Bryce Harper is out of the Nationals lineup today for the first time this season, but don't start worrying about the MVP's health or any other ulterior motive for his absence. Manager Dusty Baker planned all along to sit Harper for his team's series finale against the Twins. Harper did appear to slightly tweak his ankle Saturday chasing down a foul ball in right field, but he played the rest of the game and showed no ill effects. Regardless, Baker had previously offered hints he planned to...

Manny Machado is playing shortstop today in the Orioles' series finale against the Royals in Kansas City. Ryan Flaherty is starting at third base while J.J. Hardy takes a seat on the bench. Machado has recorded an extra-base hit in a career-high seven consecutive games (five doubles, three home runs), the longest streak by an Orioles player since Chris Davis in 2013. Machado also has recorded an RBI in a career-high six consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors. All 15 of Mark...

Baseball is a game where the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins. After the first three games of the 2010 season, some things have already started to become apparent. The veterans brought in this year will change the culture in the Nationals' clubhouse on and off the field. Just watching how some of the new Nats like Ivan Rodriguez, Adam Kennedy, Jason Marquis, Tyler Walker, Matt Capps and Brian Bruney go about their business is a pleasure. Hard working, determined, and relentless...

I, for one, am not surprised by the Nationals' start. Baseball is a team sport, and they stress team. From Wil Nieves to Alberto Gonzales, the Nationals are built to fight - Fight for every run, fight for every out. The Nats now have players who play unselfish, hardcore baseball the way it's meant to be played. When Ryan Zimmerman went down with the bad hamstring, the Nationals didn't miss a beat. Whether it's Adam Kennedy, Alberto or Willie Harris - whoever has filled in has done a...

Update: During the August 15 game against the Diamondbacks, Rob Dibble offered the following on-air statement to MASN viewers: test "...To anybody that does not know me that was offended, or took offense with what I said in my weak attempt to be humorous during a down time during the game, I truly apologize. That's not truly how I feel about any baseball fan -- men, women, or children. And so I wrote a blog, in my own words, not the words of other people who'd like you to think differently,...

Today Josh Willingham and I had the privilege of visiting some of the bravest men and women in this country. We went over to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. For people who may not know, it's where some of the most courageous military men and women are sent straight from the battlefield, their first stop on the road to recovery after they have been severely wounded during combat. Today we met with some Marines that had been caught in a fire fight and hit pretty hard....

Ross Detwiler is a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher drafted in the first round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He is back from offseason hip surgery and in the Nats' rotation. He and Rob Dibble sat down to discuss a variety of topics including the health of his hip, the impact of catcher Ivan Rodriguez and the young staff of the Washington Nationals, now and in the future. Watch the video below to see the whole interview between Rob and Ross.

The question will get more legs as we get closer to the final picking of The NL All-Star team around July 9, but this is what some MLB managers are saying right now... Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he would not be in favor of Strasburg making the NL All-Star squad. His argument is that he feels you would have to leave someone off who may deserve it more, and that if Strasburg continues to progress as he has in his first three major league starts, he will make plenty of games....

Ivan Rodriguez is off to a great start at the plate with the Nats, hitting .367 with 15 RBI. But the job Pudge has done behind the plate has been just as impressive. The future Hall of Fame catcher gives Rob Dibble a demonstration of how body positioning plays a major role in his defensive success, and talks about how important it is for a catcher to be able to manage a pitching staff.

You've probably heard that George Steinbrenner passed away this morning at the age of 80. I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts from being able to meet and interview him over the years to just being able to hear how he impacted so many people's lives, including my own. I met Mr. Steinbrenner some 20 years ago, first as a player and then as a broadcaster. He was always nice, respectful, and down to earth. He always made me feel better about myself after spending some time...