The National League East is going to come down to the Braves and Nationals, and it could be even closer than the four games that separated them in 2012. The Nats have the advantage in starting pitching, while the Braves have a slight advantage on offense and in the bullpen, with the defenses being fairly even. The Braves are going to score a lot of runs, but with Paul Maholm, Mike Minor, and Julio Teheran at the back of their rotation, they are going to need all the runs they can get to win...

How do the Orioles do as individual hitters and as a team when batting with runners in scoring position? It is a stat worth tracking and one that can have some meaning. How are the Orioles doing cashing in on scoring chances when they present themselves? First of all, be cautioned that reading anything into seven games' worth of stats is foolish, but nonetheless, here are some of the numbers. As team the Orioles are batting .254 (16-for-63) with RISP. They are just 1-for-9 over the last...

In his second at-bat tonight, Jayson Werth smoked a ball 400 feet to straightaway center. It died at the wall, and White Sox center fielder Alejandro De Aza brought it in for a loud out. In his third at-bat tonight, Werth took a shorter path to the seats. He crushed the first pitch he saw from Jake Peavy - a 90 mph two-seam fastball - deep into the left field bleachers. The two-run shot gave the Nationals a 4-2 lead, which they hold after six innings of play. Werth now has three home runs in...

BOSTON - Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Chris Dickerson was removed for a pinch-hitter tonight before batting in the first inning. He was supposed to lead off and play center field against Charlotte. LJ Hoes batted for Dickerson and went to right field, with Jason Pridie moving over to center. Should we read anything into it? Apparently, a roster move is pending that involves Dickerson and he's expected to meet the team in Boston, though I'm hearing that Nolan Reinold's hamstring is...

Gio Gonzalez threw 91 pitches over six shutout innings in his season debut last week, but he seems like a different guy tonight. It's taken the Nationals left-hander 84 pitches to get through four innings against the White Sox, as he's walked two, allowed three hits and had trouble putting Chicago hitters away. Gonzalez needed 33 pitches just to get through the top of the first, and his mental miscue brought in the first run of the ballgame. With the bases loaded and a 3-2 count on Alexei...

Davey Johnson and Bryce Harper took a little field trip this afternoon, heading down to City Hall to be honored by the D.C. Council with ceremonial resolutions. Johnson, the 2012 National League Manager of the Year, and Harper, the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year, received their resolutions, presented by council member Vincent Orange. "It was good. I'm glad to see they're doing some work down there," quipped Johnson, when asked about his afternoon. Johnson's resolution listed him as five...

Interleague play may be exciting for the fans, but it causes some alterations and uneasiness for players, especially this early in the season. However, some players embrace National League versus American League match-ups in small doses because it mixes the schedule up a bit and adds a little flavor. This season, with the Astros moving to the American League and the formation of three five-team divisions in each league, there's an interleague game every day. The Nationals would appear to have...

Nationals fans will have to wait at least a few innings to give Adam Dunn a true welcome back to D.C. After all, this is interleague play, and Dunn isn't the most skilled defensive player out there. With no designated hitter in the lineup and the visiting White Sox having Paul Konerko already locked in as their first baseman, Dunn won't be starting in his return to Nationals Park. Still, Dunn, who played in D.C. from 2009-2010, is happy to be back in the district, getting a chance to see...

What makes a great baseball movie? Like all flicks, it's got to have a compelling story that grabs your attention. Interesting characters are a must, because without them, you're thinking more about refilling that 68-ounce Diet Coke than what's on the screen. Intriguing dialogue follows good characters on my must-have list. But the most important thing for a successful baseball movie is a reverent, honest portrayal of the game, on and off the field. With it, you've got blockbusters like...

The Orioles are proud to support Major League Baseball in the launch of the 5th annual Honorary Bat Girl Contest designed to celebrate the stories of fans who are "going to bat against breast cancer." The club invites Orioles fans to join in spreading awareness and support for the breast cancer cause by making nominations and voting in the contest to determine who will be this year's Honorary Bat Girl at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. All fans of the Orioles who are age 18 and older are...