If you're among those who are missing Nationals baseball - and since the game is the sole focus of our website, we're guessing that's pretty much all of you are - MASN has a brief respite from the coronavirus gloom and doom. "Kolko & Friends," presented by Budweiser and featuring "Nats Xtra" host Dan Kolko, will air tonight at 7 p.m. on MASN. Additionally, "Kolko & Friends" will stream on Facebook Live, YouTube and nationals.com. So if you're away from your television this...

As part of the club's ongoing efforts to serve and strengthen the community during the current pandemic, the Orioles announced today that they have partnered with the American Red Cross, Budweiser, and the University of Maryland Medical System to host a blood drive at Oriole Park on Saturday, May 23, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET. All fans who donate blood will receive two free ticket vouchers redeemable for a future Orioles home game in 2020 or 2021. Donors can enter the ballpark at the Home...

The conclusion of "The Last Dance" 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan is going to leave a big void in my television viewing. It was must-see programming with its behind-the scenes access. Perhaps ESPN could milk it a little bit more and give us "Jordan: The Wizards Years." I'll admit that I initially thought 10 parts might be excessive. Once again, I was wrong. Is there anyone else who could hold my interest in a 10-parter, assuming that it's done as well as the Jordan documentary? *...

One of the great things about a baseball game is that different people can watch the same contest and be entertained in multiple ways. All depends on what part of the game you like the most. With that in mind, this week's list of "Orioles Classics" on MASN contains a little something for everyone. You like offense? Well, we've got bunches of home runs and crooked numbers. How about games in which the Orioles slugged six, seven and five round-trippers? You like history? Then the final game...

Defense and speed are cornerstones of good teams, and they were important parts why the Nationals were so good in 2019. The Nats outfield was the best in baseball, based in Runs Prevented (26) and Outs Above Average (29) last season during their run to a first World Series title for the franchise. This combined total of 55 beat out the Houston Astros for the top spot by a wide margin. Houston had 12 Runs Prevented and 14 Outs Above Average last season as a team for a total of 26. Here's is the...

There are so many questions that must be answered before baseball returns, but let's attempt today to tackle one of the most pertinent questions facing the Nationals: Where would they hold the resumption of spring training, and then where would they play their season? Based on Major League Baseball's official proposal to the MLB Players Association, it looks like the answer is: In Washington, as long as it's safe to do so, and as long as local authorities say it's OK. Those are some pretty...

Upon seeing some elements of the 67 pages of health protocols to have a 2020 major league season, some readers here indicated why bother. Too much to try and overcome and it's not worth it. They must have thought, do players really need to sit and locker six feet apart? Do they need to throw baseballs out of play after several players touch them? Do they really need to stay in hotels and not go out on the road and do they really need to skip showering at the ballparks? What about no more...

It is a baseball development fact that catchers make good coaches. They are the coordinators behind the plate, they call the plays for the defense, they run the game for the pitcher. Backstops are truly the beginning and the last line of defense in every game, plus they can also contribute on offense. There's a tremendous amount of responsibility on the shoulders of a big league catcher. So from their first days in pro baseball, they must know the game inside and out. The Nationals coaching...

We continue today a periodic look at the state of the Nationals roster at the point spring training was suspended and project how things may look whenever baseball is played again. Up next is the starting rotation ... The Nationals have one of the best rotations in baseball. That much we've known all along. But is it possible this group might prove even more valuable if given an opportunity to pitch in 2020? There's reason to believe so, if Major League Baseball's current proposal for...

As he awaits the start of a season that could see him make his major league debut, Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle has been working out with other pro players in Florida. Like all of us, he's waiting to hear official word about the 2020 season. In a recent video interview with the 23-year-old Mountcastle, we discussed a variety of topics. Everything from fitting in within the O's clubhouse as a young player to his defense to playing at all levels on the O's farm. The 2019 season was a...