
With a hot beverage cup in both hands and a white parka pulled over her hooded sweat shirt, Marie Denissen was more than happy to be at Nationals Park.

A list of firsts from the 2011 major league season on Thursday:

With four aces, the Philadelphia Phillies are all in. Because if this is the Year of the Pitcher yet again, then Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and their pals should breeze into the World Series bracket and wind up in a parade down Broad Street.

With four aces, the Philadelphia Phillies are all in. Because if this is the Year of the Pitcher yet again, then Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and their pals should breeze into the World Series bracket and wind up in a parade down Broad Street.

Sitting together at their lockers in the Pittsburgh clubhouse, Lyle Overbay and Matt Diaz stand out. They know it, too.
Capsules of National League teams, listed in order of finish last year:
Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar was awake and able to respond to doctors Wednesday after being hit in the face by Brian McCann's foul liner while standing in the dugout during an exhibition game.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones has taken grounders and gotten in some swings on the first day of spring training, a significant step in his recovery from major knee surgery.

San Francisco rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Brooks Conrad's third error of the game to claim the lead in the NL division series Sunday.