Every so often in this profession, you write an article knowing it's going to touch a few nerves. Criticism isn't going to sit well with everyone, especially those who are actually being criticized. But when it happens, you show up to work the next day, and if someone wants to let you know what they really thought about your work, you give them the opportunity to express those feelings (hopefully in a productive manner). It's all part of the job, and over time you learn how to deal with it....

So we're down to asking just five questions this time around. And that is fine, a bit less than the usual 10. But for now, we're excluding some of the standard baseball questions about who might start opening day, who may bat leadoff or who may lead the team in home runs. Hopefully, we are getting closer to a time when those questions become more prominent, relevant and of interest to all of us. This is a sort of a baseball shutdown and speculative edition because right now that is dominating...

One scenario that could take place if games return in late June or early July would be stadiums without fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic. This dynamic would completely change the mood and tempo of games. Home field advantage could be taken out of the equation with no crowd to stand up and cheer at two strikes in an at-bat or get pumped up at the sight of a three-run homer. Nationals manager Davey Martinez believes his players will be able to generate their own energy and...

If there is a baseball season this year, we may still see one major event take place before any games do. That would be the First-Year Player Draft. A draft that was once 50 rounds and then reduced to 40 could be as few as five rounds later this year. It now appears that the draft will start on June 10, the date which was set to begin the draft all along. Previously there were reports the draft could be moved to late June or July. An earlier negotiation between Major League Baseball and the MLB...

Players stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic are adapting to life away from baseball. A shock to the system. They've been playing the sport since they were kids. For fun and later as a profession. Their body clocks are wired to it. The shutdown can challenge them both mentally and physically. "It just reminds me of a lockout or a strike, but with more consequences," said former outfielder Eric Davis, in his 12th season as a Reds special assistant. "When you have a lockout or a...

Miguel Castro vowed back in February to return home to the Dominican Republic following the 2020 season, with no fears or trepidations created from the previous month's robbery that almost cost him more than just a couple of gold chains. The Orioles reliever made the trip much sooner than he expected with sports shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic. And he's using the time to help people who are less fortunate, still immersed in his community rather than hiding out or keeping a lower...

Nationals manager Davey Martinez is in the final year of a three-year deal that runs through the 2020 season. The contract, singed in October 2017, has a club option for 2021. Martinez was hired to replace Dusty Baker on a deal worth $2.8 million. The club option for 2021 is worth $1.2 million. During a Zoom video conference call Friday, Martinez said here have been no official talks yet on a contract extension. "Nothing, no. Right now, I'm pretty much self-isolated here," Martinez said from...

Davey Martinez's days are pretty occupied right now, all things considered. As he waits things out at his 350-acre farm near Nashville, he spends his mornings riding a Peloton bike, his afternoons outside taking care of his massive property and in between chases his new puppies Champ and Mya around. There is some time reserved for Martinez's actual day job, though, and right now what occupies the Nationals manager's worktime most is formulating a plan for an eventual second round of spring...

The narrative of the Nationals franchise as a whole, and the narrative of many of those who wore the Nats uniform, forever changed last October. What had been regarded by many as a very good organization that consistently underachieved in the postseason is now thought of as a model of perseverance and togetherness. The Nationals finally rose to the occasion in 2019, and high on the list of players who made that possible is Stephen Strasburg, who had a brilliant postseason capped by World Series...

As part of the club's ongoing efforts to serve and strengthen the community during the current pandemic, the Orioles announced today that they will partner with OneBlood, Inc. to host a blood drive at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla., on Thursday, May 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. The blood drive will take place in the East Lot of the stadium, located on the corner of 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue. All fans who donate blood will receive an Orioles Backpack Cooler, OneBlood T-shirt, and...