CHICAGO - If you look at Gio Gonzalez's stat line from tonight and think that he left Wrigley Field disappointed with his performance, you'd be wrong. The Nationals starter actually says he was perfectly fine with his 3 2/3 innings, in which he allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts. "It was exactly what I wanted," Gonzalez said. "I was in the strike zone. I felt like I was in the strike zone. I felt like I was getting contact, making the guys swing the bat....

CHICAGO - Around 2:50 p.m. Central time, Chad Tracy - he of the .235 batting average and one home run in Japan last year - was trending on Twitter. Not just in the Washington, D.C., area. Nationwide. Tracy's reaction to the fact that likely tens of thousands of people were sending out messages about him on the popular social media platform? "Oh really? That's good to know," he said, a smile creeping across his face. Twitter might not really be Tracy's thing, but delivering clutch hits...

Adam Jones gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the second inning with his first home run of the season. Jones went to the opposite field against Twins starter Francisco Liriano, who struck out the side in the first inning. Jones has two homers in eight career at-bats against Liriano. Liriano has four strikeouts in two innings tonight. Orioles starter Tommy Hunter has allowed three hits in two innings, though his line includes two infield singles and a ground ball up the middle that barely eluded...

CHICAGO - After Thursday's game, in which Adam LaRoche went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, his 9-year-old son Drake approached him with a question. "What were you doing?" Drake asked his father. All the Nationals' first baseman could do was laugh. "I said, 'Drake, you're exactly right,' " LaRoche said. LaRoche didn't know exactly why he struggled so badly in the Nationals' opening day win over the Cubs. But he knew going forward he needed to just stay focused, not try to do too...

CHICAGO - These dramatic comeback wins are nice and all, but have the Nationals thought about jumping out to an early lead and coasting to an easy win? Is that something that might be in the cards instead of these chaotic, nail-biting, hair-pulling finishes? "No, I think we kind of like this," Adam LaRoche said. "We perfected it at times last year. So just keep it going." All right then. For the second time in as many games, the Nats battled back from a late deficit and earned an...

There were terms like UZR (ultimate zone rating) and wOBA (weighted on base average) mentioned today during Buck Showalter's pregame press session with reporters. This will come as welcome news to some readers of this blog. The fans that are into sabermetrics and some of the new statistics in the game are well aware of these terms and what they represent. But Showalter today mentioned that some people that may have been in the game for 30 years may not be up on the terms and stats. They...

Let's hear from manager Buck Showalter on his decision start Nick Johnson at first base and Ronny Paulino as the designated hitter, Tsuyoshi Wada's next starts and eventual role with the Orioles, Jason Hammel's upcoming start and the harsh reception for Kevin Gregg during yesterday's introductions. Showalter is using both catchers tonight, which is risky if Matt Wieters gets hurt. "We've got another one, but it's a secret. Maybe to him, too," Showalter said, chuckling. "No, I want...

At FanFest, Jake Arrieta was saying that having the bone spurs removed from his right elbow last August was going to provide a new-found flexibility and range of motion with his arm. He specifically felt that would most benefit his ability to throw more quality breaking balls. Then he went out on opening day and saw that unfold during his outing. Arrieta threw many quality pitches over seven innings of two-hit shutout ball. But he said he may have thrown some of the best breaking pitches that...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter laid out Tsuyoshi Wada's pitching schedule during his pregame session with the media. Wada will start an extended spring training game Monday against the Twins in Fort Myers and another extended spring game April 14 against the Rays in Port Charlotte. Assuming that Wada's health is good, he'll join one of the affiliates and make a rehab start April 19. Wada is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday, but it's going to be later. The Orioles want...

CHICAGO - If the Nationals keep this up, they're going to shorten their fans' lifespan by a few years. Not sure if anyone in the D.C. area would mind, however. On Thursday, the Nats came back from a run down in the late innings, tying the game in the eighth and taking the lead in the ninth. Today, yet again, the Nats put together an eighth inning rally against the Cubs bullpen. Washington entered the frame trailing by two, and left the eighth holding a 7-4 lead, thanks to a miraculous...