The halfway point of the season is an ideal time to take stock of what the Nationals have accomplished so far and what they need to improve. Here are the grades so far: Starting Pitching: B-plus. Jordan Zimmermann (11-3, 2.28 ERA) is the main reason the Nats are still in contention in the National League East. He has accounted for 11 of their 41 wins and only 29 of their 283 earned runs. He is unbeatable (8-0, 1.09 ERA) at home and has given up more than three earned runs only twice this...

I've covered Baltimore sports long enough and hosted enough radio shows over the years to know that Baltimore sports fans spend a lot of time, almost obsessive, over what the national media is saying about their sports teams. That being the case - and I don't really agree with it, but I don't deny it's true - the fans had to love the last two days. Orioles fans got to see their team win over the New York Yankees on two different national networks as the announcers heaped praise on the...

In his first game back with the Orioles since April 4, Brian Roberts went 1-for-2 and produced a key insurance run with a sac fly. He received several big ovations from the crowd of 40,878 during the Orioles' 4-2 win over the Yankees. "My first at-bat was special for me," Roberts said. "To be here as long as I have and to be through so many ups and downs, you don't really know if people are just tired of you or if they really want you out there still. "My journey, so many people can...

Shortly before tonight's game started at Camden Yards, Orioles manager Buck Showalter turned to bench coach John Russell and said, "Boy, this place is hoppin'." The electric atmosphere didn't go unnoticed. "It was cool," Showalter said following the Orioles' 4-2 win over the Yankees in the first ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game in Baltimore in eight years. "You could tell there was some real energy in the park, and it meant a lot to us, but we've got to continue to do the things...

In their fourth attempt to get a three-game series sweep, the Orioles picked up their first of the year tonight. A large enthusiastic crowd of 40,878 saw Chris Tillman gain his 10th win as the Orioles beat the Yankees 4-2 to complete a three-game sweep in their first home game on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" since July 31, 2005. The Orioles completed their first three-game home sweep of New York since April 15-17, 2005. It also is their fifth straight home win against New York - their...

Dan Haren will be - and has been - the first to admit that he hasn't thrown the ball well this season. We've seen Haren's brutal honesty on more than a few occasions this year, and he certainly isn't shy about telling you when he isn't getting the job done or pitching to the level he feels he should. But Haren was pleasantly surprised with how good he felt yesterday when he threw a bullpen session at Citi Field, his first time toeing the rubber since landing on the disabled last June 23...

The Nationals have reached the halfway point of their 2013 season the owners of a 41-40 record. Not where they thought they'd be right now, that's for sure. The first three months have been one extended dance, with the Nats taking a step forward with a positive showing, like yesterday's 13-2 romp over the Mets, followed - usually immediately - by a step backwards. It leaves the team many considered to be World Series favorites entering the season, one that's still hovering around .500...

Brian Roberts lined a 1-2 pitch into center field for a single with one out in the fifth inning. Must have felt like a walk-off home run. Roberts had collected his first hit since April 4 at Tropicana Field, and his first hit in Baltimore since June 29, 2012. He took a deep breath and exhaled as he stood on the bag. He traveled a long way for that hit, and I don't mean Sarasota. Roberts is 6-for-14 this season. He's a nice presence at the bottom of the lineup. By the way, his wife,...

Manny Machado rounded the bases in the first inning tonight, waved to some fans after crossing home plate and disappeared into the Orioles' dugout. Machado hit his first home run since May 5, and it gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead over the Yankees in the bottom of the first inning at Camden Yards. This place was loud before the game started. Machado crushed an 83 mph slider and cranked up the volume. Machado is 4-for-13 with two homers against Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. His last homer...

Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda makes the start against the Orioles here tonight. He is 7-5 with an ERA of 2.77 in 16 starts. Kuroda ranks fifth in the American League in ERA and has had two very different starts this year against the Orioles. On April 14 at New York, in another ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game, he pitched a five-hit shutout, throwing 113 pitches. On May 22 here at Camden Yards, Kuroda went two innings plus two batters and gave up eight hits and five runs, throwing 55...