The Orioles' rotation is coming a little more into focus, though it still includes some hazy patches. Get used to it. Manager Buck Showalter can't plan too far ahead, no matter how hard he tries. You already know that left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is starting Thursday afternoon against the Rays. Left-hander Joe Saunders will start Friday night in Oakland. Now comes the hazy part. Chris Tillman could start Saturday, with left-hander Zach Britton taking the mound on Sunday. Showalter could...

Today was originally scheduled to be Stephen Strasburg's final start of the 2012 season. Those who bought tickets to tonight's Nationals-Mets game at Citi Field hoping to see Strasburg's finale will get John Lannan instead. Lannan makes his return to the Nationals' rotation tonight as he takes on the Mets in the finale of this three-game series. The veteran left-hander has made two starts with the Nats this season, going 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA over 13 innings. Those starts were merely...

Nate McLouth remains in the leadoff spot tonight for the Orioles. Wilson Betemit is serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Wilson Betemit DH Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis RF Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP Only two Orioles have faced Rays right-hander Alex Cobb. Omar Quintanilla is 1-for-3 and Endy Chavez is 0-for-3. Manager Buck Showalter, interviewed for Buck's Blog on MASNsports.com,...

The Nationals have announced their 2013 schedule, which sees them open at home against the Miami Marlins and finish the season with six straight road contests - three at St. Louis and three at Arizona. The season opener will come on Monday, April 1. The Nats will host the Marlins for three games before hitting the road for three against the Reds. The annual Battle of the Beltways series will continue for an eighth straight season. Both the Nationals and Orioles will host two games over a...

The Washington Nationals today released their 2013 schedule, which includes 81 home dates, beginning with Washington's 80th home opener since 1901 on Monday, April 1 vs. Miami and is highlighted by an attractive slate of weekend visits from the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Twins. The annual Battle of the Beltways Series between the Nationals and Orioles continues for an eighth consecutive season with each club hosting a pair of contests over a four-game span, May 27-30. The...

Season opens at Tampa Bay April 2, home opener slated for April 5 vs. Minnesota The Orioles today announced they will open the 2013 season at Tampa Bay before beginning their 22nd season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 5 against the Minnesota Twins in a short three-game homestand. The Orioles will play each of their AL East rivals three times at Oriole Park, with 10 games each against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox and nine games each against the Tampa Bay Rays and the...

Major League Baseball will release the Orioles' 2013 schedule at 1 p.m., but a few details have leaked out over the past few weeks. The Orioles definitely will open at Tropicana Field for the third time in four seasons, if my math is correct. They have games against the Rays on April 2-4 before their home-opening series against the Twins on April 5-7. Once again, the local beat crew will drive from Sarasota to St. Petersburg before leaving the state of Florida. According to a few industry...

Another night, another couple games are cut off of the Nationals' magic number. The magic number to clinch the division is now down to 13 after last night's Nats win and another Braves loss. In addition, the Dodgers lost last night, cutting the Nationals' magic number to clinch a playoff spot to seven. The Nats' lead in the NL East is up to 7 1/2 games, meaning the worst-case scenario has them leaving their three-game weekend series in Atlanta still up 3 1/2 games. After a long road...

There's one big problem with the Nationals being as good as they are this season. What's ironic about that problem is that it has nothing to do with baseball and has everything to do with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority closing at midnight. This is a topic of conversation that will continue to come up until the end of the season and will persist until the season officially comes to a close (pending playoff games). I've sounded off regarding my Metro pet peeves before, but...

The Nationals got back on track in New York, winning another series, and beating a pitcher who had been unbeatable most of the season. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, lost for just fifth time in his last 29 starts, allowing a game-changing two-run homer to pinch-hitter Tyler Moore, and the Nationals went on to win 5-3. Dickey, who allowed only three runs in seven innings, said he has not seen anyone else hit like the Nationals have this season. "That is the best lineup I have faced," Dickey...