I almost didn't recognize my own house when I finally returned to the front doorstep last night. After spending nearly 15 straight hours at Nationals Park yesterday, I was starting to believe I'd need to eventually curl up and grab some shut-eye in the press box. I'm not sure the stadium employees would've enjoyed that too much. After a rough, deflating, extra-inning loss to the Twins on Friday night, the Nationals were happy campers last night. They picked up two big wins yesterday to...

Following Sunday's doubleheader, the Washington Nationals optioned first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Moore, 26, batted .158 with five doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI, six walks and seven runs scored in 38 games this season with Washington.

Nationals players and coaches showed up to the ballpark before 10 a.m. today. So did reporters, but that's neither here nor there. About 14 hours later, the Nats will file out of the home clubhouse at Nats Park exhausted and a bit physically worn down, but they'll at least have two more wins in the standings than they did when they arrived this morning. They'll also be back to .500 and will head out on their nine-game road trip in a much better mental state than if they would have dropped...

One theme that helped the Nationals stay in, and then eventually win, the series against the Minnesota Twins was the bullpen getting the job done. In Game 1 and Game 3, the Nationals went to their bullpen 13 separate times. On Saturday, the Nationals used everyone in the bullpen but Xavier Cedeno. After Gio Gonzalez pitched through six innings, manager Davey Johnson employed, in order, Fernando Abad, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Rafael Soriano, Erik Davis, Ian Krol and Craig Stammen. The...

The Nationals were allowed to have 26 players on their active roster today because of the doubleheader, but now that the two games today are over and done with, a cut needed to be made. The guy to go down will be Tyler Moore. After calling up first baseman Chris Marrero earlier today, the Nats decided to option Moore to Triple-A Syracuse after tonight's 5-4 win over the Twins. Despite having a very impressive rookie campaign last year, when he hit 10 homers and slugged .513, Moore has...

In the midst of selecting 41 players in 40 rounds over three days of the First-Year Player Draft, Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich also made himself available for an interview after each day, which was much appreciated as we all got a better understanding of what the Orioles did and why they did it. Here is the Q and A we did Sunday to wrap up three days of the O's draft selections. How did you feel about the three days of the draft? "Well, after reviewing what we had done the first...

TAMPA - No matter how many times I think it's going to be different, 5 a.m. always arrives early. You can set your watch by it. The Orioles completed their 3-3 road trip and begin a three-game series tonight against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Near Disneyland But Not the Disney World Resort. Freddy Garcia has already worked himself into a lather because he's facing the Angels. He's practically foaming at the forehead. Garcia is 16-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 29 career starts against the...

In what very well could be his last start with the Nationals for a little while, Nathan Karns got hit pretty hard in just three innings of work. Karns allowed four runs on five hits over his three frames. He walked three, hit a batter, allowed a home run and struck out two. He needed 74 pitches to get through three innings and retired just nine of the 18 hitters that he faced. With Ross Detwiler and Stephen Strasburg looking like they're on the verge of returning to the Nats' rotation...

After sitting out the first half of today's doubleheader with a sore ankle, Denard Span returns to the Nationals' lineup for the nightcap. Span will be back in center field and atop the batting order as the Nats look to sweep the doubleheader and take 2-of-3 from the Twins, Span's former team. Also in the Nats' lineup for Game 2 of the doubleheader are Roger Bernadina, who will play left field and hit second, and Jhonatan Solano, who will be behind the plate and hit eighth. Nathan Karns...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It easily could have gone unnoticed after all the runs and extra-base hits today, but Alexi Casilla's tag at second base on Desmond Jennings' stolen base attempt in the second inning received the proper attention following the Orioles' 10-7 win over the Rays. "I thought Lexi played real well at second base for us today," said manager Buck Showalter. "What a tag he made. They're going to show, and rightfully, (Matt Joyce's) catch on those gem things they show, but...