Mel Antonen

Expectations for Bundy have completely changed

Expectations for Bundy have completely changed
As the All-Star break approached, the Orioles' plan for Dylan Bundy hadn't changed from the spring: They wanted him to stay healthy for 70 relief innings and compete for a rotation spot next season. Now, that plan is history. Bundy has gone from making an occasional relief appearance to a starter whose electric fastball will be a factor in determining whether the Orioles win the American League East. Expectations have been high for the 24-year-old Bundy since the Orioles made him a...
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Mel Antonen

Multiple Nationals are staking claims for major NL awards

Multiple Nationals are staking claims for major NL awards
As the Nationals take aim at winning the National League East, they've got a chance at a repeat winner for NL MVP. And it is possible they could be the 19th team in baseball history to have teammates win the Cy Young and MVP awards in the same season. Could it be Daniel Murphy following Bryce Harper as the NL MVP, with either pitcher Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer winning the Cy Young? How about Wilson Ramos combining with either Strasburg or Scherzer? Any of those combinations are...
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Mel Antonen

Previewing how the NL postseason landscape is shaping up

Previewing how the NL postseason landscape is shaping up
With less than a third of the season to go, the Nationals are putting it all together and sucking all the drama out of the race in the National League East. The Cubs, leaders in the NL Central who struggled before the All-Star break, have gotten their swagger back. The story line is different with the Giants, who lost their weekend series to the Nationals in D.C. and are having to do all they can to hold off the Dodgers in the NL West. They are 6-15 since the All-Star break, the worst record...
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Mel Antonen

Looking back on Britton's journey to the closer role

Looking back on Britton's journey to the closer role
Closer Zach Britton's signature sinker came about by accident. As a 19-year-old starter for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds in 2007, Britton, along with pitching coach Calvin Maduro, was trying out grips that would help him develop a cut fastball. A cut fastball is a faster version of a slider, a pitch that breaks into right-handed batters. Only Britton couldn't get the ball to cut. Instead, his pitch was sinking. "It's definitely not what I had envisioned,'' Britton...
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Mel Antonen

Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline

Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline
The Cleveland Indians acquired a game-changing lefty, Andrew Miller, for their bullpen and an outfielder with a dependable bat, Brandon Guyer. The Texas Rangers picked up Jeremy Jeffress, Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy. So as the non-waiver trade deadline rumors end and the dust settles, the Rangers and Indians are the most improved teams in baseball. A couple of months after the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship, the Indians are set to make a...
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Mel Antonen

Answering some questions as trade deadline nears

Answering some questions as trade deadline nears
As Sunday's trade deadline approaches, here are answers to the top questions in baseball: Question: Now that the Cubs have reportedly acquired lefty closer Aroldis Chapman in a trade from the Yankees, will that make them the odds-on favorite to be the National League champion, and what can the Nationals do to counter the move? Answer: Yes, at this point, the Cubs have the strongest bullpen in the league. If the Cubs and Nationals meet in the postseason, the Nationals' Bryce Harper is going to...
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Mel Antonen

Starting pitching a need? Join the club

Starting pitching a need? Join the club
As the baseball season resumes, it's no secret what contending teams in the American League East need: Starting pitching. Toronto is getting things going. The Blue Jays' offense is exploding - even with Jose Bautista on the disabled list - and they have best rotation with the fewest questions, especially if Marcus Stroman, 25, has turned it around. Boston's best pitcher, David Price, had an inconsistent first half - good stuff, no execution - and the Red Sox rotation has no depth. The...
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Mel Antonen

Some news and notes on San Diego's Petco Park

Some news and notes on San Diego's Petco Park
San Diego hosts the 87th All-Star Game on Tuesday at Petco Park, so here are random facts about the Padres and the history of the All-Star Game in San Diego. This is the third time the Padres have hosted. The first was in 1978, the second in 1992. In 1978, nine years after the franchise started as an expansion team, the National League won 7-3. The Orioles' Jim Palmer was the American League starter, giving up three runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Palmer in the third gave up a...
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Mel Antonen

How to fix what has become a boring All-Star Game

How to fix what has become a boring All-Star Game
The American League and National League All-Star teams will be announced Tuesday, and of course, there's a steady stream of second-guessing about how the rosters are selected for an exhibition that determines World Series home field advantage. Here's what needs to be done: Cut rosters from 34 to 26 players, meaning each team can select an extra pitcher beyond the regular season 25-man roster, which is what teams do for split doubleheaders. Then, play an actual game. It would be a throwback....
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Mel Antonen

Looking at the Orioles' historic home run tear through June

Looking at the Orioles' historic home run tear through June
The Orioles have a big lead in the American League East, but with one game remaining in June, the story is their steady stream of home runs - and how they are different from the other record-setting teams. Mark Trumbo's home run Wednesday in San Diego gave the Orioles 55 home runs during June, tying the record held by the 1996 Oakland Athletics. The Orioles are three short of tying the all-time monthly record by the 1987 Orioles and the 1999 Seattle Mariners. The noteworthy thread is that none...
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Mel Antonen

