Even though he has been one of the better relievers in the American League this year and is 7-for-7 in save chances since Sept. 7, the talk about Jim Johnson moving into a starter's role next year won't go away. No one has committed to it yet for 2012, but Johnson today expressed a preference to be a starter next season. "I'll do what the team asks me to do and needs me to do, but I would still like the idea to start, because I think I can be helpful in that position," Johnson said....

For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Nolan Reimold LF Zach Britton LHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Ortiz DH Lowrie 3B Gonzalez 1B Lavarnway C McDonald RF Crawford LF Scutaro SS Bedard LHP This is the first time that Lowrie has began a game as Boston's cleanup hitter. Jones is 5-for-9 lifetime against Bedard. Guerrero is 6-for-18 with a double and home run.

Nationals right-handed reliever Craig Stammen has quietly put together a nice month of pitching as he gears up for the offseason and 2012 spring training. That is not the way the year started off for Stammen. He was sent to Triple-A Syracuse out of spring training, then struggled in his first call to the majors this season. On June 6 in San Francisco, Stammen gave up two hits and a costly earned run in two-thirds of an inning. But since that night, he has not allowed a run in six straight...

With only two games remaining for the Washington Nationals and the team making one last run at a .500 record, it is hard not to be excited about the 2012 team. The 2011 team will go down in history as a team that never gave up on themselves. On three different occasions this season, the Nats have looked like they were going into a free fall in the standings. On May 18, the team had a record of 18-18 and wasn't playing all that great but they were able stay around .500 level. Over the next 12...

With the season winding down and the last game of the regular season (and the Orioles' season) tomorrow night, it's time to start analyzing and getting excited for next year. Although the Orioles only improved by a few games this year, we've seen some great potential out of young guys and we've learned a few not-so-great things about other guys. In my last guest blog of the season, I want to take a look at who will be the core group in this team, who will make the team, who will not make...

What a great atmosphere at Camden Yards last night. There were plenty of fans cheering for each side, each roaring most of the night at each other, and they made 21,000 fans sound like and feel like 51,000. As a friend said (and that was with Orioles fans basically wanting to ruin another team's season), what could it be like if it were the Orioles pushing for a playoff berth? The place was rocking after Robert Andino's three-run inside-the-park homer and it had a real big-game feel as the...

I want to start out by saying that I went 12-4 picking against the spread in NFL games, which means I'll probably go 2-14 this weekend. Dallas rallied last night for my 12th win. I was hesitant to take a team whose quarterback was playing with cracked ribs and a punctured lung, but then I thought, "What the heck?" I mentioned last night that Adam Jones had the last Orioles inside-the-park home run until Robert Andino circled the bases against Josh Beckett. Jones' unique four-bagger...

Hats off to you, Nationals fans. During MASNsports.com's inaugural Social Media Weekend, our goal was to text, tweet and post to you, the fans, and show you guys some love for rooting hard for your team and staying loyal to both the Nationals and MASN. Judging by the results, you guys shared the love right back. Through our always-expanding social media platforms -- Facebook, Twitter and our text messaging service -- we wanted to give a little something back by offering chances to win great...

Two Orioles players, about 10 feet apart in the clubhouse, were feeling very happy after this game for different reasons. Vladimir Guerrero was smiling after his single in the sixth made him baseball's all-time hits leader for Dominican-born players. Robert Andino was excited about his inside-the-park homer and that his father got to see it in person. There were a few smiles in that clubhouse after the Orioles' 6-3 win over the Red Sox. Vladimir Guerrero talks with the media about becoming...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter walked gingerly to his seat for his postgame session with the media following a 6-3 win over the Red Sox. He didn't move at the usual brisk pace. Each step was carefully measured. Showalter underwent X-rays on his ankle that, he assumes, came back negative. He was back in the dugout by the second inning. Showalter said he turned the ankle while walking to home plate to exchange lineup cards. Buck Showalter tells the media how proud he is of both Robert Andino...