Before the start of the 2012 season, a late-August series between the Nationals and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park might have sounded like a highly dramatic divisional clash. Instead, this upcoming three-game series in the City of Brotherly Love will pit a first-place team against one which sits 19 1/2 games back in the National League East. Given the Phillies' issues this season and the tear the Nats have been on, I wouldn't be surprised to see a good amount of Curly Ws in the stands over...

The Orioles begin a seven-game homestand tonight, and they're expected to go back to a four-man bench. Ryan Flaherty didn't play in Triple-A Norfolk's game at Durham last night, and I've heard that the Orioles are prepared to activate him from the 15-day disabled list. We'll see. I got the impression - and yes, I do impressions - that the Orioles were going to keep Flaherty on his rehab assignment for the maximum 20 days if allowed by Major League Baseball. However, he's 11-for-23 with...

Don't read this if you are superstitious. Is the word "playoffs" taboo in your household? Do you use euphemisms to talk about that sort of thing? Then maybe you can find a new argument about the Stephen Strasburg shutdown to read. Believe in jinxes? Stop here. This is for fans who dare to dream. Because the Nationals are going to the postseason. Not only that, they will win the National League East and have home-field advantage as deep as they go. There. It's been said. It's not the...

The Orioles are masters of the five-game win streak. After stringing together a then-season-best four-game win streak in late April, the O's have posted five-game win streaks in every month since. The Orioles' five-game win streaks are more different than they are alike, although some patterns have emerged. Here are five facts about the O's five-game win streaks: * All but one of the Orioles' five-game win streaks have included two extra-inning victories. Among these are two extra-inning...

It has almost been a year now since Andy MacPhail stepped down as Orioles president of baseball operations. He was in that position from June 20, 2007 until the end of last season. The Orioles averaged just 67 wins per year in his four full seasons. But doesn't MacPhail deserve some of the credit for the Orioles' 2012 success? If you just look at the lineup the Orioles send out there every night, he acquired several of those players like Adam Jones, Mark Reynolds, J.J. Hardy and Chris...

Ross Detwiler went 5 1/3 innings yesterday, allowing two runs in a loss to the Braves. For much of the first four innings, however, Detwiler was on point. He was locating his fastball, pounding the zone and using his two-seamer to let Braves hitters beat the ball into the ground. After the game, Davey Johnson expressed a desire to see Detwiler mix in his off-speed pitches a bit more, but overall, the Nationals like the way Detwiler has relied more on his fastball lately, attacking hitters and...

The Orioles announced this afternoon that the Chicago Cubs claimed reliever Miguel Socolovich off waivers. They designated him for assignment nine days ago to make room for left-hander J.C. Romero on the 40-man roster. The Cubs optioned Socolovich to Triple-A Iowa. Socolovich posted a 1.90 ERA in 28 games at Triple-A Norfolk and was named to the International League All-Star team. However, he registered a 6.97 ERA in six appearances and 10 1/3 innings with the Orioles during two stints with...

The thrill of preparing for a possible postseason extends beyond the Orioles' clubhouse and the fan base. The act of stuffing envelopes within the team's offices generated just as many smiles, but mainly because of what those mailings contain. By the end of business Thursday, invoices for Orioles postseason tickets will be sent out to all season-ticket holders - those who have full plans and partial ones. An announcement about when playoff tickets will be available to the general public is...

The Nationals head on the road to Philadelphia and Miami for the next six days, but they have felt right at home living out of a suitcase this season. Another major component of why the Nationals are so good this year has been their ability to play their best baseball on the road. The 41-23 record (.641) is six victories better than their nearest competition. Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati all have 35 wins away from home. The Nationals have won 14 of their last 17 games on the...

Before last night's series finale against the Braves, the Nationals presented Braves third baseman Chipper Jones with some going-away presents. Yesterday marked the future Hall of Fame third baseman's final game at Nationals Park before he steps away from the game, so the Nats put together a video tribute which was played on the Jumbotron and held a presentation in which Ryan Zimmerman, Mark DeRosa, Adam LaRoche and GM Mike Rizzo gave Jones a few gifts. Those gifts included a base which was...