Because You Asked - Thunderbolts*
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The weather is warming this week, which whets the appetite for spring training. Temperatures might touch 40 today. Be sure to lather on the sunscreen. There might be some deep burns in today’s mailbag. Only one way to find out. You ask, I answer, and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original. And keep in mind that my mailbag catches tw
Nats expect Ogasawara to earn spot in Opening Day rotation
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Shinnosuke Ogasawara isn’t the first Japanese player Mike Rizzo has scouted, or even attempted to sign. The Nationals have been trying to make inroads in Asia for years but, according to Rizzo, had been unsuccessful at building the kind of meaningful relationships needed to seal the deal. How did they finally break through and get Ogasawara to agre
Which five starters will Nats open season with?
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Friday’s signing of Shinnosuke Ogasawara truly came out of left field. Not only because the Nationals had never signed a free agent out of Japan (or any other Asian country). But because they didn’t seem to be in the market for another starting pitcher, at least not one who wouldn’t instantly slot into the front of the rotation, as opposed to the b
In a field loaded with talented shortstops, the O's Gunnar Henderson is named No. 1
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Major League Baseball’s best shortstop, right now, is the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson. So says MLB Network during its Top Ten Right Now series that has been airing in recent days. Well not everyone at the network feels that way but the “shredder” does which is MLB Network’s model that I presume takes all the stats and data and provides a formula for
This, that and the other
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Orioles control owner David Rubenstein spoke to Yahoo Finance this week at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He mentioned twice how the Orioles are in “pretty good shape," endorsed a salary cap and went over some of the ballpark renovations. The club’s payroll has risen to 15th in the majors at $156 million, per Roster Resource
Very grateful for my time here as it comes toward an end
Steve Melewski
Orioles
I was the first writer hired to work at MASNsports.com. It was, I think, late in 2007 or maybe early in 2008. It all runs together now. But there I was writing articles called blogs about the Orioles at a place that most people didn’t know even existed back then. But I put in the time and effort then and now, too, and here I am about 17 years later
Nats sign first Japanese free agent with 2-year deal for Ogasawara
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
For the first time in club history, the Nationals have signed a player directly from Asia, announcing today a two-year deal with Japanese left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara. Ogasawara was an All-Star for the Chunichi Dragons in 2023 and posted a 3.12 ERA over 144 1/3 innings last season, his ninth in Nippon Professional Baseball. The 27-year-old is n
Nationals agree to terms with LHP Ogasawara
MASN Staff
Nationals
The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara on a two-year contract and designated left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa for assignment on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Ogasawara, 27, joins the Nationals after he pitched to a 3.12 ERA in
Orioles announce 2025 minors coaching staffs, player development assignments
Doug Miller
Orioles
The Orioles today announced the club’s minor league coaching staffs and player development assignments for the 2025 season. The coaching staffs of Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Chesapeake, High-A Aberdeen, and Single-A Delmarva are listed below, along with the Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League Orioles. Managers ROBERTO MERCADO (Chesapeake/Bowie), COLLIN WOODY (Delmarva), CHRISTIAN FRIAS (FCL Orioles), and CHRIS MADERA and ELBIS MOREL (DSL Orioles) return to their same posts, TIM FEDEROWICZ (Norfolk) joins the organization, and RYAN GOLL (Aberdeen) becomes a manager for the first time in his career. Federowicz (pronounced fed-er-ROH-vitch) joins the organization after managing Triple-A Toledo (DET) in 2024. He served as a major league catching coach for the Detroit Tigers in 2023 and was the manager for Triple-A Tacoma (SEA) in 2022. Federowicz retired after the 2021 season following a 13-year professional career that included parts of eight in the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and Texas Rangers. The former catcher also earned a silver medal with Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Pitching Coach JUSTIN RAMSEY and Hitting Coach MIKE MONTVILLE, a former University of Maryland product, both return. Fundamentals Coach FELIPE ROJAS ALOU, JR., who has managed the last three seasons between Aberdeen and Delmarva, begins his 18th year in the organization. He will also serve as third base coach. Development Coach BILLY FACTEAU joins Norfolk from Chesapeake/Bowie. Athletic Trainer ALAN RAIL, ATC and Assistant Athletic Trainer SETH ELLANSON, ATC return in their same roles while Strength and Conditioning Coach SAM SAUER joins the Tides from Chesapeake/Bowie. ADAM SEHLMEYER returns as Norfolk’s clubhouse manager. Mercado returns to Double-A for a second straight year. He also spent time in the Arizona Fall League in 2024 and led the Surprise Saguaros to a runner-up finish. Mercado was honored with the organization’s Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award and led the IronBirds to the South Atlantic League championship series in 2022. Hitting Coach JOSH BUNSELMEYER, Fundamentals Coach CHASE SEBBY, and Athletic Trainer JULIO IBARRA, ATC return while Pitching Coach JORDIE HENRY, Strength and Conditioning Coach CHRIS FROSCH, and Development Coach CALVIN CHRISTIANSEN join the team from Delmarva. JON WEINBERG returns as clubhouse manager. Goll transitions from development coach with Aberdeen last season to manager for the first time in his professional career. He will continue to serve as offseason camp coordinator. Goll joined the organization in 