After being swept by their most formidable division rival in Atlanta over the weekend and an 11-2 loss to Miami, the Nationals are struggling to establish a steady, winning momentum. It's only April, so the standings aren't an accurate representation of where all teams will end up at the end of the season. But that doesn't mean this isn't the perfect time for a little wake-up call. When I posted up shop at a local D.C. bar for happy hour waiting for a friend, the fellow sitting next to me...

Whilst the Orioles continue to gather consistency and momentum, their Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides, have also been experiencing some struggles. Now 12 games into the new season, the Tides have an extremely disappointing 3-9 record, which is somewhat surprising given the improved level of depth and resulting high expectations for the 2014 season. Offensively, just one every-ay player is hitting over .300. This is Caleb Joseph (.316 average, .333 OBP, one home run, six RBIs), whilst the...

MIAMI - This was most certainly one of those games a team would like to just toss out the window and forget about. The Nationals were outscored 11-2 by the Marlins tonight. They were outhit 15-2. They made two errors, giving them 15 errors through 14 games. Yup, try and forget about it and start fresh tomorrow morning. Here are postgame reactions from the Nationals clubhouse: Matt Williams: On Stephen Strasburg's rough outing, in which he allowed six runs in four innings: "I don't know. They...

Do you get the feeling that the Rays are evolving into the kind of rival for the Orioles that can, well, rival any other team in their division? Yes, I know that's saying a lot. I don't toss it out there lightly. Tampa Bay had a great deal of catching up to do, of course, and manager Buck Showalter is still loath to heap praise on the Red Sox and Yankees. He's not going to genuflect at the mere mention of their names. However, he clearly was irritated yesterday by the Rays lack of...

This is the South Atlantic League's version of Chris Tillman against Justin Verlander. Tonight when the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds host the Hagerstown Suns in Salisbury, top pitching prospects Hunter Harvey and Lucas Giolito will oppose each other. This marquee matchup was to take place at 7:05 p.m., but after a rainout last night, it will now take place in first game of a doubleheader starting at 5:05 p.m. at Perdue Stadium. Harvey and Giolito are both hard-throwing 19-year-old...

If the Nationals are going to continue their mastery of the 2014 Marlins, they're going to have to come from behind. Three batters into tonight's game, Stephen Strasburg was down 3-0. Christian Yelich singled off Strasburg's second pitch and Marcell Ozuna followed by whackin a first-pitch fastball into left field. That brought Giancarlo Stanton to the plate and Stanton mashed a 2-1 changeup over the fence in straightaway center for a three-run homer. The Marlins are being aggressive early in...

Today marks baseball's annual remembrance of the groundbreaking day when Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers broke baseball's color barrier in 1947. No matter where he's played, Nationals center fielder Denard Span has always made a special plea to his manager to make sure he's in the starting lineup for Jackie Robinson Day. "You can't sit me on Jackie Robinson Day," Span said he's told his skippers. A concussion that landed him on the seven-day disabled list, however, will keep...

The Orioles have decided to start Miguel Gonzalez in Wednesday afternoon's game against the Rays, rather than push him back or skip his turn following today's postponement. Gonzalez will oppose Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi, who was supposed to start today before being scratched. Manager Buck Showalter hasn't revealed how the rotation is impacted for the upcoming series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He's scheduled to meet with reporters Wednesday at 11 a.m., at which point he...

I wonder which part of the "How to Be a Major League Manager" handbook covers addressing your team's injuries with the assembled media before every game. Nationals skipper Matt Williams has been spending an inordinate amount of time each day recapping the various ailments that have befallen the Nats and how players are progressing, and Tuesday in Miami was no different. So without any further ado ... Outfielder Bryce Harper's quad is fine, as is outfielder Nate McLouth's sore left knee....

Tonight's game between the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays has been postponed due to rain. An announcement regarding the make-up date will be announced as soon as possible. Fans are encouraged to keep their tickets and parking until more information is made available Additionally, the Jackie Robinson tribute jerseys, which the Orioles were to wear tonight, will be worn at a later date.