Harper faces Kershaw in #FaceofMLB

Harper faces Kershaw in #FaceofMLB
In his quest to become the #FaceofMLB, Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper needs your help. Harper destroyed Brewers' right fielder Ryan Braun in the first round of voting, by a margin of 91 percent to 9 percent. In the second round of voting, the competition is a bit tougher. Harper now faces Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in the MLB Network-sponsored contest. How can you help Harper get past the National League Cy Young winner? Simply send a tweet (or a few) using the hashtags...

Nationals Chatter: Williams profile, Fister compares rotations, Johnson to meet family friend

Nationals Chatter: Williams profile, Fister compares rotations, Johnson to meet family friend
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love you tomorrow!" Excuse my willingness to quote the musical "Annie," but baseball will be back tomorrow. Nationals pitchers and catchers are set to report to spring training tomorrow. Baseball is back. Here are a few stories involving the Nationals over the last few days. * USA TODAY's Paul White wrote an in-depth feature on how new technological analytics have changed the relationship between managers and general managers. Because of the new analytics,...

Bird Talk: Spring training, Santana rumors, fantasy tips and more

Bird Talk: Spring training, Santana rumors, fantasy tips and more
As we in Baltimore are preparing for yet another snow storm, I have some news that could warm your heart. Four words: Pitchers and catchers report. That's right, ladies and gentleman, baseball will officially be back in our lives tomorrow. In case you missed what others have said about the Birds nationally over the last week: * For The Win's Ted Berg gives fans five things to watch at Orioles spring training. The top thing, to no surprise, is third baseman Manny Machado's progress back...

Bird Talk: Organizational overview, spring training trucks and more

Bird Talk: Organizational overview, spring training trucks and more
With FanFest officially in the rear-view mirror, we are only eight days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. Several offseason report cards and organizational overviews are starting to come out. In case you missed any of the latest news about the Orioles, you're in the right spot. * The Orioles have had perhaps the quietest offseason in the American League East. There's simply no way to sugarcoat it. Like many others, USA TODAY's Scott Boeck believes the Orioles...

Nationals Chatter: Spring training site in limbo, plus Blevins and Stammen reunite and more

Nationals Chatter: Spring training site in limbo, plus Blevins and Stammen reunite and more
Eight days. Eight days are all that remain of a baseball-less offseason. That's right, pitchers and catchers report next Thursday. As we approach the final week of the offseason, let's take a look at what others are saying about the Nats. * The Nationals' spring training facility saga took another turn this past week. The Nationals have been linked to Fort Myers' stadium as a possible new spring training destination. Those links, however, appear to be in jeopardy. According to...

Bird Talk: Offseason report card, Rodney and Burnett rumors

Bird Talk: Offseason report card, Rodney and Burnett rumors
With FanFest just three days away, we are even closer to baseball being back. Just a reminder: pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 13. The Orioles have had a quiet offseason thus far, but things may be heating up rather soon. Stay tuned. * Oh, the offseason. I'm sure most Orioles fans are ready for the winter blues to end. Before spring training starts, SI.com's Cliff Corcoran graded the O's offseason. Look away if you're expecting some good news. Corcoran gives the Birds an offseason...

Nationals Chatter: Offseason report card, ESPN commercial and NatsFest wrap up

Nationals Chatter: Offseason report card, ESPN commercial and NatsFest wrap up
With NatsFest officially in the books, we are one week closer to spring training. There are still a few weeks left of the offseason, however, and many are still talking about the Nationals. * SI.com's Jay Jaffe released his offseason report cards for each team in baseball. Jaffe was very impressed with Mike Rizzo's offseason so far, which includes the hiring of first-year manager Matt Williams. Jaffe gave the Nationals an offseason grade of B+. He points out that the Nationals only spent...

Bird Talk: Starting pitching improvements, Lough and Wieters chatter

Bird Talk: Starting pitching improvements, Lough and Wieters chatter
The Orioles wrapped up mini-camp last week and made some minor league signings. Several national writers have weighed in on the state of the Orioles. Some of the reaction is more positive than many might expect. * We are only three weeks from the start of spring training. Many fans have expressed their displeasure over the lack of moves the Orioles have made this offseason. Joe Cooney of Yahoo! Sports says the Orioles still have a chance to win the offseason. As Cooney explains, the Birds...

Nationals Chatter: Balfour possibly to D.C., Gonzalez gives back

Nationals Chatter: Balfour possibly to D.C., Gonzalez gives back
We hope you're all recovering from the snowstorm and getting ready for NatsFest! In case you missed it, the Nationals could be looking to add another reliever with extensive closing experience. I know what you're thinking: "Why would the team add another closer when there are already three options on the team?" Insurance, that's why. * Last season, Nationals fans everywhere became captivated with the untucking fascination. To those that aren't familiar with the phenomenon, closer...

Bird Talk: Balfour update, minor moves

Bird Talk: Balfour update, minor moves
Spring training is less than a month away. It seems like just yesterday that the regular season ended. Well, not really. Personally, I'm ready for the season to start again. Although Alex Rodriguez dominated baseball news over the last few days, reporters thankfully had reason to write about something else. I don't know about you, but I'm suffering from exhaustion from A-Rod-gate. * Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun says the Orioles are focusing the remainder of the offseason on adding a...

