubaldo JimÃ©nez, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 23: RHP Ervin Santana vs. RHP Dylan Bundy, 7:05 p.m.,...

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Zach Wilt: For Orioles, one is the loneliest number

May 19, 2017, 6:05am

Orioles

So this is what it feels like. The Orioles fell 6-5 to the Tigers yesterday. The loss concluded a 1-6 road trip in Washington, Kansas City, and Detroit, and became the O's sixth straight one-run loss. Those tight losses are something Orioles fans aren't accustomed to, Our club is typically on the winning end of tight games. Lately though, it seems like they have been unable to flip the script and are losing a lot of winnable games. A season ago, Baltimore was 21-16 in one-run games. Between...

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David Huzzard: In NL East, are Nationals battling themselves?

May 19, 2017, 5:51am

Nationals

It is still early in the baseball season and yet it feels like it is over. The Nationals are 10 games over .500, while the second-place Braves are six games under. The National League East is a weak division and the Nationals are a team built to contend while the Mets are hampered by extraordinary bad luck, the Marlins have zero identity and an uncertain future, and the Braves and Phillies are both rebuilding teams on the right track but a year or two away from contention. The Nationals are...

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Yard Work podcast: Episode 6

May 17, 2017, 6:47am

Orioles

Hey there, Orioles fans! Welcome to another edition of Yard Work. On this week's episode ... The Birds hit a bit of a rough patch, suffering a four-game losing streak and their first series sweep at the hands of the Royals. Oddly enough, all four losses came by just one run. Was there a key to coming up short? Steve Melewski and I will recap the week. One aspect you can certainly point to was Kevin Gausman's continued struggles on the mound in 2017. His start Sunday was disappointing,...

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Luke Erickson: Do Nats have bullpen arms ready on the farm?

May 16, 2017, 2:13pm

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Do Nats have bullpen arms ready on the farm?

It's never been lost on me that some folks are only interested in the Washington farm insofar as who can replace (fill in name of player struggling). These days, it's the Nationals bullpen where the firemen are bringing the gas and not the water, if you know what I mean. Before I go any further, let me be very plain: I believe the Tony La Russa-style bullpen with so-called roles is both overblown and overrated. I'm with Dick Radatz, who famously sneered, "Your job is to throw strikes when...