ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The playoff picture became a lot clearer this afternoon with the Athletics completing their improbable run toward the American League West title. The A's have been in first place for one day - today. They fell behind, 5-1, and stormed back for a 12-5 win that pushed the Rangers into the wild card and a possible matchup with the Orioles. To review: If the Orioles and Yankees win tonight, the Orioles would host the Rangers in the one-game wild card. If the Orioles lose,...

Teddy Roosevelt winning the Presidents' Race was the highlight of the afternoon for many Nationals fans. Ryan Zimmerman does not fit into that group of people. "I am so glad Teddy won so we can stop talking about Teddy," an exasperated Zimmerman said after today's 5-1 Nats win. "People get more excited for a mascot race than a game." Zimmerman then gave a massive eye-roll and cranked the sarcasm meter to the limit. "Yes, I'm excited Teddy won," he said. "I'm ecstatic." Jayson...

The Phillies wrapped up a .500 season today with a loss to the Nationals. The year didn't go as the Phils had expected, as they relinquished the NL East crown and failed to record a winning record for the first time in 10 years. But Jimmy Rollins feels his team would have prevented the Nats from winning their first division title in team history if key guys on the Phillies' roster (Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Carlos Ruiz, Placido Polanco) had spent less time on the...

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit his 25th homer of the season Wednesday in a 5-1 win over the Phillies, marking third time in his career he has it 25 or more homers in a season. He also hit 24 homers in 2007. He is a part of a Nationals team that has the most wins in major league baseball and has won its division. He said that is all nice, but the ultimate goal is a world championship. "It is quite an accomplishment," Zimmerman said. "Winning the division was a goal and now we...

So the Orioles need a Yankees loss tonight but yet New York will be facing Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is 1-6 with a 7.68 ERA. In four September starts, Matsuzaka is 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA and batting average against of .400. So I'm sayin' there's a chance. By the way, Boston is 1-11 in its last 12 games and was outscored 19-7 in Baltimore and has been outscored 14-5 the last two nights in New York. The Yankees lead the season series 12-5 with the Red Sox and are 9-1 in their past 10...

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, someone popped out of the Nationals' dugout, walked to the mound and got the ball from starter Edwin Jackson. That person wasn't manager Davey Johnson, but bench coach Randy Knorr. My first thought at the time was that Johnson was just having Knorr handle the managerial duties late in the game, given that it was the last day of the regular season. But when the Nationals' skipper wasn't out on the field for the postgame handshakes after the...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - If the Orioles and Yankees finish tied for first place in the American League East, a one-game playoff will begin Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. at Camden Yards. For this scenario to unfold, the Orioles must win tonight and the Yankees must lose to the Red Sox. The American League wild card game will start at 8:37 p.m. on Friday. The Orioles would host it if they win tonight and the Yankees defeat the Red Sox. Game 1 of the AL Division Series will begin at 6:07 p.m....

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Steve Johnson threw a light bullpen session today and did some fielding drills to test his left knee. Johnson said he felt "really good" and is ready to pitch if the Orioles need him. Johnson is wearing a "Hammel brace," as he called it, similar to the one used by Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel. "It was just to get off a mound and see how everything felt and it was really good, didn't feel it one time," Johnson said. "So, just going to continue treatment, too, and...

Game 162 is in the books. All that's left now is the postseason run. By way of this afternoon's 5-1 win, the Nationals have earned the No. 1 seed in the National League and at least a tie for the best record in the majors. Even if the Reds win tonight, finishing in a tie with Washington with an identical 98-64 record, the Nats will get the top seed in the NL because they won the season series between the two teams. That means the Nationals will play the winner of the Braves-Cardinals wild...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Chris Davis will attempt tonight to become the first Oriole to homer in seven straight games. Davis is 5-for-13 with a double lifetime against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B Chris Tillman RHP Jones is 8-for-26 with a double and three homers against Hellickson.