Holt and Holmes given new titles (plus other notes)
Holt and Holmes given new titles (plus other notes)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are down to one vacancy on their major league coaching staff. In his Zoom conference call this afternoon, executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said Chris Holt will be the primary on-field pitching coach as the replacement for Doug Brocail. Holt also will retain his duties as director of pitching - an arrangement that had been expected for a while and is unique in baseball. His new title is "pitching coach/director of pitching" as his reach keeps expanding across the...
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Offseason begins with curly W memories
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Offseason begins with curly W memories
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
The World Series is over and free agency has commenced. We've gotten back the hour of sleep we lost in March at about the time baseball and the world went a little crazy. Now it's dark at 5:30 p.m. Is it supposed to be this cold in November? I could swear I saw flurries this morning. While we don't know for sure what the 2021 baseball season will hold, we do know a few simple truths. Among them is that MASN will feed your need for diamond memories all offseason long with "Nationals...
Reimold's retirement routine includes instruction for stepson
Reimold's retirement routine includes instruction for stepson
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
As Jack Porter continues to gain the notice of baseball evaluators as a high school junior in Tennessee, he can keep seeking advice and instruction from two prominent men in his life. Both of them former professional players. One of them quite familiar to Orioles fans. His father, Scott, was a pitcher and a fifth-round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 1999. His stepfather, Nolan Reimold, was an outfielder and second-round pick of the Orioles in 2005 who played eight years in the majors. Lots of...
Scialabba on instructional league, Cavalli's progress
Scialabba on instructional league, Cavalli's progress
Byron Kerr
Nationals
The Nationals wrapped up their fall instructional league camp last week in West Palm Beach, Fla. Sixty-five players and more than 30 coaches, coordinators and training staff took part in the five-week workout. Assistant general manager of player development Mark Scialabba spoke about how the camp worked: "It was a great camp. Obviously, very thankful that we had support from ownership to allow us to have this camp. It was really crucial for all these players to get on the field. We brought...
Where the Nats' payroll stands as the offseason begins
Where the Nats' payroll stands as the offseason begins
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We raised the question Sunday of the Nationals' approach to this winter, whether they might be willing to go against the expected grain of most of the league and aggressively pursue free agents while everyone else attempts to drag the process out and save money. We have no idea at this point if it's even within the realm of possibility, mostly because we haven't heard a word from the front office about the financial state of the organization at the end of a year in which there were no fans...
The move took a few dollars, but made so much sense
The move took a few dollars, but made so much sense
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Maybe Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias looked at this only from an on-the-field standpoint. It made perfect sense to pick up the $3.5 million option and bring shortstop José Iglesias back in 2021. Yes, he missed time injured, but when he played, he played great and was almost indispensable. He hit, he defended and he provided leadership. But beyond the value he provides on the field, the move to bring him back will have other impact, too. It will calm a segment...
This, that and the other
This, that and the other
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
With the World Series over and teams firing up the hot stove, it shouldn't be much longer before the Orioles identify the return on the trades of pitchers Tommy Milone and Hector Velázquez. When is it considered late to be announcing players to be named later? The Orioles sent Velázquez to the Astros on July 29 for a PTBNL. He never threw a pitch in 2020 outside of summer training camp and alternate camp sites. Milone was traded to the Braves the following day for two PTBNL, an...
Orioles pick up option on José Iglesias' contract (updated)
Orioles pick up option on José Iglesias' contract (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles made their one option decision for the 2021 season. Shortstop José Iglesias is returning to the Orioles. They're picking up his $3.5 million option, according to a source. The alternative was Iglesias accepting a $500,000 buyout and re-entering the free agent market this winter. The deadline arrived this afternoon. A coronavirus pandemic complicated the process with revenue lost this season and teams seeking ways to save money, including a slew of furloughs and layouts...
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: Comeback wins and marathon matches
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: Comeback wins and marathon matches
Doug Miller
Orioles
With the strangest baseball season on record now in the books (congrats to the Dodgers), the offseason is now upon us. The Orioles have already made some roster moves, and more are almost certainly on the way. And with COVID cases climbing again, the O's and the rest of Major League Baseball also will likely be figuring out contingencies in case spring training and/or the 2021 season have to be delayed. So even though there won't be any live games to see, baseball people will still be plenty...
As others cut costs, should Nats look to spend big this winter?
As others cut costs, should Nats look to spend big this winter?
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
The start of free agency in baseball has long failed to live up to whatever advance hype comes along with it. If the first day of free agency in the NFL, NBA and NHL resembles Walmart on Black Friday, in Major League Baseball it looks more like a group of seniors strolling through the mall concourse at 9 a.m. on a random Tuesday. Owners don't send their private jets out at the stroke of midnight to pick up potential big-name targets. Agents prefer to drag the whole process out and wait for the...