Mel Antonen

Kershaw probably won't pitch on short rest, but Dodgers skipper Roberts says there are "no absolutes"

October 08, 2016, 12:53pm

Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw went through his usual post-start workout Saturday at Nationals Park with no problems, but that doesn't increase the chances Kershaw will pitch on short rest in Game 4 of the National League Division Series in Los Angeles. "I just don't see it happening,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday after Game 2 was postponed until Sunday afternoon at 1:08 p.m. Of course, situations can change, especially if the Dodgers are down to the Nationals 2-1 in the...

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Strong effort by bullpen saves Kershaw after rare clunker in NLDS Game 1

October 07, 2016, 6:41pm

Nationals

Strong effort by bullpen saves Kershaw after rare clunker in NLDS Game 1

The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw turned in rare clunker of a pitching performance Friday night at Nationals Park. He allowed three runs for the first time since June 26. He threw 101 pitches in five innings, the first time he's been that inefficient in two seasons. Yet thanks to a steady stream of lockdown relief pitchers, the Dodgers beat the Nationals 4-3 and have a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five National League Division Series. "I felt like I had decent stuff, but I had to grind out...

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Some news and notes for this year's postseason

October 03, 2016, 5:41am

Nationals Orioles

Some news and notes for this year's postseason

Baseball's postseason has arrived. The over-riding theme is that every team is short of pitching, except the Chicago Cubs, winners of the National League Central and World Series favorites. They have the deepest rotation going in. Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks are NL Cy Young contenders. Jake Arrieta, though inconsistent since late June, is a force, and John Lackey, with a strong slider, is a big-game pitcher in October. Lackey and Lester are former Red Sox teammates that helped Boston beat...

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How the American League wild card race shapes up after Red Sox sweep Orioles

September 22, 2016, 6:50pm

Orioles

On Sept. 8, the Boston Red Sox led the Toronto Blue Jays by a game and the Orioles by two, setting up what appeared to be a three-team race in the American League East, the most intriguing in baseball. It didn't happen. Since then, the Red Sox have ripped through the AL East, building a lead and, after finishing a four-game sweep with a 5-3 win at Camden Yards Thursday, leaving the Orioles to battle for a wild card spot. With nine games remaining, the Orioles have pitching and hitting issues....

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Ortiz makes final stop at Camden Yards during regular season

September 22, 2016, 8:35am

Orioles

Ortiz makes final stop at Camden Yards during regular season

After 20 American League seasons, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz will play his final regular-season game tonight at Camden Yards. That's good news for the Orioles, considering Ortiz's 54 career home runs against Baltimore, third-most behind the Minnesota Twins' Harmon Killebrew (68) and the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (69). Ortiz has 30 home runs in Camden Yards. That's the third-highest total for him in a road ballpark. He's hit 41 in Toronto's Rogers Centre and 34 in Tampa Bay's...

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Thoughts on the Nats' final trip to Atlanta's Turner Field

September 16, 2016, 12:35pm

Nationals

Thoughts on the Nats' final trip to Atlanta's Turner Field

When the Nationals play a three-game series this weekend in Atlanta, it will be the last time they see Turner Field. Next season, the Braves will have a new home - SunTrust Park - in Cobb County, 12 miles northwest of the current yard. You're asking, "Didn't Turner Field just open?'' You're right, it did. But the Braves say that the ballpark is already in need of $300 million in renovations, so they prefer a new one. Turner Field hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics and was reconstructed into...

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Players hoping to give Baker first title as a manager

September 14, 2016, 12:50pm

Nationals

Players hoping to give Baker first title as a manager

Relief pitcher Matt Belisle gets a big smile on his face when he talks about the first time he saw manager Dusty Baker at Nationals spring training. It had been a while since Belisle and Baker had seen each other. "He said, 'Matt come on over here and let me give you a big hug,''' Belisle said. "He wants to know how everything's going. He checks in on the family and a few other things. Then, it is time to get down to business of playing baseball. That's Dusty.'' Baker, 66, after two...

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Looking at the four teams battling for the wild card in the National League

September 12, 2016, 6:35pm

Nationals

Looking at the four teams battling for the wild card in the National League

Barring a history-making collapse, the Nationals are going to clinch the National League East. The Chicago Cubs are dominating the NL Central. The Los Angeles Dodgers are leaders in the NL West, but the San Francisco Giants, despite a miserable record since the All-Star break, are hanging in there. The Dodgers and Giants play six games in the final days, likely meaning nothing will be settled until the final weekend when the Dodgers go to San Francisco. And while the American League wild-card...

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Who's contending and who's pretending in the American League races

September 12, 2016, 12:34pm

Orioles

Who's contending and who's pretending in the American League races

The American League East begins the week with four of its teams in contention for October. Starter Chris Tillman came off the disabled list Sunday and gave the Orioles a lift in a 3-1 road win over the Tigers. The Orioles won two of three from the Tigers in a key series. Tillman's timing couldn't have been better for the Orioles. Here's a look at other moves and players returning from injury that other teams hope will make a difference in the final weeks: Boston: Lefty starter David Price is...

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As season hits home stretch, answers to some pressing questions around the majors

September 06, 2016, 5:20am

Nationals Orioles

As season hits home stretch, answers to some pressing questions around the majors

With less than a month to go in the baseball season, here are the most-asked questions about September: Q: Which 2015 World Series team - the Royals or the Mets - has the best chance to return to the Fall Classic? A: Both are long shots to return to the World Series, but of the two, Kansas City has a better chance because of a deeper rotation and an airtight bullpen. The Mets, who had the fourth-best run production in the National League during August, have had rotation issues and their two...

