Orioles welcoming pitchers and catchers to camp
Orioles welcoming pitchers and catchers to camp
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
SARASOTA, Fla. - The real work is about to begin. Pitchers, catchers and position players choosing to report early will be arriving later today at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, where the temperature will climb back into the 80s. Physicals must be passed, and that includes the yearly eye exams. (That last part was aimed at the "he needs glasses" crowd. Everyone gets their vision tested.) The front office contingent headed to Florida without a veteran starting pitcher - executive vice...
Hays and Mountcastle ready for season, ready to make their marks
Hays and Mountcastle ready for season, ready to make their marks
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Orioles outfielder Austin Hays has had an interesting ride since the club drafted him out of Jacksonville University in round three of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft. A huge 2017 season and he was a finalist for national Player of the Year by Baseball America. Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. was the winner. But parts of Hays' 2018 and 2019 seasons were impacted by injuries and his stats fell off. Who knew what to expect when Hays got a callup to the Orioles last Sept. 7? But over 75 plate...
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Lots of bonus baseball
#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Lots of bonus baseball
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
It's been a dreary winter. Not as long as most offseasons, given the fact that the Nationals won the World Series, delaying until Halloween the beginning of the dearth of the national pastime. But months on end without baseball has a way of dragging you down. But a new season began this week when pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in West Palm Beach, Fla. In no time, the exhibition games will be replaced by meaningful battles as other teams take aim at the Nats, baseball's new...
Nationals announce 2020 promotional schedule
Nationals announce 2020 promotional schedule
Doug Miller
Nationals
After capturing the franchise's first World Series championship, the Nationals are preparing to defend their crown. Fans coming to Nationals Park during this special season will be treated to several World Series-themed promotions and another exciting National League East Division race. The Washington Nationals are thrilled to announce the team's full 2020 promotional calendar, which can be found online at nationals.com/Promotions! Single game tickets for all 2020 regular season games,...
Spring training storylines: Finding the right lineup combo
Spring training storylines: Finding the right lineup combo
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We've reached the final countdown to spring training, so we're counting down the most important storylines surrounding the Nationals this spring. We continue today with the lineup decisions Davey Martinez must make ... It's surprise quiz time, folks. Do you remember who batted leadoff for the Nationals on opening day last season? Who hit sixth? Who hit eighth? (No peeking allowed.) Do you know the answer? You'll be forgiven if you forgot that Adam Eaton was the Nats' first batter of 2019,...
Sig Mejdal on more technology for hitters coming in 2020
Sig Mejdal on more technology for hitters coming in 2020
Steve Melewski
Orioles
FREDERICK, Md. - Orioles vice president and assistant general manager of analytics Sig Mejdal, said it was a fair observation. That is, there was more technology for pitchers than for hitters in the Orioles farm system last season. The hitters were not without some data and technology to help them try to get better. But pitchers had more. That showed in some of the results. Of the Orioles' top six farm teams, four clubs led their leagues in ERA in 2019. That was at Double-A Bowie, Single-A...
Seven Nats exhibition games to be broadcast on MASN
Seven Nats exhibition games to be broadcast on MASN
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
MASN announced today that seven Nationals exhibition games will be televised this spring, including next week's highly anticipated Grapefruit League opener against the Astros and new manager Dusty Baker. The first six televised games will all come from FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The seventh broadcast game will come from Nationals Park, where the defending World Series champions will face a team made up of organizational prospects in a just-announced 4 p.m. exhibition finale dubbed...
Playing a numbers game with the Orioles
Playing a numbers game with the Orioles
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are one day away from having their pitchers and catchers report to spring training, though the number of early arrivals since they moved to Sarasota makes the official date seem insignificant. Players start trickling into the facility in January. They've already been throwing. It's become more of a report date for the media. My life is broken down into thirds. I have my spring training, regular season and offseason routines - and family and friends learn to adapt. Manager Brandon...
Baseball America Nats No. 7 prospect: RHP Andry Lara
Baseball America Nats No. 7 prospect: RHP Andry Lara
Byron Kerr
Nationals
This should be the year Nationals fans can track the progress on the field of the No. 7 prospect in the system, according to Baseball America, right-hander Andry Lara. Lara just turned 17 on Jan. 6)and is a hard-throwing starter who is not afraid to go after hitters. The Coro, Venezuela, native is expected to get some work in the Nats' Rookie-level system. Baseball America's Nats correspondent, Lacy Lusk, said Lara appears in the Nats Top 10 because the right-hander is versatile for his...
Spring training storylines: The No. 5 starter competition
Spring training storylines: The No. 5 starter competition
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
We've reached the final countdown to spring training, so we're counting down the most important storylines surrounding the Nationals this spring. We continue today with the battle for the No. 5 starter's job ... It's not unusual for a club to hold an open competition for at least one spot in its opening day rotation. It is unusual, however, for a club to have four elite starters already locked in and three relatively experienced competitors in the running for that final job, with all three...