Josh Land

#IChallengeMax: Max Scherzer steps to plate for this season's Fan Challenge

June 27, 2016, 7:04am

Two no-hitters. A 20-strikeout game. Three All-Star Games. A Cy Young Award. OK, now that we've listed a few of his credentials, it's pretty obvious that you probably can't beat Max Scherzer in baseball. But you could beat him at something else. So prove it! The CareFirst Fan Challenge is back, and we want you to challenge Mad Max to ... anything! Think you can take him down in a game of cornhole or chess? Can you grill a better burger than him or make him say uncle following a round of...

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"MASN Nationals - 2016 Max Scherzer Fan Challenge": Official Contest Rules

June 27, 2016, 6:33am

Nationals

"MASN Nationals - 2016 Max Scherzer Fan Challenge" : Official Contest Rules NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL U.S. RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED. MUST BE 13 YEARS OF AGE AND...

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Marty Niland: With skid over, Nats can focus on winning habits

June 26, 2016, 7:19pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: With skid over, Nats can focus on winning habits

It's too early to say whether Tanner Roark's guile and Jayson Werth's guts actually saved the Nationals' 2016 season. But when they look back it all, their June 26 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers may be seen as an epiphany. For now, at least, the bleeding has stopped. In just a week's time, the Nationals had gone from the hottest team in the National League to the coldest, and this week's series with the New York Mets went from an opportunity to build a huge National League East lead...

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Orioles option LHP Ashur Tolliver to Triple-A Norfolk

June 26, 2016, 1:48pm

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned LHP Ashur Tolliver to Triple-A Norfolk following this afternoon's game. Tolliver, 28, went 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA (3 ER/4.2 IP) and five strikeouts in five games with the Orioles this season. He earned his first career Major League win on June 24 vs. Tampa Bay, tossing 0.2 scoreless inning.

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Andrew Stetka: Wieters producing, creating more questions for O's future

June 26, 2016, 1:43pm

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: Wieters producing, creating more questions for O's future

If you would've told me early last November that Matt Wieters would be playing at an All-Star level in 2016, I would have been mildly surprised. If you had told me he'd be doing it for the Orioles, I'd have been very surprised. I was in the camp that firmly believed Wieters would not be back in Baltimore this season, having taken his talents elsewhere in free agency. It's not that I didn't want Wieters back, but I just didn't think it was something the Orioles would be able to accomplish...

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Yard Work podcast: Episode 7

June 24, 2016, 7:55pm

Orioles

Happy Saturday, Orioles fans. Welcome to this week's edition of Yard Work. In this week's episode, Steve Melewski and I talk about the return of Manny Machado. Machado wrapped up his four-game suspension as a result of his actions in the Orioles' bench-clearing brawl back on June 7, and the Orioles posted a 2-2 record in his absence. The offense didn't seem to skip a beat, but having a guy who is hitting well above .300 return to action is never a bad thing. Meanwhile, both Yovani Gallardo...

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Patrick Reddington: Baker preaches understanding, not sympathy for struggling players

June 24, 2016, 5:24am

Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Baker preaches understanding, not sympathy for struggling players

Felipe Rivero's recent implosion in San Diego's Petco Park was the culmination of rough stretch for the 24-year-old reliever in which he gave up 10 hits, six walks and 14 runs, 13 earned in just 5 1/3 innings pitched. In what ended up a 7-3 loss to the Padres, Rivero took the mound with a 3-1 lead and gave up back-to-back singles, a walk and a two-run double to the first four batters he faced. An intentional walk loaded the bases back up, but Rivero got a weak grounder back to the mound for...

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Matthew Taylor: This year's O's squad reminiscent of 1996 team

June 24, 2016, 4:31am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: This year's O's squad reminiscent of 1996 team

The Orioles are marking the 20th anniversary of the team's first wild card entry into the playoffs by looking very much the part of that 1996 team in terms of their power at the plate as well as the struggles of their starting rotation. Two decades after winning in, spite of their pitching and slugging their way into the postseason, the Orioles are looking to repeat that effort this year. The good news is they're better positioned to do so now than they were back then. The Orioles' current...

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Opposite dugout: Brewers still searching for improvement in tough division

June 23, 2016, 12:12pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Brewers still searching for improvement in tough division

Manager: Craig Counsell (2nd season) Record: 32-40 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: LF Ryan Braun (.320 average, 12 HR, 38 RBIs); 1B Chris Carter (18 HR, 44 RBIs); SS Jonathan Villar (76 hits, 25 SB); C Jonathan Lucroy (.305 average, 74 hits); SP Junior Guerra (4-1, 3.67 ERA); CL Jeremy Jeffress (2.84 ERA, 19 saves). Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-4 in 2015) Pitching probables: June 24: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Zach Davies, 8:05 p.m., MASN2June 25: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Matt...

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Zach Wilt: The numbers show Schoop continuing to progress

June 23, 2016, 6:33am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: The numbers show Schoop continuing to progress

On April 30, Jonathan Schoop was hitting a lowly .218 after a week-long stretch in which he went 4-for-23. The first month of the season wasn't kind to the Orioles second baseman, as he had just eight extra-base hits in 82 plate appearances, a .679 OPS, and a .256 on-base percentage, the lowest of any qualified Orioles starter in April. Schoop has been a career .234/.269/.446 hitter in the first month of the season and his .220 batting average on balls in play this April was enough to know...

