Notes on Scherzer, Jeffress, live BP and exhibition games
For the first time this spring, all 72 players in the Nationals' big league camp were on the field and participating today. On the second day of full-squad workouts, the only two pitchers who had yet to participate (Javy Guerra and Jeremy Jeffress) were cleared to join their teammates. Guerra, who had been in Arizona with his wife as she gave birth in recent days, arrived in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday and on Tuesday cleared his mandatory intake testing. Jeffress, meanwhile, passed his...
Nationals

Jones on trade to Orioles and decision to play baseball
Jahmai Jones is getting most of his reps in Orioles camp at second base, with the occasional shifts coming to the outfield. Jones, the former second-round draft pick acquired from the Angels in the Alex Cobb trade, brings a healthy level of experience at both positions and doesn't care where he settles. He isn't worried about the possibility of wearing a utility label. Being a major leaguer is the identity that he craves. And like everything else in today's Zoom conference call, he can...
Orioles

What does Ryan Mountcastle have coming as a follow-up act?
When your debut season went as well as it did last summer for Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle, the encore can be challenging. "I think year two is always difficult," manager Brandon Hyde said today via Zoom of the challenges facing Mountcastle in 2021. "When you get to the big leagues, there is not a whole lot of major league data on you. But now that Ryan got some at-bats, teams are going to dissect how to try and get him out from the previous year. Year two is about making adjustments...
Orioles

How will the Turner-Soto Era of Nationals baseball be defined?
The Nationals, like every franchise, have been through multiple eras over the years. Break down their 17 seasons in the District into smaller chunks, and you can rattle off each of those eras with only a handful of names. The Frank Robinson Era. The Ryan Zimmerman Era. The Adam Dunn Era. The Stephen Strasburg-Jordan Zimmermann Era. The Bryce Harper-Jayson Werth Era. The Max Scherzer-Strasburg-Anthony Rendon Championship Club. And now, the Trea Turner-Juan Soto Era. Make no mistake, that's the...
Nationals

Digging deeper into Matt Harvey's offseason transformation
The initial attempts to fix Matt Harvey couldn't begin until the people running the facility in Pleasantville, N.J., trusted that he was willing to surrender to their methods. To the technology that he hadn't been exposed to and didn't really need in his dominant years. Ed Charlton and Mike Adams, co-owners of Baseball Performance Center, didn't need much convincing. Any doubts about Harvey's commitment evaporated in one brief exchange. "He came in and we didn't really know what to...
Orioles
Birdland farm check-in: Triple-A Norfolk GM Joe Gregory
Birdland farm check-in: Triple-A Norfolk GM Joe Gregory
Steve Melewski
Orioles
After the dust has settled on Minor League Baseball, and now that we actually have schedules for the 2021 season, I'm going to check in around Birdland. Today, I start by interviewing Joe Gregory, the general manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. While the primary task of a big league GM is to acquire players to win games, a minor league GM does not acquire any players. They are supplied by the big league organization. But that is about the only job they do not have. They work with all...
Santander comes to camp healthy and without hurt feelings
Santander comes to camp healthy and without hurt feelings
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
There are no hard feelings weighing down Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander in camp. He wasn't bothered by the trade rumors this winter. He wasn't bitter after going through the arbitration process and emerging on the losing side. Let's start with the interest from other teams, with a source confirming talks between the Orioles and Marlins. Santander didn't become preoccupied with the reports or speculate whether he might never make it to Sarasota, Fla. "I heard rumors, but that didn't...
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: O's sluggers make Camden Yards a lumberyard
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: O's sluggers make Camden Yards a lumberyard
Doug Miller
Orioles
Late February always fills baseball fans with anticipation, and it is doing so again. But this year it's different. This year we aren't taking spring games for granted. As of this writing, the Orioles' exhibition and regular seasons are scheduled to take place on time, and fully. Assuming that doesn't change, this will be our last Throwback Thursday until October. "Orioles Classics" closes out February 2021 with plenty of clutch hitting from the Birds in games from the past eight years....
Turner, Soto grapple with question of long-term extensions
Turner, Soto grapple with question of long-term extensions
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The questions were inevitable. When a star homegrown player approaching free agency reports for spring training, he's going to be asked about contract discussions. And when it happens only days after one of baseball's brightest young stars signs a gargantuan extension with his club, it's a foregone conclusion. So neither Trea Turner nor Juan Soto could've been surprised today when the subject came up in their respective first Zoom sessions with reporters of 2021. On the heels of Fernando...
For Austin Hays, health is "most important thing in my career"
For Austin Hays, health is "most important thing in my career"
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It sounds much easier than it is, but most players have two basic goals in mind each year - stay healthy and stay productive. Can't do the second without the first part. After dealing with injuries earlier in his career and missing a month last year plus getting off to a slow start - he went 3-for-30 to start the year - outfielder Austin Hays is very aware that the 2021 season will be big for him. He has shown his tools and skills. Now he has to stay on the field over six months of the regular...
Orioles' economic impact in Florida tops $511 million since 2015
Orioles' economic impact in Florida tops $511 million since 2015
Pete Kerzel
Orioles
Sarasota County Government's annual report has found that the Orioles have generated more than $511 million in cumulative economic impact in the state of Florida since 2015, the first year comprehensive data on the team's impact became available. The county's analysis measures the total tourism impact created by the Orioles, combined with the club's year-round spending and business operations. Despite the shortened Spring Training season and limited public events in 2020, the most recent...
Scherzer throws off mound, full squad takes field for first time
Scherzer throws off mound, full squad takes field for first time
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Max Scherzer was back on a mound this morning in West Palm Beach, Fla., throwing pitches (albeit not many and not at full velocity) for the first time since a sprained left ankle sidetracked him two weeks ago. Scherzer was cleared to resume throwing off the bullpen mound. He wound up throwing 10 pitches, "very light," according to manager Davey Martinez. "We just wanted to see him land on that foot," Martinez said during his daily Zoom session with reporters. "He said he felt good. We'll...
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Pitching and offense aplenty
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Pitching and offense aplenty
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
Well, pitchers and catchers have reported to West Palm Beach, followed by position players. Pretty soon, there will be Grapefruit League games. And before you know it, the regular season will be upon us, pandemic willing. But before we turn the page to a new season, we've got time for one more collection of "Nationals Classics" on MASN. This week's array of retro games includes some of the most memorable pitching and hitting performances by the Nationals. So sit back and enjoy them. The...
With deep bullpen, Nats think they're set to close games
With deep bullpen, Nats think they're set to close games
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
If you wanted to try to distill the story of the Nationals bullpen over the last several seasons into one simplified narrative, it would be this: Davey Martinez didn't trust enough guys to pitch in high-leverage situations, forcing the manager to overuse his one or two best relievers, which sometimes led to ineffectiveness or injury. It's a pattern that has often repeated itself around here, and it's one Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo appear determined to avoid in 2021. And how...
Spring notes on Mancini's hitting approach, analytics and more
Spring notes on Mancini's hitting approach, analytics and more
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Manager Brandon Hyde has spent some time talking about the Orioles continuing move toward more use of data, technology and analytics since the start of spring training. New pitching coach Chris Holt led a big move toward data and tech to the Baltimore farm in 2019 and it's matriculated to the big league pitchers as well. It was cited by veteran righty Matt Harvey as one reason he signed with the Orioles. But where does that leave the big league hitters? Do they have the same opportunities to...
       
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