After Buck Showalter's pregame comments today about sending Dylan Bundy to instructional league when that starts on September 12, it now appears that Bundy will not get a September call-up to Baltimore. I think the organization is making the exact right call. While Bundy is 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA at three levels this year, it is amazing enough for him to have advanced three levels and be ending this season in Double-A at age 19. You just don't see many 19-year-old pitchers reaching the...

Davey Johnson has his regulars back and healthy, so he'll run them out there. The Nationals were held scoreless yesterday and managed just five hits, but Johnson will keep his lineup the same for tonight's game against the Marlins. The Nats will take their hacks against 21-year-old right-hander Jacob Turner, making his second start for the Marlins since coming over from the Tigers in the Anibal Sanchez trade. For the Nats: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam...

Nationals top infield prospect Anthony Rendon will get to extend his season against the best competition in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters. Rendon joins Jason Martinson, Brian Goodwin and one other yet to be named infielder from the Nationals organization. Pitchers selected from the Nationals are Paul Demny, Ryan Perry, Christian Garcia and one other pitcher to be named. Martinson will be the taxi squad participant, eligible to play Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mark...

The Orioles' lineup tonight leans to the left, with Nate McLouth batting third, Chris Davis serving as the designated hitter and Omar Quintanilla playing second base. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Nate McLouth LF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Omar Quintanilla 2B Manny Machado 3B Joe Saunders LHP Seven Orioles farmhands are included on the Mesa Solar Sox roster in the Arizona Fall League: Pitchers Michael Belfiore, Chris Petrini, Clay...

One more game, then it's home sweet home. Who knew a little five-game road trip could seem so long? The plane ride back to D.C. after tonight's game will seem a heck of a lot shorter if the Nationals can pick up a win tonight. The 25 guys in the clubhouse would like nothing more than to snap this skid and walk into Nats Park tomorrow with a clean slate, of sorts. A win tonight would give them that. The Nats have an 11-game homestand to look forward to after this road trip to forget. Four...

Hagerstown Suns All-Star outfielder Caleb Ramsey was named South Atlantic League Player of the Week for Aug. 20-26 following an incredible six-game run. Ramsey hit .556 (10-for-18) with two doubles, three triples, 10 RBIs, five runs, two walks and one stolen base. He struck out just once. From Aug. 19-23, Ramsey smacked 11 hits and had 10 RBIs in a five-game span. Ramsey joins former teammates in outfielder Steven Souza Jr. and right-hander Alex Meyer as South Atlantic League Player/Pitcher...

The Baltimore Orioles today announced that the club is accepting deposits on 2013 season ticket plans and that fans placing a deposit will receive access to 2012 Postseason tickets. Fans who place a non-refundable $250 per seat deposit on a 2013 Full or Partial Season Ticket Plan (including 13-game plans) will be guaranteed the opportunity to purchase 2012 Orioles Postseason tickets before the general public. Fans can place a deposit by visiting www.orioles.com/postseason or calling...

The past week has been as good a time as ever to reflect on the 2012 baseball season. The kids are back in school, Labor Day's next week, the dog days of summer are behind us, and we've got just over one month of baseball left. That's where everything stands. To break it down, the Nationals are four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East standings and are still the best team in all of baseball record-wise despite their five consecutive losses. Might I also add that...

For the first time in a while, the Nationals wake up this morning no longer possessing the best record in baseball. That mark now belongs to the Reds. More importantly, however, Washington's lead in the National League East has been cut to four games thanks to yesterday's 9-0 shellacking at the hands of the Marlins and Atlanta's win over the Padres. No, it wasn't a banner day for the Nats yesterday. They made it through the game without Michael Morse or Ian Desmond aggravating their...

Over the last few games, Nate McLouth, at least for a few days, must be looking like the player that Pittsburgh Pirates fans saw for an entire season in 2008. That year, he batted .276 with a National League-leading 46 doubles along with 26 homers, 94 RBIs and an OPS of .853. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner that season. He was just 26 then and probably seemed like a future star. But fast forward to this year and McLouth's performance had fallen off to the point where he was released...