Matthew Taylor: Comparing the Orioles and Nationals seasons

Matthew Taylor: Comparing the Orioles and Nationals seasons
Who has had it worse this season, Baltimore Orioles fans or Washington Nationals fans? The two teams will square off next week in a series that fans of each franchise had expected to be a tune-up for postseason play. Instead, it will be a match-up of drowning teams gasping desperately for a breath of playoff air. Neither of the teams playing near the Navy Yard next week is fully submerged just yet, but the O's and Nats have both been sinking ships for some time now. The teams have both sounded...
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Opposite dugout: Rays trying to stay on right side of .500, out of last place

Opposite dugout: Rays trying to stay on right side of .500, out of last place
Manager: Kevin Cash (1st season) Record: 70-75 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Logan Forsythe (.283 with 16 HR, 60 RBIs), 3B Evan Longoria (19 HR, 68 RBIs), RHP Erasmo Ramirez (10-5, 3.75 ERA), RHP Jake Odorizzi (8-8, 3.26 ERA), RHP Brad Boxberger (3.81 ERA, 34 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 7-8 Pitching probables: Sept. 17: RHP Chris Tillman vs. LHP Matt Moore, 7:10 p.m., MASN2 Sept. 18: LHP Wei-Yin Chen vs. LHP Drew Smyly, 7:10 p.m., MASN2 Sept. 19: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. RHP Erasmo...
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Zach Wilt: A year later, recalling Clinchmas morning

Zach Wilt: A year later, recalling Clinchmas morning
Waking up in Baltimore a year ago today felt very much like Christmas morning for Orioles fans. Instead of racing to the tree to see what Santa had left us the night before, we raced to our phones and computers to check the standings to see if what we witnessed the night before really did happen. Was that champagne celebration real? Did Adam Jones really pie that fan? It was all very real and I'll never forget the way I felt all day knowing that the O's were American League East...
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Orioles team up with Gov. Larry Hogan to fight pediatric cancer

Orioles team up with Gov. Larry Hogan to fight pediatric cancer
Before Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, the Orioles and the office of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced a partnership, which is raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Ronald McDonald House Charities in the fight against pediatric cancer. The O's fundraiser coincides with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Hogan is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment to fight non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hogan, along with children fighting cancer and representing both the Leukemia...
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Domenic Vadala: For resurgent O's, strong finish can affect next season

Domenic Vadala: For resurgent O's, strong finish can affect next season
Many people are simply accepting the presumption that the Orioles aren't going to make the postseason in 2015. At this point, you have no choice but to admit that the season is certainly trending that way. However, one thing I try to convey in my columns each day is that until the team is mathematically eliminated, there's still hope. People try to tell me that I'm naive for not accepting reality. Maybe it comes off as cliché to consistently say that the team still has a chance. But I see...
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Watch Chris Davis come through for Orioles with 13th-inning walk-off

Watch Chris Davis come through for Orioles with 13th-inning walk-off
Coming into Tuesday evening's game against the Red Sox, the Orioles had eight walk-off victories on the season. Two of them had come a la Chris Davis walk-off homer. The first came exactly a month ago before last evening's game, a huge home run to lift the O's past the A's with a 4-3 victory, giving the Birds their second straight walk-off win. Then, on Sept. 2, the Orioles were battling the Rays in extra innings. In the 11th, Davis worked into a 3-0 count before deposting in the ball...
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MASN cameraman becomes first "American Ninja Warrior"

MASN cameraman becomes first "American Ninja Warrior"
Before sitting down to write this article, I worked out a little bit, laboring through a run before realizing that it takes every ounce of my strength to do a single push-up. But anyway, moving on to talk about "American Ninja Warrior," if you're unfamiliar with the show's premise, people compete in an extremely vigorous obstacle course that requires tons of strength, endurance and agility. Currently in its seventh season, the American version of the show (which originated in Japan) had...
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Matt Kremnitzer: Chris Davis excelling against lefties

