The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower and the Inner Harbor are in the background; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
This series was once known as the “Battle of the Beltways” when the Orioles were good, and that has not been often in the last 16 years. When the team from Washington, D.C. came into existence, the Washington Nationals fans were met with tough words from the O’s owner who said, “there were no real baseball fans in D.C.”. There were 28 owners who supported a team relocating in the Nation’s Capital and 1 vehemently against, Peter Angelos, from Baltimore.
From the time the Nats came into being, the Orioles owner enriched himself based on circumstance, and he pounced and took advantage like a profiteer. What has not changed in nearly ten years is that the MASN split of money still has not been resolved. It has made a tough relationship, even tougher.
While the Washington Nationals have been winning divisions and the World Series, the O’s have been stinking it up at the bottom of the AL East and all of baseball for years now.
So this really isn’t a battle, because battles need rivals. The Nationals just need to take care of business his weekend. But again. there is no love lost between the executives of these two franchises.
If anything, it feels like a bully picking on the new kid who won’t fight back. Angelos has placed billboards near Washington, D.C. and continues to try to get a share of the D.C. market. This week, MLB sent out an invite to Nationals fans with an invitation to buy tickets to this series. The solicitation looked like it came from the Nationals, but upon closer review it was sent from an MLB email account.
The Nationals have lefty Patrick Corbin on the mound and he will face righty Jorge Lopez. Clearly the Nats must dominate this series, and the Nats are up 3-0 on the O’s this season after sweeping the early series in Washington.
Washington Nationals vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium: Orioles Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN2, MASN, MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® ( Streaming Internet 869)
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
1. Alcides Escobar – 2B
2. Trea Turner – SS
3. Juan Soto – RF
4. Josh Bell – 1B
5. Ryan Zimmerman – DH
6. Josh Harrison – 3B
7. Gerardo Parra – LF
8. Tres Barrera – C
9. Andrew Stevenson – CF
Patrick Corbin – LHP
