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Matthew Taylor: J. Johnson, Davis and O's still have something to play for

September 27, 2013, 4:38am

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: J. Johnson, Davis and O's still have something to play for

The Orioles and Red Sox wrap up the 2013 regular season with a three-game set at Camden Yards starting this evening. Both teams' regular season fates have been decided, but these remaining games aren't as meaningless as they might seem. (And I'm not talking about the opportunities that Chris Davis has to increase his team records for home runs and extra-base hits, although those matter, too.) With one win, the O's could earn consecutive season series victories against Boston for the first...

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Rachel Levitin: September subject to change

September 26, 2013, 5:00am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: September subject to change

The past three September in D.C. have felt completely different. September 2011 was a quiet time. The Nationals went 80-81 that year, which was an improvement on all the seasons prior. The 2012 season was the most successful season played by this incarnation of D.C. baseball since the Nats' inaugural year in 2005. Despite a short-lived playoff run, the Nats entered the offseason as National League East champions for the first time. And in 2013, well, high expectations were met with somewhat...

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Andrew Stetka: Even in postseason, the game comes first

September 25, 2013, 6:15pm

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: Even in postseason, the game comes first

With the Orioles officially eliminated from postseason contention, it comes as a surprise to some that the baseball playoffs will actually be watchable this October. Sure, it would have been great to see the O's back in the hunt for a World Series like in 2012, but playing five meaningless games at the end of the season sure beats playing 55 of them. I've always fancied myself a baseball fan that roots for the Orioles, not an O's fan that watches baseball. The game comes first for me....

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David Huzzard: As potential free agent, Yankees' Girardi a tempting option

September 25, 2013, 5:12am

Nationals

David Huzzard: As potential free agent, Yankees' Girardi a tempting option

This is a tale of two teams. One has an average age of 27.8 and the other 31.8. One has a solid young core composed of a 20-year-old former Rookie of the Year outfielder with back-to-back 20-homer seasons, a young pitching staff with three top-of-the rotation starters who are finishing the season with a 3.50 ERA or lower, a converted third baseman playing second who has slashed line drives all over the park since being recalled, and veterans in a third baseman that always seems to be an .800...

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Neal Shaffer: Finding positives among O's shortcomings

September 25, 2013, 4:55am

Orioles

Neal Shaffer: Finding positives among O's shortcomings

With last night's loss, the Orioles are officially out of the 2013 playoff picture. Would it be wrong to call that a relief? We've suspected this day was coming for a while. Last Friday's epic 18-inning loss to the Rays basically sealed the deal. That game had all the markings of a last stand and the Orioles, to their credit, did what they do: They fought hard. They simply didn't have an extra gear this time around. To finally know that they won't be revisiting the postseason is indeed...

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Zach Wilt: Already missing Machado

September 24, 2013, 6:38am

Orioles

There's no crying in baseball - unless, of course, you're an Orioles fan who watched Manny Machado go down Monday at Tropicana Field. Then crying is completely acceptable. I'm OK admitting that my eyes got a little misty as I watched the Birds' young phenom get carted off the field on a stretcher after twisting his leg on first base. I didn't take the injury well, I felt sick to my stomach watching the replays and sat in silence, unsure how I should react as the game continued. After it...

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Ted Leavengood: It all goes back to Zimmerman

September 24, 2013, 6:19am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: It all goes back to Zimmerman

There are landmark moments that stand like Mount Rushmore looking down upon the crowd of gameday events that have transpired since the first pitch was thrown out at RFK Stadium in 2005. There was Jayson Werth's walk-off home run to send the Nationals to a Game 5 in the 2012 National League Division Series, Stephen Strasburg's 14-strikeout debut in 2010 and maybe Bryce Harper's breakout game against the Phillies when he stole home. But the launch date for the current Nationals team happened...

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Domenic Vadala: Last hurrah for Roberts?

September 23, 2013, 6:19am

Orioles

Domenic Vadala: Last hurrah for Roberts?

While the Orioles are still mathematically in contention, I think it's fair to say that their postseason chances have taken a serious hit this past weekend against Tampa Bay. On a side note - and this is something on which I'll spend some time this off season on Birds Watcher - I don't feel that the 2013 Orioles were any worse off than the 2012 team. But I think that a lot of the competition around the Orioles - such as Boston, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay - simply got better. If, in fact, this...

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Dave Nichols: Disappointing campaign ends on hopeful note

September 23, 2013, 6:08am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Disappointing campaign ends on hopeful note

Well, here we are. The final week of the 2013 regular season. It's been a fascinating but ultimately disappointing season. Unless the Nationals manage to win out this week and get an extraordinarily well-timed losing streak by either the Reds or Pirates, the Nats' season will come to an end without reaching the playoffs. It's funny, if the Nats had finished a couple of games out of the playoffs last season as they will this one, it would not have been particularly disappointing. Rather,...

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Matthew Taylor: Memories made in Boston and beyond

September 19, 2013, 7:07pm

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: Memories made in Boston and beyond

The Orioles' final trip to Fenway Park is in the history books. Those history books already contain several big moments with ties to the current season that occurred on this day. Sept. 20, 2011: The 63-90 Orioles defeat the 88-67 Red Sox by a score of 7-5 as part of a four-game series at Fenway Park. Starter and former Oriole Erik Bedard goes 2 2/3 innings for Boston. Fellow former Oriole Matt Albers provides an inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts. Robert Andino's eighth-inning,...

