Lamenting what should have been a glorious home opener
Lamenting what should have been a glorious home opener
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
When opening day came and went last week with no baseball, we all shed a tear and wondered when we'll finally get a chance to celebrate the most glorious unofficial holiday on the North American calendar. In the week since, we've mostly turned our attention back to the far more important matter affecting the entire globe right now, the ramifications of which are just now really setting in for many here. We know instinctively that the Major League Baseball season should be a week old now, and...
Revisiting the trade of Manny Machado
Revisiting the trade of Manny Machado
Steve Melewski
Orioles
When the 2018 season started, the Orioles were trying to make one last playoff run with an opening day roster that included Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Jonathan Schoop, Trey Mancini, Dylan Bundy, Andrew Cashner, Alex Cobb, Kevin Gausman, Brad Brach and Darren O'Day. Two years previously, they made the American League wild card game, losing in extra innings in Toronto. But in 2017, the club went 75-87. They were trending down, but with Machado in his last year before free agency,...
Phillips keeping his spring roommates and new routine
Phillips keeping his spring roommates and new routine
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Baseball players are creatures of habit, a trait that seems to be part of their DNA. Or maybe it develops over time, creating a chicken or the egg parallel. What comes first? No matter the order, being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic has brought a major disruption in their routines - though also kept in its proper perspective given the loss of lives throughout the world. Being unable to complete spring training or start a season is much more of an inconvenience than a...
Nats prospect watch: Teenagers Lara and Yean near top of pitching list
Nats prospect watch: Teenagers Lara and Yean near top of pitching list
Byron Kerr
Nationals
Nationals minor league pitching coordinator Brad Holman has insight on a couple of younger prospects who have reached the top 10 in the Nationals top 30 prospect list according to MLBPipeline.com, pitchers Andry Lara and Eddy Yean. Lara is only 17 and demonstrated the raw talent that the Nationals respect from instructional league in October to this spring training in February and March. Lara is 6-foot-4 and 180 lbs. out of Coro, Venezuela. The right-hander was the top-rated (No. 16) signing...
Nationals trivia quiz: Postseason
Nationals trivia quiz: Postseason
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
After clinching their first National League pennant in October, the Nationals had to wait six days before taking the field again for Game 1 of the World Series. Our break between re-watches of the NL Championship Series and World Series won't be that long, but we are going to take a couple of days off before diving back into the epic, seven-game showdown with the Astros. In the meantime, here's the second installment of Nats Trivia. (If you missed the first one last week, on the history of...
A look at games possibly being played without fans
A look at games possibly being played without fans
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It's becoming increasingly apparent that we may see at least some Major League Baseball games this summer with no fans. It will remind the Orioles of their 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on April 29, 2015. No fans were allowed in Camden Yards, but a game went on. The city of Toronto yesterday banned public events through at least June 30. Is that a sign that baseball will not be back until July, if at all, during 2020? Not necessarily, but it is also true that cities and states are...
More questions coming while baseball remains on hold
More questions coming while baseball remains on hold
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
I haven't seen a ground ball hit in three weeks, but I've been fielding a bunch of questions from home. When will the season start? Will there actually be a season? How many games will be played? Are you still wearing that same T-shirt? (Sorry, that last one is from my fiancée.) There are legitimate curiosities and concerns about the impact of a prolonged interruption. What's missing are solid answers. Can Chris Davis pick up where he left off in spring training? Can anyone? Davis...
Chris Davis: "This is very abnormal, very unusual"
Chris Davis: "This is very abnormal, very unusual"
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Chris Davis is safe at home, feeling blessed that the coronavirus hasn't touched his family. His wife and three young daughters, including 2-year-old twins, are fine. His friends are healthy. He's making many of the same adjustments as everyone else in his everyday life while unsure when he's going to be able to go back to work. Or if he'll be working in 2020. As the player representative with the Orioles, Davis has been gathering information on every conference call and sharing it with his...
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: Marathon wins for long-term isolation
"Orioles Classics" #TBT: Marathon wins for long-term isolation
Doug Miller
Orioles
Getting tired of jigsaw puzzles yet? You've cleaned the house to within an inch of its life and you're down to binge-watching the first (and final) season of "My Mother the Car." About this time, of course, you should be doing the heel-of-hand-to-forehead move as you remember that MASN continually brings you the best moments in Orioles history. So as most of us - apart from the grocery clerks, the first responders, the medical personnel and others who still venture into their regular work...
MLB announces assistance to minor league players is extended through May 31
MLB announces assistance to minor league players is extended through May 31
Byron Kerr
Nationals
Following up its recent announcement that Minor League Baseball players would be financially covered through April 8, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that it has extended financial support until May 31 or until the beginning of the minor league season, whichever occurs first. MLB said players will continue to receive medical benefits and may continue to use any balance they have in the college scholarship plan or continuing education program. In addition, each club will make its own...