Nationals announce 2013 spring training schedule

Nationals announce 2013 spring training schedule
The Washington Nationals today released their 32-game 2013 Spring Training schedule, which features 15 home games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL. The National League East champions will commence their Grapefruit League schedule on Feb. 23 when they play the New York Mets in nearby Port St. Lucie, FL. The Nationals will host the Miami Marlins one day later (Feb. 24) at Space Coast Stadium for their initial home contest. The Nationals' home schedule will include a matchup against the...
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Nationals name Gary Thurman minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator

Nationals name Gary Thurman minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator
The Washington Nationals today named Gary Thurman their minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development Bob Boone, Director of Player Development Doug Harris and Director of Minor League Operations Mark Scialabba made the joint announcement. Thurman, 48, brings 14 years of experience as a manager, coach or instructor in professional...
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Orioles join Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, invite fans to make donations

Orioles join Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, invite fans to make donations
The Orioles have partnered with Von Paris Moving and Storage to provide assistance to the victims of Hurricane Sandy and are inviting fans to make contributions. Von Paris Moving and Storage will drive two to three large moving trucks with donations directly to the Union Beach, Belmar, Tom's River, Hazlet and Seabright, New Jersey communities this weekend. Fans may bring donations to the Orioles offices in the Warehouse at Oriole Park today until 5:00 p.m. and tomorrow between 9:00 a.m. -...
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Orioles claim infielder Alexi Casilla off waivers, outright three and reinstate five from 60-day DL

Orioles claim infielder Alexi Casilla off waivers, outright three and reinstate five from 60-day DL
The Orioles today announced that they have claimed infielder Alexi Casilla off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. Additionally, the Orioles have outrighted outfielder Lew Ford, infielder Steve Tolleson and left-hander Zach Phillips to Triple-A Norfolk and reinstated right-handers Oliver Drake and Stu Pomeranz, left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada, infielder Brian Roberts and outfielder Nolan Reimold from the 60-day disabled list. Casilla, 28, played in a career-high 106 games for Minnesota in 2012,...
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Orioles team up to fight hunger in Sarasota County

Orioles team up to fight hunger in Sarasota County
The Baltimore Orioles and OriolesREACH, the ballclub's charitable arm, are teaming up with Sarasota County charities to fight hunger in the local community. The first initiative will benefit the Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program through a 12-day food drive and a sorting day hosted on November 16 at Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles' year-round training facility and home for the Spring Training season. "Families and individuals in Sarasota County are desperately in need of assistance to address a...
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Buck Showalter named AL Manager of the Year by Sporting News

Buck Showalter named AL Manager of the Year by Sporting News
Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles has been named the American League's Manager of the Year within Sporting News 2012 MLB Awards, presented by Gillette Odor Shield. Showalter turned a 93-loss team from 2011 into a 93-win team in 2012, ending the franchise's streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons. And he did it with a third baseman playing first base, a first baseman playing right field and a 20-year-old rookie shortstop playing third base. "It's quite an honor coming from my...
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Ted Leavengood: Dick Bosman talks innings limits and young pitchers

Ted Leavengood: Dick Bosman talks innings limits and young pitchers
As the roving minor league pitching instructor for the Rays, former Senators pitcher Dick Bosman has helped groom some of the best pitching talent in the majors. I asked Bosman, a recent guest on the "Outta the Parkway" podcast show, to comment on the Nationals' handling of Stephen Strasburg this season on our podcast show Friday night. His response provided one of the most well-informed perspectives on the issue I have heard or seen. Bosman was probably the best arm the expansion...
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Marty Niland: A magical season, a boy and a lesson in life

Marty Niland: A magical season, a boy and a lesson in life
I got to be 11, all over again this summer, thanks to the greatest season in Washington Nationals history, and my boy, Mark. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, baseball was not a huge part of my life. When I was 11, in 1975, I could still remember the Senators and their move to Texas. I followed the game, watched what was offered on network TV, occasionally read the boxscores in paper and knew the stars. I rooted for the Red Sox in the World Series against Cincinnati because my dad was...
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What they're saying about NLDS Game 5

What they're saying about NLDS Game 5
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma delivered back-to-back RBI singles and ending the Nationals' magical season. One day after earning the Game 4 win, Drew Storen served up four runs in the ninth to allow the Cardinals beat the Nationals in the most heartbreaking way possible, to win the National Legaue Division Series. St. Louis will now face San Francisco in the National League Championship Series. Here's a roundup of what other media outlets are saying...
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What they're saying about ALDS Game 5 and the 2012 season

What they're saying about ALDS Game 5 and the 2012 season
A season that exceeded many writers' and experts' expectations came to a screeching halt Friday with the Orioles' 3-1 loss to the Yankees. With the Birds' year at its end, here's what media outlets are saying about Game 5 and the season in its entirety: * Kevin Kudak of Yahoo! Sports said that the umpires made the right decision in not overturning the call that labeled Nate McLouth's long foul ball a home run. * Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com stated that the Yankees didn't beat...
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Matthew Taylor: Everything I needed to know about Jim Johnson I learned back in June

