Darren Holmes already had ties to the Orioles prior to his hiring as bullpen coach. One that played out in public and another that happened behind the scenes - its significance to the organization much slower to develop. Fans can be excused if they've forgotten how Holmes appeared in five games with the Orioles in 2000, former executive Syd Thrift acquiring a reliever who was trying to pitch through a back injury that later required surgery. What does Holmes remember about his brief tenure in...

Max Scherzer understands why everyone was concerned, from club officials to doctors to media members to Nationals fans who watched the staff ace deal with strange and seemingly significant back and neck injuries last season, right up into the World Series. Yes, he got through it all and even pitched well in Game 7 to help put the Nats in position to win their first championship. But surely there would be lingering effects that required offseason attention or changes in preparation for next...

Today just a few words from me because this blog is more about what the readers and all O's fans have to say. It's about tracking progress. What would have to happen during the 2020 season for fans to see progress? Is it mostly about winning more games? Or more young players from the farm system making their way onto the roster? Is it about finding some starting pitching from the farm? Or about the farm itself and seeing more progress from minor league players as they make their way toward...

He did his best not to make a big deal about it during the season, but Trea Turner wasn't ever 100 percent healthy after breaking his right index finger in early April. Yes, he returned to the Nationals lineup in late May and played nearly every day the rest of the way. And he still batted .298 with 61 extra-base hits and an .850 OPS while playing an effective shortstop throughout the regular season and postseason. If you watched him closely, though, you noticed Turner had to take precautions...

Though he wouldn't rule out the possibility of acquiring a big-name player like Josh Donaldson, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo insisted today he's more than comfortable with his team's current options at third base. "We don't see it as a hole. We see it as a strength," Rizzo said during a 17-minute session with reporters at Winterfest. "We've got versatility. Of course, you're not going to replace or replicate Anthony Rendon, his numbers on the field, his presence in the...

The Orioles might have landed their new utility infielder Friday night by claiming Richard Ureña off waivers from the Blue Jays. It took a while, but they finally got him. I sifted through a series of articles I posted in January 2015 about the Blue Jays' interest in hiring Orioles executive Dan Duquette as their president and CEO - news that initially broke on our flight to San Diego for the Winter Meetings. The teams discussed a collection of prospects that would have been sent to the...

Like most of the Nationals, there was far more rest than post-postseason shenanigans for reliever Sean Doolittle. And considering how much Doolittle pitched down the stretch and how much the Nationals relied on him in the postseason, the left-handed definitely needed the mental floss in the formative weeks of the offseason. But as the calendar turned to December and the bulk of baseball's roster machinations, Doolittle took careful note of what the Nationals were doing -specifically, how much...

Who's up for some baseball on a mid-January weekend? Yes, it's time for Nationals Winterfest, the annual offseason gathering of players, coaches, team executives and fans to whet everybody's appetite for the upcoming season. Not that this upcoming season is going to be difficult to get excited about. The date of this year's event was pushed back (it was Dec. 1-2 last year), but the location remains Nationals Park, which proved popular with fans after previous Winterfests were held at...

The Orioles did more today than work toward signing their remaining arbitration-eligible players. The club announced this afternoon that it claimed infielder Richard Ureña off waivers from the Blue Jays. In a swap at the position, the Orioles made room on the 40-man roster by designating Pat Valaika for assignment. The Blue Jays designated Ureña for assignment on Dec. 30 after signing Travis Shaw to a one-year deal. Ureña, who turns 24 next month, is out of minor league options. He...

It's risky business - and I'm not talking about a Tom Cruise movie. Lana won't be knocking at the door. No, we're talking about trying to predict a big league team's win-loss record. But's it's OK, even fun to predict and take a shot. If we're wrong, so what? Who will even remember? Sure, that is all true. I read preseason predictions, but seldom make any. I just don't think there is much of a formula to provide insight and I've watched the Pecota system miss by so much over the years...