Dan Daniels, the voice of the Washington Senators from 1961-68, passed away after complications from a fall at his Bethesda home on Aug. 13. He was 90 years old. Daniels worked as a television and radio sportscaster in Washington for 22 years, providing play-by-play coverage of the Redskins, Maryland and Navy in addition to calling Senators games. He is survived by three sons, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Nationals right-handed prospect Alex Meyer toes the rubber in his sixth start tonight for high Single-A Potomac at Salem. Meyer has gone 2-1 with a 0.93 ERA in five outings so far for the P-Nats, striking out 26 while allowing just 17 hits and three walks in 29 innings. Recently, I got the chance to sit down with Meyer and see how his first season has played out, especially his recent promotion to Potomac from low Single-A Hagerstown. "It has been a transition period," Meyer said. "I...

Will Ian Desmond make his grand return to the Nationals tonight as the team opens a series against the Mets? We'll have to see. As you know, Desmond took part in a simulated game yesterday, and if he feels good today, the All-Star shortstop could find his name back in the lineup tonight after missing 25 games with a left oblique injury. Chien-Ming Wang resumed his rehab from a right hip strain yesterday, starting for Double-A Harrisburg in the Senators' game against Akron. Wang got stuck...

The Nationals are returning home this weekend as conquering heroes. Not only have they completed one of the best road trips in team history at 8-2 and amassed the best road record in the majors, they have been passing key tests that they failed earlier in the season, showing how they have grown and matured as a team. Remember back in late April when the Nats hit the West Coast for the first time? After taking two in San Diego, they stumbled in the series finale against the Padres before...

Manny Machado hit his first two major league home runs against the Kansas City Royals' Luke Hochevar on Aug. 10, becoming the youngest Orioles player to record a multi-homer game. That honor previously belonged to one John Wesley "Boog" Powell who, like Machado, got his first two major league home runs in the same game. Powell's first four career home runs came as part of multi-homer games, and they were all two-run shots. Powell homered twice against the Twins on May 2, 1962. He followed...

For most of the 2012 season, one that has mostly not been a good one for him, the assumption has been that Mark Reynolds would likely not return to the Orioles for the 2013 season. But after Reynolds' recent hot streak at the plate, is there a chance that could change? Can Reynolds still play his way into the Orioles' plans for next season? The Orioles hold a team option on his contract, but it would cost them $11 million for next year and that seems very unlikely to get picked up. But if...

The Red Sox broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the sixth inning last night when rookie Manny Machado couldn't field Dustin Pedroia's slow bouncer with runners on second and third and two outs. Machado charged the ball, but didn't come up with it. Not an easy play, but one that had to be made. "They got lucky," said reliever Luis Ayala, who took the loss. "Ground ball. Tough play, but it was a key for the game. "We got lucky, too. We got a nice play with Machado, too. It's part of the...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters after tonight's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox that Steve Johnson was still "somewhat of an option" to start Saturday in Detroit. However, I doubt that it's going to happen after Johnson threw 28 pitches tonight. We'll see. "There's still that potential he can pitch there," Showalter said. "He hadn't pitched in seven days. We didn't want to pitch anyone else. We were down to our last guy. I was trying to stay away from Steve if I could. We're...

Manager Buck Showalter can count the number of times that Adam Jones has been hit by a pitch this season. He probably can name each body part that's been bruised. Now it's Showalter's face that's turning purple. Showalter didn't hide his displeasure with the Red Sox as he walked toward first base to check on Jones, who was drilled in the backside by a Clay Buchholz fastball in the third inning. He glared at them to such a degree, I'm pretty sure he melted the railing in front of their...

Tonight's Red Sox starter, Clay Buchholz, has three career shutouts, and all three have come against the Orioles. What are the odds? Not only that, but some fans will remember that Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the Orioles in just his second major league game on September 1, 2007. In his career, the right-hander is 6-3 with a 3.67 ERA vs. the Orioles. But, over his last eight starts against them, he is 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Buchholz has already faced the Orioles three times this year,...