2020 after gaining valuable coaching experience with the University of Minnesota, USA Baseball, Eau Claire Express of the Northwoods League, and the Rochester John Marshall Junior Legion program. Hitting Coach ZACH COLE and Athletic Trainer TORI ATENCIO, ATC are both back with the IronBirds, while Pitching Coach JEREMY HILEMAN and Development Coach ADONIS SMITH enter their first year in the organization. Fundamentals Coach DANIEL FAJARDO, who spent eight years as a player in Baltimore’s farm system, and Strength and Conditioning Coach JUAN SANCHEZ join from Delmarva. Clubhouse Manager HERB OTTO returns. Woody is set to manage Delmarva for a second straight year after making his managerial debut last season. He spent three seasons as an infielder in the organization from 2016-18. Hitting Coach CHRISTIAN POULSEN and Athletic Trainer GRIFFIN PYOTT, ATC return while Pitching Coach CASEY DAY shifts roles from a development coach in the FCL. Development Coach CASEY BUCKLEY has been promoted after serving as a staff assistant and bullpen catcher role the last few seasons. Fundamentals Coach LUIS SILVERIO is a newcomer to the organization. Strength and Conditioning Coach WILL REICHEL joins from the DSL. MASON GOMEZ returns as clubhouse manager. Frias returns to manage the FCL Orioles for a fourth straight season, his sixth year in the organization. He previously worked as a coach at Wabash Valley College (IL) and the University of Rio Grande (OH), his alma mater. Frias played three professional seasons as an infielder in the Toronto Blue Jays system. Pitching Coach ADAM BLEDAY and Hitting Coach TEEGAN LEADER return, while Pitching Coach BAILEY VUYLSTEKE and Hitting Coach JAKE RATZ join the staff from the DSL. RAMÓN SAMBO, LANDON LASSITER, and JAMES JOHNSON will serve as fundamentals coaches, with Lassiter returning, Sambo added from Norfolk, and Johnson transitioning from FCL staff assistant and bullpen catcher role the last couple of seasons. QUENTIN HOLMES and CADE JOHNSON join the system as development coaches. Athletic Trainer SARA PADILLA, ATC enters her fifth season in the system, while Athletic Trainer BRIANNA MOSKAL is new to the organization. Strength and Conditioning Coach GABE SANCHEZ returns while Strength and Conditioning Coach AUSTIN KUENNEN enters his first year in the role after serving as seasonal dietician last season. NATE SNYDER and MATT HENDERSON will return as clubhouse managers. Madera and Morel return to manage in the DSL. Morel is entering his 19th year as a DSL manager while Madera begins his sixth season. Pitching Coach DIONIS PASCUAL returns, and JOHN NOWAK is a new hire as pitching coach. GEORGE BELL, son of 1987 American League MVP George Bell, will again serve as hitting coach along with JAKE WELCH, who is new to the organization. MIGUEL JABALERA returns for a 32nd season in the organization while JERRY CHAVARRIA enters his second year, both of whom will serve as fundamentals coaches. Development Coach NICK KROPIDLOWSKI is in his fourth year in the organization. MAGGIE HUNT, ATC will again serve as athletic trainer along with newcomer NATHAN KIRK. Strength and Conditioning Coach DANIEL VARGAS remains in the same role. Equipment Manager JOSE FRIAS returns. Overseeing one of the top farm systems in all of baseball are Vice President, Player Development and Domestic Scouting MATT BLOOD, who enters his second season in the role and his sixth season with the Orioles, Director of Minor League Operations KENT QUALLS, returning for his 13th season in the position, and Director of Player Development ANTHONY VILLA, who enters his second year in the role and sixth in the organization. FORREST HERRMANN was promoted to director of pitching development. Upper-Level Hitting Coordinator SHERMAN JOHNSON was named assistant hitting coach on the MLB staff in November. Lower-Level Hitting Coordinator BRINK AMBLER, Coordinator of Minor League Operations RAMÓN ALARCÓN, Education Coordinator ANAÍMA GARCÍA, Dominican Academy Administrator RANCEL ROSADO, Latin America Pitching Coordinator ANDERSON TAVAREZ, Latin America Coordinator of Instruction SAMUEL VEGA, who won the 2024 Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award, Minor League Field Coordinator JEFF KUNKEL, and Manager of Player Development, Complexes JACKSON McDONNELL all return in their roles. Infield Coordinator TIM DeJOHN returns for his fourth season in the organization. Pitching Coordinator ADAM SCHUCK and Senior Manager of Baseball Technology and Initiatives JOE BOTELHO were both promoted. Player Development Hitting Analyst RICHARD COSGROVE shifts from FCL development coach. Minor League Hitting Coordinator DALTON HURD and Complex Pitching Development Coordinator CORY POPHAM join the organization. SCOTT STANSBURY, ATC continues as minor league medical coordinator with AJ CANO, ATC moving to assistant minor league medical coordinator. BYRON CAMPBELL moves to senior organizational physical therapist. ALBERT NAVARRO and SAMANTHA SWACKHAMMER join the organization as international medical coordinator and minor league physical therapist, respectively. NICK WHITE returns as head of strength and performance, leading the minor league strength and conditioning team, which includes newly promoted Director WILL ALLI. Rehab Strength Coordinator and Conditioning Coordinator BRANDON FARISH, Biomechanist JOEY MYLOTT, Human Performance Coach ALEJANDRO MACARIO, and Mental Skills Coach DIAMYN HALL all return in their same roles, along with Sports Scientist ISAAC LOPEZ, who was seasonal last year. Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator JON MEDICI transitions to the role from Norfolk. JULIO DIAZ will serve as Latin America strength and conditioning coordinator. ELENA GOMEZ and VICTORIA PEREZ will return as teachers. Minor League Equipment Manager JAKE PARKER returns for his 16th season.
Goll named Aberdeen manager, rest of Orioles minor league coaching staff announced
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles announced their 2025 minor league coaching staffs and player development assignments, with lots of shuffling and an outside hire at Triple-A Norfolk. As reported earlier, Tim Federowicz was named manager of the Tides after serving in the same role last summer at Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers system. Ryan Goll will be a first-time manage