Bryce Harper's back kept him out of the starting lineup yesterday. Today, Harper and his back are back. The 19-year-old returns to the Nationals' lineup today as Washington opens a three-game series against the Blue Jays. Tonight, they'll face Toronto righty Brandon Morrow, who is off to a very strong start to the 2012 season, going 7-3 with a 2.90 ERA. Manager Davey Johnson said after yesterday's game that he will be giving Roger Bernadina some more playing time in the coming days, and...

The most encouraging news on pitcher Zach Britton is he's in good health. As a bonus, he also says that his stuff is getting better. The results at Triple-A Norfolk might not reflect it, but he's looking beyond the statistics. First, here's what Britton says about his physical condition: "I'm feeling good. I definitely feel like I'm starting to get stronger. My arm is getting back in its natural slot, especially yesterday. I was definitely getting back to where I should be with my arm...

If you couldn't tell by his actions in the ninth inning yesterday, when he was ejected with his team one strike away from being swept, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine wasn't too pleased with the umpiring over the weekend. "I've got guys battling their butts off and it's not right," Valentine said after yesterday's game. "Good umpires had a real bad series this series, a real bad series. And it went one way. There should be a review." I doubt a review is coming, and personally, I...

The Orioles have now won nine extra-innings games in a row for the first time in team history. Here is what Matt Wieters said after yesterday's game when asked the key reason for the streak: "You know, it's the bullpen. The bullpen is doing a great job of just keeping teams where they are at. If you keep the other team from scoring, eventually someone will get the run. The bullpen has been great keeping us in games." If there is one segment of this team that has been rock solid...

As Bryce Harper pumped for all he was worth to score the winning run on Roger Bernadina's clutch double Sunday afternoon, the Fenway Park faithful had probably seen all they wanted of the Nationals and their young prodigies. Harper, Strasburg, and the rest of them. Espinosa, Clippard, Desmond, Gonzalez, they all had a hand on the broom that swept clean the old park on Lansdowne Street, "the little bandbox of a ballpark," as John Updike lovingly called it. With Yankee Stadium lost forever,...

LSU's baseball season ended last night with a shocking upset loss to Stony Brook in the Super Regionals. Let the Kevin Gausman negotiations begin. The Orioles made Gausman the fourth overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft and watched helplessly Saturday as he pitched the 12th inning of Game 1 and seven innings of Game 2 on the same day. Now that LSU has been bounced, the Orioles can work toward signing him and determining how that prized right arm is used. Were the Orioles a bit...

As a young Orioles fan, I did not have the opportunity to grow up watching the legends that have defined the franchise. Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, Rick Dempsey and even Cal Ripken Jr. unfortunately do not headline most of the memories that I have of the Birds. While I have grown up hearing and reading about them, I am what you could call Generation Y of Orioles fans. So although marked by many losing seasons that have included rotation struggles, errors, lack of situational hitting, etc.,...

The weekend series the Nationals just completed against the Boston Red Sox felt like a playoff test. Sure, the Red Sox are not having the start they are used to. But Fenway Park is always one of the toughest venues for the visiting team. Boston is built to win in this park. The Nationals have had a good start to the season. They have played well at home and on the road. They have avoided long losing streaks and have been able to bounce back quickly when a rough patch occurs. Following the...

I'm disappointed, Nationals fans. Disappointed in you. Here we sit, only a month away from this year's All-Star Game, and when I look at the current vote totals, no Nationals players are above fifth at their respective position. I'd shake my head if it didn't result in so many typos on my part. Fortunately, there is still time to redeem yourselves and help send your favorite Nationals players to the National League starting lineups for this year's festivities in Kansas City on July...

BOSTON - This has been a season where the Nationals have been able to make a number of statements to the baseball world. They've sat in first place in the very tough National League East for much of the season. They've won both of their series with the Phillies, the reigning five-time division champs. They've now moved to 12 games above-.500, rare territory for this organization. Was this weekend's sweep over the Red Sox, at Fenway Park, another statement of sorts? "Absolutely," Tyler...