Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has his scrubbed and sanitized hands full with his own club and a growing set of responsibilities. However, when another manager makes a decision in the World Series that backfires with such force that it shakes the entire industry, Hyde is bound to be asked about it. Especially on a Zoom conference call yesterday as part of the virtual Winter Meetings that don't have the usual four-day deadline. Rays skipper Kevin Cash took the ball from Blake Snell in Game 6, the...

The New York Mets' offseason was littered with news about the financial troubles of owner Fred Wilpon and his dealings with disgraced financier Bernie Madoff. The bad news off the field continues to plague the Mets well into spring training. Steve Popper, who covers the Mets for The (Bergen) Record, says it is hard to ignore the ownership issues and how that might affect the on field product for the Mets. He says the Mets players have taken notice. "I think the players are trying to ignore...

This was definitely a rough Monday for the Nats. Fresh off a 2-4 road trip against the best in the East, the Nats returned home to find out Stephen Strasburg will have to be placed on the disabled list again and then the Cubs crushed the Nats 9-1. Nats have scored two or less runs in eight of their last 13 games and have only one run on the board since Saturday. Manager Jim Riggleman was not pleased following Monday's loss. The Cubs pounded out 15 hits in handing Livan Hernandez his...

The Marlins completed the three game sweep with a 5-0 win on Thursday, outscoring the Nats 22-7. The outfielders did their best to get on base against a very difficult Ricky Nolasco (13-8). Roger Bernadina led off the game with a double. Left fielder Willie Harris earned a walk against Nolasco and got a base hit in the seventh off of Jose Veras. Michael Morse had a tough 0-4. Harris said this shutout loss was similar to what happened to them throughout the series against the...

Nationals outfielder Willie Harris doesn't play as much as he would like. But he doesn't sulk when he is not in the game. He gets up and helps coach young outfielders like Roger Bernandina. During a game last week in Cincinnati, Harris directed Bernadina where to stand off of first base and how much of a lead he needed to try to get to second on a quicker pace. Harris had a big series against the Reds. He scored at least a run in every game of the four game set. "It feels good for...

CINCINNATI, OH. --- Right fielder Willie Harris was a picture of frustration in the clubhouse after the Reds slammed the door on the Nationals 7-2 in the series opener at Great American Ball Park. Harris had one arm leaning against his locker as he recounted the second inning where the Reds scored four times. It held up because Johnny Cueto was on target, allowing only four hits in six innings. The critical rally for the Reds came with no score in the bottom of the second inning. Jonny...

Nationals utility man Willie Harris has not had that many chances to play after battling out of an 0-for-20 slump last Friday against the Orioles. He was a defensive replacement in just one game in Atlanta and came up Thursday against the Mets as a pinch hitter with one out in the ninth. Harris, who is a free agent at the end of the 2010, certainly has not played the role he did even last season for the Nats. His playing time has diminished to the point that he is currently on pace for...

The storybook ending that was almost all for naught. The Pirates had a good shot of ruining the Stephen Strasburg party before it got started, even with an outstanding pitching performance by the much hyped top selection from San Diego State. Pittsburgh led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of a soldout game at a rocking Nats Park. Strasburg had pitched very well except for one mistake: a changeup that actually was a good pitch, left up for Delwyn Young, who had smacked a...

Down 10-1, the Nats battled back to get within 10-6 and the bases loaded in the 8th. There were two outs for slugger Adam Dunn. 23,612 at Nats Park knew this was the best chance the Nats were going to have to save a miserable night in the field. But Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano did not give Dunn the opportunity to beat him. Dunn flew out to Jason Bay to end the threat. The Mets won the game 10-7. "I have faced Feliciano a lot of times. He is a tough guy to not only get a hit off of...