We are a time during each and every season where teams looking forward to playing in October are looking for help via trades. They need an extra piece to contend and often look at second division teams to acquire a player or two for the stretch run.
Meanwhile, teams that know they are realistically out of contention for the season are looking to dump expensive or productive players with value in exchange for young talent or a player who is perhaps more cost-effective.
For the Orioles, Jeremy...
The greatest sporting event I never witnessed took place on Oct. 30, 1974 in the Mai 20 Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire. It was a title bout for the boxing heavyweight championship of the world. It pitted champion George Foreman against challenger Muhammad Ali. Labeled "The Rumble In The Jungle," the match went on to become one of the most legendary sporting events in history - and I missed it.
Foreman was the supposed favorite. He was bigger and younger than Ali and from what they say,...
Don't worry, Nationals fans. I wouldn't create such a tantalizing headline without actually meaning it.
Thanks to Venga, the mobile application that gives subscribers the scoop on what's happening at bars, restaurants and nightlife venues around you, fans will have a chance to win tickets to the Nationals' doubleheader against Pittsburgh on July 2.
Claiming the tickets couldn't be easier. Simply follow Venga on Twitter (@GoVenga) and tweet that you want to go to the game. It's that...
The cities of Baltimore and Pittsburgh have been through quite a bit with their baseball teams in the last decade. They are roughly four hours apart in terms of driving distance, and of course, have passionate fan bases when it comes to their sports.
As we all know, both cities have quite a few parallels; however, none of them mirror more closely than the futility of their baseball franchises.
The Orioles have not had a winning season since 1998, and the Pirates have not had one since Barry...
I've actually sat at my computer for the past two hours looking at a blank screen trying to figure out how to exactly put into words at how absolutely heartbroken I am to hear that former Nationals closer
The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated left-handed pitcher Tom Gorzelanny from the 15-day disabled list and placed outfielder Rick Ankiel (left intercostal strain) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 15. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Gorzelanny missed the last 24 games after being placed on the DL on May 27, retroactive to May 24, with left elbow inflammation. The...
There's been a lot said about the Orioles' Brian Matusz going into this season.
As the O's are still in a rebuilding phase - despite the addition of talent onto the roster - how they will do next season and beyond will depend on their pitching. Well, Matusz is an essential part of that and everyone is hoping for the best for him and the young supply of arms in the organization.
Although Matusz started 2010 on a pretty rough note, and included a stretch where he only won one start in the...
It has been a good week in NatsTown.
The Nationals pulled off an eight-game win streak, have pulled themselves into third place in the National League East, put themselves within striking distance of .500 and somehow got their name in talks for the Wild Card. They also put the hurting on an NL Central powerhouse in the Cardinals and won Round 2 of the Battle of the Beltways against the Baltimore Orioles. Going 8-1 in the past nine games - not too shabby.
If your senses are up to par, take a...
I've always found it a little strange to see baseball players out of uniform.
We're so accustomed to watching them take the field on a daily basis, recognizable only by their last name and corresponding number on the back of their jersey.
In fact, if you're fortunate enough to bump into a player on the street or outside of the ballpark, it can sometimes take a minute to realize who you've just seen.
So as players, coaches and members of the Washington Nationals organization dressed up in...
As long as I have been an Orioles fan, I have always had one name in my mind: Frank Robinson.
For me growing up, Frank Robinson was an iconic symbol unlike any other. I always tell everyone Cal Ripken Jr. was my favorite all-time Oriole growing up, but Frank was my all-time favorite ballplayer.
Honestly, due to my age, I really didn't see him play at all - well, except on videotape. Really, the only link to his legend for me as a fan was hearing stories about him from other fans that had...
First off, I would like to extend a very happy Father's Day to all dads out there, particularly those currently away from their families serving in the military.
For me, the word "dad" conjures up memories of grilling outside, weekend bike rides and, of course, trips to the ballpark. In fact, if not for my dad introducing me to the sport, I'm not sure I would be as passionate about baseball as I am today.
This weekend will be no different for a lot of families, as the Battle of the...
Entering the 2011 season, many felt the Nationals dropped the ball over the winter in a rather public attempt to shore up their starting rotation. General manager Mike Rizzo made no secret that he was out to get another major league-level starter, and when he failed to sign even one of his targets, many were worried about the rotation the Nats had to offer.
Quite surprisingly, the Nats' starting pitching has actually been a bright point for the club this season, with one of the more...
The Orioles' offense is struggling. It wasn't supposed to be that way. The O's made offseason additions to address the punchless offense of 2010 thorough both trade and free agency. However, those moves have had mixed results. J.J. Hardy has been a great addition to the lineup. Mark Reynolds, in his own unorthodox way, has actually been a productive hitter, even with a .206 batting average. Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero have been disappointing, to say the least.
But it could be worse. Or...
Am I the only one who thinks a Battle of the Beltways logo would look pretty cool? I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so I'm certainly not the one to design it, but I'm picturing the two highways tangled together, steel entrenched with gridlock traffic popping out all over.
Hey, it's just an idea, but for anyone who has to travel along either the Baltimore Beltway or Capital Beltway on a regular basis, you know there's enough congestion and construction to make any decent driver...
The Washington Nationals optioned starting pitcher Yunesky Maya to Triple-A Syracuse yesterday in order to add another bullpen option for Jim Riggleman until Tom Gorzelanny makes his next expected start Sunday. While the demotion was expected, Maya didn't exactly do much to inspire the Nationals to make room on the roster to keep the 29-year-old Cuban.
In four starts, Maya went 0-1 and posted a 6.88 ERA and a .325 batting average against. While some viewed his call-up as a chance for him to...
As the Orioles' ninth-inning rally fizzled out last night to extend their losing streak in Toronto to 16 games, it made me wonder how the team has fared late in games this season. I didn't remember a lot of come-from-behind victories for Baltimore this season and the numbers for the offense kind of show you why.
OPS for Baltimore broken down by inning for 2011:
Inning OPS
1st .592
2nd .688
3rd .683
4th .663
5th .814
6th .702
7th .798
8th .723
9th ...
The Washington Nationals today recalled right-handed pitcher Collin Balester from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and optioned right-handed pitcher Yunesky Maya to Syracuse. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Balester went 2-0 with one save and a 3.24 ERA in 19 relief appearances with Syracuse, posting 29 strikeouts in 25.0 innings at Triple-A this season. The 25-year-old has pitched 3.1 innings spanning...
The Orioles announced today that they have recalled right-handed pitcher Jason Berken from Triple-A Norfolk and placed right-hander Alfredo Simon on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 13, with a right hamstring strain.
Berken was with the Orioles earlier in the season until being optioned to Norfolk on May 20 after pitching to a 7.94 ERA (17.0IP, 15 ER) in 15 appearances. He was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA (16.1IP, 7 ER) in four starts with the Tides.
Simon has appeared in five games for...
Yesterday we talked about the current season. Today, let's talk about the future.
The Orioles need to lock up J.J. Hardy. And they need to do it now.
Remember how desolate the prospects at shortstop looked for the Orioles this past offseason? Internally, we were looking at Robert Andino and that's about it. In the free agent market, there were retreads like Jerry Hairston Jr., Juan Uribe and Miguel Tejada. We were going to have to choose between either a good glove or a good bat. But there...
MASNsports.com's Ben Goessling reported Tuesday night that Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche will, in fact, need season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder.
The left-handed slugger had hit just .172/.288/.258 for the Nationals in 177 plate appearances before the club made the move to shut down the first baseman late last month. After an attempt to rehab the shoulder over the past few weeks, the club decided to have LaRoche undergo surgery in...