PITTSBURGH – Davey Martinez has been talking about “the little things” since joining the Nationals in 2018. It’s a common refrain from the fifth-year manager, highlighting the importance of all those small, mundane moments during the course of a ballgame that actually make a difference in the final outcome. And there were several little things duri

A hitting philosophy can be created and shared at every level of the organization, from the lowest rungs of the system to the major league team. Coaches and instructors trained in it arriving in waves. Out with the old, in with the new breed that’s lauded as progressive and innovative. Swing decisions are the foundation. The plan crumbles if player

The Orioles and New York Yankees have exchanged wins at Camden Yards this weekend. The Orioles won 2-1 in 11 innings Friday night in a four hour, 15-minute game. And the Yankees won 5-2 last night in a game twice delayed by rain. The Orioles (2-6) continue to struggle to produce offense. They have scored two runs or fewer six times in eight games a

The Orioles are figuring out exactly what they have in Tyler Wells beyond a pitcher who should succeed at this level. They need to know how he’s going to do it. Not the method, but his role. The short reliever is now a starter on a short leash, working in a tandem role that isn’t likely to change in 2022. The Orioles are controlling his innings to

O’s left-hander Keegan Akin had a poor spring training, but when the bell rang and he was on the Orioles' opening day roster, things quickly took a turn for the better. So I had a simple question for Akin earlier on this homestand: What happened? What made the difference between his previous struggles and his throwing so well in his first two games

PITTSBURGH – The Nationals had more than their share of opportunities to deliver hits in big spots tonight during a 6-4 loss to the Pirates. The story of this game can be told in the simple fact they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and one of the hits came in the top of the ninth while trailing by three runs. What will be remembered

PITTSBURGH – Aníbal Sánchez’s neck has healed enough to allow him to begin throwing again, but the veteran right-hander is going to need some time now to build himself back up before he’s ready to pitch for the Nationals. Sánchez played catch Friday for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list with a cervical nerve impingement, and m

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he has a few ideas for Tuesday night’s starter in Oakland, but he isn’t ready to disclose them. He doesn’t know whether John Means will start again in 2022. The rotation wasn’t going to stay in its break-camp form throughout the summer, but Hyde didn’t think the adjustments would come so quickly. Spenser Watkins is

The Orioles won their series opener on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers. But they lost the next two games to lose that series. They won the series opener at Camden Yards last night against the New York Yankees and now need one win the next two days to win their first series of 2022. For the fourth straight game, there was a low-scoring contest

PITTSBURGH – The weather has taken a major turn for the worse here over the last 24 hours. It’s been cold and rainy all day, miserable weather for baseball. The good news, however, is that it’s supposed to clear out before first pitch tonight. It’s still not going to be very pleasant conditions when the Nationals and Pirates play the third game of