Nationals Chatter: Gonzalez honored, trio of Nats model for Team USA

Nationals Chatter: Gonzalez honored, trio of Nats model for Team USA
While most of the sporting news in the D.C. area was focused on the Redskins' new coach, life still went on with the Nationals. Congratulations to Jay Gruden on the new gig. Really, I'm happy for you, but we're here to talk baseball. And by baseball, I mean no Alex Rodriguez conversations. He's banned from this entry. We're talking good, clean topics this week. See what I did there? * It was almost a year ago that Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez was honored by his hometown, Hialeah, Fla....

Bird Talk: Machado attends concert with A-Rod, Mussina's Hall of Fame eligibility

Bird Talk: Machado attends concert with A-Rod, Mussina's Hall of Fame eligibility
As I write this, it is currently 16 degrees with a wind chill somewhere in the negative numbers. One thing that is helping me with this weather is knowing spring training is right around the corner. Even though it's still the offseason, many in the media are still talking about the Orioles. First, I'm starting with some news that disturbed the residents of Charm City. It's going to be OK, Birdland. Just remember to breathe. * Hearts sank in Baltimore shortly into the New Year when Yankees...

Nationals Chatter: Harper bulks up, Stammen goes back to school

Nationals Chatter: Harper bulks up, Stammen goes back to school
Most people kick off the New Year vowing to lose weight. Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper wants to gain weight. Don't panic, it's purely muscle. But Harper sparked national debate among media outlets over his desirable target weight. Last Friday, ESPN ran a story with a quote from Harper saying he wanted to get "as big as a house." As Dan Kolko explained on Saturday, Harper will enter spring training around 245 pounds to make up for the weight loss that occurs during the grind of the...

Gonzalez, Span and Zimmerman on-deck for Wednesday's tripleheader live chat

Gonzalez, Span and Zimmerman on-deck for Wednesday's tripleheader live chat
This Wednesday at Nationals Park, we will be hosting our first live video chat of the season, which will stream live on the homepage of MASNsports.com. The chat will be a tripleheader as Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez will be participating and answering your questions live. In order for this to be successful, we need your help. Submit your questions on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #NatsChats or leave a comment in the section below. We also want to reward our "Touch...

Span, Zimmerman and Gonzalez will answer your questions

Span, Zimmerman and Gonzalez will answer your questions
This Wednesday, we will be hosting our first video chat of the season, live on MASNsports.com. We will be have a tripleheader as Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez will all be participating and answering your questions. In order for this to be successful, we need your help. Submit your questions on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #NatsChats or leave a comment in the section below. We also want to reward our "Touch 'Em All" participants with 15 bonus points for those taking...

Social Media Weekend wraps up on Sunday

Social Media Weekend wraps up on Sunday
One of the most wonderful times of the year starts Friday: Social Media Weekend. Thanks to our friends at Hair Cuttery, Social Media Weekend will begin Friday, Aug. 16. Fans will have the opportunity to win exclusive Orioles prizes and experiences. We have seen the loyalty that fans have shown us by tweeting us, interacting with us on Facebook and sharing pictures on Instagram. And we'd like to reward you for your loyalty. Starting Friday, we'll be set up inside the gates of Oriole Park...

Nats fail to complete series sweep after 8-5 loss to Brewers

Nats fail to complete series sweep after 8-5 loss to Brewers
The Nationals came into today's game seeking their first road series sweep since September of 2012. They will leave Milwaukee still searching for that first series sweep after losing to the Brewers 8-5. The Nats came into the sixth inning with Taylor Jordan cruising while leading 4-1. Jordan quickly loaded the bases, from which the Nationals could never recover, as the Brewers scored five runs. Offensively, Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon hit solo home runs - it was the second consecutive...

Suzuki, Nats strike early (Nats lose 8-5)

Suzuki, Nats strike early (Nats lose 8-5)
The Nationals are seeking their first series sweep on the road since September of 2012. Kurt Suzuki has done his part in making sure this happens. Suzuki drove in two with a single to right in the second inning to give the Nats a 2-0 lead. The inning started after Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond were hit by pitches, and Steve Lombardozzi picked up a single to load the bases. Taylor Jordan then reached on a fielding error from Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy to score Lombardozzi, pushing the...

Ohlendorf to the DL (Werth in lineup)

Ohlendorf to the DL (Werth in lineup)
The Nationals will look to sweep the Brewers later this afternoon, but they have been hit with the injury bug once again. Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 1, with right shoulder inflammation. To take his spot on the roster, the Nationals recalled left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno from Triple-A Syracuse. This will be Cedeno's third stint with the club, having appeared in 1 1/3 innings this season. Prior to going on the DL, Ohlendorf...

Haren throws seven scoreless innings in Nats' 3-0 win (Werth has groin injury)

Haren throws seven scoreless innings in Nats' 3-0 win (Werth has groin injury)
The Nationals won their second series since the All-Star break after a 3-0 win over the Brewers. Dan Haren pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, while walking two and striking out six. Since returning from the disabled list on July 7, Haren's ERA is 2.40. The Nats' offense was powered by solo homers from Wilson Ramos and Adam LaRoche. LaRoche might have to thank shortstop Ian Desmond for the home run as LaRoche borrowed Jayson Werth's bat after Desmond suggested it....