If you've been following the Nationals' minors closely (*ahem*), you'd know this ranges from virtually impossible (DSL Nats, Syracuse) to almost laughable (Potomac, Harrisburg, Auburn; all in last place by several games). Two of the affiliates, however, are in contention. If you're one to bring the tartar sauce while going after your white whale, you might make the argument that these two teams - the Gulf Coast League Nationals and the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns - are the ideal. The...

As Chris Tillman prepares for life as a reliever, however long it lasts, manager Buck Showalter expresses no concerns over how his former ace will handle it. "Chris is the ultimate what's best for the team guy," Showalter said. "Believe me, I know. He wears it. It bothers him. "He has strong will. Whatever it takes to go out there and have that outing (Thursday) and then go upstairs and get your ice or whatever treatment and come back and sit in the dugout for five innings. Try doing that...

CHICAGO - Dave Jageler has spent the last 11 1/2 years broadcasting Nationals games in vivid detail on the radio, so there is a natural comfort level he has found along the way. A comfort level he hasn't fully felt over the last week as he has continued to broadcast Nationals games, just in the entirely different medium of television. "I've done over 2,000 games on the radio," Jageler said. "You just do it. It's your routine. It's every day. And this is so different because I've done it...

Going to the bullpen wasn't Chris Tillman's first choice, of course. He's been a career starter in the majors and for the vast majority of his minor league tenure, a relief role filled only six times. But he knew an 8.10 ERA wouldn't work on a team that's still trying to make the playoffs. "I need to get back to being me and it wasn't happening starting," he said this morning while standing at his locker. "I think this is going to be a good thing. I need to get back and I think it's...

'90s night is coming to Nats Park on August 11 as the Nationals take on the Giants! Over the past two seasons, the Nats have put on successful '80s-themed nights where fans, players and on-air personalities dressed in '80s-themed costumes, making for a radical night at the game. This season, the Nats have decided to change up the decades and go with a '90s-themed night full of feathered bangs and spiky hair, Air Jordans, Tamagotchis, all the cartoons and your favorite entertainment from the...

The O's reached their 10,000th regular season home run in Orioles history (since 1954) after infielder Tim Beckham connected for a solo shot in the eighth inning on Saturday, Aug. 5. The Orioles became one of four clubs to reach the 10,000 home run mark since 1954, joining the Yankees, Tigers and Red Sox. The below infographic explores a variety of facts and figures about the 10,000 home runs in Orioles history.

CHICAGO - It's a big day at Wrigley Field, if you care about things like head-to-head records against big-name opponents. The Nationals and Cubs have not only split this weekend's series so far, they've also split the season series. Yes, each team has won three games. And so today's finale will settle that score. (And if, by some chance, the two teams wound up tied at the end of the season, that would determine home-field advantage for a theoretical playoff series.) Given the stakes, the...

Seth Smith is playing left field for the Orioles today in their series finale against the Tigers and his past success against Anibal Sanchez must factor into it. Smith is 10-for-26 (.385) with a double and four home runs lifetime against Sanchez. He was assured of starting. Caleb Joseph is catching, so his right hand is fine. Jonathan Schoop is 4-for-11 with a double and home run, and Adam Jones is 4-for-12 with a double. Sanchez is making his ninth start and 20th appearance of the season....

I sat down with high Single-A Potomac Nationals manager Tripp Keister as the club embarked on a road trip this weekend into Winston-Salem. Keister likes what he has seen in the work ethic of his ballclub and went over a few of the offensive players on the P-Nats and their season's work to date: First baseman Ian Sagdal: .251/.303/.397, .324 in last 10 games "He's second in the league in RBIs. He's really done well. He's gotten better offensively each month, he's raising his average each...

If the Orioles can beat Detroit at Camden Yards this afternoon, they will pull within one game of the .500 mark at 55-56. They would also split this four-game series and complete a 5-2 homestand. It would be a nice way to head to the west coast for a 10-game trip beginning Monday night. Coming off back-to-back solid outings, right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez (4-7, 6.56 ERA) gets the start today. In his past two outings against Tampa Bay and Kansas City, Jiménez pitched 13 innings, allowing...