Now that the Nationals have become the new champions of the National League East, they have a chance to finish with the best record in the league. They are tied with Cincinnati for that position, and if they finish with the best record, they'll have home-field advantage if they make it to the National League Championship Series. If they tie, the Nationals have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series. And the best record means they'll start the Division Series on Sunday, and...

To those born after 1971, this is how it was supposed to be in Washington all along. Enjoy it to the fullest. To those who remember the Senators, the sadness of September 30, 1971 is now gone. Forever. Let it go. Let peace wash over you. Rest in peace, Robert E. Short and all those who allowed the National Pastime to depart the nation's capital. The Washington Nationals are the 2012 National League East Division Champions. Say it again and again until joy fills your heart. No one, no...

If Hollywood was smart - six "Fast and the Furious" movies are strong evidence to the contrary - there would be a movie about the Orioles' season out by Opening Day 2013. This season is the perfect script and in a lot of ways, like most O's fans, I feel like I'm playing a minor character in it. Like when my brother-in-law and sister-in-law helped me purchase postseason tickets just days before giving birth to their first child. Or when my dad and I were on MASN reaching for Nate...

Nothing is decided for the Orioles with two games to go. They fell back into second place last night, but they could still win the AL East outright over the next two days or tie the Yankees. They also could wind up the No. 5 seed in the AL and have to play a road wild card game. They are not as fortunate as Detroit. While 92 wins hasn't even guaranteed the Orioles a home game at this point, the Tigers clinched their division with 87 wins last night and now can relax over the last two...

As the Nationals sprayed champagne, beer, Gatorade, orange juice, water, baby powder, shaving cream and any other substance they could find last night, there was plenty of great stuff going on. On the MASN broadcast, Gio Gonzalez called principal owner Mark Lerner, whose foot is in a boot after recent surgery, "the pimp with the limp." While on the field, Ryan Mattheus sprinted over to Teddy, the giant racing president, and dumped a beer all over him. Wilson Ramos - surgically repaired...

Shortly after Gio Gonzalez dumped a beer on the head of the Nationals' managing principal owner Ted Lerner, his son, Mark Lerner, stood on the field with players celebrating all around him, talking about what the NL East title meant to the organization after years of losing. "When Commissioner (Bud) Selig gave us the team, it was a big decision on his part," Lerner said. "First of all, our family wants to thank him for having the trust that we could do it the right way, and I hope he's...

"We were at the bottom of the barrel when I came over to this organization, it was in shambles," Tyler Clippard said. "A lot of great things have happened since then. We have worked our tails off to get to this point, and it is extra special because of that. "That is what has been great about this team. Guys have went down. Injuries have happened. Young guys have stepped up. Everyone has played a part. It has been a storybook kind of season for us so far. That is just motivation to keep...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Yankees won again last night, and the Orioles didn't seem to care in the least. The Red Sox rolled over again, like a puppy begging to have its belly rubbed. They're not exactly rallying around embattled manager Bobby Valentine. Instead, they're holding the door open and giving him a shove. He's the only guy they can get out these days. When the result of last night's Yankees game was relayed to center fielder Adam Jones, he replied, "We don't care." He...

There's a ton to digest and type up after the Nationals clinched the National League East, setting off a wild celebration in the clubhouse and on the field tonight, and I'll have plenty for you throughout the next couple hours and into tomorrow. For now, here are some quotes from the guys who got to do all the celebrating to hold you over, transcribed by a reporter who now reeks like beer: Drew Storen On clinching: "Speechless. It's something you really dream for and ever since I got...

"It has been a long three years, and everybody in here has had their ups and downs. We all pushed on and kept trying to get better and, you know what, now we are NL East champs," right-hander Stephen Strasburg said, speaking on how this team was built and on what the Nationals went through to get to this point. "I don't think this is going to be our only time," he added. "We are living in the now, and we got lot of work to do. But we are going to make the most of it, play in the moment,...