The Bruins take on the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center in DC on Saturday night, but former Caps goalie Olaf Kolzig made his way to Fenway Park to chat with Tom Caron on Red Sox First Pitch.

Kolzig is the associate goalie coach for the Capitals, and is in town with Washington’s affiliate AHL team, the Hershey Bears, as they take on the Providence Bruins. The Bruins and Capitals aren’t in the same division, but always seem to run into one another in big games, with Saturday night being no exception.

Hear what Kolzig had to say about the matchup in the video above.

National anthems in Boston will likely take more than one person for quite some.

The crowd at Fenway Park joined their voices Saturday afternoon before the Red Sox played the Royals, singing “The Star Spangled Banner” as the ballpark honored the nation and the local heroes from Boston’s long and difficult week.

See and hear it in the video above.

The Bruins will try to help the healing process along in Boston on Wednesday night, as they play the city’s first home game in the wake of Monday’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon. Before the game, Bruins president Cam Neely spoke with Naoko Funayama about what the team is thinking about as the game nears as well as how proud he is of the team’s work so far.

See what Neely has to say in the video above from Red Sox First Pitch.

On Wednesday night the city of Boston will light up for sports again. The Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday at TD Garden, and will host Boston’s first pro sports home game since Monday’s events at the Boston Marathon.

Many of the players on the team have lived in Boston for a long time, and they take pride in in being part of the fabric of the city.

Check out the video above to hear what Bruins players had to say after the events at the Boston Marathon.

The Red Sox put together one of their more disappointing seasons in years, but one person who excelled throughout all of the madness was NESN’s Jenny Dell.

Jenny wanted to take some time following the Red Sox’ final road trip in New York to show her appreciation for how welcoming everyone in Red Sox Nation has been throughout her first year at NESN. She also wanted to thank those working behind-the-scenes to support her, and she expects many more memories to come.

Check out Jenny’s message to Sox fans in the video above.

During his weekly appearance on WEEI’s The Big Show on Wednesday, Bobby Valentine made comments about feeling undermined by members of his coaching staff on Wednesday.

Obviously, the media was going to bring up those comments during the manager’s pregame interview and also asked the Red Sox manager for his thoughts on the 2012 season.

The season was a disappointing one for Valentine, Red Sox players and fans, and while Valentine’s future with the Red Sox will be determined after Game 162 is played, it was certainly an interesting year to say the least.

To hear Bobby V’s press conference, watch the video above from Red Sox First Pitch.

The Boston Red Sox have two meaningless games left to play in a season that was deemed lost more than a month ago. This is the time when most players would choose to sit if they are suffering from even a minor injury.

Not Dustin Pedroia.

"I like playing man. It's fun," is how Pedroia responded to reporters asking him why he decided to play in Tuesday's game against the Yankees. The second baseman simply wants to play the game, and comments like that set the right tone for the young players surrounding a rebuilding team and earn high praise from managers.

"Dustin always does more than you could ever expect anybody to do on a baseball field," said Bobby Valentine when asked about Pedroia's decision to play.

For a team that is seemingly stuck in baseball purgatory, having players with leadership qualities like Pedroia provide hope for the future. The dirt dog has become the rightful face of the franchise and his play and clubhouse presence continue to endear him to the Boston faithful.

To hear the rest of Pedroia and Bobby V's comments, check out the video above.

But now, it looks like their time has run out. With three games left to play, Los Angeles trails the Cardinals by two games for the second NL wild card spot. While Beckett has pitched effectively and Gonzalez is heating up, those who cheer for LA may have to wait until 2013 to see the full effect of the blockbuster trade.

See what Nick Cafardo had to say about the Dodgers with Tom Caron in the video above from Red Sox First Pitch.

The Oakland A's don't have an impressive roster, but they do have an impressive record. Some of that credit goes to general manager Billy Beane.

Oakland is on the brink of making the postseason, even after Beane traded several key players during the offseason. Somehow, the A's are winning games with players many haven't even heard of — including a handful of former Red Sox.

Check out the video above to listen to The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo talk about the 2012 A's and what Beane has done to make them playoff contenders on Red Sox First Pitch.

The Baltimore Orioles enter Saturday night's game against the Boston Red Sox just half a game back from the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.

Baltimore has become the team to root for in 2012, and the Orioles can credit their success to a stellar bullpen and home run power. The O's have set a franchise record this season, hitting 122 home runs at Camden Yards.

When a team can produce instant offense like that, it helps to have a bullpen that can ensure a lead is safe. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has relied heavily on his pen this season, and it has answered the call. Baltimore's bullpen is second in MLB with 31 wins and 52 saves, and it ranks fourth in both innings pitched (532 1/3) and ERA (3.04).

Even when the pressure is on, the Baltimore relievers don't break a sweat, helping the team reach a 27-9 record in one-run games.

Check out the video above to hear Jerry Remy talk about why Baltimore has had so much success this season.

Though only one year removed from his playing career, former Red Sox
captain Jason Varitek is already talking about a future career as a field
manager.

Varitek was named a special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington on Thursday and will be working in many different parts of the organization.

Check out the video above to hear The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo talk about Varitek’s role going forward and why he could be a future Red Sox manager.

The Red Sox' season will soon be coming to a close, and the results certainly have not been what most fans expected. Red Sox Nation hasn't wavered in its support, though, and a large crowd recently assembled for Red Sox Fan Photo Day.

NESN's Jenny Dell caught up with some fans at the annual event, which was still a hit despite Boston's subpar season. One fan she caught up with was Lynne Smith, whose Sox Fan of the Year status was obvious by her awesome attire.