Matt Kremnitzer: Chris Davis excelling against lefties
It doesn't take a baseball expert to notice Chris Davis' rare power at the plate. He's already surpassed the 40-homer mark for the second time in his career (42, most in the majors), he's sixth in slugging percentage (.562), and he's second in isolated power (.299). With a wRC+ of 148, Davis is still a ways away from his 168 wRC+ from 2013. But he's bounced back in a big way after a disastrous 2014, and he's put himself in position to make a ton of money this offseason. In Davis'...
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Andrew Stetka: Looking back and ahead for O's

Andrew Stetka: Looking back and ahead for O's
Orioles fans are going through a very strange period right now. After three straight seasons of competitive baseball, including two trips to the postseason, the O's are on the outside looking in this year. At this point, the Birds are just battling to finish with a winning record and stay out of the basement of the American League East. As someone who blogs for Eutaw Street Report, which is all about the fan perspective, I feel a need to get the pulse of a large portion of that fan base at...
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About last night: Watch the Orioles' eighth-inning slugfest

About last night: Watch the Orioles' eighth-inning slugfest
So ... about that eighth inning. The Orioles returned home from a 3-3 road trip to face a postseason-bound Royals team in a rematch of the 2014 ALCS. With his team trailing 6-4 mid-eighth, Jonathan Schoop led off the bottom of the frame with a double. Pinch-hitter Steve Clevenger reached on an error, and after a J.J. Hardy strikeout, Gerardo Parra singled to load the bases. And up stepped Nolan Reimold. On a 2-0 count, Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera grooved a 95-mph fastball that Reimold...
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Opposite dugout: After 500th home run, Ortiz and Red Sox look to catch Orioles

Opposite dugout: After 500th home run, Ortiz and Red Sox look to catch Orioles
Manager: John Farrell (3rd season) Record: 68-74 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: DH David Ortiz (.275/.361/.556 with 34 HR, 95 RBIs), SS Xander Bogaerts (.321/.352/.414 with 71 RBIs), CF Mookie Betts (.290/.336/.475 with 15 HR, 71 RBIs), RHP Joe Kelly (10-6, 106 Ks), LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-5, 4.05 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 4-9 Pitching probables: Sept. 14: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Kevin Gausman, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 15: RHP Joe Kelly vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept....
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Matthew Taylor: Another birthday to be celebrated at Camden Yards

Matthew Taylor: Another birthday to be celebrated at Camden Yards
Have you ever celebrated a birthday at the ballpark? I'll be part of a celebration for my niece's birthday this evening at Camden Yards. She's turning 12 and decided that she wants to go to the baseball game with her family to mark the occasion. Smart girl. Happy birthday, Emily! My father surprised me with a birthday trip to the ballpark on the day I turned 17. Camden Yards was about to open its gates for the first time and the team held a dress rehearsal in the form of an exhibition game...
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Zach Wilt: Royals return to Baltimore

Zach Wilt: Royals return to Baltimore
The harsh reality is that there isn't much hope for the postseason making a return to Birdland this season. FanGraphs.com has the Orioles' playoff chances down to 0.1 percent, and an October berth would require climbing over six teams in the American League wild card standings. Being back 7 1/2 games with only 23 remaining would make that an incredibly difficult task. As the attention of fans in Baltimore shifts over to the team across the street that kicks off their season on Sunday, the...
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Opposite dugout: Since last meeting, Royals and O's have gone in different directions

Opposite dugout: Since last meeting, Royals and O's have gone in different directions
Manager: Ned Yost (6th season) Record: 83-56 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: CF Lorenzo Cain (.312/.368/.487 with 14 HR, 65 RBIs, 27 SB), 1B Eric Hosmer (.309 with 14 HR, 81 RBIs), 3B Mike Moustakas (.281 with 16 HR, 60 RBIs), DH Kendrys Morales (.291 with 17 HR, 101 RBIs), RHP Wade Davis (0.94 ERA, 13 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 3-1 Pitching probables: Sept. 11: LHP Danny Duffy vs. RHP Mike Wright, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 12: RHP Johnny Cueto vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 1:05 p.m., FOX Sept....
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Domenic Vadala: Looking at O's misfortunes going into offseason

