Manager: Bryan Price, first year Record: 51-50 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Todd Frazier (.283/.344/.488, 17 doubles, 20 HR, 54 RBIs, 15 SB); C Devin Mesoraco (.288/.359/.572, 15 doubles, 16 HR, 46 RBIs); RHP Johnny Cueto (10-6, 2.18 ERA, 0.92 WHIP); RHP Alfredo Simon (12-4, 2.74 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 2-1, 10 runs scored, 13 runs allowed Pitching probables July 25: Alfredo Simon vs. Tanner Roark, 7 p.m., MASN HD July 26: Johnny Cueto vs. Gio Gonzalez, 4 p.m., MASN...

In no way was it planned. The two men barely knew each other, having only had a brief conversation in the weight room after Monday night's game. Aaron Barrett had struck out Brandon Barnes that night, leaving the bases loaded with Rockies. And yesterday afternoon, those two squared off again, before the series finale between the Nationals and Rockies had even started. The contest: an on-field stand-off, to see which player could remain on the field in front of his respective dugout the...

One main reason the Nationals have been able to get on a roll since late June has been their ability to compile extra-base hits on offense. The Nationals have gone 11-6 in July and 14-6 since June 28. The offense has averaged 5.24 runs per game in the past 17 games, totaling 89 runs. The Nats are enjoying a stretch of 23 consecutive games with at least one double dating to June 25. Third baseman Anthony Rendon has done a nice job of compiling extra base hits himself during the team's...

Manager: Lloyd McClendon, first year Record: 53-48 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 2B Robinson Cano (.332/.389/.455, 23 doubles, 7 HR, 57 RBIs); 3B Kyle Seager (.277/.346/.486, 23 doubles, 16 HR, 66 RBIs); RHP Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.02 ERA, 0.90 WHIP); RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (8-4, 2.95 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) Season series vs. O's (2013): 4-2, 35 runs scored, 29 runs allowed Pitching probables July 24: Hisashi Iwakuma vs. Wei-Yin Chen, 10 p.m., MASN HD July 25: Felix Hernandez vs. Kevin Gausman, 10...

The national anthem had been sung. Most of the players had left the field. Coors Field was ready for baseball to begin. Or was it? After pregame, two players remained on the field: Brandon Barnes of the Rockies and the Nats' Aaron Barrett. Stuck in a standoff, they both refused to move from their places on the field. Before Denard Span stepped in the box, the dueling players were helped out by their teammates and were brought sunscreen, water and more. Hilarity ensued, but more...

If Nationals fans were polled on which area of the team needed to improve during the stretch run, most of them would say the offense. It would come as a surprising fact to those fans that the Nationals are third in the National League in runs per game at 4.24, but their answer isn't the least bit surprising. With the strike in 1994, baseball lost a good many fans, and in 1998, the home run chase between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire brought in new fans. Those fans that watched baseball in the...

While Adam Jones, Nelson Cruz and even Steve Pearce have deservedly been credited with leading the Orioles' march to the top of the American League East, it's important to recognize the role that J.J. Hardy has played this season. If you glance quickly at the power numbers, Hardy's season may appear to be a disappointment. The Orioles shortstop has hit four home runs this year and is on pace to finish 2014 with seven. Hardy has averaged 25 homers a season since joining the O's in 2011,...

The 2010 season was just the third pro season for catcher Caleb Joseph. Coming off a solid 2009 year at Single-A Frederick, he was named the Orioles' No. 10 prospect by Baseball America before the year. He would begin 2010 playing at Double-A Bowie for the first time. He must have been excited to begin that year in the Eastern League. Little did he know, but he would play most of the next four seasons for the Baysox. For a while, it looked like he'd almost never get a shot at Triple-A, much...

While wondering whether umpire Hal Gibson III and the strike zone should wear name tags and get to know each other... We're exactly one week away from the non-waiver trade deadline, at which point Orioles manager Buck Showalter will remind us that it's not really a deadline. It just means players must pass through waivers before being dealt. It happens all the time. Showalter will be amused by the media frenzy that builds over the "deadline." I'd still rank it a notch or two below the...

The Orioles were six outs from an impressive sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, but they could not get them tonight. The Angels scored twice in the last of the eighth to come from behind 2-1 and beat the Orioles 3-2 tonight at Angel Stadium. Josh Hamilton led off the eighth and singled off Tommy Hunter. Erick Aybar's double tied it, 2-2. Hunter picked up a couple of strikeouts, but an intentional walk and an unintentional walk followed and Hunter turned over a bases loaded, two-out jam to...