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David Huzzard: Nats bullpen needs fixing, but don't expect many changes soon

June 23, 2016, 6:19am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Nats bullpen needs fixing, but don't expect many changes soon

They are riding a five-game losing streak and in need of bullpen help. That is the current state of your Washington Nationals. A five-game losing streak is nothing to worry about. It happens. The fact that the Nationals have avoided a prolonged losing streak for this long is a miracle. It's the way the Nationals have been losing. Jonathan Papelbon wasn't the best closer, but the bullpen was built to have him as the closer. Shawn Kelley surpassed all expectations, but he works much better as...

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Charlie Fliegel: Roark remains underrated in Nationals rotation

June 22, 2016, 5:53am

Nationals

The season is nearly 45 percent complete, and the Nationals are leading their division by 4 1/2 games. Sure, the season is far from over, but they've got the fourth- best record in the league, and they look strong. Individual players that usually come to mind as the reasons for this are probably Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Wilson Ramos, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer. And those guys are a huge part of it. But there's one player who doesn't get enough credit for what he's done for this...

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Dillon Atkinson: O's not as defensively savvy as in years past

June 22, 2016, 5:29am

Orioles

Dillon Atkinson: O's not as defensively savvy as in years past

In 2013, the Orioles wanted to make defense a priority, ranking ninth in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved with plus-24 DRS, and third in Ultimate Zone Rating with plus-39.9 UZR. They kept the trend in 2014, in which the club recorded a plus-57 DRS, good for third in the major leagues, and plus-54.8 UZR, which was second-highest in the majors. However, in 2015, the club took steps in the wrong direction defensively, and has continued to do so in 2016. This year, the club ranks 20th in both DRS...

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Meet Adam Jones this Friday at Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant!

June 21, 2016, 5:48pm

Orioles

Meet Adam Jones this Friday at Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant!

Say cheese! We're giving fans the chance to meet Adam Jones and have your photo taken with him at Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant this Friday! This event is completely free, but you must be following us on Twitter to enter! We've released a virtual ticket on Twitter, and you must show it in order to get in line for the event. You can start to line up at 2:30 p.m., and the photo shoot kicks off at 3 p.m. The first 75 people in line at Dempsey's are guaranteed a FREE photo with Adam that...

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Ryan Romano: Tyler Wilson needs to improve his fastballs or changeup

June 21, 2016, 5:33am

Orioles

Ryan Romano: Tyler Wilson needs to improve his fastballs or changeup

Tyler Wilson has one great pitch, but the rest need work The Orioles direly need starting pitchers. Both Ubaldo Jimenez and Mike Wright have struggled as of late, and Yovani Gallardo's first start post-disabled list didn't inspire much confidence. Their play has inflated the rotation's ERA to 4.94, the fourth-highest in baseball. Amid this uncertainty, Wilson has done well enough, notching a 4.16 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 63 innings. That's happened on the back of one pitch in particular; his...

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Steve Mears: Looking at Nats' other options for replacement starter

June 21, 2016, 5:21am

Nationals

Steve Mears: Looking at Nats' other options for replacement starter

The Nationals got all the way to June 20 before they needed a sixth starter, as Stephen Strasburg was scratched from his start with an upper back strain and replaced by Yusmeiro Petit. The Nats were fortunate earlier in the season when Joe Ross had a blister and with days off they could skip his start. Not so lucky this time, and that begs the question as to who would be the Nats' replacement starter if they needed one again? Taylor Jordan is out for the season, and A.J. Cole is really the...

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Maryland's top high school athletes take part in Brooks Robinson All-Star Game

June 20, 2016, 12:36pm

Orioles

Maryland's top high school athletes take part in Brooks Robinson All-Star Game

Getting the chance to watch major league players show off their talent and try to capture a World Series championship is always something special. Time and time again, players who reach the pinnacle of baseball will talk about how fortunate they are to be some of the lucky few who were able to achieve their dream of not only playing in the majors, but winning a championship, too. But, like any player, his career had to start somewhere. For most, it began in the backyards or tee ball fields,...

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Marty Niland: Plenty of All-Star talent on this year's Nats roster

June 20, 2016, 5:06am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Plenty of All-Star talent on this year's Nats roster

Time is running out to cast All-Star ballots, and for the first time in several years, more than one member of the Nationals deserves consideration for a starting spot. The National League team has included two Nats in each of the last three seasons, as well as in 2005, the Nats' first season in Washington. In their breakout 2012 season, four Nationals were selected to the team. In every other season since moving from Montreal, the Nats have had the requisite one player on the squad. Only...

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Opposite dugout: Cubs are hot, but Rangers are scorching

June 20, 2016, 3:03am

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Cubs are hot, but Rangers are scorching

Manager: Jeff Banister (2nd season) Record: 45-25 Last 10 games: 8-2 Who to watch: CF Ian Desmond (.309 average, 85 hits); 2B Rougend Odor (13 HR, 34 RBIs); RF Nomar Mazara (.293 average, 11 HR); SP Cole Hamels (7-1, 2.88 ERA); SP Colby Lewis (6-0, 2.81 ERA); SP Derek Holland (5-5, 1.35 WHIP) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-1 Pitching probable: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. LHP Derek Holland, 8:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Rangers: It's easy for teams to think about the benefits of a game that gets rained...

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Yard Work podcast: Episode 6

June 18, 2016, 8:46am

Orioles

Hey, O's fans. Welcome to this week's episode of Yard Work. The Orioles returned from a seven-game road trip against the two teams on their heels in the American League East. And after dropping three of four against the Blue Jays and winning two of three against the Red Sox, the Orioles remained atop the division heading into the weekend, though both Boston and Toronto are still close behind. Steve Melewski and I recap the road trip and talk about what the Orioles need to do to stay in...