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Rachel Levitin: September baseball is family time

September 19, 2013, 5:21am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: September baseball is family time

For just a few minutes (or at least while you read this blog post) let's try and forget that the openly-hyped 2013 Nationals are 5 1/2 games behind the Reds for the second National League wild card. Instead, I'd like to give my two cents on September baseball. It's the end of summer and the start of the school year come September. Fall is here, even in D.C., and the conversation I had with my buddy Tom on Tuesday helped cement in my mind something that I've already felt to be true for...

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Andrew Stetka: A look ahead to the O's 2014 rotation

September 19, 2013, 5:09am

Orioles

Andrew Stetka: A look ahead to the O's 2014 rotation

Even though the 2013 regular season is still a little over a week away from its conclusion, it's not too early to start looking forward to the 2014 campaign and what lies ahead. There's always lots of speculation about the construction of a team's 25-man roster and the Orioles will be no different. The difference for the Birds going into next season is that most of their roster will likely be set. Starting position players are mostly under contract aside from second base and left field....

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David Huzzard: The Nationals' place in D.C. baseball history

September 18, 2013, 5:27am

Nationals

According to the modern baseball catalog of knowledge, Baseball Reference, the official major league history of Washington baseball began in 1884 with the Washington Nationals and the Washington Statesmen playing that season. The Nationals finished with a record of 47-65 and the Statesmen were 12-51. That would turn out to be a fitting beginning to Washington baseball history. There would be two more defunct franchises and neither of them would have a winning season, and then in 1901 Ban...

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Neal Shaffer: Correcting the course

September 18, 2013, 5:13am

Orioles

The Orioles beat the Red Sox last night and it's worth noting. The win raises the 2013 record against their hated rivals to 8-6, meaning they've got a good shot at winning the season series. Given that the Sox are running away with the division, that counts for something. The win also leaves the O's just two games back of both Tampa Bay and Cleveland for a wild card berth. That, I suppose, also counts for something. Nothing's decided yet. I remain, despite this, mostly (and...

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Zach Wilt: O's playoff fortunes are in their own hands

September 17, 2013, 6:24am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: O's playoff fortunes are in their own hands

Could there possibly be a better slogan for the Orioles right now than "Buckle Back Up"? If there is, I can't think of one. The O's are in the driver's seat with 13 games remaining in the 2013 season. They're currently two games back of the second wild card spot and tonight they open up a seven game road trip with three in Fenway Park against the firs- place Red Sox and four in St. Petersburg, Fla., against the wild card hopeful Rays. Yeah, "Buckle Back Up." Hopefully, you're strapped...

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Ted Leavengood: Keeping our Navy Yard neighbors in our prayers

September 17, 2013, 5:44am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: Keeping our Navy Yard neighbors in our prayers

Events like those that transpired at the Navy Yard yesterday seem to plague our country with disturbing frequency. It is unfortunate that they happen at all, or that they happen in any neighborhood or any work place. But they came home yesterday to the Navy Yard, part of the neighborhood around Nationals Park. The most exciting thing happening Monday should have been the Braves series about to begin, but unspeakable tragedy intervened. The Navy Yard begins just across 1st Street from Nationals...

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Dave Nichols: No room for error

September 16, 2013, 4:54am

Nationals

It's come to this for the Nationals. They have 13 games to play in the regular season and trail the Reds by 4 1/2 games for the final wild card spot. They are close enough to taste it, yet still far enough out that they aren't much more than a mathematical possibility at this point. It's excruciating to think that if the Nats had managed to play the Braves evenly this season, this would be a completely different discussion. The Nats are 4-12 against the Braves. If they'd gone 8-8, well,...

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Domenic Vadala: Defining success and failure

September 15, 2013, 1:39pm

Orioles

Domenic Vadala: Defining success and failure

I live tweet every Orioles game for Birds Watcher, and I monitor Twitter for all things Orioles on a daily basis. (If you're not into Twitter, I highly recommend it.) One thing I gather from seeing the opinions of some Orioles fans is that this season is a complete and utter failure if the team doesn't qualify for the postseason. In a way, I can understand those sentiments on the part of fans, as Baltimore got a reminder of what meaningful late-season and postseason games were like last...

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Matthew Taylor: After excruciating loss, remembering better times

September 12, 2013, 7:54pm

Orioles

Matthew Taylor: After excruciating loss, remembering better times

The Orioles won't win the division this year, but on this day in 1969, they clinched the first American League East title. After a loss to Washington by the defending World Series champion Detroit Tigers gave them the division, the O's went out and beat Cleveland 10-5 for good measure, their seventh win in what would become a season-best eight-game winning streak. The win extended the O's division lead to 18 1/2 with 17 games remaining. Baseball had no divisions - only a 10-team AL and a...

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Rachel Levitin: Is it too little too late for the Nats?

September 12, 2013, 5:14am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Is it too little too late for the Nats?

The Nationals are now six games back in the wild card chase behind Cincinnati with 17 games left on the schedule. This is after Wednesday night's 3-0 victory against the New York Mets in which Washington notched its fifth consecutive victory. It's like MASN's Dan Kolko said yesterday: finally, it's all clicking. But is it too late? That's the question facing the Nationals. Offense has been an ongoing issue for Washington throughout the season. Batting coach Rick Eckstein was let go,...