The National League East is playing out as expected, except for a minor detail. The pitching-rich Nationals are the first-place team, but the general consensus at the start was that their lead would be bigger than the two-game margin they have over the New York Mets. The Nationals and Mets are similar. Both have strong rotations, reliable closers and questions about the relievers that connect the two. Also, each team is dealing with injuries to key players. The Mets' overall ERA is 3.23,...

This isn't the American League East we are used to seeing. The division has gone from baseball's best to mediocre. But at least it is competitive. This year, every team in the division has flaws. Every team is trying to stay above .500. In an earlier time, a team two wins above .500 was buried. Not this year. No AL East champion has won fewer than 95 games in a season going back to 2001. Last year, the Orioles won 96 games to win the title. This year, the AL East champ could have the fewest...

Right-hander Casey Janssen sat on the couch in the Nationals clubhouse for several minutes late last Friday night with an untouched plate of food in front of him and a blank stare on his face. Fairly or unfairly, Janssen had been charged with the game-tying run as the Nationals blew a late-inning lead with just six outs remaining. Janssen had only faced two batters in his abbreviated outing. Orioles pinch-hitter Chris Parmelee nicked a 2-2 cutter to lead off the eighth, and the dribbler to...

WHAT: To celebrate the DC Public Library's 2015 Summer Reading program sponsored by the Washington Nationals, Drew Storen, Stephen Strasburg and Aaron Barrett will visit three DC public library locations on Saturday, July 18 to read to and interact with local youth enrolled in the three-month initiative. The 2015 Summer Reading Program, which runs through August, is the largest program in the District that addresses the "summer slide," or the loss of learning that children experience during...

The Orioles today announced that they have reinstated left-handed pitcher Wesley Wright from the 60-day disabled list and designated him for assignment. Wright, 30, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 11 with a left trapezius strain and was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 24. In two games with the Orioles this season, Wright went 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA (1.2IP, ER).

Triple-A Syracuse shortstop Trea Turner has recorded at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games. In the last 10 games, Turner is hitting .417 (15-for-36) with four multi-hit games. He has had two games in that span with at least three hits. On the season, between three teams, Turner is batting .318 with 17 doubles, six triples, seven homers and 45 RBIs in 84 games. Turner hit .359 in 10 games with Double-A Harrisburg Senators. Looking at first half power numbers offensively for the Senators,...

The All-Star Game is history, bringing the Orioles a step closer to Major League Baseball's version of a second half. The Orioles are 44-44, which puts them beyond the halfway point in a 162-game regular season. I'm able to figure it out and I'm pretty weak at math. Manager Buck Showalter is hoping for more consistency after play resumes on Friday. The Orioles won 18 of 23 games before losing 10 of their last 13. "I'd agree with that," Showalter said. "There have been some good things....

The Orioles have designated left-hander reliever Wesley Wright for assignment, according to an industry source. Executive vice president Dan Duquette has 10 days to trade or release Wright, who signed a $1.7 million free-agent contract in December. Wright made only two appearances for the Orioles in April before going on the disabled list with a strained left trapezius muscle. He allowed one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings. Wright lost velocity and was ineffective during his injury rehab...

Major League Baseball announced the Franchise Four for each of the 30 teams prior to this evening's All-Star Game in Cincinnati. All four players named for the Washington Nationals played during the Montreal Expos era. C Gary Carter.262, 324 HR, 1225 RBIs RF Andre Dawson.279, 438 HR, 1591 RBIs RF Vladimir Guerrero.318, 449 HR, 1496 RBIs LF Tim Raines .294, 170 HR, 980 RBI Ryan Zimmerman was the only Nationals player included in the online voting process on MLB.com. Who would be your Franchise...

What do you do with a pair of shoes when you're done with them? Maybe you literally walk a hole in them, and they're bound for the waste basket. Perhaps they're re-soled and recycled, or even turned into family hand-me-downs. Maybe there's still some tread left, and you donate them to your favorite charity so someone without proper footwear can benefit from them. But I'll bet you've never considered turning those worn-out shoes into a makeshift baseball glove. In many poorer countries, a...