What do sports mean to a city, after all? Of what value is a team? What do we really gain from having handsomely compensated athletes organize themselves in uniform to play games in a city most of them don't call home? In a word, it's community. From economic impact to camaraderie, everyone can find their own favorite reason why sports matter. Regardless of which one you favor, a team is one of the few things that still has the power to impart a real sense of "us." Rooting can be a...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Every television in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field is tuned to the Yankees-Red Sox game. Brian Roberts sat on one of the chairs, watching as the Red Sox tried to hold a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. They couldn't do it. Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer to tie the game. Chris Tillman is the confirmed starter for Wednesday night. No matter what happens in the Bronx, he's taking the mound at Tropicana Field. "It's exciting," he said. "I've...

During a season in which he has come up with several big pitching performances for the Orioles, Miguel Gonzalez may have come up with his best tonight. Against a Tampa Bay team that scored seven runs off him in just 2 2/3 innings in his worst outing of the year on July 25, Gonzalez pitched scoreless ball over 6 1/3 innings tonight as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 1-0 to stay in the hunt for a division championship going into the season's final day. The Orioles improve to 93-68 with the victory....

Both the Nationals and Phillies went into this game knowing they'd be relying on Johnny Wholestaff. In other words, we were going to see a whole host of relievers take the mound tonight. We've gotten just that so far. Tom Gorzelanny, coming out of the bullpen to spot-start for the Nats, went 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out five. B.J. Rosenberg, a reliever who was called on to start for the Phillies, went four innings, giving up one run over four frames. We now find...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Is Chris Davis the straw that stirs the Orioles' drink? Davis has joined Reggie Jackson as the only players in Orioles history to homer in six straight games. He drove a ball off the roof of the restaurant in center field after Rays starter James Shields retired the first 11 batters to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Davis has hit seven homers in the last six games, passing Adam Jones for the team lead with 33 for the season. Davis was named American League co-Player of...

So you can't watch the Nationals' postseason run unfold on MASN. That doesn't mean we'll be going off the map until next season. MASN will still be here for as long as the Nationals stay alive in the postseason to provide you with plenty of coverage, even though the games will be aired nationally. For starters, tune into MASN HD the night before the Nats open the National League Division Series - whether that be Saturday or Sunday - for "Nats Xtra: Playoff Preview." Time will be...

Reliever Henry Rodriguez and catcher Wilson Ramos will not play winter ball, according to manager Davey Johnson. Rodriguez is recovering well from surgery to remove a bone spur in his throwing elbow. "Henry is doing great," Johnson said. "He was on the bench last night and I shook hands with him and he reached out with that iron fist. He is getting full extension already." Johnson said Rodriguez should be ready for spring training. As for Ramos, who was seen moving pretty well around a...

Despite all the madness that went on in the Nationals' clubhouse last night, it looked good as new this afternoon. The only indication that gallons of champagne, beer, juice and water had been spilled everywhere just 16 hours earlier was the faint odor of beer. Clubhouse manager Mike Wallace stayed until 5:30 this morning cleaning up, and a cleaning crew worked through the night to get the place looking nice and spiffy by the time players showed up this afternoon. Gio Gonzalez got to the...

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays have been officially eliminated, will they be easier for the Orioles to beat? Don't count on it, and I would imagine no one in the O's clubhouse is, either. Just the fact the Rays are pitching James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson the next two nights makes them tough to beat. Don't you think that it is somewhat ironic that last year the Rays were praising the Orioles for how hard and well they played late in the year against Boston, and now the Rays could keep the...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter expects to announce Wednesday's starter after tonight's game against the Rays, and all signs point to Chris Tillman because of the importance attached to the regular season finale. That is, if it's the last regular season game. The Orioles could finish tied with the Yankees for first place in the American League East and meet Thursday in Baltimore. Showalter's head must be spinning. He had no idea that the forecast in New York tonight...