It's obvious that Buck Showalter has done an admirable job in leading the Orioles since 2010 when he took over for Juan Samuel and Dave Trembely before him. Showalter has led the Birds to two postseason berths now and the team heads into this year's playoffs as a division champion for the first time since 1997. There's one thing that could tell you just how good Showalter is in the coming weeks, though, and that's his ability to prepare his team for the postseason. I'm not entirely sure...

The time we've been waiting for all year is at hand. After closing out the regular season on the highest possible note - Jordan Zimmermann throwing the Nationals' first no-hitter since the team moved to Washington D.C., in 2005 - the team and its fans can now get ready for the postseason. The bitter taste of the 2012 Game 5 meltdown is behind us now, as is the disappointment of missing the postseason in 2013. Instead, the Nationals can focus on winning Washington's first pennant since 1933,...

Finally, the regular season is over. Clinching early seemed great at the time for the Orioles, but it sure meant a lot of less than exciting baseball was played for nearly two weeks. The Orioles went 5-6 in the 11 games since they clinched the American League East on Sept. 16. They had some less than stellar play since then, especially on defense. This has led some fans to be concerned that the Orioles intensity level, which took a hit after they clinched, will be an issue in the playoffs....

I'm wondering whether fans are in a reflective mood today or focused entirely on the Division Series. My guess is the latter, with maybe a few exceptions. The regular season is over, but the Orioles aren't done playing. Game 1 is set for Thursday against the Tigers at Camden Yards, with an anticipated start time of 6 p.m. That is not official. Major League Baseball should send out a release later today. These two teams have never met in the postseason. I've got to cancel my hotel room...

The regular season finale belonged to Jordan Zimmermann. A day that was supposed to be about getting the Nationals' regulars a couple of at-bats and then making sure they finished the season healthy suddenly turned into a, 'There's no way he could actually do this, right?' afternoon for a starting pitcher who hadn't appeared in a game in eight days and had been drilled on the right shoulder by a line drive in his last start. Zimmermann cut through the Marlins' lineup in a swift 121...

With the postseason five days away, Nationals manager Matt Williams used 17 position players in the final game of the season, as he wanted to rest his starters after a couple of at-bats. His starting pitcher got a couple of base hits. His shortstop hit a home run for the only run the Nationals needed in a 1-0 shutout of the Marlins and the club's 96th win of the season. Oh, wait. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann tossed the first no-hitter in Nationals history, going nine innings, allowing...

The Orioles used a Jonathan Schoop home run and a six-pitcher six-hitter to beat Toronto 1-0 today in their regular season finale. The Orioles finished with a 96-66 record (.593) and they snapped a three-game losing streak. Now they look ahead to Thursday's Game 1 of the American League Division Series. The Orioles took the lead in the top of the fifth on Schoop's first home run since Sept. 4. Schoop got an 85 mph fastball on a 3-2 pitch from R.A. Dickey and hit it out to left for his 16th...

Shortstop Ian Desmond hit a line-drive home run into the Marlins bullpen to emphatically signal the beginning of the scoring in the regular season finale. The Nationals lead 1-0. The home run was his 24th of the season, this one off of Henderson Alvarez on a 1-2 pitch. It was also his 91st RBI of the season. Jordan Zimmermann set down the Marlins in order the first and second frames, ending each inning with a strikeout. The Nationals lead 1-0 after two innings. Update: Denard Span's...

The Orioles had some chances, but did not score early on today against Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. The Orioles and Blue Jays have played three scoreless innings to start the regular season finale. Nick Markakis led off the game with a double to left field, but was left on base as Alejandro De Aza grounded out, Adam Jones flied out and Nelson Cruz flied out. The O's put two on with one out on a pair of walks in the top of the second, but Nick Hundley struck out and Jonathan Schoop...

Did Orioles manager Buck Showalter give us a preview today of his Game 1 lineup in the Division Series? He's not going to say so, but it looks that way to me. Ryan Flaherty has two of the six errors that Orioles third basemen have committed over the last nine games, but he's regarded as a good defender at every infield position and he's got Showalter's trust. I'd expect him to be the regular third baseman in the playoffs, but we'll see. Orioles third basemen committed 13 errors last...