Jenny also spoke with Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who noted that the event is a chance to have fun and interact with fans — something that isn't always easy given the 162-game grind of a baseball season.

Check out the video above to hear more.

Former Red Sox second basemen Jerry Remy was named to the Boston Red Sox All-Fenway team during a ceremony that took place Wednesday night.

Remy played seven seasons for the Red Sox and was a career .286 hitter. He made his lone All-Star appearance in the 1978 season. The second baseman wasn't a superstar, but he did the little things right and made his team better with his bunting ability and career .981 fielding percentage.

The native of Massachusetts got to return to his home state when the Red Sox traded for him in December of 1977, after he had played three seasons with the California Angels. Since the day he became a member of the Red Sox, Remy has been a constant figure among the organization. He has been a member of Boston's broadcast team since 1988, and in 2007 he was elected president of Red Sox Nation.

Remy spoke about how meaningful it was to be included on the All-Fenway team before Wednesday's game. To hear what he had to say, check out the video above.

Mike Timlin and Alan Embree were crucial cogs in the Red Sox bullpen that helped Boston win a World Series title in 2004.

The Red Sox held a ceremony to honor members of the 2004 championship team on Tuesday and both Timlin and Embree were in attendance.

Timlin, who came to the Red Sox in 2003 as a free agent, gave Boston six
solid years of service in which he struck out a total of 273 batters.
The Sox traded for Embree in 2002, and the gritty left-hander was a live
arm out of the bullpen for parts of four seasons.

Both former pitchers were a part of the team in 2003 that witnessed the infamous Aaron Boone home run that abruptly ended their World Series hopes that year, and were grateful for the opportunity to win it all in 2004.

To see what Embree and Timlin had to say about their 2004 experience, check out the video above.

Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Rays, the Red Sox will hold a ceremony at Fenway Park to honor the 2004 World Series champions at 6:30 p.m. The game will begin at it’s regularly scheduled 7:10 p.m. start time, but make sure to get there early to take in the pre-game tribute. All players and coaches from the historical squad have been invited to the ceremony.

The festivities don’t end there. On Wednesday the Red Sox will honor the All-Fenway team, as determined by fans, historians, Red Sox staff and team history consultants. You’ll be certain to see many familiar faces at the tribute, which also starts at 6:30 p.m.

Due to the ceremonies, which will also be aired on NESN, pre-game coverage will be pushed up on both Tuesday and Wednesday with Red Sox First Pitch airing at 5:30 p.m. and Red Sox Gameday Live airing at 6:00 p.m.

As nearly every playoff race in the American League becomes closer, so does the MVP race between Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

Going into Sunday's games, Cabrera is the clear favorite based on standard statistics. He leads the league in batting average, home runs and RBIs — the Triple Crown categories. No one has won the Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Needless to say, Cabrera would be very deserving should he complete the near-impossible feat.

Trout, on the other hand, is the clear favorite based on sabermetrics. He overpowers Cabrera in several statistical categories, including Wins Above Replacement (WAR), runs created and runs saved. He provides a balanced attack — offensively, defensively and on the base paths — whereas Cabrera is mainly strong offensively.

Check out the video above to hear Peter Gammons and Peter Abraham discuss who the favorite to win the AL MVP is on Red Sox First Pitch.

As the end of Major League Baseball's regular season quickly approaches, playoff races are beginning to tighten up, particularly in the American League East.

The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees are in a close battle that will likely come down to the final games of the 2012 season. The secret to Baltimore's success isn't really much of a secret at
all: This season, the Orioles have gone on winning streaks not only at home but also on the road.

Prior to Saturday afternoon's game with the Red Sox, Baltimore had a 6-1 record at Fenway Park this year. The Orioles also boast a 44-32 road record, making them the best American League team outside of their home stadium.

Check out the video above to hear Jerry Remy talk about this year's Orioles squad on Red Sox First Pitch.

The Red Sox will be recognizing several respected individuals and groups as their season comes to a close.

On Friday, which was also National POW-MIA Recognition Day, they honored Bartlett Hastings, a survivor of World War II. Hastings is a longtime Red Sox fan and was humbled to be at Fenway Park before the Red Sox-Orioles game.

Check out the video above to watch Jenny Dell talk to Hastings about this historic day and some of his favorite moments as a fan on Red Sox First Pitch.

With Wednesday's loss to the Rays, the Red Sox officially squashed any miraculous dreams of them finishing over .500 in their 2012 campaign.

In doing so, the Yankees will remain as the only team since 1997 to finish every season with at least 81 victories. The two hated rivals were the only two teams the last 14 seasons to consistenly finish above .500. Now, the Evil Empire will be the only franchise heading into 2013 seeking to extend that record.

While injuries weren't the only problem the Sox had this year, it certainly didn't help that the team's expected lineup was only present for a handful of games in 2012.

Check out Tom Caron and Dennis Eckersley discussing the end of the streak on Red Sox First Pitch in the video above.

Baseball's favorite cinderella story continues.

The Orioles outlasted the Mariners on Tuesday night in an 18-inning marathon that kept their fans in Baltimore up until 3:54am. To help re-fill their worn out bullpen, the Orioles called up top prospect Dylan Bundy from Double-A Bowie.

Nick Cafardo spoke with Tom Caron about how the Orioles have been doing just enough every night to pull off a victory. That includes going 14-2 on the season in extra innings.

The O's have a tough schedule ahead with six games against the Red Sox, four against the Blue Jays and three against the still-fighting Rays. The Orioles are currently a half-game back from the lead in the AL East and are tied atop the AL wildcard standings.

To hear what Cafardo had to say about the Orioles playoff chances, watch the video above.