Major League Baseball announced its current list of the top 20 jersey sales, and Bryce Harper is ranked No. 15 on the list. He is the only Nationals player in the Top 20. The list is based on sales of Majestic jerseys from MLB.com/Shop since the All-Star break. Here is the list: 1. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees 2. Matt Harvey, New York Mets 3. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers 4. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles 5. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants 6. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles...

The past three September in D.C. have felt completely different. September 2011 was a quiet time. The Nationals went 80-81 that year, which was an improvement on all the seasons prior. The 2012 season was the most successful season played by this incarnation of D.C. baseball since the Nats' inaugural year in 2005. Despite a short-lived playoff run, the Nats entered the offseason as National League East champions for the first time. And in 2013, well, high expectations were met with somewhat...

ST. LOUIS - Dan Haren is one of the most self-aware pitchers you'll find in the major leagues. He knows what he was brought to D.C. to do. He knows that largely, he hasn't done it. And despite his solid performance since coming off the disabled list in early July, Haren isn't going to try and color his 2013 season in favorable terms. When asked how he views his year with the Nationals, Haren, as always, is blunt. "Obviously not a success," Haren said during a lengthy interview in the...

I certainly didn't expect to ever link Jonathan Schoop, current Orioles infielder with Larry Haney, one-time Orioles catcher from the late 1960s. But as of last night they are the only two Orioles to ever homer in their first major league games. Haney did it on July 27, 1966 against the Cleveland Indians. He was in a lineup that day that included Frank and Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell and Davey Johnson and he caught Dave McNally in a 7-1 O's win. The 21-year-old Schoop homered in his third...

The Orioles didn't play split-squad games last night. The regulars didn't head over to Dunedin. Manager Buck Showalter rested some regulars, went with a makeshift lineup and ended a six-game losing streak. It won't be the same lineup tonight. Showalter dismissed that idea. I'd expect Adam Jones in center field and Matt Wieters behind the plate. Jonathan Schoop brings the most intrigue. Does he stay at second base tonight against Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle, with Brian Roberts...

Jonathan Schoop singled in his first major league at-bat and homered in his third, helping the Orioles to a 9-5 win over Toronto tonight. Schoop became the second Oriole to homer in his major league debut. Larry Haney was the first on July 27, 1966 against Cleveland. It was some night for the 21-year-old infielder and O's 2011 minor league Player of the Year. "For me, that is the first one ever in my career, my major league debut. It's an experience I'll never forget," Schoop...

With a bunch of their regulars planted on the bench tonight, the Orioles ended a six-game losing streak with a 9-5 victory over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. So, same lineup tomorrow night? "Ah, no," said manager Buck Showalter. Not even tempted? "No." So much for that idea. "We've got some other things we need to accomplish," he said. The Orioles did accomplish something important tonight, guaranteeing their second straight winning season for the first time since 1996-97. Is...

Stating that Jonathan Schoop had a good night would be an understatement. As one of the Orioles' top prospects, Schoop was brought up in early September. Tonight, Buck Showalter mixed up the lineup, giving Schoop the start at second base and setting him up to play in his FIRST major league game. From there, the firsts just kept on comin'. In his FIRST major league at-bat, he got his FIRST hit, a line-drive single to center field. In his third at-bat, Schoop blasted a no-doubter into...

The offense finally showed up for the Orioles. Jonathan Schoop homered in his third major league at-bat and Ryan Flaherty hit a pair of two-run homers as a lineup that featured several Orioles reserves beat Toronto 9-5 in front of 23,698 at Camden Yards. With the win, the Orioles improved to 82-76 and clinched a second straight winning season for the first time since 1996-97. The Orioles also ended a six-game losing streak that had tied a season high. Flaherty went 2-for-2 with a hit by...

With the Orioles officially eliminated from postseason contention, it comes as a surprise to some that the baseball playoffs will actually be watchable this October. Sure, it would have been great to see the O's back in the hunt for a World Series like in 2012, but playing five meaningless games at the end of the season sure beats playing 55 of them. I've always fancied myself a baseball fan that roots for the Orioles, not an O's fan that watches baseball. The game comes first for me....