what teams do the Nationals play during the regular season:

Ann asked: We play every team in the Eastern Division the same number of times.

Then we play some of the teams in the central and western division. How is it decided which teams and how many games?


Rick answered: Ann, thank you for your question.

The alignment and schedules for 2013 will be different than they were for 2012.

MLB has moved the Houston Astros to the American League, creating two 15 team leagues for 2013.

Each club will play 19 games against their 4 divisional opponents (76 games).

Each club will play either 6 or 7 games against non-divisional League opponents (66 games)

Each club will play 20 inter-league games, to round out the 162 game schedule, throughout the regular season. There are certain teams, in certain areas, that they designate as local rivalry games for inter-league play.

For the Nationals, that rivalry matchup is with the Orioles. In 2013, they will play Baltimore 4 games, two in Baltimore and two in DC.

Just how it is decided who will play who in those 16 additional inter-league games I am not sure. I know they are making an effort to balance out who plays who, so teams have like opponents on their schedules, in an attempt to make overall competition within each division as close to fair as possible.

Up to this point, it has mostly been geographically and monetarily driven, rather than balance in schedule strengh within each division.

It will be interesting to see if these new efforts make it all run more smoothly, with better balance.

The second image above is a high school picture of one of our former players, Patrick Mccoy, who currently pitches for the Harrisburg Senators, the National's AA affiliate. Having a good year at 7-3. We are very proud of what he has accomplished.

This season is certainly a special one for National's fans. Good for the area and good for baseball as well.

Yours in baseball,

Rick