Maryland General Assembly Notebook 2013

Miller Gets His Bust

A state senator wants a new state bird; one man's technolgical fortress is his castle; and the Senate president feels snubbed by Obama.

It's not a statue in front of the office building that bares his name but Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller did receive a bust of himself this week courtesy of the Regional Manufacturing Institute. Sen. Kathy Klausmeier, a Perry Hall Democrat, gave a sneak preview of the small, light-weight bust of Miller moments before presenting it to the Senate's top dog. "You can't have too much Mike Miller," Klausmeier said. The technology is similar to what was used in a scene of Jurassic Park 3 where a copy of a velociraptor's larynx was recreated. The institute offered legislators in Annapolis the opportunity to have themselves scanned into a computer and get busts of themselves. Miller seemed impressed with the petite bust but joked that it …

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Cal Ripken to Deliver 2013 UMD Commencement Address

Baseball's 'Iron Man' will speak to nearly 7,000 graduates at the May 19 ceremony.

Baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. will deliver the 2013 commencement address for the University of Maryland, administrators announced Tuesday. The "Iron Man"—best known for playing a record 2,632 consecutive games with the Baltimore Orioles—will speak to nearly 7,000 graduates plus family and friends at the May 19 ceremony. “I hope that my life experience allows me to impart some wisdom and give [graduates] a message that will serve them as they start their careers," Ripken said in a statement. "While I never attended college, opting to pursue my baseball career after high school, I have great respect for higher education and the great value it brings to young people," he added. Ripken, who was raised in Aberdeen, MD, played shortstop and …

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Nationals, Orioles Force Decisive Playoff Games Friday

It comes down to winner-take-all for both Washington and Baltimore.

It might be the biggest day of baseball this region has seen in decades. On Friday evening, both the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles will play the final—and decisive—games of their respective divisional series. Just 24 hours ago, it wasn't clear that either team would live to see action beyond Thursday, with the Nats trailing the St. Louis Cardinals and the O's trailing the New York Yankees by two games to one. But in thrilling, late-inning play, both teams slipped ahead yesterday to seize 2-1 wins and even up each best-of-five series at two games apiece. Washington's saving grace came in the form of a walk-off solo home run by right fielder Jayson Werth in the bottom of the ninth, which snapped a 1-1 tie that had held since…

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National Aquarium: 'Our Birds Support The Birds'

Birds—and reptiles—from the National Aquarium spread Orioles Magic cheer.

As the Baltimore Orioles prepare to take on the Texas Rangers in the American League wildcard game, some fellow birds are showing their support. In a video posted on YouTube, birds from the National Aquarium are shown "singing" about Orioles Magic. Margaret the McCaw leads the ensemble, which also includes reptiles. Here's hoping the tune gives the O's an edge in advancing in the playoffs.

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Playoff Schedule Set for Nationals, Orioles

Baseball's postseason kicks off this weekend.

Major League Baseball's 2012 regular season is officially in the books, and for the first time ever, the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles are both in the playoffs. The Nats wrapped up the top seed in the National League yesterday with a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, taking them to 98-64 on the season. They'll go on the road Sunday to face the winner of Friday's one-game wild card playoff between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves. The best-of-five National League Division Series will then come to Washington Wednesday for one to three games, depending on how many wins each team racks up. The winner of that round will face the winner of San Francisco and Cincinnati for a World Series berth. The O's, …

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Marty Chase

12:41 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012

This crazy format is for this year only and puts the Nats at a disadvantage. Let's hope they don't lose the first two on the road. That'll make it very tough to comeback, even with three straight at home.   more ›

Nats, O's Clinch Playoff Spots—Could a Beltway Series Be Brewing?

There's plenty of baseball yet to be played, but for the first time ever, a Nationals-Orioles World Series is a real possibility.

It's been 15 years since the Baltimore-Washington area fielded a Major League Baseball team with a winning record, let alone sent one to the postseason.  But as of the final out in last night's Rangers-Angels game, the Orioles—improbably, unfathomably—became the second playoff-bound ballclub in the corridor, clinching at least a wild card spot for the first time this century. Their 6-3 win over Boston earlier in the day also kept the O's tied with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East. The Nationals' shining moment came 10 days earlier as Washington closed the deal on a postseason berth with a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. This year marks just the second time the organization has made the playoffs and its…

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Baysox Pitcher Dylan Bundy Called Up by Orioles

The 19-year-old will be the youngest Orioles player to make a major league debut in more than 40 years.

Bowie Baysox right-handed pitcher Dylan Bundy was called up to the majors Wednesday morning, according to a statement from the Orioles. Bundy made his Baysox debut in August after being called up from Class-A Frederick, and he's spent the past several weeks impressing fans and media alike. Following his first minor league season, he was named to the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team. This year, he finished his Double-A minor league season with a 2-0 record and a 2.24 ERA in three starts. At just 19 years old, Bundy will be the first Orioles player to make his major league debut before turning 20 since Mike Adamson in 1967, according to the club. Bundy will join 20-year-old infielder Manny Machado, who's been wowing fanssince …

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Weigh In On Orioles vs. Nationals

The surprise success of the Orioles and Nationals has the region buzzing.

The Orioles and Nationals "rivalry" has required quotations through the first few years of interleague play around the beltway. This year is different. Entering the three-game weekend set, beginning Friday night at Nationals Park, the two clubs are battling atop their divisions against clubs with star-studded rosters and larger payrolls. So as one of the most important series between these neighboring ball clubs gets underway, the Patch sites in the Maryland area are curious: who are you pulling for in this year's Battle of the Beltway? Are you cheering for Bryce Harper and the Nationals? Or are you behind Adam Jones and the Orioles? While we're at it, which team do you think stands the best chance of staying in the pennant race late into …

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