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Taking a look at American League postseason contenders

August 30, 2016, 11:18am

Orioles

Taking a look at American League postseason contenders

As the final month of the season arrives, the Orioles' chances of winning the American League East amount to an uphill battle. The Orioles are trying to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in the division. All three teams have an ability to score runs, but the Blue Jays and Red Sox have more pitching, especially in the rotation. But, two teams can make the October postseason as wild cards. Here's what the Orioles are up against with the wild card contenders: BOSTON: After...

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Rookies can play an important role for contending teams during stretch run

August 20, 2016, 5:53pm

Nationals Orioles

Rookies can play an important role for contending teams during stretch run

Manny Machado will never forget the day that he heard about his promotion to the Orioles. It was Aug. 8, 2012. He was with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and getting off a bus at the team hotel after a game in Altoona, Pa. Machado had just signed an autograph for a young fan when Baysox manager Gary Kendall delivered the news in the lobby. "He said, 'I've got news for you. You better go back to the ballpark and get your stuff,' " Machado said. Machado asked if he was getting released. But...

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Zach Britton could walk away with Cy Young Award

August 19, 2016, 7:18am

Orioles

Zach Britton could walk away with Cy Young Award

Pitcher Zach Britton is focused on helping the Orioles win the American League East, but as he does, he's making a strong case to be the 10th closer to win a Cy Young Award. The last closer to win the award was Eric Gagne of the 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers. The last American League closer to do it was Oakland's Dennis Eckersley, who had 51 saves and a 1.91 ERA for the AL West champion Athletics in 1992. Britton, 28, has more dominating numbers than Eckersley, now a Hall of Famer. The last time...

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Expectations for Bundy have completely changed

August 17, 2016, 12:36pm

Orioles

Expectations for Bundy have completely changed

As the All-Star break approached, the Orioles' plan for Dylan Bundy hadn't changed from the spring: They wanted him to stay healthy for 70 relief innings and compete for a rotation spot next season. Now, that plan is history. Bundy has gone from making an occasional relief appearance to a starter whose electric fastball will be a factor in determining whether the Orioles win the American League East. Expectations have been high for the 24-year-old Bundy since the Orioles made him a...

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Multiple Nationals are staking claims for major NL awards

August 15, 2016, 12:51pm

Nationals

As the Nationals take aim at winning the National League East, they've got a chance at a repeat winner for NL MVP. And it is possible they could be the 19th team in baseball history to have teammates win the Cy Young and MVP awards in the same season. Could it be Daniel Murphy following Bryce Harper as the NL MVP, with either pitcher Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer winning the Cy Young? How about Wilson Ramos combining with either Strasburg or Scherzer? Any of those combinations are...

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Previewing how the NL postseason landscape is shaping up

August 08, 2016, 5:07am

Nationals

Previewing how the NL postseason landscape is shaping up

With less than a third of the season to go, the Nationals are putting it all together and sucking all the drama out of the race in the National League East. The Cubs, leaders in the NL Central who struggled before the All-Star break, have gotten their swagger back. The story line is different with the Giants, who lost their weekend series to the Nationals in D.C. and are having to do all they can to hold off the Dodgers in the NL West. They are 6-15 since the All-Star break, the worst record...

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Looking back on Britton's journey to the closer role

August 04, 2016, 5:18am

Orioles

Looking back on Britton's journey to the closer role

Closer Zach Britton's signature sinker came about by accident. As a 19-year-old starter for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds in 2007, Britton, along with pitching coach Calvin Maduro, was trying out grips that would help him develop a cut fastball. A cut fastball is a faster version of a slider, a pitch that breaks into right-handed batters. Only Britton couldn't get the ball to cut. Instead, his pitch was sinking. "It's definitely not what I had envisioned,'' Britton...

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Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline

August 02, 2016, 6:52am

Nationals Orioles

Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline

The Cleveland Indians acquired a game-changing lefty, Andrew Miller, for their bullpen and an outfielder with a dependable bat, Brandon Guyer. The Texas Rangers picked up Jeremy Jeffress, Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy. So as the non-waiver trade deadline rumors end and the dust settles, the Rangers and Indians are the most improved teams in baseball. A couple of months after the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship, the Indians are set to make a...

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Answering some questions as trade deadline nears

July 24, 2016, 1:12pm

Nationals Orioles

Answering some questions as trade deadline nears

As Sunday's trade deadline approaches, here are answers to the top questions in baseball: Question: Now that the Cubs have reportedly acquired lefty closer Aroldis Chapman in a trade from the Yankees, will that make them the odds-on favorite to be the National League champion, and what can the Nationals do to counter the move? Answer: Yes, at this point, the Cubs have the strongest bullpen in the league. If the Cubs and Nationals meet in the postseason, the Nationals' Bryce Harper is going to...

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Starting pitching a need? Join the club

July 11, 2016, 4:24am

Orioles

As the baseball season resumes, it's no secret what contending teams in the American League East need: Starting pitching. Toronto is getting things going. The Blue Jays' offense is exploding - even with Jose Bautista on the disabled list - and they have best rotation with the fewest questions, especially if Marcus Stroman, 25, has turned it around. Boston's best pitcher, David Price, had an inconsistent first half - good stuff, no execution - and the Red Sox rotation has no depth. The...