Over the last three years, the Nationals have won 280 regular season games, most in the major leagues during that time. In 2012, they picked up 98 wins, the most in the game, and earned their first National League East title since baseball returned to D.C. in 2005. In 2013, even in a year that was considered a bust in Davey Johnson's "World Series or bust" campaign, the Nats still earned 86 wins, sixth-best in the NL and far from anything worth being ashamed of in the grand scheme of...

For years, I preached about the importance of starting pitching in the postseason. In my mind, I firmly believed that the teams with the best rotations had the greatest chance of making a deep run into October. It was all about those four starters and no matter what a team did to hide its lack of starting pitching in the regular season, they would surely be exposed in the playoffs. Suddenly, I'm not so sure that's true anymore. At least not this year. The Tigers added a third Cy Young award...

From 1969 to 1980, the Orioles and Kansas City Royals were well represented in the American League Championship Series. One of those two teams played in the ALCS in 10 of those 12 years, with the Orioles playing six times and the Royals four. But they never played each other, as they will starting tomorrow night in Baltimore. I had a chance to get a Royals scouting report from Josh Vernier, the Royals insider for flagship radio station KCSP-AM/610 Sports Radio, who also reports for FOX Sports...

It's getting more serious. The Orioles and Royals will work out today at Camden Yards, with the intensity ramped up prior to Friday night's opener of the American League Championship Series. The Orioles take the field at 5 p.m., 30 minutes after manager Buck Showalter meets with reporters and other media types. Brady Anderson, Cal Ripken Jr. and Mike Bordick will be made available for interviews earlier in the day. They know a thing or two about the ALCS. It's been a combined 60 years since...

Major League Baseball has announced the rest of the starting times for the American League Championship Series. Grab a pencil and a sheet of paper. You already know that Game 1 of the ALCS between the Orioles and Royals is Friday at 8:07 p.m. at Camden Yards, followed by Game 2 on Saturday at 4:07 p.m. We won't factor in the rainy forecast. Let's wait on it. Sunday is a workout day. Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 on Tuesday are slated for 8:07 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium. Game 5 on Oct. 15,...

One major bright spot from the National League Division series was the play of Bryce Harper. On a national stage, in the most difficult of moments, he delivered. Offensively, besides an early surge in the series by Anthony Rendon, he was the best hitter for the Nationals. Every one of his hits changed momentum or added to it for D.C. In Game 1, with the offense spinning its wheels and the team down 3-0 late, Harper crushed a home run off of Hunter Strickland into the third deck at Nationals...

So what will the Orioles' rotation look like for the American League Championship Series? Good luck trying to guess with manager Buck Showalter on that. The Orioles went Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen and Bud Norris in the Detroit series. Miguel Gonzalez, it appeared was going to pitch Game 3, and then the O's switched to Norris. Does Norris' outstanding Sunday outing bump him up to second behind Tillman for this series? Does Gonzalez go second because he didn't pitch in the Tigers series...

The Orioles today announced an updated list of their series of "We Won't Stop" rallies to generate excitement for the team's postseason run. A "We Won't Stop" street team will travel throughout Baltimore and surrounding areas over the next few weeks, with several former Orioles players and the Oriole Bird also participating. The "We Won't Stop" team will give away promotional items, and fans will have the chance to win autographed memorabilia. The current list of rally dates and...

For much of the regular season, especially the second half of the 2014 campaign, the Nationals were a team that got balanced offensive production throughout their lineup. This wasn't a team that was carried by one or two players from an offensive perspective. Despite the fact that the Nats finished with 96 wins, the most in the National League, they don't have a clear-cut MVP candidate. (Although Anthony Rendon should get quite a few votes.) The Nats prided themselves on their ability to...

I have a lot of fans asking whether Zach Britton's baby was born earlier this week and if everyone is doing well. I bring you good news. Zander Lee Britton entered this world late last night in Burbank, Calif. Courtney Britton and her son are in good health. No word on whether Zander throws left-hander or how much sink he gets on his fastball. Too soon to tell. But I'm certain that pitching coach Dave Wallace will work to his strengths. I didn't bother to ask for the baby's choice of...