Mets and Red Sox have work to do as they try to chase division crowns

Mets and Red Sox have work to do as they try to chase division crowns
The Nationals and Orioles usually have story lines that run on parallel tracks and this year is no different. Each is a first-place team. Each has a sizable lead with a crumbling contender behind them. The defending National League East champion New York Mets have a dysfunctional offense and now, after an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Monday night, their rotation could be falling apart. The Boston Red Sox, a first-place team in the American League East on June 1, have a list of problems that...
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Mel Antonen

Cubs-Nationals series could be preview of NLCS

Cubs-Nationals series could be preview of NLCS
The Nationals and Cubs, two of the best teams in baseball, finished playing their seventh and final game of the regular season Wednesday at Nationals Park. So, what happens now? Will they see each other again? If so, that means they'll meet with the pennant on the line. And, what did each team learn about the other? Nationals manager Dusty Baker says the Cubs will change by late in the season, but there are still nuggets that can be stored, just in case. Baker keeps notes and says he's gotten...
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Mel Antonen

With home runs aplenty, is there any pitching in the AL East?

With home runs aplenty, is there any pitching in the AL East?
We know there is hitting aplenty in the American League East, but can any of the contenders pitch? The Blue Jays won the AL home run title and the division last season. This season, the Orioles led the majors in home runs while Toronto is fourth and Boston sixth. The Red Sox lead the AL in runs with 369. The Orioles are third and the Blue Jays tied for sixth. The Red Sox have the highest average (.291) and on-base percentage (.357). So while there's plenty of hitting, there is a common thread...
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Mel Antonen

Happy Strasmas anniversary: Remembering Strasburg's debut

Happy Strasmas anniversary: Remembering Strasburg's debut
Six years ago today, Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 batters in his big league debut for the Nationals against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nationals won the game 5-2 before 40,315 fans at Nationals Park. The Nationals moved to D.C. from Montreal in 2005. At the time, Strasburg's debut was the biggest baseball event in Washington since the 1933 World Series. Among the highlights: * Fans stood six deep to watch Strasburg warm up in the bullpen before the game. Then, as he and Nationals pitching...
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Mel Antonen

In an offseason full of acquisitions, Murphy proving to be top choice

In an offseason full of acquisitions, Murphy proving to be top choice
Looking back to the offseason, it's difficult to believe that Daniel Murphy was the Nationals' third choice when they were looking for a second baseman. They wanted to trade for Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips, but, per his contract, Phillips vetoed a trade and wanted to stay with the rebuilding Reds. Who knows why he didn't want to play for his former Reds manager, Dusty Baker, in D.C.? Phillips, by the way, is hitting .256. Then, the Nationals tried to sign Ben Zobrist, but he did want to...
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Mel Antonen

Phillies have been biggest surprise in competitive NL East

Phillies have been biggest surprise in competitive NL East
As Memorial Day arrives, the Nationals lead the National League East because of their excellent starting pitching and improved bullpen. That's not unexpected. But how about the Phillies? The team that lost 99 games last season has started the first two months as a contender because of their rotation and bullpen. They are proving that a team doesn't need to score a lot of runs when pitching dominates. Anyone see the Phillies coming? Like the Nationals, the Mets are winning even though they...
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Mel Antonen

Checking out the AL East at Memorial Day weekend

Checking out the AL East at Memorial Day weekend
After two months, the Orioles are contending in the American League East, but their biggest rival has been the Red Sox, not the defending champion Blue Jays.The Rays have done a turnaround: They have a dangerous power lineup, but their rotation has questions. The Red Sox, with David Ortiz in his final season, are pounding the ball, playing tight defense and growing a nucleus of talented players. Their issue is pitching. The Yankees were bad in April, but surged in May, thanks to a string of...
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Mel Antonen

Answering the most-often asked questions in baseball

Answering the most-often asked questions in baseball
You have questions and we have answers to the most-often asked ones in baseball: Q: The San Francisco Giants are leading the National League West after investing $230 million in two pitchers - Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto - who were not effective pitchers last season, but are lights-out this season. What gives? A: Samardzija was 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA for the Chicago White Sox last season, so it seems strange the Giants thought he was worth $90 million. The Giants thought that Samardzija was...
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Mel Antonen

After 20-strikeout gem, what will Max Scherzer do for an encore?

After 20-strikeout gem, what will Max Scherzer do for an encore?
Pitcher Max Scherzer returns to the mound Tuesday night when the Nationals start a three-game series in Citi Field against the New York Mets, the team that beat them in the National League East last season. And while Nationals-Mets rivalry - with all that starting pitching on both sides - is one story, there's another to watch: How will Scherzer follow up his historic 20-strikeout game against Detroit on Wednesday night at Nationals Park? As Nationals fans learned during Scherzer's first...
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Mel Antonen

Tigers clubhouse reacts to Max Scherzer's 20-strikeout performance

Tigers clubhouse reacts to Max Scherzer's 20-strikeout performance
The Nationals' Max Scherzer became history's fifth pitcher to have 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game when Washington beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Wednesday night. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has been involved three of the 20-strikeout games. He was the Houston catcher when the Chicago Cubs' Kerry Wood struck out 20 Astros on May 6, 1998 at Wrigley Field in a 2-0 Cubs win. And Ausmus was the Detroit catcher the night Boston's Roger Clemens struck out 20 Tigers on Sept. 18, 1996 in Tiger...
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