Wilson Ramos may play in his first postseason game tomorrow, and could catch right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who will be making his playoff debut in the opening game of the best-of-five National League Division Series. October inexperience aside, Ramos had an interesting response when he was asked this afternoon whether Strasburg was mature enough the the marquee assignment. "That's a good question, because it's not easy starting the first game of the playoffs," said Ramos, who missed the...

When the Nationals made the postseason in 2012, right-hander Stephen Strasburg had been shut down for the season after reaching an innings limit in the season following Tommy John surgery. This time around, Strasburg will get the ball for the first postseason game the Nats play. Manager Matt Williams announced this afternoon that Strasburg will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Giants. Strasburg will be followed by right-handers Jordan Zimmermann, who will start...

The Orioles have a couple of players that ended the 2014 regular season slumping. They will look to get their bats going in the American League Division Series against Detroit. Catcher Caleb Joseph ended the year going 0-for-30 over his last 10 games as his average dropped from .236 to .207. Joseph hit just .080 (4-for-50) in September with 18 strikeouts. He said he felt he did not wear down physically, but this is the longest he's ever played in a season. "The best part about the...

Looking for ways to impress your friends with tidbits about the San Francisco Giants? You've come to the right place. Here are 10 things to know about the Giants, who play the Nationals in the National League Division Series starting Friday. * Lefty Madison Bumgarner, who pitched an 8-0 shutout to beat Pittsburgh in the wild card game Wednesday night, is their best pitcher. He's to the Giants what Stephen Strasburg is to the Nationals. Bumgarner is 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA. He's got a 2.22 ERA...

The Orioles will carry 11 pitchers in the American League Division Series that begins later today at Camden Yards, and left-handed relievers Brian Matusz and T.J. McFarland aren't included. Ubaldo Jimenez has made the final cut and apparently will work out of the bullpen. Anyone surprised by these developments? I wrote this morning that manager Buck Showalter was likely to reduce the number of left-handers due to the Tigers being predominately a right-handed team. Closer Zach Britton and...

After three days of relative quiet, Nationals Park will open its doors to the media again late this morning, as the Nats will hold their league-mandated workout leading up to the National League Division Series. Nationals players had Monday off, then a heavy workout at the park on Tuesday, followed by an intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday. Those sessions were closed to the public and the media. Now they'll have a light workout on the field again today, this one with plenty of cameras and...

Just as it is unfair to judge a painting until the artist makes the final stroke, it is unfair to judge a baseball team until it's played its final game. On Sunday, the Nationals finished off the regular season with a masterful pitching performance by Jordan Zimmermann, as he threw the first no-hitter in Nationals history. It was truly the perfect ending to what had become a dominant season. Step behind a tapestry and the artist's plan will be lost in the mess of threads, but step around to...

The first pitch of Orioles postseason is just hours away. For me, like just about everyone in Birdland, it can't come soon enough. Who else has had trouble sleeping this week? It feels like forever since the O's took the field, even longer since they were at Camden Yards. While the American League East champs have prepared for the Detroit Tigers to come to town, this nervous fan has spent days researching the Birds opponent from every possible angle. After reading thousands of words in...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter must turn in his roster for the American League Division Series by 10 a.m. today. It's pretty much set in his mind, along with a rotation that he's already passed along to Tigers manager Brad Ausmus. He's just in no rush to share it with reporters. Showalter wants to make certain that he's not forced into any late changes. Everyone made it through yesterday's workout without incident. It's safe to go with his original list. Showalter said he's been debating...

The starting times have been determined for the first three games of the American League Division Series between the Orioles and Tigers. First pitch for Game 2 on Friday at Camden Yards is set for 12:07 p.m. following the Giants' victory tonight over the Pirates in the National League wild card game. It would have started three hours later if Pittsburgh had been victorious. Game 1 on Thursday is set for 5:37 p.m., and Game 3 on Sunday at Comerica Park is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. The times for...