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The statheads are trying to ruin my delight in the Nationals' 2012 season, including Sunday's comeback win over the Milwaukee Brewers, the club's 24th so far.
I'm trying hard not to let them.
Now, I love baseball research and statistical analysis. The Society for American Baseball Research, SABR for short, has changed how fans, managers and front office personnel interpret, evaluate, and even enjoy teams and players.
What's driving me crazy are recent analyses of the Nationals' chances...
Good morning, Nationals fans. Your team currently stands alone with the best record in the majors.
With the Reds losing last night, the Nationals are atop Major League Baseball with a 61-40 record entering today's action.
And that's a large part of the reason why the team is unlikely to look much different (if at all) after this afternoon's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline. Why mess with a good thing unless you can truly improve the on-field product without giving up too large a piece of...
Nick Markakis had yet another productive game in the leadoff spot Monday as the Orioles beat New York 5-4. He went 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs.
Since he returned from the disabled list and was moved to the leadoff spot, Markakis is batting .364 over 18 games with six doubles, one homer, five RBIs and an OPS of .885. He has nine multi-hit games among those 18 he has played in.
Here is an interesting stat: In the first half, Markakis struck out 37 times in 199 at-bats. Over...
NEW YORK - I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again. That's my promise to you. But I'm saying right here and right now that the Orioles will not trade minor league infielder Jonathan Schoop to the Phillies for pitcher Joe Blanton.
It's more likely that a bottle of Scope will be included in a deal than the Orioles No. 3 prospect, as dubbed before the season by Baseball America.
That doesn't mean the deal is dead. The two sides will continue talking today, perhaps right up to the 4...
NEW YORK - The Orioles improved to 20-6 in one-run games, including 13-2 on the road. The lead was built partly tonight by Nick Markakis' two RBIs, it was narrowed after Miguel Gonzalez gave up the back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, and it stayed intact because Jim Johnson escaped a jam in the ninth to record his 31st save.
Here's manager Buck Showalter on Gonzalez:
"I thought he was outstanding. We talked a little bit yesterday about attacking them and just being aggressive. You...
NEW YORK - Closer Jim Johnson, coming off a blown save and raising more concerns about his second-half performance, was handed the ball and a one-run lead tonight in the ninth inning.
After one batter, the Yankees had the tying run on second base. After three batters, they had the winning run at first base.
Nick Swisher led off with a ground-rule double to right-center field. Raul Ibanez struck out, but Eric Chavez walked.
Ichiro Suzuki bounced into a 6-4 force and later stole second, and...
Even though half the hits he gave up tonight were home runs, Miguel Gonzalez still was on his game for most the evening, keeping the Yankees off balance with some offspeed pitches which produced eight strikeouts as the Orioles beat New York 5-4 in the opener of a three-game series.
With the win the Orioles improved to 4-1 in their last five games against New York and 4-5 on the season overall. They are now 8-5 over the last 13 games and 54-49 overall.
Gonzalez gave up six hits and four runs...
NEW YORK - Wilson Betemit homered into the second deck in right field leading off the top of the third inning tonight to tie the score, 1-1.
Betemit had one homer since June 26 and one RBI since July 22. He's totaled four RBIs since June 29.
Betemit has two hits in seven career at-bats against Yankees right-hander Freddy Garcia - both of them home runs.
The Yankees claimed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Miguel Gonzalez was called for balk with two outs that allowed Raul...
NEW YORK - The Phillies sent pitcher Joe Blanton's medical records to Orioles orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens this afternoon, according to a source. This is another indication that a trade is close to being finalized.
That's it for the Blanton update.
Jim Thome had a trigger point treatment and a cortisone injection in his neck yesterday, "but it wasn't much better today," said manager Buck Showalter. "A little bit. Not much."
Thome will return to Baltimore tonight and undergo an MRI...
NEW YORK - The Phillies sent pitcher Joe Blanton's medical records to Orioles orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens this afternoon, according to a source. This is another indication that a trade is close to being finalized.
That's it for the Blanton update.
Jim Thome had a trigger point treatment and a cortisone injection in his neck yesterday, "but it wasn't much better today," said manager Buck Showalter. "A little bit. Not much."
Thome will return to Baltimore tonight and undergo an MRI...