Domenic Vadala: Looking at O's misfortunes going into offseason
Over the past month or so, I've gotten various comments and tweets on Birds Watcher to the extent of blaming various people for the Orioles' misfortunes. And while I don't think anyone's going to say that the likes of Buck Showalter or Dan Duquette are in any danger of losing their jobs, it's an interesting question. Who or what is to blame? I'll start by absolving the players - in terms of the effort put forth. Again, a lot of folks seem to want me to come out and say that the Orioles...
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Andrew Stetka: Chris Davis could prove to be O's most valuable free agent

Andrew Stetka: Chris Davis could prove to be O's most valuable free agent
As the Orioles continue to carry about a 1 percent chance to make the postseason this year, they also are approaching one of the more important offseasons in their recent history. There are plenty of big decisions to be made as the games start to dwindle. While the O's won't completely give up on the prospect of making the playoffs, reality will eventually set in and I have a feeling some players from the minors will begin to see playing time. Perhaps one of the biggest decisions the O's...
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Opposite dugout: Yankees aiming for return to postseason, AL East crown still within reach

Opposite dugout: Yankees aiming for return to postseason, AL East crown still within reach
Manager: Joe Girardi (8th season) Record: 76-59 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: DH Alex Rodriguez (.257/.361/.491 with 28 HR, 76 RBIs), RF Carlos Beltran (.276/.338/.474 with 14 HR, 50 RBIs), 1B Mark Teixeira (.255/.357/.548 with 31 HR, 79 RBIs), C Brian McCann (.245 with 25 HR, 86 RBIs), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (11-6, 3.73 ERA), LHP Andrew Miller (31 saves, 1.80 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 8-5 Pitching probables: Sept. 7: LHP Wei-Yin Chen vs. RHP Michael Pineda, 1:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 8: RHP...
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Zach Wilt: Chris Davis' importance to the Orioles

Zach Wilt: Chris Davis' importance to the Orioles
It's been a frustrating couple weeks in Birdland, you can feel the tension on the field. The Orioles have won just two of their last 10 games, went 11-18 in August and are 6 1/2 games back of the wild card, but at least they entered today's off-day on a positive note before heading north to Toronto. The O's avoided their longest losing streak in over four years last night when Chris Davis launched a monstrous walk-off homer in the 11th inning to help the Birds grab one of three from Tampa...
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Best of the BBQ: Adam Jones and Wayne Kirby face off against CareFirst Fan Challenge winner

Best of the BBQ: Adam Jones and Wayne Kirby face off against CareFirst Fan Challenge winner
"Work or Don't Eat." That phrase was scripted across the front of All-Star center fielder Adam Jones' shirt as he and Wayne Kirby strolled down Eutaw Street to Boog's BBQ stand. Trays of ribs in hand, the duo set to take on CareFirst Fan Challenge winner Thomas Turnbaugh in a good, old-fashioned BBQ battle. While Jones and Kirby prepared Greek-style ribs, throwing them on the grill and adding lemon and secret spices, Turnbaugh brought a unique course to the table: a classic pulled-pork BBQ...
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MASN holds exclusive Chris Davis autograph signing for Twitter followers

MASN holds exclusive Chris Davis autograph signing for Twitter followers
Orioles fans who follow @masnOrioles on Twitter were able to take a long lunch break at Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant at Camden Yards on Monday, Aug. 31 to grab a burger, walk down Eutaw Street ... and meet Chris Davis! Before Monday's event, MASN tweeted out an exclusive ticket for its Twitter followers, giving them access to an autograph signing with Davis. IT'S HERE: Show this at our event tomorrow (8/31) at Dempsey's Brew Pub to get into @CrushD19's autograph signing!...
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