About a month ago, I found myself at Reagan National Airport talking baseball during March Madness. My fellow bar patrons gathered around the television sets with pints in hand, agonizing over the first round of their bracket selections. It was during that time that a few of us faithful broke off into our own conversation about baseball. Here I was, stuck - caught between a Cardinals fan and a guy who claimed that we was simply a fan of the game. Do I admit I was born and raised in...

It's been approximately seven hours since I left Camden Yards, and I've just regained the feeling in my hands. Yes, the temperature dipped a little after the first pitch. The Frozen Four is the college hockey semifinals, but it's also the toes I have remaining on my left foot. Anyway, I'm going to assume that Mark Reynolds remains at third base tonight because manager Buck Showalter believes that he'll start hitting and fielding, and Reynolds already sat out one of the first five games....

FLUSHING, N.Y. - In the midst of an early-season skid, Jayson Werth sat down for a conversation with bench coach Randy Knorr in the Nationals clubhouse Monday night. Werth, who entered yesterday's game 1-for-14 on the season with seven strikeouts, felt like he was happy with his swing, but was starting to get frustrated with the results, or lack thereof. It was during that talk with Knorr that Werth received what he considered some words of wisdom. "We were watching video and looking at...

Losing to the Yankees is about as frustrating as it gets for an Orioles fan. But blowing a lead to New York, helping them with a key error and failing time after time with runners in scoring position takes the frustration to an even higher level. Unfortunately, the O's and their fans have been here before against this team. The Orioles went just 5-13 against the Yankees last year and are 15-41 in the series since 2009. The Orioles are 9-24 in their last 33 Camden Yards games against New...

Double-A Harrisburg downed New Britain 7-2 on Tuesday led by the red-hot hitting of second baseman Jeff Kobernus and an outstanding pitching performance from Robert Gilliam. Kobernus went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs and is now batting .444. First baseman Tim Pahuta went 2-for-4 with a double, run and an RBI, and is hitting .292. Catcher Sandy Leon went 3-for-4 and is batting .300. Shortstop Josh Johnson also connected with a double and two RBIs, and is currently hitting .348. Senators...

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Exactly a week to the day prior to his win over the Mets on Tuesday night, Ross Detwiler was informed he had made the Nationals' rotation. Detwiler, who previously was under the impression he'd be used as a reliever this season, was walking off the mound at Nats Park after having just thrown an inning in an exhibition against the Red Sox when manager Davey Johnson told him he should start preparing for his next start. The lefty did a double-take. "I thought I heard him...

Wei-Yin Chen had a confession to make after tonight's 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Yankees. He was nervous. Chen calmed himself after a rough beginning and held the Yankees to one run going into the sixth inning. He was charged with two earned runs (four total) and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, with one walk and six strikeouts. "To be honest with you guys, this is my first major league outing. I was so nervous. But after the first inning everything was fine for me," Chen said through his...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter was impressed tonight with Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, who retired 12 in a row heading into the fifth inning and took a 4-1 lead into the sixth before the Yankees tied the game. "Pitched well, pitched well, especially after the way things started," Showalter said. "Hopefully, it bodes well for him. You can tell one thing, he's got some toughness about him. I thought he got better as the game went on against obviously a very potent lineup. I thought he...

Low Single-A Hagerstown outfielder Brian Goodwin has been placed on the seven-day disabled list with a leg injury, the team announced. The move became effective Tuesday. Right fielder Angelberth Montilla also was placed on the disabled list with a broken hamate bone in his left hand. The Suns called up outfielders Billy Burns and Narciso Mesa from extended spring training and placed them on the active roster. Suns manager Brian Daubach told WJEJ 1240 AM in Hagerstown during Tuesday's...

FLUSHING, N.Y. - It all went right for Davey Johnson's bunch today. The Nationals led 1-0 after the first batter of the game, thanks to Ian Desmond's leadoff home run. They got an outstanding pitching performance from Ross Detwiler, making his first start of 2012. And they got five tack-on runs in the middle innings, allowing them to roll to a 6-2 win over the Mets. Detwiler's outing was the main topic of discussion with Johnson after the game, and the Nats' skipper was clearly thrilled...