Weekly Wrap: Nats pitchers make spring debuts
Weekly Wrap: Nats pitchers make spring debuts
Josh Land
Nationals
The Nationals have done many different drills this spring to perfect fundamentals. Pitchers have taken infield, shifts have been implemented in spring games and signs have been practiced. So when the Nats took the field for spring games, you may have thought that there would be clean plays, strong defense and low-scoring games. Then the Nats squeaked by the Braves in a game this week, and the final score was 16-15. #SpringTrainingProblems Yes, these games mean nothing, but that box score is...
A host of pregame notes from Champion Stadium
A host of pregame notes from Champion Stadium
Dan Kolko
Nationals
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The tarp has been pulled off the field here at Champion Stadium and it looks like there will be baseball played tonight between the Nationals and Braves. It's incredibly overcast and gloomy-looking here, and based on the radar that I just looked at, there's a chance we get a little more rain before first pitch. But Jordan Zimmermann should be good to make his second start of spring, both of which will be against Atlanta. Manager Matt Williams said that he's looking...
Weekly Wrap: Major minor league depth
Weekly Wrap: Major minor league depth
Josh Land
Orioles
Once again, the Orioles made national headlines this week, signing Johan Santana to a minor league deal. A seasoned veteran, Santana can bring much experience if healthy, and he is targeting June 1 as a possible date to be ready to help out the Orioles. The left-hander joins a system that is filled with talent, including many young players who are being noticed around the league. The other day, I was talking with someone about the Orioles, and one of the topics of conversation was how much...
Cal Ripken Jr. to throw out first pitch, sign his new book on March 12 at Ed Smith Stadium
Cal Ripken Jr. to throw out first pitch, sign his new book on March 12 at Ed Smith Stadium
Josh Land
Orioles
The Orioles today announced that Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. will visit Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, March 12 for the Orioles game against the Phillies, where he will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and sign copies of his new children's book, Squeeze Play, on the lower concourse beginning at 2 p.m. Ripken will sign the first 300 books for fans. The visit is part of a national book tour for Squeeze Play, the fourth installment in the New York Times best-selling "Cal Ripken Jr.'s...
Pitching order set through Saturday (with tonight's lineup, weather update)
Pitching order set through Saturday (with tonight's lineup, weather update)
Dan Kolko
Nationals
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals will have their first split-squad games of spring Saturday, and they've posted their pitching order through those games. Doug Fister will start tomorrow at home against the Astros, with Tanner Roark piggybacking him. (For those unaware, that's the term used when another starter immediately follows the pitcher who began the spring game. I don't expect Roark to actually get a piggyback ride from Fister.) Rafael Soriano is also scheduled to pitch tomorrow, which...
MASNsports.com welcomes Nationals guest bloggers for 2014 season
MASNsports.com welcomes Nationals guest bloggers for 2014 season
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
When the Nationals open their 2014 season at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., on Monday, March 31, MASNsports.com will kick off another season of contributions from guest bloggers on our site. The Nationals blogosphere is one of the most active in the major leagues, offering fans with Natitude the opportunity to read interesting takes on all things curly and W. This strong community was one of the reasons MASNsports.com initiated the introduction of guest bloggers in 2011, and the partnership...
Orioles guest bloggers returning to MASNsports.com for 2014 season
Orioles guest bloggers returning to MASNsports.com for 2014 season
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
Baseball's back - well, almost - and so are the guest bloggers that have been a staple at MASNsports.com since 2011. Starting with March 31, the date of the Orioles' home and season opener at Camden Yards, a different guest blogger will share their opinions each weekday. There are a host of fan blogs that follow the Orioles, and welcoming guest bloggers to our pages is a way for MASNsports.com to both offer a platform for their distinctive voices and supplement our beat writers' work with a...
More information on canceled game and Yoon note (updated twice)
More information on canceled game and Yoon note (updated twice)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles confirmed that today's game with the Rays has been canceled due to rain and there is no makeup date. That's the difference between "postponed" and "canceled." They don't reschedule Grapefruit League games. Fans holding paid tickets may exchange them for any of the remaining spring games at Ed Smith Stadium, subject to availability, or obtain a refund. Also, today's OriolesREACH Food Drive to benefit All Faiths Food Bank has been rescheduled for the March...
Today's Rays-Orioles game canceled by rain
Today's Rays-Orioles game canceled by rain
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
Today's Orioles-Rays game at Ed Smith Stadium has been canceled due to rain. There will be no makeup date. Fans holding paid tickets for today's game may exchange their tickets for any of the remaining Spring Training games at Ed Smith Stadium, subject to availability, or obtain a refund. Additionally, today's OriolesREACH Food Drive to benefit All Faiths Food Bank has been rescheduled for the Thursday, March 27 game at 7:05 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay. On non-game days, tickets may be exchanged at...
Throwback Thursday: The human highlight reel strikes again
Throwback Thursday: The human highlight reel strikes again
Josh Land
Nationals
Whenever Bryce Harper steps into the batter's box or has a ball hit his way, people take notice. His huge home runs and diving grabs have made him a human highlight reel. In the video below, the stage was set for another one of Harper's highlights. It was the bottom of the ninth in Kansas City as the Nationals were trying to protect to an 11-10 lead. With a speedy runner on first and one out, Harper knew that a double would likely result in a run to tie the game, so Harper was playing deep...