Matthew Taylor: Everything I needed to know about Jim Johnson I learned back in  June
Jim Johnson's 51 saves in 2012 were the most in baseball and established a new Orioles record in the category. Despite all that success, Johnson's most memorable regular season moment for me was his first blown save, which demonstrated his resilience as well Buck Showalter's faith in his new closer. Little did I know at the time that it would also serve as foreshadowing for the American League Division Series. Johnson's blown save occurred June 5 at Fenway Park. He allowed a game-tying,...
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Marty Niland: It's all Werthwhile now

Marty Niland: It's all Werthwhile now
After Chad Tracy grounded out to end the eighth inning and leave the score tied at 1-1 in Thursday's National League Division Series Game 4, a friend turned to me and asked, "Deep down, in your heart of hearts, you really wanted a walkoff, didn't you?" Who would want anything else? Didn't every one of the 44,392 screaming, red-clad Nationals fans packed into Nationals Park want one? How could everyone watching on TV, listening on the radio or rooting for the Nats in any way, shape or...
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What they're saying about NLDS Game 4

What they're saying about NLDS Game 4
After a heartbreaking 8-0 loss in Game 3 of the National League Division Series to the Cardinals, the Nationals bounced back nicely for a 2-1 win in Game 4. Pitching has been the Achilles heel for the Nats all postseason, but starting pitcher Ross Detwiler provided some stability to the pitching staff. Though the Nats never had a hit with a runner in scoring position, Jayson Werth hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth with no outs. With the win, the Nationals forced a Game...
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Orioles: The Real Deal

Orioles: The Real Deal
Defying the odds, the predictions and many fans' expectations, the Orioles emerged as a powerhouse in the AL East this season. With a 93-69 record in the regular season, the Orioles locked up a wild card spot on the last day of September and found themselves in the playoffs for the first time since 1997. While some fans we asked said they knew as early as spring training that the Orioles were going to play into October, other cited specific times when they felt more confident in the Birds....
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James Baker: In the cold air of the morning

James Baker: In the cold air of the morning
Last night was a bitter pill to swallow. It was a hard, swift kick to the collective bellend of the greater Baltimore area. For at least the next 10 hours, we will hear about the Yankee mystique and the majesty of the greatest franchise in baseball's history. The New York Yankees have had so many moments like last night's in their history that they could fill a library with the written accounts. I believe the New York Public Library, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, does in...
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What they're saying about ALDS Game 3

What they're saying about ALDS Game 3
The American League Division Series shifted to New York after two games in Baltimore. Jim Johnson gave up the game-tying home run to pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez, who eventually won the game for the Yankees in extra innings with a walk-off homer, his second of the game. The Yankees now lead the best-of-five series, two games to one. The two teams will meet again tonight, with first pitch scheduled for 7:37 p.m. Here's a roundup of what other media outlets are saying about Game 3 of the ALDS...
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David Huzzard: The Nats have been here before

David Huzzard: The Nats have been here before
On the afternoon of July 21, Nats fans gathered and sulked in mass. The night before, the Nationals had blown a nine-run lead with their best pitcher on the mound. Nats fans watched helplessly as pitcher after pitcher was terrorized by Braves hitters and what felt like a safe and comfy cushion disappeared. It all went away when Michael Bourn tripled to bring in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Danny Espinosa would tie it with a homer in the bottom of the ninth, but in the end, the...
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What they're saying about NLDS game 3

What they're saying about NLDS game 3
The National League Division Series shifted back to Washington D.C. for the first playoff baseball game in the District since 1933. Unfortunately for the Nationals, the Cardinals pummeled Edwin Jackson and the rest of the Washington staff for an 8-0 victory. While Nats Park was abuzz for the game, many of the writers chose to focus on someone who wasn't on the roster. That's right, you didn't think the Stephen Strasburg controversy was going to go away that easily, did you? Believe it or...
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What they're saying about ALDS Game 2

What they're saying about ALDS Game 2
The Orioles and Yankees left Baltimore with the best-of-five American League Division Series tied at one game apiece. By now you've read the wall-to-wall coverage of the ALDS on MASNsports.com from Roch Kubatko and Steve Melewski. Here's a round-up of what other media outlets are saying about Game 2 of the ALDS between the Orioles and Yankees. * Buck Showalter knew what he was doing when intentionally putting the go-ahead run on base in the seventh, says Joel Sherman of the New York...
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Zach Wilt: Power of the 'pen

Zach Wilt: Power of the 'pen
If the Orioles are going to be playing baseball next week, they're going to have to out-pitch the New York Yankees in the remaining two or three games of the American League Division Series. Despite the $116 million difference in the two team's payrolls, I'm confident that the Birds have the advantage when it comes to their arsenal of arms. Jim Johnson picked a tough time to have an off night, but the good news is that his rough outing was just that night. The Orioles' closer was charged...
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